Pick Two Biggest Difference Makers on O and D!

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Look at the Cowboys overall record where Zeke gets 100 yards and when he doesn't.
The Cowboys live and die by the running game.

Ezekiel Elliott is 26-4 with the Cowboys when rushing for 100+ yards in his career.
The Dallas Cowboys are 53-35 with Ezekiel Elliott all-time.


Dallas Cowboys with .602
Dallas Cowboys without .556

It’s a little distorted because generally you run more when you’re winning, so him getting a lot of yards can be a result of the game being decided as much as it is the vice versa. It’s also not unfounded that the Cowboys win ifPollard starts getting 100 yard games as well.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Look at the Cowboys overall record where Zeke gets 100 yards and when he doesn't.
The Cowboys live and die by the running game.

Ezekiel Elliott is 26-4 with the Cowboys when rushing for 100+ yards in his career.
The Dallas Cowboys are 53-35 with Ezekiel Elliott all-time.


Dallas Cowboys with .602
Dallas Cowboys without .556

It's because of the Oline.

If the Oline blocks well consistently and wins their battles at the line of scrimmage, it won't matter who you have at RB.

 

[America's Cowboy]

It’s a little distorted because generally you run more when you’re winning, so him getting a lot of yards can be a result of the game being decided as much as it is the vice versa. It’s also not unfounded that the Cowboys win ifPollard starts getting 100 yard games as well.

Exactly my point.

 

[Hardline]

It's because of the Oline.

If the Oline blocks well consistently and wins their battles at the line of scrimmage, it won't matter who you have at RB.

Most of you said that with Felix Jones, Julius Jones Joseph Randal and tony Hambrick too. RBs with talent matter. Dorsett,Walker ,Emmitt, Murray and Zeke are ones that we win with.

 

[Blackrain]

Dak and Tyron on offense.
When Tyron doesn't play it seems we struggle to do everything on offense

Parsons and Diggs on defense.

 

[dcstar]

Messrs. Parsons n Kearse

Messrs. Martin n Schultz

Go Cowboys!

 

[Hardline]

It’s a little distorted because generally you run more when you’re winning, so him getting a lot of yards can be a result of the game being decided as much as it is the vice versa. It’s also not unfounded that the Cowboys win ifPollard starts getting 100 yard games as well.

It's not only the fact if Zeke rushes for 100 yards or not. Him being on the field increases their winning percentage wen he plays at all. The Cowboys have never had their best success without a top RB.
The Cowboys are their best when they ground and pound. More so than any other team.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Most of you said that with Felix Jones, Julius Jones Joseph Randal and tony Hambrick too. RBs with talent matter. Dorsett,Walker ,Emmitt, Murray and Zeke are ones that we win with.

Once again, go rewatch their games: Olines matter.

Not a single one of them is a Barry Sanders or Walter Payton.

 

[805BoysInBlue]

Kearse and the TE position on O

 

[Hardline]

Once again, go rewatch their games: Olines matter.

Not a single one of them is a Barry Sanders or Walter Payton.

I've seen every Cowboys game since 1977. I'm not saying O-lines don't matter but some RBs can have success without a great line. They can create their yardage.
You mentioned two that did it on a regular basis.

 

[America's Cowboy]

I've seen every Cowboys game since 1977. I'm not saying O-lines don't matter but some RBs can have success without a great line. They can create their yardage.
You mentioned two that did it on a regular basis.

Really? Name them. Which 2 Cowboys RBs created their own yardage?

 

[Hardline]

Really? Name them. Which 2 Cowboys RBs created their own yardage?

Zeke and emmitt

 

[America's Cowboy]

Zeke and emmitt

Really? When? Zeke had good runs the first 3 years. What happened after that? Here, take a look at Zeke's top 25 career runs. He had excellent blocking at the line of scrimmage in every one. Show me where Zeke created his own yards without good run blocking in front of him.



As for Emmitt, when? When did Emmitt create his own yards behind the line of scrimmage? Emmitt always had holes to run through. Once past the line of scrimmage, Emmitt had a way to twist, turn, cut or sidestep would-be-tacklers to run for more yards.

 

[Hardline]

Zeke led the league in yardage AFTER first contact his first two years.
Emmitt created space where there was none.

 

[AsthmaField]

I tried to not be like everyone else on defense… but I do think it is Parsons and Diggs. I thought about saying Lawrence but then I asked myself, if Dallas was in a tight game and you had to lose one of Lawrence or Diggs, who would I choose? That answer is easy for me: Lawrence going out of a game hurts the defense less than Diggs leaving the game, IMO. They could put in Golston or move Micah down to DE if they had to. Or Armstrong. Or Basham. Diggs going out though would open the field for Offenses. QB’s hate throwing picks and Diggs lurking around out in the secondary has to give passers at least a little discomfort.

So yeah, Parsons and Diggs.

On Offense, leaving out QB (because that is obviously the most important position)… I’d have to go Martin and Lamb. I do think that Pollard can be a big difference maker if he gets enough chances. However, it remains to be seen if they use him right.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Zeke led the league in yardage AFTER first contact his first two years.
Emmitt created space where there was none.

"AFTER first contact" which usually happened AFTER Zeke crossed the line of scrimmage. Same was for Emmitt. The films don't lie.

Bottom line, a good run blocking Oline will help many RBs rush for 1k yards.

What has Zeke done the past few years now that this Oline has not blocked so well for him? What did Emmitt do his 1st year and last 3 years of his career when he didn't have a very good Oline in front of him? Look at their yards/game averages each year. That says a lot.

 

[plasticman]

Parsons and Diggs on defense, no brainer. Keep an eye out for the emergence of a DT. He will be a difference maker.

It's Dak and Zeke on offense. Zeke may have slipped in productivity but don't think it has nothing to do with the way he is gameplanned by opponent DC's.

Other teams know that if you can't stop Zeke from running all over you, the game is lost.\

The Cowboys are 26-4 when Zeke rushed for 100 or more years. In fact, they have won 16 of the last 17 games that Zeke had 100 or more yards. The first goal of opponent defenses is to stop Zeke. He is a difference maker.

I know a lot of you really like Pollard. I do too. However, he is being utilized in a way that is advantageous for the Cowboys as well as Pollard himself. the Cowboys under Jerry Jones has typically misjudged the effectiveness of 2nd RB's placed in the role of a starter. They made this mistake with Marion Barber, and they made this mistake with Joseph Randle. Pollard could never take the beating Zeke has endured. After 15 carries, I doubt Pollard could sustain a 4th quarter drive.

When protecting a lead of 1 to 8 points in the 4th quarter, Zeke has the second most attempts during the span of his career from 2016 to 2021. He has made the most 1st downs with 26. he is tied with Alvin Kamara and Derrick Henry for 5th place among RB's with 4.8 yards per attempt for that particular scenario.

Dak is a difference maker for the way he can escape a rush. It's been pointed out that he is extremely dangerous under these circumstances. He didn't run last season because he was still recovering from the very bad injury, he had in 2020. However, he will resume that aspect of his game this season.

 

[starfan1]

Both very easy.

Parsons and Diggs

Dak and Lamb

It could be Pollard, but not when the 18 million dollar ball hog has to get his shine every week.

You sir are as bad as the Dak haters when it comes to zeke

 

[ESisback]

You sir are as bad as the Dak haters when it comes to zeke

I hope they BOTH have great years. They BOTH play for my team!

 

[CowboyRoy]

You sir are as bad as the Dak haters when it comes to zeke

True, but I dont say things the are false and my stance is accurate. Heck people were telling me that 2 years ago and now 98% of the fan base and experts agree that Zeke is no longer a top back in the NFL. They also now agree that Pollard should get a larger share of the carries.