Fair point.I fully understand your point in that Zekes punishing running style wears a defense down and can have them smoked by the 4th qtr . No one loves power running more than I do trust me .
That said I have gotten really tired of having a good offense one talented enough to win playoff games but a defense that just gives it up and kills their best efforts . We have a playoff defense now but we are going to have to pay those guys also . As good as Zeke is we just cant afford to pay him top money and have him do something stupid and not be able to play .
We have to do what's best to keep the most talent on the team and that may not be paying Zeke top money 2 yrs before we actually have to. Jerry will do what he wants but if Im paying a guy top money I want his character to be good enough that I dont have to worry about losing my investment through off field issues .
These suspensions are the bain of my existence beyond tired of that crap would hate to have to give up a couple of high character guys on defense to pay Zeke and then have him spit the bit again
Tell me a time when pollard was ever a bell cow? We've done this before. With Felix Jones. This time we were smart enough not to use a 1st round pick!The problem with your post is you are making the assumption that Pollard won't be able to force teams into making a "BUSINESS DECISION" never make assumptions. If Pollard were to start the season and in his 1st game carry 21 times for say 109 and in his 2nd game rush 22 times for say 110, plus throw in 1 or 2 catches a game, i guarantee you buy the 3rd game of the season opposing D's would be forced to make business decisions regarding Pollard. I get your point but until you see what Pollard can do in a real NFL...well quite frankly you can't make an informed decision as to what defenses will do to stop him
Oh, and the embarrassing thingie? Not the first time I've been told that. Not even close!!!
Tell me a time when pollard was ever a bell cow? We've done this before. With Felix Jones. This time we were smart enough not to use a 1st round pick!
No problem.Tell me a time when pollard was ever a bell cow? We've done this before. With Felix Jones. This time we were smart enough not to use a 1st round pick!
So this is enough.......never mind.No problem.
On 12/22/18, Pollard was 17/109.
On 11/23, Pollard was 11/83 along w/ 8/116 receiving.
Whoa there hossie. You specifically said "ever".So this is enough.......never mind.
Because they aren't making their opinions on logic. It's about emotion. Especially for a lot of the older fans here. It has nothing to do with ability it's about zeke not knowing his "place" and should do what he is "told".Sorry...I had to start a new thread...because I don't want this point to be lost. Some of you all...with 10,000....15,000....20,000+ posts on this board...your LACK of understanding the game of football is down right embarrassing. And it's not about us all having to agree on everything....we should and we do RESPECTFULLY disagree with one another a lot. But there is a difference in disagreeing...and debating with people who simply don't know the game. And maybe EVERYONE on this board THINKS they know the game...but many of you don't...and you lead people astray who admittedly are here to learn from people here that are SUPPOSED to know the game.
Every time I read any reference to Pollard carrying the load....I want to scream and/or throw my laptop against the wall. You might be mad at Zeke. You might think he should "honor his contract". But does that mean you have lost all football sensibilities...or maybe you never had any?
One of the biggest things that many of you are missing....when you point to what Darren McFadden did...or what Alfred Morris averaged per carry...or what Pollard has done so far.....is NONE of them...force the defense to make a business decision. All yards per carry are NOT equal. All 100 yard games are not equal. All 1000 yards seasons are not equal. We all know about Zeke's ability to run, catch...and block. But late in games...especially when the season starts to drag on...peoples desire to tackle Zeke plays a big part in wearing down a defense. So it's NOT just about how many times Dallas runs the ball...it's how many times do they run the ball with a RB that makes the defense tap out.
So I know there are thread after thread on this topic. And I know everyone will not agree with my take. But some of you all should really STOP IT...with this nonsense comparing all of these guys to Zeke. Or thinking we have found Zeke's replacement after a couple of pre-season games. Or over valuing Darren McFadden's 1000+ yard season in Dallas. They are not Zeke for MANY reasons...and their inability to bring the violence and physicality to the run game is either not understood by some of you or not considered when comparing Zeke to them
Sorry...I had to start a new thread...because I don't want this point to be lost. Some of you all...with 10,000....15,000....20,000+ posts on this board...your LACK of understanding the game of football is down right embarrassing. And it's not about us all having to agree on everything....we should and we do RESPECTFULLY disagree with one another a lot. But there is a difference in disagreeing...and debating with people who simply don't know the game. And maybe EVERYONE on this board THINKS they know the game...but many of you don't...and you lead people astray who admittedly are here to learn from people here that are SUPPOSED to know the game.
Every time I read any reference to Pollard carrying the load....I want to scream and/or throw my laptop against the wall. You might be mad at Zeke. You might think he should "honor his contract". But does that mean you have lost all football sensibilities...or maybe you never had any?
One of the biggest things that many of you are missing....when you point to what Darren McFadden did...or what Alfred Morris averaged per carry...or what Pollard has done so far.....is NONE of them...force the defense to make a business decision. All yards per carry are NOT equal. All 100 yard games are not equal. All 1000 yards seasons are not equal. We all know about Zeke's ability to run, catch...and block. But late in games...especially when the season starts to drag on...peoples desire to tackle Zeke plays a big part in wearing down a defense. So it's NOT just about how many times Dallas runs the ball...it's how many times do they run the ball with a RB that makes the defense tap out.
So I know there are thread after thread on this topic. And I know everyone will not agree with my take. But some of you all should really STOP IT...with this nonsense comparing all of these guys to Zeke. Or thinking we have found Zeke's replacement after a couple of pre-season games. Or over valuing Darren McFadden's 1000+ yard season in Dallas. They are not Zeke for MANY reasons...and their inability to bring the violence and physicality to the run game is either not understood by some of you or not considered when comparing Zeke to them
That's the direction the good teams that consistently contend for titles take. Great OL and good, affordable RB/RBs = highly productive running game. Just one example I wanted to mention; the New Orleans Saints. They have Kamara on a rookie deal, right? They were pairing him with Ingram who was on a modest contract, and when Ingram left in FA they were able to sign a solid back like Latavis Murray for 3.6 million a year, a guy that has proven to be productive.For many, it's not about comparing Zeke to this guy or that guy.
It's about understanding that the way the league operates now, many successful teams are winning games with a gaggle of TBs and not simply pouring millions and millions into a large, expensive contract for one TB.
Is Zeke one of the best RBs in football? Yep. Do you need one of the best RBs in football with a big contract in order to win games? Not really.
That's the position many take. In a league where there is a cap, you can't sign everyone and some people look around the league and see it might make more sense financially to not lock yourself into a huge contract for one TB, but rather, hodge podge the TB position and then use the money to bring back a CB that you might let walk otherwise, for example.
Agreed he is one of the more physical RBs in the league but if we could get the production from a much cheaper back in Pollard that would let us sign more talent and ultimately better the team I am not against that . If Zeke continues to hold out we might get to see just what we have in Pollard
Serious question: Why do you think Lassic was talented? He had a 3 year NFL career, and 1993 was the only year he got carries. He was 75/269/3.6 YPC. He played for us in 94 and got zero carries, and the Panthers in 95 and got zero carries. I'm simply not getting your comparison here at all.
That's true, and there's always Morris also, if the Cowboys keep him, he's at least an experienced back.
But I don't want to find out, I know what we have in Zeke, and no question he's a premier back, he can do it all, something neither Pollard ( as far as we know now) or Morris can do.
I feel Zeke will get signed by the opening game, last I heard they were quibbling over guaranteed money, not the entire contract....
That's the direction the good teams that consistently contend for titles take. Great OL and good, affordable RB/RBs = highly productive running game. Just one example I wanted to mention; the New Orleans Saints. They have Kamara on a rookie deal, right? They were pairing him with Ingram who was on a modest contract, and when Ingram left in FA they were able to sign a solid back like Latavis Murray for 3.6 million a year, a guy that has proven to be productive.
I have little doubt their running game will be among the best in the league this year.
They were sixth in the league in rushing yards last year, and had 26 rushing TDs.
Not too shabby.
But lack of talent on the defense has been a proven cause of failure
No problem.
On 12/22/18, Pollard was 17/109.
On 11/23, Pollard was 11/83 along w/ 8/116 receiving.
Absolutely. I was merely refuting the statement that Pollard hadn't "ever" been a bell cow. Simply pointing out that he had some games w/ a lot of touches.To me "bell cow" means a back that carried the team offensively for a whole season or more, in Pollard's best year, 2018, he touched the ball 117 times in 13 games, or 9 times a game total, that's not a "bell cow" to me.
He's 6-0 and 215. Emmitt was 215 but on a more compact 5-9 frame, unknown if he can take the pounding.
I can see arguments either way, if for no other reason than we won't know if he can be a "bell cow" until they try to make him one, but I have concerns that he can rush 20 times and catch 5 passes a game for a 16 or more game season.
Won't know unless and until it happens, I'm open to to either possibility...
It's been so painstakingly slow, watching Jerry try things and make the mistakes that have already been made in the past. Trying to build an OL w/ spare parts and late rounders was mindnumbingly stupid. Surely there's someone on the staff who knew better. So, what happened? Did they tell Jerry "That won't work, Jerry"? And did Jerry reply "Well, we're going to try it anyway"? I mean, how in the world could we be soooo stupid?No doubt, though I don't think the Cowboys put as much emphasis on the defense in years past, maybe the light went on after some of the "proven cause of failure" you noted happened....