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

[kskboys]

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.

Dowdle is a poor man's Polly. Need a starting RB.

 

[kskboys]

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

Yup. It's both.

Maybe Jerry can draft OL's in the 1st round, but he's done a very poor job in the other rounds.

 

[kskboys]

*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.

Nope,we'll be one and done if we don't do that.

 

[kskboys]

Because his OL sucks.

But we got us another TE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JoeyBoy718]

No RB these days is worth a big contract. You need a solid OL and a good offensive game plan to have an effective running game. We should be drafting a mid/late round RB every year and let the best man win.

 

[Creeper]

Big chunk run plays require 2 things. 1. the OL needs to open a hole for the RB to get to the 2nd level, or capture the edge to allow the RB to get outside. 2. Blocking at the 2nd level. The Cowboys are getting neither. Their receivers cannot block downfield and their TEs cannot hold their blocks.

I think the Lions were doing a lot of run blitzing, shooting guys into the run gaps and hitting Pollard behind the LOS. At least that's how it looked on TV. But then when the Cowboys would pitch the ball outside they were shooting past blockers and hitting Pollard before he could turn upfield. The Lions play the run really well and you can see how quickly they pursue and gang tackle. Pollard still got off a couple of good runs on them, just not enough.

 

[kskboys]

No RB these days is worth a big contract. You need a solid OL and a good offensive game plan to have an effective running game. We should be drafting a mid/late round RB every year and let the best man win.

Oh, there's a couple, Jacobs, McCaffrey, Chubb maybe.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

Probably a combination of multiple factors.

We are running a different offense this year that is obviously not as friendly for our guys to run block in and couple that with the potential regression of a few guys and they’re just not generating holes for our backs to run through. Not even the long striding Derrick Henry would have worked here so I’m glad that didn’t happen.

Point the finger back to the off-season when procuring personnel to match the new philosophy did not marry up. Running the ball was preached yet following the draft who didn’t know passing was going to be this team’s ticket?

You truly want to be more balanced then get serious about the o-line and grab yourself a durable between the tackles back. TP was never a solution to going this route.

 

[CATCH17]

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

Oh no… Another poster that can’t see the obvious and claims I’m bias. Sad..

 

[CATCH17]

No RB these days is worth a big contract. You need a solid OL and a good offensive game plan to have an effective running game. We should be drafting a mid/late round RB every year and let the best man win.

Nice post.

It’s bizarre how clueless people are about the RB position.

 

[gimmesix]

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.

I think it is primarily how we are using him. When Pollard was at the top of his game, most of his runs were to the outside while Zeke pounded the middle. Pollard showed he could run between the tackles but it was never his bread and better. Now, at least 80 percent of his runs are between the tackle, and that's probably a conservative estimate.

Running up the middle takes balance, strength, vision and the ability to get skinny when necessary. Not saying Pollard doesn't have those, but he might not have them to the extent that we expected. Getting to gap C when gap A doesn't open is often required on inside runs. How fast you recognize that, your ability and power to squeeze through, etc., can determine your success.

Some want to blame the lack of success entirely on the line, but I don't think that's fair. I think it is a combination of the blocking not working and the backs not taking full advantage of what's there.

 

[Blast From The Past]

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 may be just starting to look a lil better as this season has progressed but this oline is terrible at run blocking game to game. King Henry would be hard pressed to be a threat behind this line. I wanted the last oline coach gone and I am thinking this one too. Callahan was very good at his job and Jerry Jones more or less alienated him enough that he left.

 

[Bigrandrn]

Around the bye week he said he finally got his legs back under him and felt 100%. Now if the OL would just cooperate!

The Lions have a better OL than the Cowboys. And we can barely stop the run.

The center and right tackle haven't been good, Zack took a step back, left take is great, when he plays……but the freakin line coach has been a downgrade, scheme sucks, Solari needs to go.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

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

876 yards and 12 tds. No, he wasn't "awful". Not the Zeke of old, but we also remember he played most of the year with a bum knee.

But hardly "awful" . Not a top back that's for sure, though....

 

[CATCH17]

876 yards and 12 tds. No, he wasn't "awful". Not the Zeke of old, but we also remember he played most of the year with a bum knee.

But hardly "awful" . Not a top back that's for sure, though....

I watched the games. I’m not impressed by his TDs.

Zeke sucked. He was awful. The team let him go because of this and he didn’t sign with a team until training camp.

 

[1942willys]

Oh no… Another poster that can’t see the obvious and claims I’m bias. Sad..

You are.
All your whining just proves it
Whenever someone claims their OPINIONS are fact it just shows they are deaf dumb and blind

 

[CATCH17]

You are.
All your whining just proves it
Whenever someone claims their OPINIONS are fact it just shows they are deaf dumb and blind

Oh no you don’t know what you’re watching either.. Sad..

 

[1942willys]

Oh no you don’t know what you’re watching either.. Sad..

bored now.
You know there is a world beyond this board?
Maybe you ought to check it out.

 

[CATCH17]

bored now.
You know there is a world beyond this board?
Maybe you ought to check it out.

lol weak

 

[conner01]

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.

Pollard has developed into a really good blocker. Zeke was done and way too expensive to keep around. He will be on the street again next year because he’s proved he was done again this year