Potential Breakout Player-Tony Pollard

[quickccc]

I believe with the wco offense we are going to see our backs be more apart of the passing game. However, does that mean more opportunities for TP? Possibly, but probably not. Zeke is a legitimate, elite back who can do it all, outside of a breather now and then, you would think MM wants him on the field. I see more of a Lucky Whitehead gadget type of role for TP this season. Give him the ball in space a few times a game and see if he can generate a big play.

i don't see him as a gadget Lucky White type. i think he has too real a skill set to be limited to jet sweeps and gadgets. And i've heard several posts in the past suggesting Cowboys use him as a slot guy.
But he's a legit backup back " first" but whose role can expand to moving him around in the pass game
but more like a nickel back than a gadget guy. ala Tarin Cohen, Darren Sproles, Chris Thompson, T Montgomery, etc.

 

[OGCowboy]

Personally I think he’s a hidden dragon, crouching tiger. I have faith in the new staff to see that and utilize it......hope they don’t prove me wrong

 

[quickccc]

With Garrett predictable, non-creative factor out of the way, ..and the far more offensive minded McCarthy bringing his system to better help Kellen Moore, i really hoping it will have to be McCarthy input and designed scheme that plays the biggest part in better creatively involving the RBs ...both in run game and pass game.

i was very disappointed in Moore's schematics and involvement with the RBs in those areas,
heck there were times where Pollard did not even get any touches into the game or saw only a couple of plays.
Not only was that on rookie OC, but a head coach that needed to better oversee and manage his rookie OC
much better than that in helping keep a Pollard more involved in games.

That should happen with McCarthy, and i've seen some of his RB designs in GB that should come in
handy here with these backs - both in run and pass game.
i loved the misdirection plays and various formation looks.



Breaking Down Mike McCarthy's Offense || How He Calls Play

 

[buybuydandavis]

TP already broke, man got skills, and to answer both posts above,, you don't have to take Zeke out of the game for TP to be effectively installed.

This.

TP as an *addition* to Zeke is the best move. Gives us a motion run option, the speed to go deep, and a legitimate RB.

Zeke hasn't been taking the edge lately. Pollard can, especially when run on a jet sweep.

I'm looking forward to Pollard with an NFL offseason. Hopefully he's got a little more power and explosion. His contact balance was so good - a little more power and explosion and he'll be breaking some.

A legitimate two RB offense. Plus Dak. And deep threats. Defenses are going to have to defend the entire field for a change.

 

[darthseinfeld]

He's a generational talent. Reminds me of a rich man's Rod Smith.

So you are saying the Cowboys arent going to play any games because teams will preemptively forfeit?

 

[Rayman70]

Preaching to the choir on Pollard. I started a thread/topic on him a while back about this. He's def. my guy to watch on Offense. He is so diverse with what he offers. He can line up anywhere except QB and oline lol. LOVE his versatility and skill set. He's one of those instinctive slippery players. He's fast, but not the fastest on the team, but he makes up for it with great decisiveness and that first step. He's a game changer. This is not ANYTHING against Zeke..because he's a different back than Pollard...but Zeke may have to learn his role and be ok with it as time goes forward. This kid is special and hungry. I see a 1000 yard season for him in combined yards receiving and rushing. I see Zeke getting about 800 combined. ONLY because we have a wealth of weapons and the offense will be "pick your poison" ..spread ...fun and gun..we could have a different guy show out each week.

 

[Rayman70]

Cee Dee is getting all the attention...rightfully so, but folks will soon learn how special Pollard is. We will lean on him early and often for a spark and he will come thru for us and lift the team.Missing preseason will cause some chemistry issues at first.

 

[Cowboyny]

- From what i heard, it was only fans and media circles that assumed Pollard was gonna be a
gadget back based off his role at Memphis. Garrett per his post draft interview was already saying that
the team thinks of him more than that. They thought he had legit run skills that could help them greatly.

-And Pollard proved them right. from preseason and on he looked very natural and instinctive, and he is ever
more physical and surprisingly stronger in lower body and legs than Felix Jones ever was.
plus he is much better blitz blocker than Felix, much more durable than Felix, and twice as effective and powerful 'between the tackles as Felix ever was. He really hit the ground running as a pure runner.

- Aside from Detroit TD where he lined up slot wise and caught a TD score per underneath cross route.
Pollard either wasn't used much as a receiver, or he didn't seem comfortable yet on rare times asked.
This is an area he was underdeveloped and under-schemed under Kellen Moore, imo.

- Pollard's special teams work as a kick returner was a disaster under
much maligned SP coach Keith O' Quinn but this is where famed SP coach John Fassel should
come in handy. There was a ton of lost fundamentals and discipline under O' Quinn that
had the entire special teams in pure shambles.

-We've gone thru some backs such as Darren McFadden, Lance Dunbar, Alfred Morris, Robert Turbin,
Rod Smith ...none of them have excited me as much in terms of physical size and tools, natural instincts, splash speed and potential as much as Pollard. We finally got the backup RB role and personnel right .

-Moore/MM have to design ways to give more touches to Pollard. I cannot see him taking too many rushing snaps away from Zeke outside of giving him a breather series now and then. They need to incorporate him like the Saints use Alvin Kamara. Get him onto the field with Zeke, use him all over the field, in the backfield, in the slot, on the outside. Force teams to match-up.

 

[Rayman70]

-Moore/MM have to design ways to give more touches to Pollard. I cannot see him taking too many rushing snaps away from Zeke outside of giving him a breather series now and then. They need to incorporate him like the Saints use Alvin Kamara. Get him onto the field with Zeke, use him all over the field, in the backfield, in the slot, on the outside. Force teams to match-up.

I think camp will determine which guy see's more snaps. MM has proven in the past that he doesnt care who you are, if he thinks you help the team more that week, then you will get more snaps and looks. Zeke better be prepared for that and know his role. Pollard is being undersold.

 

[Cowboyny]

I think camp will determine which guy see's more snaps. MM has proven in the past that he doesnt care who you are, if he thinks you help the team more that week, then you will get more snaps and looks. Zeke better be prepared for that and know his role. Pollard is being undersold.

C'mon this is laughable. Zeke is an elite back in this league, he isn't going to be taken off the field outside of a breather.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

You get it, having Pollard on this roster is a great thing, I find it rather confusing that other fans of this team have to constantly label an up an coming talent as threat to one of their favorite players,, now that is funny,,, without emogi.

I don;t see the zeke....people....being threatened by Tony. I see people not sold on a (what I presume to be) 2nd string college player, while zeke was blowing up HUGE teams, (the very best the NCAA had to offer) in his 2014 championship.

I see a some caution, due to several of our #2's getting the call up and failing pretty miserably.

I think the great majority of ALL fans like the 1-2 combo.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

I think camp will determine which guy see's more snaps. MM has proven in the past that he doesnt care who you are, if he thinks you help the team more that week, then you will get more snaps and looks. Zeke better be prepared for that and know his role. Pollard is being undersold.

Zeke may have a new system...but he's proven to be one of the best backs in the league for 4 years. That is damn hard to do under ANY system, let alone our flawed one.

If anything...ALL players will be elevated, not just "undersold" players like Tony.

(By the way..."undersold"? You are kidding right? The team has been ecstatic with Tony!)

 

[the_h0wey]

My next possible breakout player was going to be Blake Jarwin, since there are several posts about him, no need to start another discussion. Here is my final possible breakout player for this upcoming season-Tony Pollard

As prospect Tony Pollard was viewed as more of a gadget type of player who has the versatility to play multiple roles. In his limited opportunities last season, he struck me as a more physical Felix Jones. Has the potential to become a dynamic kickoff returner, can be an effective runner even in between the tackles and has plus receiving skills. He made not have timed as fast as Felix Jones did, but his speed and burst is evident, especially in space.

It's going to become very challenging for Pollard to see a lion share worth of rushing carries as he is playing behind Zeke Elliot. He also has his struggles in pass protection, which limits him playing time. Kellen Moore/MM need to find more ways to integrate Pollard within the starting offense as he is a tremendous home run type of weapon in space. If that means gadget plays, playing more as a slot receiver or even how him and Zeke on the field together so be it.

My only concern for Pollard is I don't know if there is enough touches to go around.

 

[starfan1]

I don;t see the zeke....people....being threatened by Tony. I see people not sold on a (what I presume to be) 2nd string college player, while zeke was blowing up HUGE teams, (the very best the NCAA had to offer) in his 2014 championship.

I see a some caution, due to several of our #2's getting the call up and failing pretty miserably.

I think the great majority of ALL fans like the 1-2 combo.

if you think Zeke is anywhere near what he was that year i think you miss a key point. Hes not. Is he garbage? no but we've all named more effective backs at this point in other threads. That being said having a 1-2 punch that can be utilized properly is a good thing as i highly doubt Pollard is an every down back. But as we seen last year by how many times zeke motioned for a blow he isnt either. at least not to the level he was in 2016

 

[glimmerman]

Pollard better hold on to the ball this year. Lol. That fumble in the egirls game. Grrr.

 

[starfan1]

Pollard better hold on to the ball this year. Lol. That fumble in the egirls game. Grrr.

well ya the season was on the line with that but Zeke's fumble in NO was no less costly both cost us big.of course if you listen to the haters it was daks fault because they didn't score enough.

 

[Ranched]

Ewok's the established starter and nothing will change that. MM needs to see Pollard as this team’s Ty Montgomery and get the ball in his hands.

The Cowboys have a plethora of potent weapons in the running game as well as the passing game, and Pollard is one of those.

 

[Cowboyny]

My only concern for Pollard is I don't know if there is enough touches to go around.

That is the biggest problem. If they use more 3 wr sets, that leaves just 1 other spot on the field; te/rb/fb or another wr.

 

[glimmerman]

well ya the season was on the line with that but Zeke's fumble in NO was no less costly both cost us big.of course if you listen to the haters it was daks fault because they didn't score enough.

Was the fumble in saints game the one that his elbow was actually down but they didnt over turn it.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

if you think Zeke is anywhere near what he was that year i think you miss a key point. Hes not. Is he garbage? no but we've all named more effective backs at this point in other threads. That being said having a 1-2 punch that can be utilized properly is a good thing as i highly doubt Pollard is an every down back. But as we seen last year by how many times zeke motioned for a blow he isnt either. at least not to the level he was in 2016

I think you are taking my statement the wrong way. I'm not comparing him to NOW. I was comparing zeke and Tony's NCCA pedigree...and why some people may not be sold on Tony' being the #1 heavy hitter. I've seen some people say he wasn't even the #1 on his NCAA team.

Sorry if it looked like I was supporting zeke yet again. I'll try to curb my enthusiasm. But that isn't what I was doing in this case.

I meant what I said...when I said everyone gets a free pass from me....and previous performances have been greatly erased. We've spent the last five+ years beeching and moaning about terrible coaching...Which surely effected player performances...how could it not?

And even if I do start hating (I kid!) zeke like you and roy and aria?....only two years to go...and not gonna waste all that effort convincing others to do the same.

One thing about zeke....I fully agree he's not the same player he was for 2014 NCAA champs or even 2016. But he is STILL a top 5 rb 4 years running. Not an easy achievement with our faulty system we had. And I'm gonna hold out for him just another year or two. Like I said I was doing for everyone.