The new run blocking scheme

[blueblood70]

Pollard is running in the wrong gap...often.

It might be because he does not have a feel for the new scheme...

The Cowboys formula for winning is to rush better than the opponent.

No rush and pass rushers tee off.

Pretty simple the dude doesn't run hard he is not that type of back Rico dowdle has played better then Pollard in my opinion we need to have more players rotating in the obvious rundowns and save pollard's legs for what Tony Pollard can do they are underutilizing the other players why over working and misusing Pollard people were saying that before the season started please don't use his legs up I was screaming do not make him the focus of this offense he needs to be what he has always been is a change of pace back used to break open runs and no he wasn't doing this at the end of last year either it's not the scheme it's the player the last five games last year 3.8 yards per carry 51 yards per game no touchdowns no explosive plays he hasn't looked right since they put more load on him that's the fact that we need to focus on they need to go back to using him as a speed guy off the edge coming in and being the change of pace type of back I mean give him 1012 carries a game three or four targets and let's just stop with raking him run between the tackles and running as if he is Christian McCaffrey he is not do you see their body types I mean I have never seen them standing next to each other but you also look at a guy like bosa when I watch these dudes they look like they live in the gym where Micah Parsons and Tony Pollard do not...

No I wasn't trying to do a pot shot at him I was just explaining the differences in body types and maybe there's a reason they're better than the two guys I just mentioned...

But back to Pollard coming into the chargers game this dude should not be in on first down run second down runs or anything that you want power runs because we're playing behind the chains and now with the fumble because of Tony Pollard/..

 

[Pass2Run]

Pollard is now in a role that he shouldn’t be in. He is a complimentary, splash-play RB and nothing more. Just another mistake for the newish offense.

On top of that, Deuce Vaughn's spot should be upgraded. And fast.

 

[Pass2Run]

Pollard is running in the wrong gap...often.

It might be because he does not have a feel for the new scheme...

The Cowboys formula for winning is to rush better than the opponent.

No rush and pass rushers tee off.

Pollard just isn't the same back he was last year. I honestly do think Dowdle might be the better back at this moment in time. Hasn't he played a little better with the carries he's gotten?

 

[jazzcat22]

They had to sign a veteran RB.

If no franchise for Pollard then it would have been a multi-year deal for a free agent.

They had a cheap deal with Ronald Jones.

 

[xwalker]

They had a cheap deal with Ronald Jones.

Not to be a starter.

 

[BigD5]

Or he is coming off of a leg injury and they changed the blocking scheme...

He broke his leg. How long should it take to recover?

Look it’s just poetic that Dallas would have a player get a little taste of money and then turn into an awful player. How many times have we seen this?

 

[xwalker]

He broke his leg. How long should it take to recover?

Look it’s just poetic that Dallas would have a player get a little taste of money and then turn into an awful player. How many times have we seen this?

He had ligament damage. That's what the "tightrope" surgery repairs. It is not used for broken bones.

 

[Chuck 54]

As with Zeke/Pollard, it doesn’t matter who starts. If you need to pound it, use Dowdle.
That said, you start the RB you’re paying the franchise money. But use Dowdle; use the FB; use an extra lineman. This offense doesn’t look like any version of the West Coast I remember.

 

[McKDaddy]

Torrence would not have played in this past game...

Tyler and Tyron physically pummel defenders. Martin and Steele have good power. Only the OC is weak.

When they can't run with 4 big powerful OL, the problem is either scheme/coaching or the RBs.

OL block to push defenders either right or left. If an OL is pushing his defender left but the RB goes to the left of that OL, then the OL can't continue blocking because it would be blocking in the back.

Remember when Emmitt held out the first 2 games of 93? That OL is regarded as one of the best ever but without Emmitt they couldn't run and lost both games.

The 49ers have the best run blocking scheme in the league and maybe the best ever (scheme not players).

Shannahan's father gave Zone Blocking guru Alex Gibbs a 100% commitment to the ZBS for the first time in the NFL. Others had run zone before but tried to do it with existing OL that were originally drafted as power blockers.

Kyle S. has expanded on the ZBS to include a Fullback and combine it with both Zone and Man.

Kyle S. has also taken a page from what the Rams started a few years ago which was a legit focus on having WRs block.

The Cowboys had the best blocking WR in the league, Noah Brown, but he is gone.

I largely agree with this. Seems to me that one guy gets beat or doesn't quite get the block sinks quite a few of our plays. OC is definitely the weak link .... but he also does OK a lot so I never know exactly how I feel about him. Seems the Cowboys for like the last 8 to 10 years have the worst blocking WR group in the league. So many plays blown up because a WR of multiple WR's failed to complete their assignment.

 

[Big D]

nailed it. I knew this before the season. But the team ignored it and many fans did. We need another back in there 2 split carries other than Dowdle. Maybe Luepke and Deuce can get more touches..

IMO Luepke is the guy. I'm not sure why they haven't given him more opportunity but I think he can bring what we need for the position to get things moving.

 

[Whirlwin]

Said it last year
Pollard is a complimentary back not a lead back

I didn’t want to say it. But I said the same damn thing. And all I did was get ridiculed. Sometimes it’s visionary lol.

 

[Tabascocat]

I didn’t want to say it. But I said the same damn thing. And all I did was get ridiculed. Sometimes it’s visionary lol.

Many of us said having Pollard as lead back was a mistake. That is not his game and never will be.

 

[Whirlwin]

Many of us said having Pollard as lead back was a mistake. That is not his game and never will be.

I wouldn’t say Many. But you’re right some of us.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Many of us said having Pollard as lead back was a mistake. That is not his game and never will be.

Exactly!!!

He is not a bell cow and will never be a bell cow, just a complimentary back.

Problem is that you dont franchise complimentary backs, but we did.

I highly doubt Pollard is going to be tagged again next year, my guess is they are going to let him walk since this year will obviously be a down year for him.

 

[plasticman]

I always thought that having experience means that you don't repeat past mistakes that you were supposed to learn from.

Marion Barber was supposed to demonstrate that a successful situational RB don't guarantee a transition to successful starter.

The opponent defense has a totally different mindset at the start of the1st quarter than they do midway through the 1st half. At first, the defense is totally fresh and can explode off the ball. However, as the game progresses, they begin to wear down. This is when you rest your starting RB because he's been absorbing all the hits with a defense at full strength. This is when you bring in your elusive, speedy RB. The starting RB might be a power back and the 2nd RB a speed back that can make big plays against a fatigued defense.

Sometimes the roles are reversed. The starter is the more elusive one and then you bring in the bigger power back against an already tiring defense.

You never have a starter and his backup with similar attributes. Most importantly and critical to the season's outcome, one of them absoluthely has to be able to get the tough yards as a power runner on a consistent basis. The team must have a RB that is practically a guarantee of a 1st down on a 3rd and short and TD's around the goal line.

Pollard does not have the stamina or durability to absorb the number of hits he received in games #2 and #3 where he averaged 30 touches a game.

Ironically, Luepke would be the closest to this description of an ideal 2nd RB. He probably has the most power, being a FB. He has the best average yards per carry among all Cowboys RB's.

They should replace Vaughn's carries, which averages 2 yards, with more Luepke carries, at least on an experimental basis.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I always thought that having experience means that you don't repeat past mistakes that you were supposed to learn from.

Marion Barber was supposed to demonstrate that a successful situational RB don't guarantee a transition to successful starter.

The opponent defense has a totally different mindset at the start of the1st quarter than they do midway through the 1st half. At first, the defense is totally fresh and can explode off the ball. However, as the game progresses, they begin to wear down. This is when you rest your starting RB because he's been absorbing all the hits with a defense at full strength. This is when you bring in your elusive, speedy RB. The starting RB might be a power back and the 2nd RB a speed back that can make big plays against a fatigued defense.

Sometimes the roles are reversed. The starter is the more elusive one and then you bring in the bigger power back against an already tiring defense.

You never have a starter and his backup with similar attributes. Most importantly and critical to the season's outcome, one of them absoluthely has to be able to get the tough yards as a power runner on a consistent basis. The team must have a RB that is practically a guarantee of a 1st down on a 3rd and short and TD's around the goal line.

Pollard does not have the stamina or durability to absorb the number of hits he received in games #2 and #3 where he averaged 30 touches a game.

Ironically, Luepke would be the closest to this description of an ideal 2nd RB. He probably has the most power, being a FB. He has the best average yards per carry among all Cowboys RB's.

They should replace Vaughn's carries, which averages 2 yards, with more Luepke carries, at least on an experimental basis.

Good points...............and btw, Vaughn is only on the team because he dad is a scout and they made such a big deal about his dad giving him the call.

 

[Bullflop]

I'd much prefer to see Hunter Luepke as our starting RB (or FB) and Pollard as his complementary RB. Dowdle is, and always has been, injury prone. He was that way throughout college and is still that way in professional football. I think Luepke has the traits of a steady and reliable performer.

 

[McKDaddy]

Many of us said having Pollard as lead back was a mistake. That is not his game and never will be.

I'm not arguing he is but I think it misses the point a little. The intent was to be an above average run blocking team that could rotate multiple (cheaper) backs while still being successful.

I think the real mistakes were 1) counting on Tyron to be available & dominant 2) counting on Steele being his normal run blocking machine post injury 3) not understanding that Martin is declining, not dominant 4) all while having a center that is sorta borderline.

In short, overestimating 4 fifths of your offensive line.

 

[CWR]

They had to either tag him or give some RB a significant long term contract.

Their mistake was not developing a 3rd RB that could have replaced Pollard.

It is difficult to trade for good pass rushers, CBs, WRs, etc. but teams often acquire quality RBs for minimal draft compensation from out of contention teams.

They should have drafted a rb somewhere in the mid rounds. There were plenty and we went another direction for some reason.

 

[xwalker]

They should have drafted a rb somewhere in the mid rounds. There were plenty and we went another direction for some reason.

RBs were taken just a few picks ahead of them in the 2nd and 3rd. I've heard there was one they would have drafted in the 2nd and one in the 3rd if available.