Zeke Playing with torn PCL says it all

[RonnieT24]

It was about the 1000 yards nothing more or less, how MM can still be there is just mind numbing.

I don't think it was about 1000 yards at all. Zeke hurt that knee in week 4 man.. So they say, "can you go?" and Zeke says "yeah I can go.." They ask the trainers if he can hurt it any worse and they say no.. Then he puts up 100 yards on one leg against the G-men and the decision looks to be correct.. But even in that game you see him limping off the field repeatedly.. Then the Pats game you see him really struggle.. then the Minny game after the bye week he struggles even more.. except he makes heroic catch and run to set up the winning TD and again we are reminded that even on a bum knee the guy is different.. Then he averages 5.1 ypc against Denver even in a game where the line is getting killed and again we convince ourselves that he's gonna be able to do it.. Then they clobber ATL but Zeke looks terrible.. Then at KC he looks terrible again..

So now you have two straight games where he has not been effective.. But now it's 9 games in.. and it's a 6 to 8 week recovery from surgery... So you got a juggling act on your hands.. In hindsight getting that knee fixed during the bye week was the correct move.. but once you missed that window you were pot committed. Any surgery from the KC game on meant ending his season. So they decided against that.. which was fine.. Since he was still a friggin demon blocking for Dak he still had value.. So they scaled back his carries and tried to feature Pollard more.. and then Pollard promptly gets hurt which lends credence to the thought that he is not an every down back. So if they had sent Zeke under the knife after the Raider game.. and Pollard gets hurt in the Saints game.. we finish the season with Clement and Hardy as our backs? Ito Smith? Me? You?

Me personally I WISH they would have let Zeke get scoped the day after he hurt that thing.. I said all season that he should have sat until he was 100% or at least close to it.. Probably cost him 6-8 games but get him healthy for the playoffs. I think this is a very different team with a healthy Zeke in the playoffs.. But I ask again, do we make the playoffs if he misses 8 games? Yeah I think we still win the East without Zeke for 8 games.. probably 10-7 of 9-8. 4 seed hosting the Cardinals.. Maybe a better matchup.. less experienced coach and QB..

 

[Motorola]

I am sure he had an added bonus in his contract if he went over 1,000 yards.

Bonuses were available for Elliott and the rest of the team for each playoff game won.

 

[exciter]

Zeke playing with a torn PCL says it all to me with regard to this organization and "Leasership"...
Why would you allow Zeke to play against the Eagles (meaningless game) knowing he has a torn PCL and not allow him some extra rest? To me this sums up the competence/frame of mind,etc... whatever you want to call it of our "Leadership". This is a great example of how this bumbling organization looks at things and game plan.. The only thing I can come up with in my head is this team thinks Zeke is the only RB who can pick up rushers and protect their 40Mil QB... If this is the case, shame on the coaching staff for not having other RB's with adequate blocking skills.. Oh and by the way aren't coaches supposed to "coach" RB's to be able to block?? This is just one example of our flawed staff/organization...

Zeke tore it in the Patriots game. My guess would be he hasn’t been able to to do much strength and conditioning on that leg and needed reps to try and get into a rhythm with the Oline… typically it takes him a game or two even after spending all of training camp to get used to game speed and in a rhythm with the line. My issue is more, if they didn’t feel Pollard couldn’t be a lead back, *** didn’t they get one. The PCL injury occurred two weeks before the trade deadline. Yeah, there would have been a lot of *****ing and moaning about giving up a pick. But sheesh, I think we would have gotten over it … till draft time anyway!

 

[mattjames2010]

He's finished. Glad we only have a season left with this has been.

 

[CTcowboy203]

Ehh it was a pain tolerance issue. If there’s a bone to pick about it- it’s why bring it up after a loss when all year long when asked about it he said “I’m fine”.

 

[glimmerman]

I give him respect for playing with it. Heard it couldn’t get any worse. But when watching him trying to run MM should have said no.. Pollard getting injured and the other RB not running well helped the case of him being in there. The O-Line sucked. How they ranked individually as good as they did is beyond me. They were undisciplined and the line coach needs to go.. If I am MM then it’s my first move..

 

[MaineBoy]

Playing Zeke hurt this team big time. A hurt running back with an oline that can’t run block well is a recipe for failure. Then add Moore’s vanilla and predictable run plays. Our own coaches destroyed our running game and made us one dimensional. And then to not play Pollard who had enough talent to get some yards despite the above.

 

[RonnieT24]

I give him respect for playing with it. Heard it couldn’t get any worse. But when watching him trying to run MM should have said no.. Pollard getting injured and the other RB not running well helped the case of him being in there. The O-Line sucked. How they ranked individually as good as they did is beyond me. They were undisciplined and the line coach needs to go.. If I am MM then it’s my first move..

The PFF grades for the line needs a serious examination of their methodology. There is no way in hell these guys should have been grading out that high.. Something is fishy.. They definitely botched it by not taking action vis a vis Zeke's knee the minute it happened. Especially if they knew then how serious it was.. But again.. if you remember the play where he got hurt.. Most of us thought that was going to end his season right then and there.. But he ran for 100 yards in either that game or the one right after .. again proving what a beast he is.. but in hindsight.. sitting him.. getting that knee fixed was the better long term move. Thought it's not really hindsight for me because I said it early on.. I didn't like seeing him limping around the way he was.. and still have real concern about how much more damage he did playing on it.