Because of the great season that Cook is currently having … ( and he’s showing every sign that he has fully recovered from that serious season ending ACL knee tear he suffered)
and because Cook is showing impressive explosiveness n in his game, .. and that zeke is NOT showing burst/explosion - that’s probably why there’s the Cook vs Zeke comparisons now.
But my bigger concerns is WHY has zeke lost the explosive splash plays that was so signature his rookie year ? and I can only guess work my eye on two questions:
1) Is zeke is showing signs of wear and tear body toll with the total amount of plays (run, catch, block) over just 4 years in the NFL ?
2) have these Cowboys coaches played a huge part in the decline of zeke’s explosiveness ?
Have they insist on added bulk to his frame for the sake of him being made into more a pounding, ball control runner, a more durable blitz-blocker ..and lesser of a homerun runner ?
also have they re-coach Zeke’s run style ? made him nto being more of a patient Levion Bell -style runner in waiting more at the line for a hole or lane to open ?
Between what I’ve seen with how the Rod Smith issue was handled, .. and how the current Tony Pollard situation is currently being handled, I would have to look and questioned the coaches with the zeke situation is being handled as well.
Can't blame the Cabo holdout for lack of burst , as zeke wasn’t even quite the same breakaway runner in 2018, as he was his first 2 years … people talk about Cooks’ dangerous screen passes
.. but that patented quick RB screen that we’d see zeke turn into home run TDs (ala Steelers, Niners) He used to have his own dangerous version –... but where is that now ?
Blame it on the OL for a supposedly lack of holes and openings is weak to me, when you have pro bowlers like Martin and Smith, etc included in that – and I see initial holes that zeke is not hitting with that 2016 burst, the physicality is still there, but he’s no longer feared as a homerun hitter.
If I am the opposing defense, I will easily take that every time. Big bruiser don’t scare defenses …Frank Gores don’t scare defenses … you’ll live to play the next down, but instant breakaway
home run hitters scare the hell outta defenses ! you simply cannot afford to let up or miss a gap not even for one play.
Constant pressure to stay disciplined and maintain or that home runner instantly changes the game around on any given play.
- Something changed within Zeke’s burst and home run game AFTER 2017 …and BEFORE 2018, imo.
And I still recall RB Gary Brown’s “ quotes” before the 2018 season, and reiterated to zeke to “ prepare to take quite a heavier load in 2018, “ that means an excessive
more amount of touches in run/pass game, but because of Rod’s worthlessness, Elliot was simply forced to stay on field
and was very difficult to take him out (and never saw him point to come out for breather as 2018)
But we have a more effective runner in Pollard to give zeke that necessary breather but it doesn't change that zeke's previous burst is clearly missing, and many upon many are taking
notice of it more than ever. ..even if Jerry claims he does not.