Zeke returning kicks?

[KJJ]

In what way would it be debilitating? Is there any reason to believe we wouldn't be able to run the ball with Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden behind 4 lineman that either have the words "All-Pro" or Pro Bowler" appear on their resume?

It would be debilitating to lose the 4th overall pick on a kick return when you drafted that player to be a key component in your offense. We need him apart of our offense to take pressure off Romo. A team coming off a 4-12 season can't afford to lose a top 5 draft pick to a damn kick return. We have no idea how Alfred Morris is going to fit until we start playing games. Let's not forget he was released by the Commanders.

I think he could be very good behind our OL but that remains to be seen. As for McFadden he's already suffered an injury. The chances of him staying as healthy as he did last season are slim and none. If kick returns weren't dangerous the league wouldn't be taking steps to move away from them. Players have had their careers ruined from injuries on kick returns.

Just thankful some of you don't run the team. Some of the things posted here just boggle the mind. By the way our OL made none of our backs special last season which is why we drafted Zeke. Funny how some keep going back to thinking our OL can make any back special. lol

 

[big dog cowboy]

By the way our OL made none of our backs special last season

Of course they didn't. Because you can find RB's with no QB support that get 4.6 ypc on every team.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

More like last year when Joseph Randle was the starter. Last year we had the 4th leading rusher in the entire league last year once Randle took a seat then cleared out his locker.

The running game with McFadden wasn't that much better. You have to force your will on people. The Cowboys never did that. I don't care what the stats say. McFadden did enough to be a backup but nothing more.

 

[KJJ]

Of course they didn't. Because you can find RB's with no QB support that get 4.6 ypc on every team.

McFadden's average was blown up the last few games of the season when the Cowboys and their opponents had nothing to play for. Lol AP and other great backs have put big yards and averages with little to no QB support. Go back and look at the yards Barry Sanders put up in Detroit with no QB support.

 

[Star Guard_31]

Of course they didn't. Because you can find RB's with no QB support that get 4.6 ypc on every team.

Agreed. If you factor McFadden's average number of carries and yards per game against the first 6 games he barely played, then he exceeds 1,700 yards and wins the rushing title in a landslide, even with the revolving door at QB. If a player who only rushed for 1,000 yards one time in the previous 7 years of his career performing at that level isn't being elevated to a special level by the OL, then I don't know who or what is.

 

[Star Guard_31]

McFadden's average was blown up the last few games of the season when the Cowboys and their opponents had nothing to play for. Lol AP and other great backs have put big yards and averages with little to no QB support. Go back and look at the yards Barry Sanders put up in Detroit with no QB support.

I'll take the bait.

Here is McFadden's per game average during the final month of the season:

• McFadden averaged 7.7 yards per carry against the playoff bound Commanders in week 17.
• McFadden averaged 5.2 ypc against a Bills defense fighting to avoid playoff elimination in week 16.
• McFadden averaged 6.3 ypc against Jets defense still very much in contention for the playoffs in week 15.
• McFadden averaged an astounding 12.3 ypc (no, that's not a typo) against the Packers who were in the midst of jockeying for playoff seeding.

Where were these last few opponents who had nothing to play for?

 

[KJJ]

I'll take the bait.

Here is McFadden's per game average during the final month of the season:

• McFadden averaged 7.7 yards per carry against the playoff bound Commanders in week 17.
• McFadden averaged 5.2 ypc against a Bills defense fighting to avoid playoff elimination in week 16.
• McFadden averaged 6.3 ypc against Jets defense still very much in contention for the playoffs in week 15.
• McFadden averaged an astounding 12.3 ypc (no, that's not a typo) against the Packers who were in the midst of jockeying for playoff seeding.

Where were these last few opponents who had nothing to play for?

In week 17 neither the Commanders or Cowboys had anything to play for. Washington already had the NFC East wrapped up and were just trying to get out of that game without any injuries. They started pulling starters in the second half allowing Moore to pass for over 400 yards and McFadden to come away with a good rushing average. The Bills were practically dead in week 16 and missed the playoffs despite winning their last 2 games against the Cowboys and Jets. They needed to win out and hope several scenarios happened for them to back in. As for their defense it ranked 2 spots lower than the Cowboys. Granted the Jets were still very much alive but the game meant nothing to the Cowboys and it ended up being another meaningless game where McFadden's average was blown up.

As for the Packers they were still alive but McFadden's 12.3 rushing average was blown way up due to a 50 yard run in which he was chased down because he no longer has great speed. The Cowboys ended up having to settle for a FG on that drive because he couldn't make it to the end-zone. It was a 50, 33, 28 and a 30 yard run in the final 4 games that helped blow up McFadden's rushing average. These were all games where the Cowboys were either officially done or virtually done and they lost every one of them. In the games that really mattered when the Cowboys still had a realistic chance of making the playoffs McFadden was up and down. After averaging 4.4 per carry vs Miami he followed it up with a PATHETIC 1.1 per carry vs Carolina in a critical game. He was downright AWFUL vs Carolina with 3 negative carries in his first 7 rushing attempts.

He only gained 11 yards on 10 carries putting the game on Romo's shoulders which contributed to him being knocked out for the rest of the season. With no running threat the Panthers D pinned their ears back and came after Romo. Against Tampa in a very important game for the Cowboys, McFadden averaged a DREADFUL 1.9 per carry on 17 freaking carries. In the final 6 minutes with the Cowboys leading and trying to milk the clock McFadden took a 7 yard loss on a first down play which put us in passing situations that resulted in a punt and Tampa winning in the final seconds. The Cowboys saw what I saw with McFadden an AVERAGE back which is why they took Zeke with the 4th overall pick.

 

[Doomsday101]

Losing a player you invested a top 5 pick on to a KO return would be debilitating. I find it absurd that some want to use Zeke to return kicks when the league is taking steps to move away from kick returns due to serious injury concerns. it would be beyond stupid to use one of your top players to return kicks. Stick a 6th round pick or an undrafted free-agent back there not the 4th overall pick.

I seriously do not think Zeke will return given the fact Lucky Whitehead looks to be more than capable of taking on that role and doing it better than avg. Saying I would never put a starter or high pick to return? I can't say that, it depends on their ability in that role. I'm not looking to save players I am looking to win games. Injury can happen and I don't see a rash of injury for return men in the NFL. If Zeke were to show that his ability in the return game was head and shoulders above others then yes I would just as Arz does it with Patrick Peterson and Pitt does it with Brown

 

[KJJ]

I seriously do not think Zeke will return given the fact Lucky Whitehead looks to be more than capable of taking on that role and doing it better than avg. Saying I would never put a starter or high pick to return? I can't say that, it depends on their ability in that role. I'm not looking to save players I am looking to win games. Injury can happen and I don't see a rash of injury for return men in the NFL. If Zeke were to show that his ability in the return game was head and shoulders above others then yes I would just as Arz does it with Patrick Peterson and Pitt does it with Brown

I'm 100% POSITIVE Zeke will not be returning KOs....NOT HAPPENING!

 

[casmith07]

No.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm 100% POSITIVE Zeke will not be returning KOs....NOT HAPPENING!

And I agree it is highly unlikely. My statement is more about saying never. I would never say there is no way, if a player shows a greater ability then yes it is about winning game not playing the what if game as in what if he got hurt? A player can get hurt at any point practice, game or trying to save your cell phone. lol On the field if it where my call I would use any player if it gave me a greater edge over the opponent.

 

[Chuck 54]

Did Tony Dorsett impose his will on people?

Did Emmitt Smith impose his will on people?

Neither of those guys were physical runners. The OL imposed their will on people and unleashed talented RB's who didn't just run into people, guys who had vision, speed or instincts, moves....guys who turned 5 yards into 30 yards.

Demarco Murray was a very good, not great, RB. He ran with more power than either of our HOF backs, so he came closer to imposing his will on defenses, but he also had little in the way of vision, speed, moves, instincts. He turned 5 yards into 7, sometimes 10, and he turned 2 yards into 4.

What kind of runner will Zeke be? Elliott is not the next Jim Brown or Earl Campbell. He won't impose his will on defenses; that's the job of the OL and the guy calling the plays. Hopefully, Zeke will be more the Tony Dorsett/Emmitt Smith RB who can get you a yard when you need it (most of the time), but a guy who can convert the long runs, who can demoralize a defense, not with power, but with the constant threat of big plays and missed tackles that keep the chains moving, scores TD's, and allows the OL to impose their will in the 4th quarter.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I'll take the bait.

Here is McFadden's per game average during the final month of the season:

• McFadden averaged 7.7 yards per carry against the playoff bound Commanders in week 17.
• McFadden averaged 5.2 ypc against a Bills defense fighting to avoid playoff elimination in week 16.
• McFadden averaged 6.3 ypc against Jets defense still very much in contention for the playoffs in week 15.
• McFadden averaged an astounding 12.3 ypc (no, that's not a typo) against the Packers who were in the midst of jockeying for playoff seeding.

Where were these last few opponents who had nothing to play for?

What is the point of YPC if you are not scoring TD's. The clown couldnt punch it in and had no big plays for TD's. He was getting caught from behind. He made ZERO impact. By the time he started having good games the season was in the pisser already. And we had to change from a zone blocking scheme to a man blocking just to accomodate his limited style.

McChicken proved NOT that he was a good back, because he already proved he isnt in is 8 year career. What he proved was what some of said prior to this year. You could take any decent back and put them behind our line and they would put up numbers.

 

[CowboyRoy]

In week 17 neither the Commanders or Cowboys had anything to play for. Washington already had the NFC East wrapped up and were just trying to get out of that game without any injuries. They started pulling starters in the second half allowing Moore to pass for over 400 yards and McFadden to come away with a good rushing average. The Bills were practically dead in week 16 and missed the playoffs despite winning their last 2 games against the Cowboys and Jets. They needed to win out and hope several scenarios happened for them to back in. As for their defense it ranked 2 spots lower than the Cowboys. Granted the Jets were still very much alive but the game meant nothing to the Cowboys and it ended up being another meaningless game where McFadden's average was blown up.

As for the Packers they were still alive but McFadden's 12.3 rushing average was blown way up due to a 50 yard run in which he was chased down because he no longer has great speed. The Cowboys ended up having to settle for a FG on that drive because he couldn't make it to the end-zone. It was a 50, 33, 28 and a 30 yard run in the final 4 games that helped blow up McFadden's rushing average. These were all games where the Cowboys were either officially done or virtually done and they lost every one of them. In the games that really mattered when the Cowboys still had a realistic chance of making the playoffs McFadden was up and down. After averaging 4.4 per carry vs Miami he followed it up with a PATHETIC 1.1 per carry vs Carolina in a critical game. He was downright AWFUL vs Carolina with 3 negative carries in his first 7 rushing attempts.

He only gained 11 yards on 10 carries putting the game on Romo's shoulders which contributed to him being knocked out for the rest of the season. With no running threat the Panthers D pinned their ears back and came after Romo. Against Tampa in a very important game for the Cowboys, McFadden averaged a DREADFUL 1.9 per carry on 17 freaking carries. In the final 6 minutes with the Cowboys leading and trying to milk the clock McFadden took a 7 yard loss on a first down play which put us in passing situations that resulted in a punt and Tampa winning in the final seconds. The Cowboys saw what I saw with McFadden an AVERAGE back which is why they took Zeke with the 4th overall pick.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Did Tony Dorsett impose his will on people?

Did Emmitt Smith impose his will on people?

Neither of those guys were physical runners. The OL imposed their will on people and unleashed talented RB's who didn't just run into people, guys who had vision, speed or instincts, moves....guys who turned 5 yards into 30 yards.

Demarco Murray was a very good, not great, RB. He ran with more power than either of our HOF backs, so he came closer to imposing his will on defenses, but he also had little in the way of vision, speed, moves, instincts. He turned 5 yards into 7, sometimes 10, and he turned 2 yards into 4.

What kind of runner will Zeke be? Elliott is not the next Jim Brown or Earl Campbell. He won't impose his will on defenses; that's the job of the OL and the guy calling the plays. Hopefully, Zeke will be more the Tony Dorsett/Emmitt Smith RB who can get you a yard when you need it (most of the time), but a guy who can convert the long runs, who can demoralize a defense, not with power, but with the constant threat of big plays and missed tackles that keep the chains moving, scores TD's, and allows the OL to impose their will in the 4th quarter.

Zeke reminds me of a Tomlinson type runner.