Why RB Tony Pollard has not returned to form in '23?

[KMY_Amber]

No Zeke was as bad as everyone thought. He was awful.

We have a Oline problem. I can’t imagine how bad Zeke would be this year.

100% agree.

And Derrick Henry wouldn't have arrived and the run game magically would be fixed. It's an o-line and play design/playcalling issue. The seas would not have parted with Henry either.

Now having said that, I do believe Pollard's stamina is below average. Hec, I don't even know if he can be featured in 3 straight offensive drives....he seems to tap to come out way too often, oftentimes after he just runs the ball a few times on the same drive. He needs his own personal endurance coach. They don't even run him enough for him to need to rest so often.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Not solely. Need LB's and DT's also.

because DT's are in the trenches also, yes LB's were needed before the season!

 

[Pass2Run]

The injury plus no Zeke to soften up the defense.

I'd like to see them lead off the game with Dowdle versus the WFTs.

Keep Pollard healthy for the playoffs. Like go Dowdle, Luepke, then Pollard.

I'd also like to see Tolbert and Brooks get some action this week.

From what I see, McCarthy has been very tactical this year with his general approach. He's done this before. Seems to me there's a reason behind almost everything he does. Even if it's not apparent to us.

Here we are, likely to take the NFCE in spite of a few fumbles along the way.

I love our team full of young players, all getting some valuable situational experience this year.

I trust he'll have a plan should we face San Fran again. I'm now a huge McCarthy fan. Love how he's open to criticism and learning about his own weaknesses and correcting them.

Count me in as being a Jerk Wayne fan too.

 

[Coogiguy03]

The injury plus no Zeke to soften up the defense.

I'd like to see them lead off the game with Dowdle versus the WFTs.

Keep Pollard healthy for the playoffs. Like go Dowdle, Luepke, then Pollard.

I'd also like to see Tolbert and Brooks get some action this week.

haven't seen much of luepke all season why would they start now to do something that could make sense

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

I’m not blaming the OL. That’s been a lame excuse around here for a decade. We have a better OL than most around the league. We simply don’t have a runner who’s capable of breaking any tackles or with breakaway speed.

 

[Pass2Run]

*Jerral Wayne...auto correct..

Anyway, to add to my comments. The thing is, Dallas is a passing team. We don't have a back who can pound the ball 30 times a game anymore. If we go back to doing that, we'll surely be one and done. That's part of it...Pollard is fine tho. It's the scheme that's changed....

Woke up hung over .going back to sleep.

 

[stinkface]

Truly our line is only slightly above average. For goodness sakes, Pollard was hit in the backfield almost soon as he touched the ball. Almost no running back can handle that situation. I think our running schemes suck.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I’m not blaming the OL. That’s been a lame excuse around here for a decade. We have a better OL than most around the league. We simply don’t have a runner who’s capable of breaking any tackles or with breakaway speed.

Agree, but you don't see the push that you see from other OL players on teams that we play against or teams around the league. On the snap, there's runners not being touched for like the first 4+ yards, rarely does that happen here

 

[NumOneQB]

OL issues and him not being 100% back from the injury. Too bad because we may not see Pollard in a Cowboys uniform next year when he is 100%.

 

[Doomsday]

The offensive line is not a cohesive unit and the center can't hold his own.

At the end of the last 2 seasons, I felt like the offensive line was going to hold them back and this year is no different.

 

[Risen Star]

Because his OL sucks.

 

[visionary]

Pollard is not a starting every down back
He is stealing money from the Cowboys

(BTW his fans on here think he is CMC )

 

[Rayman70]

Pollard is a take it to the house rb that has lost a half step. Which makes him average basically. Its what happens on a running backs 2nd contract. The injury he had was horrible and I don't think he will ever return to form. Hes the best we got...and we will need all hands on deck to find yards on the ground. The offensive line has been trash in the run game. All of it is true. I feel MM is being coy, thus, when the playoffs start we will see some different looks and scheming from MM to get him going. I promise you all we haven't seen the MM bag get emptied yet. He has a plan for the post season. I think Deuce and Luepke will be involved. See, where the Eagles and Siriani messed up was they emptied the bag, peaked to early, then hit a wall...teams then had a blueprint on them, and they are now struggling. We are grinding out wins. But we better find a way to run it better.

 

[Cowboyny]

I'm constantly trying to see and find any semblance of the '22 Pro Bowl Tony Pollard this year.

At some point I'm now wondering if becuz of the fibula/high ankle sprain that he is still a mere shell of his once explosive fear factor
presence of past years. The guy that could take any touch and burst it to a homerun TD, or big chunk runs.

But other than the big Chargers catch and run.. i cannot recall many huge chunk yard splash plays like he was frequently
making in prior years .. that's how and why Pollard made the Pro Bowl, ..that's how Pollard received the one year franchise tag from the team.

Having issues (major issues!) at the OL certainly is not helping Pollard's cause.
Our RBs are constantly getting drilled in the backfield on a game to game basis.

Even Lions scat back RBs Montgomery and Gibbs were ripping off chunk runs ..and we're supposed to be a better OL unit in player personnel than the Lions.

He isn’t a bell cow runner who can carry the football 20 plus times in a game. He is best as an outside runner, where the scheme forces him to pick a hole inside. Starting to believe Pollard to poor receiver then being underused in the pass game.

Last yr we saw many chunk plays, this yr none as a runner. Adding a legitimate, inside runner is a priority in the offseason if they keep this scheme, Pollard will be playing elsewhere

 

[1942willys]

I’m glad you confirmed that you had bias before the season. Thanks.

Now learn some football so you can see what the actual problem is.

and your bias is equally clear so frankly do not try and snow us

 

[Cowboysheelsreds058]

Let’s keep it short and simple, line has regressed and TP is not a starter RB, he is more a compliment type back.

 

[conner01]

I think our OL is starting to show real issues with age at LT and maybe RG?... and steele is just not it, we need a RT and maybe a center.

I don’t know if it’s age. Martin was great last year and looks terrible this year. Tyrone has had a great season. Fans wanted our last oline coach fired and it happened and we’ve got worse, I can’t imagine Martin going from all pro to over the hill in one season so I’d be looking at the blocking scheme

 

[conner01]

One thing folks aren't considering is game situation.

Before yesterday's win, in our 10 wins we outscored our opponents 372-135. In other words, we blew out most of those teams. Once the game is out of hand the offense becomes predictable and easy to key in on the run.

Beyond that, as others have said, our run scheme has been absolutely atrocious this year. Defenses are living in our backfield.

Scheme or players? That’s the question because I find it hard to believe Martin went from all pro to over the hill in one season. Steele played bad early because of injury but all year we’ve struggled with backs being hit before or at LOS. There hasn’t been many holes and no RB can get big yards when there is no hole

 

[reddyuta]

the whole running scheme sucks,what can Pollard do when he keeps getting tackled in the backfield?

 

[Xeven]

We should have kept Zeke and just used the as we were before, maybe a little less Zeke and a little more Pollard. Zeke blocking was making a difference too. Zeke has enough left to be our short yard back and protector of Dak.