Throw the ball to Zeke more

[RonnieT24]

Sorry, but Dak throws a terrible ball to backs coming out of the backfield. Not meant to bash Dak here but it is the truth. The ball is never in stride at the numbers - it is always high or low or behind. For an average pass catcher like Zeke it is more than he can make up for and the difference between a 2-4 yard play and a 6-10 yard play.

This is a legitimate weakness in Dak's game. For whatever reason he does not deliver a good ball on those throws by and large. Zeke and Pollard have actually made his numbers better than they should be by making some unbelievable grabs for him. I'm not sure what the deal is with that but it has been a thing pretty much from day one with him.

 

[aikemirv]

This is a legitimate weakness in Dak's game. For whatever reason he does not deliver a good ball on those throws by and large. Zeke and Pollard have actually made his numbers better than they should be by making some unbelievable grabs for him. I'm not sure what the deal is with that but it has been a thing pretty much from day one with him.

I just don't think he has natural touch in throwing. He is a mechanical thrower of the ball and I think he has worked hard on that. He is just not a natural thrower. That weird thing he does with his hips is a throwing exercise to get his hip timing right with his throw because it is not natural to him.

 

[Trendnet]

Oh you mean because the O-line can;t make a block and he's got the center and guard in his face on the hand off?

And no...Pollard fares no better on those plays so don;t even try it.

Just to drive this point home

For Pollard to achieve the 49 rushing yards Elliot did in the Washington game.... he would have needed 65 carries.

 

[MyFairLady]

You people claiming Zeke is not a good receiver have let your hate and ego blind you to death. Crazy furs.

In 2016 Zeke was quite possibly the best football player in the entire NFL. He probably gave defensive coordinators nightmares. In 2022 defensive coordinators rejoice when they see a pass out of the back field to that guy. I understand it is difficult to view Zeke with any sort of real clarity. His early years were incredibly thrilling and held the promise of a bright future. I am here to tell you that the bright future is no longer a reality. It is so obvious you really do need to just accept him for what he is now.

 

[noshame]

Yeah, if you're going to pass Pollard is your guy.
Zeke should be goal line and short yardage back.
Yeah hes a step slower but what hes really lost is the burst//explosiveness

 

[Typhus]

His big play last week came off of a pass play where he was left wide open.

Leonard Fournette was a complete bust until he got to Tampa and instead of just cramming him between the tackles they started dumping it to him in space and he is a tough guy to bring down with a little space.

Zeke can catch and if you actually do some thing to get him in space he might actually give us some production.

Everything else with him is pretty much a wasted play that Pollard should’ve got the touch instead of him. Zeke just doesn’t have the juice anymore that made him special and he’s nothing but a big slow back now.

We have the ability to run some effective screens, and believe they are coming soon but it takes OL cohesion, and this OL has been in transition since game 1.

Peters has been on a snap count, but believe his full time release is coming soon, and this OL will improve when Peters is playing full time, but I firmly believe in the
restricted snap count, Peters is going to play a vital role down the stretch.

So we have had a lot of movement on OL, and the short passing game to RBs will become really effective as this OL starts to settle in.

Farniok getting shuffled around, lets give this man some credit, he is quickly becoming our most versatile utility OL rostered, the first go to for Guard/Center depth.

McGovern is right there as well, this is a very young OL, and Peters addition is like adding a coach to the OL, I give the FO major hand claps for doing this.

Very young OL, granted Peters elevates the OL age average for those that judge such metrics, doesn't matter though, all Im saying is that Zeke and Pollard will both be more involved in the passing game, when some of the dust clears and this young talented OL starts to come together a bit more.

 

[john van brocklin]

His big play last week came off of a pass play where he was left wide open.

Leonard Fournette was a complete bust until he got to Tampa and instead of just cramming him between the tackles they started dumping it to him in space and he is a tough guy to bring down with a little space.

Zeke can catch and if you actually do some thing to get him in space he might actually give us some production.

Everything else with him is pretty much a wasted play that Pollard should’ve got the touch instead of him. Zeke just doesn’t have the juice anymore that made him special and he’s nothing but a big slow back now.

He looked good.
Early in his career he did a lot of damage on screen passes.

 

[mardwin]

Zeke is slow, has no explosiveness in the open field, and can't break a tackle to save his life. The only good trait he has is his ability to protect the quarterback. Right now we just gonna ride him and dump him at the end of the season. Just like Dak, he fooled everyone with his productivity in his rookie season.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I am sorry but this is madness. For the last 2.5 years pass attempts to Zeke have been some of the least productive offensive plays in the history of football.

EXACTLY!!!! PEOPLE SEE ONE BIG PLAY AND SOMEHOW THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, merely every time we throw it to Zeke it's a bail out pass play that's only worth 2 yards to me id rather we just throw it out of bounds

 

[Coogiguy03]

Kellen Moore might stink but at this point you can not convince me that Zeke will ever be a true threat in the passing game ever again. He looks ineffective to me due to a severe lack of speed and explosion. All the old Zeke needed was the ball in his hands. The new Zeke needs the perfect play call at the perfect time and the perfect blocking from the perfect line. It is too much to ask for.

YOU'RE ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSSSS

 

[RonnieT24]

I just don't think he has natural touch in throwing. He is a mechanical thrower of the ball and I think he has worked hard on that. He is just not a natural thrower. That weird thing he does with his hips is a throwing exercise to get his hip timing right with his throw because it is not natural to him.

All QBs who work with that QB guru guy (Tom House?) do that exercise. Dak is the only one the media focuses on.. because you know.. Cowboys... But nothing will change the fact that Dak is late developing as a passer because he got next to zero preparation for it in high school and college. The fact that he has gotten to the level he has is absolutely amazing considering from whence he came.. It's also why I guffaw at people declaring that he can't improve or that he hasn't improved since his rookie season. That's just stupid talk.. He is light years better as a passer since his rookie season and he should continue to improve.

 

[FTWayne]

He's probably gone next year. I'd like to see a race with Zeke, Witten, and broke down wolf guy.
That should be a close race.

 

[fansince68]

In 2016 Zeke was quite possibly the best football player in the entire NFL. He probably gave defensive coordinators nightmares. In 2022 defensive coordinators rejoice when they see a pass out of the back field to that guy. I understand it is difficult to view Zeke with any sort of real clarity. His early years were incredibly thrilling and held the promise of a bright future. I am here to tell you that the bright future is no longer a reality. It is so obvious you really do need to just accept him for what he is now.

And to think Zeke and Derek Henry came into the league the same year. Henry still going strong, Zeke is a shell of himself.

 

[fansince68]

I think they need to give Malik Davis a shot off the practice squad. Dude ran like Zeke 2016 in during preseason. Pollard is a free agent next season and it appears he's not the "bell cow" rb this team loves. I guess it's the Zeke show again next season.

 

[Typhus]

I could be wrong but it seems as though every pass to a RB in this offense is a dump off/check down situation.

How do you not have any planned screeens, etc to get your backs more involved, or give defenses something else to prepare for or think about?

There is a lot of execution that needs to take place to run a successful screen
Not sure this OL is ready just yet, but its getting closer.

 

[CowboyChris]

RB screens in the Garrett playbook have been a disaster!!

 

[CATCH17]

EXACTLY!!!! PEOPLE SEE ONE BIG PLAY AND SOMEHOW THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, merely every time we throw it to Zeke it's a bail out pass play that's only worth 2 yards to me id rather we just throw it out of bounds

Nah it’s about the fact he can catch and it will get him in space to run over DBs 1 on 1.

 

[RonnieT24]

Nah it’s about the fact he can catch and it will get him in space to run over DBs 1 on 1.

I like the thought of designing plays to throw to Zeke as opposed to the dumpoffs that almost always handcuff him to the sideline. But in this offense that appears to be all we are prepared to do with him in the passing game. The list of DBs who wanna see that monster coming at them in the open field is extremely short.. But Moore doesn't wanna use him that way.. so it is what it is..

 

[RonnieT24]

RB screens in the Garrett playbook have been a disaster!!

You do know that Zeke took one 80+ yards his rookie year and another one his 3rd year right? He also scored on one from about 20-25 yards out in the season opener against the Rams in 2020. The screen game didn't become the disaster it is now until Boy Genius took over and Philbin became the o-line coach. But the overarching point is that it used to be a lethal part of our arsenal.. and we lost it somewhere along the way.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

We cant. Kellen Moore has figured out a way to have the worst screen game in the NFL

I thought it was just me. I've seen more competent screen in high school.