Tony Pollard was never the Problem

[Loso86]

Not true! Look at his last 5 games before his injury. The O line blocking was bad, so of course he struggled, like any RB would. He averaged less than 4 yards a carry.

Give him some blocking and he is really good!!!

He had decent blocking earlier this year. He still not the same back from the last 2 years. Rather that's because of injury idk

 

[blueblood70]

Not flipping the script, Offensive line makes the back, but there's a difference in styles between a running back in Barry Sanders and a Rusher like Emmit Smith...Barry wasn't a great blocker or receiver out of the backfield like Smith was.

We're not talking about running styles we're talking about the offensive lines in which Barry did not have the same caliber offensive line and yet he still succeeded that was the whole point you just decided to bring this image versus Barry just because I mentioned Barry Sanders this is you this is not me I just pointed out that that may be true for most backs but there are some backs that make their own yards and he's one of them he made the best of a situation... I know they're they're two different backs I was there the entire time I saw both of them play in college I saw both of them play in the same era I saw both of them running after the same record and I'm just telling you this was about the offensive line not about the players...

You said the line makes the player and Barry made his own plays more often than not I'm not sure how well Emmett would have held up in that type of offense without the protection of a great quarterback or a great line or a greatest fullback or at least top five in moose I mean he had all the advantages Barry Sanders did not Barry was a anomaly of a player that could be a Hall of Fame back without the advantage of a great offensive line

 

[Frosty]

We ran him a lot to the outside in this game. Probably mainly because of Washington's DTs, but I'm hoping that instead it's us finally recognizing that he's at his best when we get him out in space around the tackles.

Good points and people forget Washington just traded off 2 key players on the DL, Chase Young and Montez Sweat....so I am not putting too much stock into the OL or RB progress.... I want to see the OL and run game step it up against Philly at AT&T stadium..then we will no more. I don't expect miracles but want to see this OL and run game take the next step against good teams.....IMO that is the missing piece of the offense....

 

[blueblood70]

Good points and people forget Washington just traded off 2 key players on the DL, Chase Young and Montez Sweat....so I am not putting too much stock into the OL or RB progress.... I want to see the OL and run game step it up against Philly at AT&T stadium..then we will no more. I don't expect miracles but want to see this OL and run game take the next step against good teams.....IMO that is the missing piece of the offense....

How about they stepping up against Seattle first Seattle is pretty solid defensive line and linebackers and we saw with the 49ers did to them so let's see us do the same thing like a lot of motion use a lot of players run the ball effectively against Seattle would be a good start...

 

[blueblood70]

Not true! Look at his last 5 games before his injury. The O line blocking was bad, so of course he struggled, like any RB would. He averaged less than 4 yards a carry.

Give him some blocking and he is really good!!!

Wow that would be nice except for the hypocrisy runs deep in here lots of people were calling Ezekiel Elliott wasp running behind the same offensive line getting the same exact stats... And we were thinking it must be because of the money that they think that most running backs could do this without making the money now Tony's in the crosshairs because he's making $10 million and this is not what $10 million should get you I've already listed some backs deonte foreman is making 3 million DeAndre swift making 1.7 million there are running backs out there that could do what Tony's doing for a lot less that's what we're saying he lost that special burst big runs long plays for$10 million I want those things back if he has to be used less to do so he shouldn't be making so much money a true running back by committee team built using two to three backs don't pay one guy $10 million that kinda messes the whole design up of what you would do when you start splitting carries up like that...

I don't have a problem getting rid of Elliot but when Tony can't handle elliott's duties without falling off a Cliff in stats but then now you wanna blame the offensive line with the offensive line And injuries were a problem with Elliot same thing but everyone was calling him washed and that he was overpaid needed to be cut they were due saying dumb things like he was fat and lazy and didn't care anymore well is that what we're saying about Tony??

We just have to be honest and be fair if we're gonna talk about Elliot that way then we're gonna talk about Tony the same way when he's giving more than 13 carries a game in multiple games and it's used as a blocker and as a decoy when they're using him too much it isn't just the amount of carries it's the amount of snaps you're on the field he loses a lot of his luster just looks like an average running back.... You don't pay $10 million for average...

 

[Flamma]

Yes it had something to do with the line but it also has more to do with the play calls and utilizing Rico down or more doing the Thunder and lightning thing Tony Pollard is not a true number one he's better as the number two or splitting carries with a guy like Rico. It's been proven out he finished last season 3.8 yards per carry no touchdowns no explosive plays and two injuries over five games to finish the season this start to this season wasn't much different than the end of last season... The difference is the way they call the place for Rico and they now have TP coming in a bit fresher.

But I can promise you this Tony Pollard is just a regular running back he's not special in any way I like him but I'm not keeping him next year and we're going to have to go in the draft and reboot maybe bring in one veteran if necessary for depth// I'm going to go get another guy in the third round maybe the 4th best available running back 3-5 rounds.

Tony Pollard is not producing like a $10 million player you wanna get all over Elliott and I'm just talking about you I'm talking about the zone what are you doing for me lately after you got your big money and he looks like a regular running back not a $10 million running back did you see Sanders miles Sanders how much does he make running behind that this poor line and Carolina? 6mil?? I would take him over Pollard I mean I like Pollard but for 10 million versus 6 I'm taking Sanders... That's the real market it may be smarter for the Cowboys in hindsight I realize we're looking at it in hindsight because we saw the market drop after Pollard signed his tag is they had offered him a two year $12 million deal but not 10 million for this year we're not getting our money's worth...

Turnabouts fair play we wanted to mock Elliot for him making too much money for his production well here we are...

I agree with you. But no way they can pay Elliott what he was going to make in that season before he was cut. It's on the Cowboys to not replace him adequately.

 

[Clove]

Tony Pollard looked fast, strong, and elusive today.
It really helps when the O line gives him good blocking too. Pollard has never been the problem this year!

MM has found a seemingly good rotation to use. And his running schemes are better than Moore as well, and that comes with experience. MM has been in the league for ages. I still think we need a world class pass rusher next to Micah, and give him a signed check. With that, we would simply close down any offense.

 

[Clove]

Wow that would be nice except for the hypocrisy runs deep in here lots of people were calling Ezekiel Elliott wasp running behind the same offensive line getting the same exact stats... And we were thinking it must be because of the money that they think that most running backs could do this without making the money now Tony's in the crosshairs because he's making $10 million and this is not what $10 million should get you I've already listed some backs deonte foreman is making 3 million DeAndre swift making 1.7 million there are running backs out there that could do what Tony's doing for a lot less that's what we're saying he lost that special burst big runs long plays for$10 million I want those things back if he has to be used less to do so he shouldn't be making so much money a true running back by committee team built using two to three backs don't pay one guy $10 million that kinda messes the whole design up of what you would do when you start splitting carries up like that...

I don't have a problem getting rid of Elliot but when Tony can't handle elliott's duties without falling off a Cliff in stats but then now you wanna blame the offensive line with the offensive line And injuries were a problem with Elliot same thing but everyone was calling him washed and that he was overpaid needed to be cut they were due saying dumb things like he was fat and lazy and didn't care anymore well is that what we're saying about Tony??

We just have to be honest and be fair if we're gonna talk about Elliot that way then we're gonna talk about Tony the same way when he's giving more than 13 carries a game in multiple games and it's used as a blocker and as a decoy when they're using him too much it isn't just the amount of carries it's the amount of snaps you're on the field he loses a lot of his luster just looks like an average running back.... You don't pay $10 million for average...

I would definitely tak Elliott back on the minimum. He was home grown and he's ours. I'm a believer in that.

 

[gtb1943]

Offensive line makes a running back, not the other way round....

Yeah, remember the Broncos years back having thousand yard backs every year; they went elsewhere and rarely did anything

 

[CATCH17]

I would definitely tak Elliott back on the minimum. He was home grown and he's ours. I'm a believer in that.

I wouldn’t.

You can find better in undrafted free agency at this point.

Hunter Luepke would be better than Zeke at the Zeke role.

 

[817Gill]

I wouldn’t.

You can find better in undrafted free agency at this point.

Hunter Luepke would be better than Zeke at the Zeke role.

I don’t know why evaluating running backs is so hard for our fans lol.

Take the Star covered glasses off and realize that Zeke is finished. He won’t be in the league much longer. Explosion will take priority over short yardage ability every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Tony Pollard looked fast, strong, and elusive today.
It really helps when the O line gives him good blocking too. Pollard has never been the problem this year!

What? O line blocking helps the running back?


Poor Zeke. He coulda used that too.

 

[The Quest for Six]

I would definitely tak Elliott back on the minimum. He was home grown and he's ours. I'm a believer in that.

Thank God you're not the GM of this team.....

 

[The Quest for Six]

What? O line blocking helps the running back?


Poor Zeke. He coulda used that too.

Zeke just couldn't hit that hole that was there anymore, his burst was gone....

 

[Gambit]

I think it's multifaceted

To say he's the main problem though was and is a misnomer. He does seem to hit holes slower and he doesn't seem to have the same balance as prior to injury.

The one thing that stands out to me watching his College games was the elite balance which I've always thought was in par with Emmits. Again, just his balance not be ready or understood as he is as good as Emmits was.

 

[Doomsday]

It helps that they stopped trying to run up the gut all game.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Oh he was. But now they're running him outside some and he's no longer falling on first contact. I think his body is getting stronger and stronger by the week.

 

[Redline360]

We started the season off fine running the ball minus the jets game even with a make shift OL. Hit a mini season slump there with injuries and everyone just playing bad. Last 4 games they have got into a rhythm and Pollard looks great.

Pollard was never the problem. Play calling on the run games has been night and day too.

Dowdle still needs more touches

 

[buybuydandavis]

Agree in general but he has been looking better last 2 games

Not 100% back, but getting close now.

 

[conner01]

Tony Pollard looked fast, strong, and elusive today.
It really helps when the O line gives him good blocking too. Pollard has never been the problem this year!

I think he was running a bit tentative early on but he was coming off a serious injury. But the oline was the major problem. Steele seems to be getting back to form and we are fairly healthy as well as starting to click as a unit