Zeke - playing him way too much!

[erod]

Zeke is overpaid, but very useful.

And Pollard gets tired fast. That kid needs to get in shape because he can't handle more than two carries in a row without tapping out. By the 4th quarter, he's done.

 

[basel90]

while on the payroll this year just use him for blocking or to give pollard a rest. he is now an overpaid fullback.

 

[quickccc]

I kinda hope they just flip flop their roles next year and let Pollard start and bring Zeke in off the bench. I admit to being more than a little intrigued at the prospect of a fresh Zeke being unleashed on defenses 12-15 times a game.. I suspect his splash play percentage would go up considerably in that scenario.. and Pollard's would go down.. leading to the same stupid debate in reverse in the next couple of years. I still come down firmly in the camp of use the both.. feed the hot hand.. give no attention to people whining about one guy playing over the other.. Do what's best for the team and let's go win this thing.

To me, i would have no problem with the team continuing to have Zeke start, if they want to begin with pure power, before bringing the Pollard swiftness off the bench.
Payton's Saints did the same with Ingram/Kamara duo, ..and i've also said this too, that Kellen still has not ultilize Pollard's full skill set to the best of his potential.
Particularly as a receiver.

 

[Cmac]

so it's only ok to criticize the guys you want to? lol

Not one bit Proof.....but its proof there ain't but one that is constantly critiqued, when failures all over the place, at times.....at numerous times.....and when one is already the certified Fall Guy on this board. Just sayin'

 

[Pass2Run]

The plays he took yesterday weren't the kinds of glory plays fans like, but they were necessary to keep the defense honest.

Zeke will help this team, and fans will like it.

 

[Proof]

Not one bit Proof.....but its proof there ain't but one that is constantly critiqued, when failures all over the place, at times.....at numerous times.....and when one is already the certified Fall Guy on this board. Just sayin'

gotcha

 

[Pass2Run]

LMAO @ all these old turds claiming they can outrun Zeke.. You guys are hilarious. Unfortunately it appears Zeke's body is worn down and will end his tenure in Dallas as a blocking back. The end comes for every one.. I'm still happy we have him though and I was glad to see the Kellen Moore read my suggestion and lined him up at wide receiver a couple of times and told him to go get the linebacker or the safety. His blocks sprung Pollard on his two longest runs last night. Those are the blocks I have complained all year that our tight ends and receivers miss all the time. Zeke got them. He did kinda whiff on one other sweep when he was lined up as fullback but he got just enough of the guy to allow Pollard the lane to cut it back for 7-8 yards but if Zeke hit's him solid that one might have scored. But on the other two Zeke creamed his man and paved the way for a nice gain. I know people like to crap all over the guy for his salary (like he pays himself) but as a former football player who spent most of his playing days as a role/complementary player I appreciate a former superstar who embraces shifting into that role as gracefully as Zeke has. I'll miss him when he's gone. But he's got three more games to play for the Cowboys!

It's funny.

I actually think he has something left in the tank. They need to pass more when he's in to allow him to be more effective. But he came in yesterday when everyone and their mamas knew it was a run play. That's life. But I'm in the minority who still thinks Zeke will help the team this year. It's funny how short fans' memories are.. guy can still score TDs, which is necessary.

Of course he has aged. Happens to the best of us. But he's still a good locker room guy and has really humbled himself to fit in with this team this year.

 

[Beaker42]

Use him on short yardage and goal line packages

Too expensive. He needs gone as soon as we can cut him. June 1.

 

[quickccc]

True enough... but the blocking scheme they have been running under Philbin absolutely does not favor a one cut downhill runner like Zeke. I have been saying since 2020 that this offense simply does not suit his style and is much better suited to Pollard's. The Cowboys were only going to get their money's worth from Zeke by continuing to use him as a bell cow back. When they decided to go more shotgun heavy and less power run heavy his value to them was going to decrease.

As for which backs get stopped for losses more and the reasons why we'll just have to agree to disagree. The line blows assignments and allows Zeke to be hit in the backfield at least as often as it does for Pollard.. Zeke is just powerful enough to not be dropped for a loss as easily. It's not really any more complicated than that. And TP was being dropped for losses at an even higher rate back when opposing DCs didn't even know his name.. To his credit he has become a much stronger inside runner in the last two seasons.. But his build is never going to allow him to bull his way for those yards as well as Zeke does. It is what it is.. As long as the Cowboys keep winning I'm going to be happy with however they deploy them. I'll let other people whine about stuff like that.

A stretch run scheme doesn't suit him because he no longer has the iniitial burst to quickly get in and out of holes.
It's painful to watch now because coming out of Ohio State, his burst was special - combined with his lower body leg power and one cut run style, and the guy was practically
Adrian Peterson 2.0

I still cannot get why Zeke in off seasons is training like a power lifter, rather than track n field regiments (Michael Johnson?)
to regain agility and burst.
But instead i'm seeing him is working with Skip Hicks and trying to be more elusive (which has never been his game)

 

[Aven8]

I do think Davis needs to cut into Zeke’s Carrie’s as well.

Now that would be unpredictable from Kellen. That’s what we got from him last night and he needs to do the same through this run

 

[Cmac]

LMAO @ all these old turds claiming they can outrun Zeke.. You guys are hilarious. Unfortunately it appears Zeke's body is worn down and will end his tenure in Dallas as a blocking back. The end comes for every one.. I'm still happy we have him though and I was glad to see the Kellen Moore read my suggestion and lined him up at wide receiver a couple of times and told him to go get the linebacker or the safety. His blocks sprung Pollard on his two longest runs last night. Those are the blocks I have complained all year that our tight ends and receivers miss all the time. Zeke got them. He did kinda whiff on one other sweep when he was lined up as fullback but he got just enough of the guy to allow Pollard the lane to cut it back for 7-8 yards but if Zeke hit's him solid that one might have scored. But on the other two Zeke creamed his man and paved the way for a nice gain. I know people like to crap all over the guy for his salary (like he pays himself) but as a former football player who spent most of his playing days as a role/complementary player I appreciate a former superstar who embraces shifting into that role as gracefully as Zeke has. I'll miss him when he's gone. But he's got three more games to play for the Cowboys!

Agree the end is coming soon. Jerry will end it, for sure. Zeke and TPollard have been model teammates......neither complaining about their carries. Each contributing in their own way. Each following the Kellen Moore shuffling. And while Zeke's production has declined.....his effort ain't never been questioned, nor his ability to play with injury, nor him failing to applaud and support TPollard, nor any complaining about "overuse" early on. TPollard will get the chance to test the skills as the "featured" back soon. And when TPollard gets an upgrade in salary......watch this board's reaction, the moment he is shut down or minimized by an NFL team, a time or two. See McCaffery at Carolina. This is the NFL.

 

[quickccc]

True enough... but the blocking scheme they have been running under Philbin absolutely does not favor a one cut downhill runner like Zeke. I have been saying since 2020 that this offense simply does not suit his style and is much better suited to Pollard's. The Cowboys were only going to get their money's worth from Zeke by continuing to use him as a bell cow back. When they decided to go more shotgun heavy and less power run heavy his value to them was going to decrease.

As for which backs get stopped for losses more and the reasons why we'll just have to agree to disagree. The line blows assignments and allows Zeke to be hit in the backfield at least as often as it does for Pollard.. Zeke is just powerful enough to not be dropped for a loss as easily. It's not really any more complicated than that. And TP was being dropped for losses at an even higher rate back when opposing DCs didn't even know his name.. To his credit he has become a much stronger inside runner in the last two seasons.. But his build is never going to allow him to bull his way for those yards as well as Zeke does. It is what it is.. As long as the Cowboys keep winning I'm going to be happy with however they deploy them. I'll let other people whine about stuff like that.

- As coaches .. true coaches, you have to know the skill level and frame work that best suits that player and let him excel at it.
You wouldn't batter ram Christian McCaffrey regularly between the tackles and bell cow him to death. (now Jason Garrett would ..!!)

- With Zeke's loss of burst and a back that has never been overly elusive, at this point, he's at his best at the goal line and short yardage, there's just not much versatility
and options he can give us .. they are continuing to use Zeke as a bell cow because that's just what he is now in his career.

- Truth be told, it's really not the greatest run block scheme for even Pollard, imo. Why ?
it doesn't seem to offer much misdirection, nothing to confuse incoming tacklers, we just line up and go straight ahead.
It's gotten to a point where i can anticipate when we are gonna run the ball.

- And that draw play run outta shotgun offers little to tricking and trapping tacklers.

- Pollard is nowhere near the natural pass catcher that a McCaffrey is ..- one because he still to this day, isn't near as developed as McCaffrey.
as an " all purpose back " he could be a helluva threat out of the backfield . if not for Kellen.

 

[RonnieT24]

A stretch run scheme doesn't suit him because he no longer has the iniitial burst to quickly get in and out of holes.
It's painful to watch now because coming out of Ohio State, his burst was special - combined with his lower body leg power and one cut run style, and the guy was practically
Adrian Peterson 2.0

I still cannot get why Zeke in off seasons is training like a power lifter, rather than track n field regiments (Michael Johnson?)
to regain agility and burst.
But instead i'm seeing him is working with Skip Hicks and trying to be more elusive (which has never been his game)

The Cowboys don't run the stretch play much at all. The stretch play attacks the defense straight ahead. The staple of the Cowboys offense is the delay handoff with the line slide stepping and the back gliding along parallel to the line of scrimmage then either exploding through the hole when it opens or cutting it back. I just don't that kind of change of direction will ever favor a big back like Zeke. It just seems as though he sacrificed his body for the betterment of the team to the detriment of his own career and body. I will always applaud guys for doing what he did.. and will never be willing to just shovel dirt over them or be in a hurry to cast them aside. If they can get Zeke back for a lower cap number he's the type of guy I will always want on my team.

 

[Mr_Slicky]

I am 45 and I can probably run faster as well.
Ever since he held out on Cabo that time I knew this moron was nothing good.
I hope he is gone next season.

Playing devils advocate, if Zeke had not held out for a big contract, he’d almost certainly get cut and have would’ve made no money. I think Jerry paid him way too much, but I cannot blame Zeke for holding out knowing that he’d be discarded at this point in his career. iIt handicaps the organization but you can’t blame the player for trying to cash in, especially a running back.

 

[CowboysExchange]

The last few games, Zeke's looks like he has been running in concrete shoes. I don't know if it's the grass, but he is counterproductive as a runner now. Oh, grass for the next 3 games.

2-4 record on the grass this year. And Sf plays on a Bermuda/Ryegrass field.

And it's our 4th straight road game on grass.

And SF is the best team in the NFL imo.

They have a bonified explosive run/pass attack w CMAC and Deebo that will show up early and often . (Unlike the 8-9 no run bucs, 66 throws, that gameplan was an unbalanced circus performance by the coaches, total garbage)

The Grass curse in a divisional round playoff game is still ALIVE!! Lol

 

[catiii]

He’s useless I’m faster than him and I’m 40. San Fran d is a monster. Need speed and someone to hit hole hard. Play Davis instead - Zeke as deco and pass block only. STOP WITH THE ZEKE RUN UP MIDDLE!!!!

Top 10 post of the year./ Zeke up the middle is a wasted down!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nightrain]

2-4 record on the grass this year. And Sf plays on a Bermuda/Ryegrass field.

And it's our 4th straight road game on grass.

And SF is the best team in the NFL imo.

They have a bonified explosive run/pass attack w CMAC and Deebo that will show up early and often . (Unlike the 8-9 no run bucs, 66 throws, that gameplan was an unbalanced circus performance by the coaches, total garbage)

The Grass curse in a divisional round playoff game is still ALIVE!! Lol

The good new is, everyone else seems to have checked out OK on grass. On to Santa Clara.

 

[Cmac]

Why doesn't KMoore start TPollard? Can we get the answer.......never heard Zeke complain about it? Why can't KMoore simply start TPollard? Please don't say it's about the money.

 

[CowboysExchange]

The good new is, everyone else seems to have checked out OK on grass. On to Santa Clara.

Our kicker/sts was cursed on grass. It didn't affect all 3 phases against no run Tampa.

But a bonified run attack is coming in the Divisional round of the Playoffs.

Lve vs CMAC and Deebo is gonna test our tackling ability this game frfr

 

[nightrain]

Our kicker/sts was cursed on grass. It didn't affect all 3 phases against no run Tampa.

But a bonified run attack is coming in the Divisional round of the Playoffs.

Lve vs CMAC and Deebo is gonna test our tackling ability this game frfr

It will be a challenge for sure. Two very good teams. Lots of special talent on both squads. Can't wait, this feels like those big games back in the 70s and 90s.