We had a run game with Zeke

[Cumart21]

It was time for Zeke to go AND Pollard isn't a number 1 RB. Let him test FA at the end of the year and his price is too high, let him walk for the compensatory pick and draft a guy in the 2nd or 3rd.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Oh.. were going to gamble with Pollard. A player that had a bad break and surgery. Zeke got those dirty yards in short and goal situations. Either kept Zeke or draft a back instead of a tight end. This organization makes brain fart decision at times. Hope they learned a lesson and draft a back next season.

Zeke's last 50 rushes as a Cowboy went for 100 yards. That's a run game?

 

[Vinnie2u]

Mistake #1 Franchising Pollard
Mistake #2 Using 2nd Round Pick on a TE instead of a RB
Mistake #3 Not signing a RB like Kareem Hunt, Raheem Mostert

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Ah, yes, those “dirty yards.”

That’s code for an ineffective RB. Sorta like an unathletic pocket passer is described by default as a “cerebral” QB.

 

[RonnieT24]

Zeke's last 50 rushes as a Cowboy went for 100 yards. That's a run game?

He was playing on one legs with a beatup offensive line. Steele out, Tyron playing out of position, Zack dinged and McGovern and Biadasz getting pushed around like playground pipsqueaks. If I recall correctly he was top 10 in the league averaging over 4.5 ypc before his knee got banged last season. Truth be told though the damage to that knee was done in 2021 when he played 12 games on it with a torn ligament. I said at the time that he might never been the same after that. He hasn't been. He is however still strong as an ox and tough as nails.. something our ground game is sorely missing.

 

[RomoIsGod]

He was playing on one legs with a beatup offensive line. Steele out, Tyron playing out of position, Zack dinged and McGovern and Biadasz getting pushed around like playground pipsqueaks. If I recall correctly he was top 10 in the league averaging over 4.5 ypc before his knee got banged last season. Truth be told though the damage to that knee was done in 2021 when he played 12 games on it with a torn ligament. I said at the time that he might never been the same after that. He hasn't been. He is however still strong as an ox and tough as nails.. something our ground game is sorely missing.

He hurt his knee in the past 2 seasons. I'm definitely not saying he's Zeke of old but he could have done wonders for our short game instead of throwing one yard passes that fail.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Oh.. were going to gamble with Pollard. A player that had a bad break and surgery. Zeke got those dirty yards in short and goal situations. Either kept Zeke or draft a back instead of a tight end. This organization makes brain fart decision at times. Hope they learned a lesson and draft a back next season.

First, Zeke would have made zero difference. the problem is our OL play.

also, I didn't think any good RB was available at that spot in the draft. instead I wanted Torrence ora Tackle

 

[TwistedL0g1k]

The OL has been declining for some time. This is the heart of the problem. A RB was also needed in the last draft.

 

[Mobinvans]

Our line has not played good this good at all

 

[Mobinvans]

Are some fans blind!!!!!

The run blogging was terrible! At one point, as crazy as it sounds, I was saying to myself, stop running the ball it is a waste of a down.

The run scheme is terrible. Our scheme is basic and simple. We need some motion and misdirection. All we did last night was run inside the tackles.

Line is bad but I agree the scheme is terrible

 

[MajesticRey]

Really?

99.9% of this board thinks we kept Zeke 2 years too long.

Now they are stupid for getting rid of him.

CowboysZone has the best hindsight I have ever seen.

People only look at the most recent game’s results and use that to evaluate the state of the team overall, and decisions we should have or should make.

If we had a 120 yard run game vs the Lions then the OP would think our “run game is fine” and dropping Zeke was the “right move”.

 

[HungryLion]

Why can’t people just accept the fact that Zeke is physically done? I mean. It’s not even an insult to Zeke. It’s the nature of the RB position. It happens to every RB at one point or another.

What’s the issue?

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Listen everybody, this is an offensive line issue.

On Cowboys Report on YouTube, there was this stat about the Lions game: Tony Pollard had 49 yards rushing against the Lions. Of those 49 yards, he gained 46 after contact. FORTY SIX.

That is insanely bad run blocking or just horrible scheme. If you want to run the ball better I think OL coach Mike Solari needs to go.

 

[Risen Star]

Oh.. were going to gamble with Pollard. A player that had a bad break and surgery. Zeke got those dirty yards in short and goal situations. Either kept Zeke or draft a back instead of a tight end. This organization makes brain fart decision at times. Hope they learned a lesson and draft a back next season.

LOL

You can't really believe that stiff would have made a difference this year.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Oh.. were going to gamble with Pollard. A player that had a bad break and surgery. Zeke got those dirty yards in short and goal situations. Either kept Zeke or draft a back instead of a tight end. This organization makes brain fart decision at times. Hope they learned a lesson and draft a back next season.

The mistake by the FO was not on keeping Zeke, it was not drafting a suitable replacement or even signing a legitimate one in FA... that was the problem. But also the OL has sucked and gotten worse since the best Zeke years.

 

[glimmerman]

And unfortunately Luepke had the strange fumble or he likely is getting more carry’s.

 

[RonnieT24]

Why can’t people just accept the fact that Zeke is physically done? I mean. It’s not even an insult to Zeke. It’s the nature of the RB position. It happens to every RB at one point or another.

What’s the issue?

The issue is simple. It's simply untrue. Done as a dominant back? Sure.. Done as a guy able to play in the NFL and help a team win games? Not by a long shot. Behind some of the worst run blocking I have ever seen these last four weeks he's at least given them positive yardage 95% of the time. Zeke is just one of those backs who is really hard to stop for a loss owing to his strength. I stand behind my assertion that a lot of the red zone issues this team has had this season would be solved by having Zeke on the roster. With him we probably beat Miami and probably beat Philly the first time around. It's okay to say this team misses the guy and what he brought. The Cowboys have not replaced his 800+ yards and 12 touchdowns. Not even close. And they sure as hell have not replaced his toughness. I will say though that to his credit Pollard has been much improved in blitz pickup this year.. though Dak being strong as a bull has bailed out his whiffs on more than one occasion.

 

[THEHEREAFTER]

Oh.. were going to gamble with Pollard. A player that had a bad break and surgery. Zeke got those dirty yards in short and goal situations. Either kept Zeke or draft a back instead of a tight end. This organization makes brain fart decision at times. Hope they learned a lesson and draft a back next season.

How did that work out last year at SF?

 

[Coogiguy03]

Oh.. were going to gamble with Pollard. A player that had a bad break and surgery. Zeke got those dirty yards in short and goal situations. Either kept Zeke or draft a back instead of a tight end. This organization makes brain fart decision at times. Hope they learned a lesson and draft a back next season.

He's doing the same thing Pollard is doing with his runs! 1-3 yard gains, you don't let Zeke go if he's good right

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

The issue is simple. It's simply untrue. Done as a dominant back? Sure.. Done as a guy able to play in the NFL and help a team win games? Not by a long shot. Behind some of the worst run blocking I have ever seen these last four weeks he's at least given them positive yardage 95% of the time. Zeke is just one of those backs who is really hard to stop for a loss owing to his strength. I stand behind my assertion that a lot of the red zone issues this team has had this season would be solved by having Zeke on the roster. With him we probably beat Miami and probably beat Philly the first time around. It's okay to say this team misses the guy and what he brought. The Cowboys have not replaced his 800+ yards and 12 touchdowns. Not even close. And they sure as hell have not replaced his toughness. I will say though that to his credit Pollard has been much improved in blitz pickup this year.. though Dak being strong as a bull has bailed out his whiffs on more than one occasion.

Lol, “positive yardage?” Yeah, at a 3.4 YPC clip.