Should Dowdle be the starter?

[LACowboysFan1]

And Mazi is study in confusion. He appears to be freakishly athletic for his size, but then doesn't show it. At this point, I truly don't know what to think of him.

He's a rookie. Not every player that ends up being great, or even very good, is good right away. There's more to playing DT in the NFL than physical attributes.

While I would think he'd be doing better, I also think it's too early to tell how he'll end up...

 

[kskboys]

He's a rookie. Not every player that ends up being great, or even very good, is good right away. There's more to playing DT in the NFL than physical attributes.

While I would think he'd be doing better, I also think it's too early to tell how he'll end up...

That's stating the obvious. I'm talking about signs that he'll be good. All players that end up being great show signs right away.

There's more, but not much. Instincts and physical attributes are what makes/breaks a player.

No one is saying how he'll end up, merely discussing his current progress.

 

[Hardline]

Of course it is. They've set up the NFL over the last 15 years to be a passing league.

And the Cowboys, as constructed today, and with this o-line, it's a passing team...which also plays to McCarthy's strengths (and he's our OC). So this is a passing league, and the current Cowboys are a passing team.

They should still sprinkle in some early runs, but rarely on 1st down. And they should still do a lot of play action, especially early in the game...because teams still respect the Cowboys running game.

But the Cowboys should pass to set up the run, because that's the offense's strength. When's the last time the Cowboys offense started a game and dominated on the ground to get a lead? It's been a while, and it's been rare. Most, if not all this season, of the Cowboys' offense's early success has been through the air. McCarthy is finally starting to figure this out, thank goodness.

To start the game, they should do what they do best, and exploit the matchups presented by the other team. Score early, then run the ball with liberal use of play action.

Look at the run to pass play ratio across the league. The passing league myth is just that.

 

[kskboys]

Look at the run to pass play ratio across the league. The passing league myth is just that.

Thing is the term "Passing league" is a very grey term. It simply doesn't really mean anything. Teams absolutely must have a way to eat up clock. Short passing works the same way as a running game, albeit being much more dangerous. And it's also very hard on the players catching those short passes as they get lit up a lot, take a real pounding. The slot guys need to be built like Wes Welker or Edelmann to last. And there's just not all that many of those types to go around. And then you have to find a QB who sees the field extremely well, as those short passes are very dangerous and are prone to be pick 6ed.

 

[EPL0c0]

It does not matter.

The OLine hasn't shown an ability to run block and open up big holes with any consistency

DAL has had a 100+yd rusher in only FOUR (4) of their last TWENTY-SIX (26) games

Pollard is avg'ing 3.9yd/carry on the season.

Pollard has had ONE 100+yd rushing game over his last 16 games

Dowdle hasn't had more than 26yds in any game before today's 79yds.

 

[KMY_Amber]

Look at the run to pass play ratio across the league. The passing league myth is just that.

A bunch of rookie QBs thrust into action for a number of reasons this season will skew the stats. Many teams are forced to run because they can't have their rookie QB or inexperienced QB dropping back 40 times in a game. So they're forced into balance.

Plus the Eagles and Niners are a bit of an anomaly too, because their offenses are centered around the run with their superior O-lines. Most teams don't have that.

So, it's a passing league, with a few great run-scheming OCs who are able to pound the rock. But as the Niners showed when they hit their slide, they still need an effective passing game to win.

The Cowboys are a no-brainer passing team first (to get the lead), because we've seen how little success this team has trying to run the ball early in games, especially between the tackles. All of the Cowboys early success comes through the air. The running attack picks up steam once this team has the lead.

And the o-line tends to struggle early in games with 1st and 2nd down runs. But later in games, they run block better. So, the Cowboys have a pass-first offense. Any balance should be warranted once the Cowboys get the lead.

I think it's taken too long for McCarthy to figure this out, as this was the case from week 1. But early in the season, he tried to force the run...and this team struggled to score TDs. Sure, an occasional bad read or interception is going to happen, and that's OK...it's football. But they have to keep up the air attack, exploiting matchups, until they score and get the lead.

 

[AbeBeta]

pollard needs to step it up.

No. But if he keeps playing like he has been, he can fill the Zeke role. That will help Pollard

 

[Hardline]

A bunch of rookie QBs thrust into action for a number of reasons this season will skew the stats. Many teams are forced to run because they can't have their rookie QB or inexperienced QB dropping back 40 times in a game. So they're forced into balance.

Plus the Eagles and Niners are a bit of an anomaly too, because their offenses are centered around the run with their superior O-lines. Most teams don't have that.

So, it's a passing league, with a few great run-scheming OCs who are able to pound the rock. But as the Niners showed when they hit their slide, they still need an effective passing game to win.

The Cowboys are a no-brainer passing team first (to get the lead), because we've seen how little success this team has trying to run the ball early in games, especially between the tackles. All of the Cowboys early success comes through the air. The running attack picks up steam once this team has the lead.

And the o-line tends to struggle early in games with 1st and 2nd down runs. But later in games, they run block better. So, the Cowboys have a pass-first offense. Any balance should be warranted once the Cowboys get the lead.

I think it's taken too long for McCarthy to figure this out, as this was the case from week 1. But early in the season, he tried to force the run...and this team struggled to score TDs. Sure, an occasional bad read or interception is going to happen, and that's OK...it's football. But they have to keep up the air attack, exploiting matchups, until they score and get the lead.

Those aren't good examples. The fact is the run to pass ratio is about 50/50. And the Cowboys have rarely been relevant without a strong rushing attack. Dak isn't passing the Cowboys to a Super Bowl. We need a stud RB to ground and pound. That is still a winning formula.

 

[Gangsta Spanksta]

pollard needs to step it up.

Pollard numbers are down exactly because he is the starter. Teams game plan for the starter

 

[quickccc]

I'm starting to think Dowdle is more suited for this OL run scheme... it's not built for speed, cut back runners
but more for power, angry running style player.

plus i'm starting to wonder if Rico maybe more instinctive and a better feel for this kind of OL blocking than Pollard
Rico may have the right patience, right feel for this OL scheme than Pollard -whose Joe Pihilibin's OL scheme.

I would have been using Rico for inside 5 yard line red zone - just a more bigger, physical, goal line- like runner than Pollard.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Dowdle runs with more power but he’s not a game changer. No one fears him. He hasn’t had a run over 10 yards. Pollard is a big play threat.

A run over 10 yards? Are you sure?

He was averaging 11 yards a carry his first few carries today

 

[KJJ]

A run over 10 yards? Are you sure?

He was averaging 11 yards a carry his first few carries today

That post was from Tuesday. Prior to this game his longest run was 10 yards, at least according to pro football reference.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Prior to this game his longest run was 10 yards, at least according to pro football reference.

Oh ok, that makes sense

 

[KJJ]

Oh ok, that makes sense

Yeah, I posted that comment on Tuesday.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Yeah, I posted that comment on Tuesday.

Haha i didn't even look. I'm stupid anyways haha

 

[Kingofholland]

I guess this thread will get a kickstart with Rico having a better game than Pollard stats wise. Up to last week he's run hard, but there really hasn't been anything ground breaking to warrant a start. Perhaps he's earned a few more carries after today's performance, but hasn't earned the starting job.

Tony Pollard earned the starting job last year grinding it out all last season. However, he doesn't look like the same player this year and it'll be interesting what the future holds for him.

 

[Carter]

Just split carries more like today to get more out of both and draft an A-Tier RB early next season.

Neither is a starting workhorse RB

 

[pugilist]

Pollard seems off this season (probably the injury). The explosiveness from the backfield to and through the LOS is missing. I do, however, see it with Dowdle.

Give me Dowdle starting and Pollard RB2 for the rest of 2023.

 

[kskboys]

I guess this thread will get a kickstart with Rico having a better game than Pollard stats wise. Up to last week he's run hard, but there really hasn't been anything ground breaking to warrant a start. Perhaps he's earned a few more carries after today's performance, but hasn't earned the starting job.

Tony Pollard earned the starting job last year grinding it out all last season. However, he doesn't look like the same player this year and it'll be interesting what the future holds for him.

He wasn't being given enough carries to show much of anything.

IMO, what we just learned is that part of our problem running the ball was Polly. He's just not a starter.

 

[LovinItAll]

27 carries, 134 yards, 4.9 ypc and a touchdown in this game.

Because the blocking was there, the running backs didn't suddenly get 2/10 of a second faster 40 times or gain 20 lbs. each.

The backs aren't top of the league, but they're plenty good enough....

It…was…the…Giants. It wasn’t because the blocking was there, it was because we were having so much success in the passing game that the Giants defense had to focus on that, leaving big holes for the RBs to run through. Pollard can’t break an arm tackle and Dowdle looked like an All-Pro. None of that will fly against the 49ers.

Take Dak’s runs out and we racked up a whopping 59 yards running against the Eagles. If we had a power back, maybe we win that game and don’t get stoned on the goal line against the Giants.