Twitter: Zeke Looking Lean

[The Quest for Six]

Zeke looks like an overpaid below average back

Two weeks to training camp, let the puff pieces begin...

 

[Thomas82]

Not productive...for several reasons. Imagine Emmitt getting 13 carries per game. He's look pedestrian too. These kinds of runners don;t start heating up unitl 13-15.

4 carries a qtr is absolutely ridiculous. We have Dak tripping over the centers feet on a delayed handoff (for the third straight time in a row). We have an OC that wants NCAA mountain west passing stats more than a fearsome NFL East run game.

Has production is not all on him.

Preach!!

 

[Typhus]

If he stays healthy, the line gets their ship together...and Moore shows some interest in a serious run game...then yes for sure.

A lot of big ifs, but they are reasonable expectations when you take a look at the real situation at hand, and leave the player bias out of the equation.
Zeke and Pollard could both share career seasons.... "IF".... some pieces fall into place.
I could easily see that scenario playing out, despite the negative culture regarding this team, there are pieces in place that will provide the platform for a strong ground game,,, just wish we had that RB3, but I feel that
gets addressed as teams start to have to trim.

 

[RonnieT24]

Zeke was playing really well last year prior to the knee.

I'm curious if the injury was something that could be resolved with just time/rest, because I don't remember him having any sort of surgery in the offseason. Hopefully, it doesn't crop up again.

What was reported was a partially torn PCL. Apparently that injury CAN heal with rest. It was just decided by the brain trust that the team could not afford to give him that time to rest in-season. I can't say I agree but that was their call and they made it. I guess it was torn enough that it could flare up on him in games but not enough that they thought surgery was warranted. Frankly I hate how they handled that. But the people who pay his salary decided he should play. More importantly (I think) they decided that Pollard could not cover their $160 million investment's backside well enough with the line playing as poorly as it did for long stretches. The knew that if Dak got hurt because Pollard threw a "lookout" block the season was over so they rolled a hobbled Zeke out there for 11 weeks and told him "don't let Dak get hurt no matter what you do! You're expendable.. he's not!".. It was ugly to watch.. but I understand.. I guess.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

the cowboys way didn't work. thta's the problem. the cowboys way hasn't worked for 28 years...

Cowboys aren't the only team that has paid players early.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

How many yards do you expect from him this year?

Don't want him too lean....need him at 80/20. Expect him to get about 1100 yards rushing this year based on sharing the load with Pollard, plus the offense more pass oriented.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Cowboys aren't the only team that has paid players early.

no, but we are ones that do it consistently. over and over and over and over...zeke, cooper, lawrence, dak, collins, etc.....it goes back 28 years.

 

[Jarntt]

Might as well get next year's Zeke looks lean post up now also and get it out of the way...

 

[erod]

Unless he is injured he will be over 1,000 yards in a 17 game season. I hope to see better than just 1,000 yards in a 17 game schedule. Last season he avg just 13 carries a game and played on a bad knee for much of the season and still got 1,000 yards.

That's 59 yards per game.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

no, but we are ones that do it consistently. over and over and over and over...zeke, cooper, lawrence, dak, collins, etc.....it goes back 28 years.

True, but there's been some bad luck involved as well, like Collins' hip problems, that can't be accounted for. And Zeke had zero problems, physically, at the time he got his extension. It was a very good risk, imho, considering that. Not a guarantee or even a better than average chance he'd have the physical problems he's had. Yes I know, 20-20 hindsight shows it was a poor decision. But sometimes you have to gamble, playing it safe in the NFL generally doesn't work.

Would I prefer Jerry didn't "jump the gun" on contracts? Sure, but that's only part of the problem, to me the bigger problem is things like the signing of the Greg Hardys, etc., the sticking with Garrett far too long, not giving Romo to starters' job back for the 2016 post-season, the drafting of injured (Jaylon) players and so forth.

 

[Doomsday101]

That's 59 yards per game.

Yep and played more than half the season with a torn PCL. I'm not predicting being the league leading rusher, only that he will have over 1,000 yards.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

That's 59 yards per game.

Yes, but Zeke's the same as most physical backs - a big part of his value is that at 220-plus pounds he can wear down a defense, and it's harder to get into the flow of the game with only 13 carries. Looking at last year, there were 7 games he got less than 13 carries (though part of that was probably trying to not aggravate the injury more than absolutely necessary).

I'm not a fan of RBBC, if he's healthy, I'm giving Zeke the ball at least 18-20 times a game running the ball...

 

[phildadon86]

Yep and played more than half the season with a torn PCL. I'm not predicting being the league leading rusher, only that he will have over 1,000 yards.

Well. If he does. @MountaineerCowboy will have a special signature for the offseason.

I wanted to ask. Does injury void the bet?

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Yep and played more than half the season with a torn PCL. I'm not predicting being the league leading rusher, only that he will have over 1,000 yards.

Don't care who he is, a running back with a PCL injury is NOT going to be able to run that well.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Well. If he does. @MountaineerCowboy will have a special signature for the offseason.

I wanted to ask. Does injury void the bet?

A real injury? Or a "I'm still going to play in this meaningless game just to reach 1,000 yards even though I'm "injured" and have a history of sitting games like this out in past years" type of injury?

 

[Doomsday101]

Don't care who he is, a running back with a PCL injury is NOT going to be able to run that well.

True but he is no longer dealing with the injury. He is in good shape according to what has been said and again not predicting he will be league leading rusher only that he eclipse 1,000 yards.

 

[phildadon86]

A real injury? Or a "I'm still going to play in this meaningless game just to reach 1,000 yards even though I'm "injured" and have a history of sitting games like this out in past years" type of injury?

A real one lol

 

[RonnieT24]

Yes, but Zeke's the same as most physical backs - a big part of his value is that at 220-plus pounds he can wear down a defense, and it's harder to get into the flow of the game with only 13 carries. Looking at last year, there were 7 games he got less than 13 carries (though part of that was probably trying to not aggravate the injury more than absolutely necessary).

I'm not a fan of RBBC, if he's healthy, I'm giving Zeke the ball at least 18-20 times a game running the ball...

This is never going to happen with Moore calling the plays. He doesn't want to play that style. So as long as that is the case the Cowboys are going to be a pass heavy team and those of us who prefer smash mouth football are going to be frustrated. I've come to terms with it. It can be an entertaining brand of football to watch I just don't think the Cowboys can win it all playing that way.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Don't care who he is, a running back with a PCL injury is NOT going to be able to run that well.

These guys bashing zeke not only don't admit the injury, but don;t know what a PCL injury involves.

It could also be not the only injury he may have had. The Minny ankle roll was a critical change in his performance.

 

[RonnieT24]

These guys bashing zeke not only don't admit the injury, but don;t know what a PCL injury involves.

It could also be not the only injury he may have had. The Minny ankle roll was a critical change in his performance.

Yeah that thing looked like a repeat of what happened to Dak to be honest. I thought Zeke was done for the year on that play.. I was shocked to see him hop back up and limp the sideline then double shocked when he came back into the game..