Should Pollard Be The Change Of Pace Back For Dowdle?

RonnieT24

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When Hambrick became the full-time starter, he sucked. I agree that Emmitt was a shell of himself, but Hambrick was not the answer. He was good in a backup role, but not after they named him the starter. He averaged 3.5 per carry then and ended up in Arizona the next year. Like with many backs, Hambrick looked better when his carries were limited and the focus was not on him.
Yeah I'm afraid dude has a bad memory about that whole deal. Troy Hambrick never started a single game over Emmitt when they were together and in his one season as the starter he finished with 972 yards on 275 carries (3.5 ypc) and 5 TDs. The year prior Emmitt had 975 yards on 254 carries (3.8 ypc) and 5 TDs. So Emmitt gained more yards and scored the same number of TDs on fewer carries. In what way was Hambrick "better?"
 

RonnieT24

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Hambrick did start over Emmitt, and ended up playing better.. that's when they finally knew they had to cut Emmitt.

And Emmitt never got any better after that.. During the Hambrick era, he was just the better back....Emmitt had lost it by then. The only team who wanted him was the Cardinals.

It's not always the case. I agree with that. But Emmitt was just a shell of himself at that point. Not even close to the same player.
You dreamed this.. Hambrick never started a single game over Emmitt and in his only season as a started he produced at a significantly lower rate than Emmitt had the previous season. Emmitt was more productive at 33 than Hambrick was at 25. Look it up. Emmitt was too old to put a team on his back anymore.. but he was still better than Hambrick.
 

pansophy

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I would just give Dowdle more carries and try to add a power running game into the mix. Zeke still could punch it in and we are missing that
 

RonnieT24

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I would just give Dowdle more carries and try to add a power running game into the mix. Zeke still could punch it in and we are missing that
Yeah if Belichick and O'brien didn't have a brain fart in the red zone yesterday they would have simply kept feeding Zeke the ball when they got down close and probably would have won the game. Instead they kept trying to pass it in apparently trying to get Mac Jones some confidence and it backfired.
 

kskboys

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Yeah if Belichick and O'brien didn't have a brain fart in the red zone yesterday they would have simply kept feeding Zeke the ball when they got down close and probably would have won the game. Instead they kept trying to pass it in apparently trying to get Mac Jones some confidence and it backfired.
Yeah, really didn't make sense. My best guess is that they're about to cut him after the season, and so are giving him this one last chance to show out. Plus, Belly is very smart. NE needs a QB and he knows it. This is how a HC tanks games. There are reportedly 4-5 first round QBs in the next draft, that could easily be what they are aiming at.
 

kskboys

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I think he earned a look. He runs with a noticeable level of violence and usually breaks through the first tackle.
That right there is the difference. Polly does not break tackles on inside runs, and never did. Dowdle breaks some. He's not some stud tackle breaker, no, but he does run through some of them.
 

erod

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I’m just saying, even early game Dowdle was juice up the middle. Pollard struggles early game
Yes. Said it when they let Zeke go. Pollard wasn't an every down back in college, hasn't been one here, and never will be one. He's a useful change of pace back, and nothing more.
 

RonnieT24

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Yeah, really didn't make sense. My best guess is that they're about to cut him after the season, and so are giving him this one last chance to show out. Plus, Belly is very smart. NE needs a QB and he knows it. This is how a HC tanks games. There are reportedly 4-5 first round QBs in the next draft, that could easily be what they are aiming at.
Yeah you have a point there. BB might simply have been doing his level best not to win too many games this season so he can have a shot at a legit QB. Mac Jones' best year was his rookie season and he's gotten progressively worse each year since. At this point he's even worse than his cousin Daniel. It's hard watching him at times and I feel really sorry for the running backs who not only are getting crappy blocking but absolutely zero help from the passing game.. Zeke and Stevenson deserve better as hard as they run.
 

glimmerman

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Dowdle needs to be used early up the middle and use Pollard later. But JJ won’t let that happen. And Luepke had angered someone because he has had 3 carrys this season and 1 of them was a TD on the goal line. He ran it in from the 4. You have a goal line problems and he is not on the field.
 

conner01

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They’re not going to start Dowdle over Pollard. Pollard is making too much money this season and he’s a game changer, but they appear to be dividing the carries more evenly between them. It’s giving Pollard a little more rest.
Pollard is much better blocker and has great hands as a reciever. After the one big run Dowdle other runs we’re about same as pollard YPC
 

conner01

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25 to 40 carries a game equates to a short career - not getting a second contract or the team and fan base is disappointed in the result of the second contract.

Looking for a second Emmitt Smith is fools gold.
Unless you are running at 5 yds per carry you won’t get 40 in today’s nfl. 30 or so is a big run day
 

KJJ

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Pollard is much better blocker and has great hands as a reciever. After the one big run Dowdle other runs we’re about same as pollard YPC
Blocking is another reason Pollard is our lead back. Our backs are asked to do a lot of blocking.
 

Typhus

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Pollard has already proven himself and what he can do and what he does best.
The only way to implement a dual threat out of the backfield is to give Dowdle his fair share, he has earned an increase in snaps, he showed us all that.
 

Denim Chicken

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Just play both of them.


I honestly don’t get why Vaughn isn’t a bigger part of this offense as well.

I’d love to see him in these games where the running is a little tough.
This is the correct answer. Just give him more snaps.

The whole "change of pace" convo is erroneous. He wasnt the "change of pace" to Zeke either. Often times he was taking the first snaps.
 

charron

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Rico fits the scheme better. But pollard did start to have better runs later in the game and I think that is where he excels at. Defense gets tired and they start making mistakes, Pollard will start breaking tackles and really turning on the juice.
 

gimmesix

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Yeah I'm afraid dude has a bad memory about that whole deal. Troy Hambrick never started a single game over Emmitt when they were together and in his one season as the starter he finished with 972 yards on 275 carries (3.5 ypc) and 5 TDs. The year prior Emmitt had 975 yards on 254 carries (3.8 ypc) and 5 TDs. So Emmitt gained more yards and scored the same number of TDs on fewer carries. In what way was Hambrick "better?"
The site I looked at for stats did have Hambrick listed as starting 11 games in 2001, when Emmitt was still with here. However, he only had 113 carries over 16 games (7.4 per game), which is hardly a starter's load. However, looking up Emmitt, they have him listed as starting 14 of 14 games for us that year, so I'm not sure why they give Hambrick "starts" unless we were running some two-back stuff that I don't remember.
 

KMY_Amber

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No. I'm totally fine with the amount of carries and plays that both are getting. No need to change what's working.

And what's REALLY working is an emphasis on the passing game early in games to get the lead. That should not change, unless this team faces a team that flat-out cannot stop the run. Otherwise, pass first, and use play action early...get a lead, preferably a 2-score lead. And then run the ball liberally.
 
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