Should Dowdle be the starter?

[Ken]

Polly needs to get more touches? That is absolutely insane.

Not at all what I stated.

 

[kskboys]

No but he needs to get more touches. It is simply insane that Zeke got spelled every 3rd series by Pollard but we think that Pollard can be a workhorse back when he has never been on any level.

We need more of a committee approach. It is the problem with the run game.

Really?

 

[kskboys]

Not at all what I stated.

Oh, you meant Dowdle needs to get more touches. Apologies.

 

[AtomicDog]

Maybe our running backs would do better if we didn't predictably run into a wall every 1st down.

 

[RonnieT24]

LMAO it only took 8 weeks for this suggestion to surface. You guys are way too predictable. Dowdle is actually averaging the same YPC as Pollard. And both of them seem to be running away from DEs who are beating Steele like a drum.

 

[beware_d-ware]

In general, RBs are the least important part of the run game equation.

The most important part is having a competent scheme and playcaller. You could have a 2 TE front with the seven studliest blockers in the league, but if the defense has loaded an 8 man box and the linebackers are just staring down the run, you aren't going to get anywhere.

Then, you need to have blockers with enough talent to move the guys in front of them. Just based on past track record, I think the Cowboys have the horses to do this. They haven't been getting push, but I blame the scheme like above.

Then, if the scheme is setting up favorable situations, and the OL is opening holes, then the RB is the problem if he's not seeing the holes or breaking tackles.

Pollard hasn't been as explosive as in the past, but he's not missing holes like Trent Richardson or just laboring through them like 2022 Zeke. I don't think he's the problem, and likewise, switching to Dowdle won't fix anything.

 

[Dallasfann]

Yet a HUGE percentage of this board was calling for Pollard to be RB1 last year. I’m not even sure I’d call him a 3rd down back. Certainly not 3rd and 3 when younger Zeke would just punish people, especially late in the second half.

Marshawn Lynch once said something like, ‘You just have to keep running through a ***** face. Most guys just can’t take that’. Pollard isn’t ever going to run through anyone’s face and scare them.

What people really didn't realize is even when Zeke was averaging 4 yards a carry other teams do not like tackling him. Most on this board never played football ever and its very obvious. I remember playing linebacker and when other teams had bigger running backs it was always much worse then the fast small guy who tried avoiding you.

 

[Kwyn]

pollard needs to step it up.

What has Dowdle showed to make you think he should be a starting NFL running back?

 

[plasticman]

Dowdle shouldn't even be in the game.

There is no upside. What we are seeing today is the best that Dowdle is ever going to be.

We should be seeing a legitimately talented young 2nd back that is not only producing but making some big plays and challenging Pollard as the starter.

Instead, we are getting a practice squad level warm body to absorb carries because, frankly, there isn't anybody else.

This was an absolutely terrible plan for a running attack going into the season. What makes the situation worse is that they know what we know and they still did nothing about it. It's too late now.

Jerry Jones......does he learn nothing?

He experienced Derrick Lassic in 1993 during Emmitt's holdout. He experienced Marion Barber as a starting RB after letting Julius Jones go. He experienced Joseph Randle in 2015 after Murray left in free agency.

He learned nothing.

Once again, his amateur decision making has destroyed a true opportunity. He has never been a team builder, he has always been a team destroyer. His direct involvement has transformed a highly productive offense into a one-dimensional, easily defended mess.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Looks like he might be better suited to be the starter. Meh.

Dowdle is running like the guy he is, a PS player who is getting his chance.
Pollard is running like the guy he is, promoted to starter but coming off injury.

Dowdle runs harder and has more spring in his legs.
Pollard looks off to me, I don't think the pass blocking duties are doing him any favors,

Maybe franchising a rb coming off a broken leg wasn't the greatest idea.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Dowdle shouldn't even be in the game.

There is no upside. What we are seeing today is the best that Dowdle is ever going to be.

We should be seeing a legitimately talented young 2nd back that is not only producing but making some big plays and challenging Pollard as the starter.

Instead, we are getting a practice squad level warm body to absorb carries because, frankly, there isn't anybody else.

This was an absolutely terrible plan for a running attack going into the season. What makes the situation worse is that they know what we know and they still did nothing about it. It's too late now.

Jerry Jones......does he learn nothing?

He experienced Derrick Lassic in 1993 during Emmitt's holdout. He experienced Marion Barber as a starting RB after letting Julius Jones go. He experienced Joseph Randle in 2015 after Murray left in free agency.

He learned nothing.

Once again, his amateur decision making has destroyed a true opportunity. He has never been a team builder, he has always been a team destroyer. His direct involvement has transformed a highly productive offense into a one-dimensional, easily defended mess.

This.

Should have drafted a real RB this year to pair with Pollard who could realistically compete for starter next year.
When we failed to do that, we should have brought in another low cost veteran to compete for RB#2.
Failed to do that too,
The vet get got unimpressed and got hurt.
So we're now left with PS rbs to split time with Pollard. The ridiculous thing is how cheap veteran RBs can be. Such cheap insurance.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Yep. Giving Pollard that much money was stupid. He can’t carry a full load. Let Dowdle do the Zeke work and let Pollard slot back into his old job.

Part of the problem is how we use Pollard. Incorrectly, IMO, and it's worse this season.
He should running wide for a carry or deep for a pass.

Pollard is a much bigger threat to a defense going deep than pass blocking.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I see running back by committee coming up in our near future, maybe not in the Giants game, but after that when it's really close. Jones didn't find us our bruiser in free agency, so it looks like we got to make it happen with what we've got.

 

[LovinItAll]

What people really didn't realize is even when Zeke was averaging 4 yards a carry other teams do not like tackling him. Most on this board never played football ever and its very obvious. I remember playing linebacker and when other teams had bigger running backs it was always much worse then the fast small guy who tried avoiding you.

Lol. When I was 11 and playing my 3rd year in Pop Warner, there was an RB on the 'Wolfpack Red' team that looked like he was 16. Tall and heavy, our offensive lineman would jump to the side and try to tackle him to avoid getting trucked by the kid, obviously never bringing him down. I loved to hit other kids. I played LB when we played them and got a few tackles on him, but he blasted me every time I got in front of him to try an wrap him up. It was quite unpleasant. I think they scored on every possession and never threw a pass, and why would they?

 

[DuncanIso]

No. Dowdle is a borderline 3rd HB. He wouldn't have made most rosters

Yup.

Hes a scrub at best.

 

[DuncanIso]

There isn’t an OL in the NFL that could make this rb duo look good.

Agree.

Same OL last season.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

This guy is always a step away from breaking a 70yd run.

That's what most were saying about Pollard about this time last year.

And here we go again, last year it was "Zeke needs to go/Pollard needs more carries/Pollard needs to be the starter, etc.
And before that it was "Julius Jones needs to go/Darren McFadden needs to go".

It's not Pollard, it's the o-line. And that's not likely to get better. Maybe a bit, Steele may get better as far as his knee recovery goes, and if the line can stay with the same players some more continuity may come.

But please, quit with the SOS, the backup is always better to some folks.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Maybe our running backs would do better if we didn't predictably run into a wall every 1st down.

which point to issues on OL

 

[BlueStar22]

Why do yall still get caught up into who starts? The running backs share snaps. Dowdle needs more carries. Pollard Needs more carries. Luepke needs more carries. See how easy it is. Neither RB is getting enough opportunities, then add in that the bulk of Pollard's opportunities are coming between the tackles when he's better on the edges we should be asking why the runners aren't being used correctly.

 

[kskboys]

Dowdle is running like the guy he is, a PS player who is getting his chance.
Pollard is running like the guy he is, promoted to starter but coming off injury.

Dowdle runs harder and has more spring in his legs.
Pollard looks off to me, I don't think the pass blocking duties are doing him any favors,

Maybe franchising a rb coming off a broken leg wasn't the greatest idea.

And not even trying to draft a RB w/ some power.