Zeke’s PFF Grade Explained

[aria]

Volume vs efficiency is the biggest argument I'd make against this list.

Looking it up, the most heavily used backs in the league this year were Zeke, Barkley, McCaffrey, Gurley, Joe Mixon, David Johnson, Joe Mixon, and Kamara. According to the PFF article, they ranked #35, #8, #26, #33, not listed, not listed (both outside the top 10) and #31 in that order. So we all know Saquon's a beast, but otherwise that's 6/7 guys outside the top 10 and at least 4/7 outside the top 30.

And that correlation makes sense. More heavily used backs are pretty much by definition going to get more carries in sub-optimal situations. An example would be a 3rd and 1 into a loaded box or on the goal line, where they don't really have a prayer of breaking a tackle. Or in clock-killing situations, where they're not even trying to break a tackle, they're just trying to hang on to the ball. A 2 yard rush in any of those situations kills your per-touch efficiency stats, but helps your team win football games.

The fact that Zeke was able to churn out 4.7 YPC on the heaviest workload in the league, with a middling passing game, an injured OL, and an inept OC all working against him speaks more to his talent than his PFF grade does for me.

Saquon had many, many more receptions than Zeke so it could be argued he actually had a higher workload and our injured O line was still light years better then the Giants starting O line. They also had a middling passing game since Odiva was out a good portion of the season.

 

[physeter]

Zeke’s the best in the league? Maybe. Our offensive scheme is one of the worst in the league? Maybe so.

Zeke is replaceable? Maybe too.

However, our offense is based on ball control with running first to set up the pass. The Cowboys took the opportunity of taking the best WR in the ‘16 draft after so-so results once Murray left in ‘14. Three years after, of course heavy workload is going to have a toll on Zeke. But also last seasons’ offensive line cannot be compared with the one in 2016.

Resign him or not? I say why now? Let the team exercise his fifth year option and then we will discuss it again.

 

[aria]

Some on here think Barkley is a god

Romo couldn’t hold Barkleys jock strap and Romo is considered the god of all gods.

 

[ItzKelz]

Have at it, everyone

https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...as-cowboys-rb-ezekiel-elliotts-2018-pff-grade

I love Zeke but the truth is that in his NFL career he has always had an issue with making a guy miss on the second level. His go to is to leap over defenders when at times it appears he could have faked left and went right and picked up significant more yards. Zeke is great with yards after contact and fits what weve done under Linehan; however, how will he fit into Kellen's offense.

 

[blumayne38]

Teams play so close to the LOS against dallas its hard to do much of anything. Especially if they are only rushing 4 and still able to stop the passing game dor 3 qtrs

 

[blumayne38]

I love Zeke but the truth is that in his NFL career he has always had an issue with making a guy miss on the second level. His go to is to leap over defenders when at times it appears he could have faked left and went right and picked up significant more yards. Zeke is great with yards after contact and fits what weve done under Linehan; however, how will he fit into Kellen's offense.

North and South are how runnners are taught to run the football not east and west.

 

[percyhoward]

I wonder when this changed because with only 2 or 3 games left in the season I checked the stats out and the clear #1 was Zeke, followed by Barkley. Gurley was near the bottom before the season ended and at least that looks consistent.

I'm just guessing, but it seems like we ran out of "11" personnel more often later in the season, which would bring down the percentage of total runs with 8+ in the box.

I bet if you were to grade every position and stack your list up against theirs it'd be highly correlated.

The difference is that I'd at least try to make sense. But then, I'm not rushing to put out product.
https://cowboyszone.com/threads/pffs-top-rated-qbs-through-2-weeks.357474/page-2#post-6839142
https://cowboyszone.com/threads/pffs-top-rated-qbs-through-2-weeks.357474/page-2#post-6841335

 

[Falco78]

Same for Barkley - no one is fearing Eli these days, yet Barkley scored and would have topped Zeke in yards if he had similar carries and did top Zeke in TDs despite having far less touches than Zeke on the year.

These excuses for Zeke are lame - he's a really good/great player, but he's simply not a special back unless he has the durability of Smith. That's to be seen. The fact he's already lost a step isn't a good sign.

I don't see where he has lost a step

 

[CowboyRoy]

Have at it, everyone

https://www.profootballfocus.com/ne...as-cowboys-rb-ezekiel-elliotts-2018-pff-grade

been saying this for a while now. Zeke is good, but he gets the ball a ton. Not a shifty, make a guy miss player. He is a tough, volume guy. Should have drafted someone else with the 4th pick and no way do you pay a RB 15-20 million per year on a 2nd contract.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Same for Barkley - no one is fearing Eli these days, yet Barkley scored and would have topped Zeke in yards if he had similar carries and did top Zeke in TDs despite having far less touches than Zeke on the year.

These excuses for Zeke are lame - he's a really good/great player, but he's simply not a special back unless he has the durability of Smith. That's to be seen. The fact he's already lost a step isn't a good sign.

Barkley is a better back, that is just fact. Barkley has it all.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Teams play so close to the LOS against dallas its hard to do much of anything. Especially if they are only rushing 4 and still able to stop the passing game dor 3 qtrs

 

[charron]

He’s definitely top 3-4 but I don’t think he’s the best and people constantly using “winning the rushing record” is deceiving and therefore annoying. The Gnats didn’t have OBJ for something like 6-8 games this season, you don’t think SB wasn’t the number one thing defenses tried to stop against them? Especially after we got Coop, Zeke had a much bigger advantage. As I said, our O line wasn’t great but was still very good, top ten last time I checked towards the end of the season. That’s much better than Barkley and other RB’s had.

Again, no doubt Zeke is very, very good but I personally don’t think he’s the best and I don’t think any RB is irreplaceable in today’s league (especially with a good to very good O line).

I have no problem with your opinion. But I will find fault with anyone who excludes Zeke as one of the best. If he is not in the discussion there is a problem with whatever formula your using, that was my point.

 

[mattjames2010]

I don't see where he has lost a step

Seriously?



He isn't making this run anymore. The biggest issue here is, once Zeke bulked up, he lost that second level speed. It's gone and it shows since the past two seasons, outside of his run against the 49ers on a screen pass, his longest runs have been 30 and 41. Dude just isn't a homerun hitter and we need one behind him.

 

[mattjames2010]

What rb deserves a second contract if not him?

Unless there is an RB that is flat out on the verge of legendary status, none of them deserve a second contract. It's a short shelf life, they are in a passing league, and they don't win you Super Bowls.

The only RB the past 15 years that has justified a second contract was Adrian Peterson and he's a shoe-in for HOF and a legendary player.

Other than that, the only remarkable thing about RBs these days is how unremarkable even the elite RBs are.

 

[mattjames2010]

Some on here think Barkley is a god

He's not a "God" - but he's an RB that did far more than Zeke did on less carries.

 

[mattjames2010]

Romo couldn’t hold Barkleys jock strap and Romo is considered the god of all gods.

You're obsessed with Romo while claiming the board is obsessed. Lame.

 

[StuckMojo]

He's not a "God" - but he's an RB that did far more than Zeke did on less carries.

Two different style of backs and I would not say he did far more

 

[blumayne38]

Seriously?



He isn't making this run anymore. The biggest issue here is, once Zeke bulked up, he lost that second level speed. It's gone and it shows since the past two seasons, outside of his run against the 49ers on a screen pass, his longest runs have been 30 and 41. Dude just isn't a homerun hitter and we need one behind him.

 

[CouchCoach]

He shouldn't get a second contract with us.

No RB should get a second contract because they're too plentiful and not really a necessity unless they're a real dual threat and an integral part of the pass game.

 

[kskboys]

Talk about confirmation bias.