Pollard was actually not in the protection plan for this play

America's Cowboy

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Well, that edge rusher is either Witten's or Pollard's responsibility to slow down. Witten and Pollard both let him blitz untouched on by. Inexcusable. One of them, if not both, should have clipped that edge rusher and slowed him down in order to give Dak an extra second or two to dump it off to either one of them.
 

JoeKing

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I blamed Dak for not throwing the ball away. Witten was clearly the open dump off if pressure came too quickly. Pollard could have blocked someone but the loss of yardage is all Dak's fault.
 
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xwalker

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Well, that edge rusher is either Witten's or Pollard's responsibility to slow down. Witten and Pollard both let him blitz untouched on by. Inexcusable. One of them, if not both, should have clipped that edge rusher and slowed him down in order to give Dak an extra second or two to dump it off to either one of them.
Regardless. He whiffed and got Dak killed. That overshawdows how good of a series he had for me. You can't be RB1 making a huge mistake like that. Yes, Witten gotta do better there too.

No, expecting a RB to execute a run fake and then block a pass rusher is not a good plan.
- It would be good if Witten gave him a significant chip block.
- They are not going to ask a rookie RB to both execute a run fake and then block.
- If Pollard is blocking in a normal RB pass blocking situation and fails, then you can worry.

Kellen Moore said they would try some plays in the preseason that they might decide not to use.
- Witten pass route. FB pass route. RB run fake and intended pass route.
- If they're going to run this play, Dak has to know that he is vulnerable to the pass rush at that spot.
- If they're going to run that play with the FB not staying in to block, then the TE (Witten) has to block.
- Witten could still come off the block and then release the pass rusher to get into position as a receiver.
 

Chuck 54

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Pollard needs to “just do your job.”
The rush doesn’t matter. If he’s not in the protection plan and was supposed to be in the flat as a receiver, then that’s where he should have been, giving Dak the outlet to burn the blitz. If this was accurate information, staying in to help slow them down, even if done accurately, throws the play off. Rookies gots to learn.
 

GenoT

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No big deal. This is correctable and it’s what the preseason’s for.

If push comes to shove, and Pollard has to start the season at RB1, it’s better that he make, learn from and correct rookie confusion and/or mistakes in games that don’t count than if this were to happen in a real game.
 

CATCH17

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I posted this in another thread too. That was La'el Collins guy. I'm worried about Collins this year, too many busts last season. I don't see any way he's back after this year.

Here is Mike Lombardi's breakdown:



La’el is just clueless out there at times.

If he had some football IQ he’d be so much better but he gets confused so easy.
 

TwoCentPlain

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Everyone learned from the play and is hopefully on the same page now. Dak, Pollard, Witten, and Collins could all have done better on the play. Hopefully, Moore learned from it also. That is what preseason is for.

Looked like Pollard did not get out into the flat quick enough. I have no idea what La'el Collins was doing on the play. I have no idea why Witten would run 1 yard and turn around.
 

Oz-of-Cowboy-Country

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Witten done the right thing by showing the QB his numbers. If Pollard would have done the same Dak would have thrown him the ball. Nice little lesson for the rookie. That's what preseason is for.
 

beware_d-ware

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Hate to be that guy, but I've seen Zeke make that block coming off the play fake. Schemed or not, Elliott understands the offense well enough to know when he's got to pick a guy up.
 

Hennessy_King

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It would be difficult to execute the run fake and then pick up a free pass rusher.
- Pollard running forward trying to block a pass rusher running in the opposite direction would make it very difficult to block.
Everyone knows if there is a free rusher you abandon the run fake and execute your block.
 

charron

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Seems logical that pollard poluld be picking up the free rusher as that left witten open in the flat
 
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