Two Back Offense?

[Eanwen]

If Pollard is everything the FO thinks he is I wonder how he'll be used. He sounds like he can be more than just a rb. I wonder how teams will respond to seeing him in there with Zeke, maybe the Cowboys start with 2 rbs in the backfield, then motion Pollard into the slot. Will they always send out their nickel packages or will they go with their base 4-3/3-4?

I wonder what other formations they will do with this personnel and how successful they will be. I think Pollard in the slot could be good, but they need to have success in other formations so it will keep the opposing defense guessing.

 

[DuncanIso]

I hope they ditch the pistol formation that zeke runs out of.

Its not fooling anyone.

 

[Mr_437]

If Pollard is everything the FO thinks he is I wonder how he'll be used. He sounds like he can be more than just a rb. I wonder how teams will respond to seeing him in there with Zeke, maybe the Cowboys start with 2 rbs in the backfield, then motion Pollard into the slot. Will they always send out their nickel packages or will they go with their base 4-3/3-4?

I wonder what other formations they will do with this personnel and how successful they will be. I think Pollard in the slot could be good, but they need to have success in other formations so it will keep the opposing defense guessing.

Well, Kellen Moore had to watch the Memphis offense to scout Pollard and project his effectiveness in his offense. So, just take some plays n concepts from the Memphis offense and their 2 RB sets.

 

[OmerV]

If Pollard is everything the FO thinks he is I wonder how he'll be used. He sounds like he can be more than just a rb. I wonder how teams will respond to seeing him in there with Zeke, maybe the Cowboys start with 2 rbs in the backfield, then motion Pollard into the slot. Will they always send out their nickel packages or will they go with their base 4-3/3-4?

I wonder what other formations they will do with this personnel and how successful they will be. I think Pollard in the slot could be good, but they need to have success in other formations so it will keep the opposing defense guessing.

He’s a 4th round pick. Let’s see how he plays before we have the team changing the offense for him.

 

[buybuydandavis]

If Pollard is everything the FO thinks he is I wonder how he'll be used. He sounds like he can be more than just a rb. I wonder how teams will respond to seeing him in there with Zeke, maybe the Cowboys start with 2 rbs in the backfield, then motion Pollard into the slot. Will they always send out their nickel packages or will they go with their base 4-3/3-4?

I wonder what other formations they will do with this personnel and how successful they will be. I think Pollard in the slot could be good, but they need to have success in other formations so it will keep the opposing defense guessing.

Pollard and Austin are run options who can play from the slot. Both have a lot of speed to back off safeties from the box.

I wanted to see a lot of 20 personnel last year. Didn't happen. Probably a better case to do it this year. Lots of run options not named Zeke, with a stronger oline.

 

[big dog cowboy]

If Pollard is everything the FO thinks he is I wonder how he'll be used.

Backup RB, Slot WR and primary return man.

 

[charron]

Pollard and Austin are run options who can play from the slot. Both have a lot of speed to back off safeties from the box.

I wanted to see a lot of 20 personnel last year. Didn't happen. Probably a better case to do it this year. Lots of run options not named Zeke, with a stronger oline.

Doubt they run 20 now that big W is back. I can see them doing 21 or 22 though. We know they like to run in 2 te sets but I hope we do more out of these other formationsand moving pieces.

 

[cern]

Well, Kellen Moore had to watch the Memphis offense to scout Pollard and project his effectiveness in his offense. So, just take some plays n concepts from the Memphis offense and their 2 RB sets.

Spock like logical.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Doubt they run 20 now that big W is back. I can see them doing 21 or 22 though. We know they like to run in 2 te sets but I hope we do more out of these other formationsand moving pieces.

You got a point there about Witten. I hope that's not the way we go. At least sometimes. And goal line is probably one of those sometimes.

Witten has never been a drive blocker. It's not great route running from your TEs you're looking for either. It's a guy who gets lost in the wash and can turn around and catch the ball. Anyone can do that. Probably could train up Williams in a summer to run 3 yards and turn around and catch the ball.

What we do best is short yardage running. With the oline. Zeke. Even Dak. Now we've got some great looking depth on the oline. Make us of the best things we've got on offense.

 

[jblaze2004]

i hope kellen Moore is looking at this tape and taking notes on how to use pollard.

 

[GenoT]

At this stage, gotta trust that Kellen Moore has a plan for getting effective reps outta Pollard and his skill set.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

If Pollard is everything the FO thinks he is I wonder how he'll be used. He sounds like he can be more than just a rb. I wonder how teams will respond to seeing him in there with Zeke, maybe the Cowboys start with 2 rbs in the backfield, then motion Pollard into the slot. Will they always send out their nickel packages or will they go with their base 4-3/3-4?

I wonder what other formations they will do with this personnel and how successful they will be. I think Pollard in the slot could be good, but they need to have success in other formations so it will keep the opposing defense guessing.

not sure if that works if you use it too often, or several times a game. unless Pollard is put out wide as a WR. neither zeke or pollard would be good lead blockers. Pollard is not great as a WR, so matching him up against a safety or CB is not a good idea. if Pollard is matched up against a LB, then he has the advantage. you wouldn't want to swing Zeke wide or in the slot, as he is not a WR and unless matched up against LB, he will not be effective. as a DC, if I see this formation I will bring a safety in the box and spy on one of the RBs, either as a slot WR or if they act as a receiver out of the back field and drop into a shallow zone. it also makes running difficult because your OL is out numbered on the defensive side.

 

[charron]

You got a point there about Witten. I hope that's not the way we go. At least sometimes. And goal line is probably one of those sometimes.

Witten has never been a drive blocker. It's not great route running from your TEs you're looking for either. It's a guy who gets lost in the wash and can turn around and catch the ball. Anyone can do that. Probably could train up Williams in a summer to run 3 yards and turn around and catch the ball.

What we do best is short yardage running. With the oline. Zeke. Even Dak. Now we've got some great looking depth on the oline. Make us of the best things we've got on offense.

I disagree that anyone can do what with does. He makes it look easy but rarely can guys perform at his level. But my hope is we see more of the things like jarwin vs the Giants from our TE's. Put defenses in nickle, stretch them horizontally, and make DB's tackle Zeke then playaction and options etc.

 

[JayFord]

Aslong as we don’t use pollard as a jet sweep specialist I’m fine

 

[Eanwen]

not sure if that works if you use it too often, or several times a game. unless Pollard is put out wide as a WR. neither zeke or pollard would be good lead blockers. Pollard is not great as a WR, so matching him up against a safety or CB is not a good idea. if Pollard is matched up against a LB, then he has the advantage. you wouldn't want to swing Zeke wide or in the slot, as he is not a WR and unless matched up against LB, he will not be effective. as a DC, if I see this formation I will bring a safety in the box and spy on one of the RBs, either as a slot WR or if they act as a receiver out of the back field and drop into a shallow zone. it also makes running difficult because your OL is out numbered on the defensive side.

Would you really bring a safety up and leave Cooper one on one?

I think the key here would be to have multiple plays with this personnel so teams won't know if it's run or pass.

Also I'm pretty sure the Rams had 2 backs (Gurley and that other dude whose name escapes me atm) and were able to run and pass effectively from that look.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Would you really bring a safety up and leave Cooper one on one?

I think the key here would be to have multiple plays with this personnel so teams won't know if it's run or pass.

Also I'm pretty sure the Rams had 2 backs (Gurley and that other dude whose name escapes me atm) and were able to run and pass effectively from that look.

in a two back offense, you probably need to have a TE for run blocking and 2 WRs, that leaves one CB 1-1 and the other safety to roll to the other WR. I think it can be used to add a wrinkle in the offense so the defense has to account for the scheme during the week, use it here and there, just to keep the defense honest, but can't imagine we see it too often in a game. once or twice...but 5 times is way too many.

 

[Future]

Aslong as we don’t use pollard as a jet sweep specialist I’m fine

I got news for ya...

In all seriousness, the only way Pollard is worth the pick is if the offense is drastically different. I don't really see it happening.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Seems like we see this kind of thread every year. Just gonna say this, and I hope I'm wrong but, here goes...... Every year we bring in a swiss knife kinda guy who is supposed to be the one who can do a lot of things and create mismatches for the opposition. Every year we see them a little bit in Pre-Season and every year, when the regular season rolls around, they go to whatever part of the bench players go to, to die. I'm not getting my hopes up.

 

[mattjames2010]

We don't know how to run a two back offense - at least not since 2009.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I disagree that anyone can do what with does. He makes it look easy but rarely can guys perform at his level.

I wasn't saying that anyone can do what Witten does. But what Vrabel did? Short yardage blocker/receiver. He caught touchdowns. And he played defense. He was neither a blocker nor a receiver.

If you start with an OT, you've got the blocking handled.

Is it really that hard for an OT to run a 3 yard out or stick, put up his hands, and catch a football? Everyone on the team is a great athlete. I can see that some guys might not have the eye hand coordination. But some guys would. They have huge hands.

This is about getting lost in the wash, not faking anyone out. Run to a spot. Turn around. Catch the ball. Infinitely easier for them to do that for Rico to learn how to block.