Zeke still fast

[SteveTheCowboy]

Zeke with a dominant OL will be quite fine, he will beat the $&i* out of opposing defenses. Zekes problem is that he is constantly hit as soon as he takes the handoff for the most part. Give him Emmit holes and he will be dominant once again.

How dare you ...stop saying facts.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Only thing Pollard has on Zeke, is he is shiftier, quicker on his cuts.
Zeke will bounce back, just needs to stay healthy, but they all do.
Even Pollard with his heel issue. That is harder to overcome and not to reoccur as opposed to slight knees sprains or tears.

Lol, "the only thing Pollard is better at is being a dynamic runner, making big plays, being a dangerous receiver, a great kick returner, and ball security.....other than that, Zeke is better!"

 

[CWR]

He got hurt

What week was that?

 

[Ranched]

Lol. "Still"?!

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

What week was that?

It's my opinion it was against the Vikes. Check this video out, there's a lot of chatting about injury.

Look at 2:49...got the knee rolled backwards.

 

[CWR]

It's my opinion it was against the Vikes. Check this video out, there's a lot of chatting about injury.

Look at 2:49...got the knee rolled backwards.

I remember he was actually able to turn the corner prior. It had been awhile since I'd seen him with enough burst to do that. It's a shame we didn't rest him. These coaches are clowns.

 

[Mannix]

Can someone please tell me the difference between Zeke's rookie burst is back and Zeke's still fast???

 

[Kingofholland]

A rested Zeke is a much better version as we saw in the first 5 or 6 games last year. Can he sustain that over an entire year? I don't know

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

I remember he was actually able to turn the corner prior. It had been awhile since I'd seen him with enough burst to do that. It's a shame we didn't rest him. These coaches are clowns.

AGREED!

 

[atlantacowboy]

He reached 22 miles this week in a work out. Stop sleeping on his speed. He’s probably faster than pollard. He just weighs more and doesn’t have a faster 5 yard burst.

He just needs to be healthy. He played the last half of the year with a knee issue.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Can someone please tell me the difference between Zeke's rookie burst is back and Zeke's still fast???

I am not sure what you are asking. Certainly 2016 Zeke is a younger fresher zeke. The point of contention 'round these parts is zeke is straight up "done".....and we just fufill this last part of required contract, or if he is still a viable #1 RB in the NFL.

Zeke will never be 2016 again....even though some expect it because of the money....unrealistic! But I say injuries and silly coaching/player management have effected his effectiveness.
People incessant complain about our injury heap...and inadequacies of coaching administration staff...but conveniently leave that out when proclaiming Zeke "done".

 

[RonnieT24]

Can someone please tell me the difference between Zeke's rookie burst is back and Zeke's still fast???

Sure.. burst is about explosion and rapid acceleration. Fast is just how fast you can run at top speed. Burst is how quickly you can get there. What made Zeke so dangerous in his early career was not only was he really fast at top speed but his burst enabled him to get to top speed before the defense even knew what hit 'em. My sense is that Zeke is as fast at top speed as he has ever been, but the toll of 6 years of NFL wars has taken some of the starch out of his acceleration. It just takes longer for the body to get clicking.

One other factor that is not really talked about is that Zeke himself pulled back some of that speed in order to pace himself in games. Accelerating to top speed in the blink of an eye takes a tremendous amount of energy. And the body only has so many of those in it before it shuts down. At the end of 2018 Zeke decided that he should try to pick his spots better. You're not going to take every carry to the house so burning energy like you think you are is going to lead to an empty tank by halftime followed by a lot of helmet tapping in the second half. So he has tried to run "smarter" these last few years. The biggest change was that he started seeking out contact more than ever. He stated himself that he wanted to "send a message to the defense and wear them down." But of course that only works if you're getting 20-25 carries in the game. This business of him getting 12-15 carries just isn't going to work with his strategy.

Ironically after losing 10 pounds last offseason and coming into 2021 he was quicker but unfortunately for him the line was in decline and Kellen Moore had concluded that "Yards are yards" and refused to make any effort to actually establish the running game. Other than the 4 game stretch after Jerry called him on the carpet for the 11 rushes between his two top backs in Tampa fiasco the running game was going to be an afterthought the rest of 2021. Which it was. The only time we ran it a lot was when we were blowing some sorry teams out. Any tight game or game where we were trailed or were not in complete control was going to be a 70/30 pass run split. It's the main reason why I cannot see this team as a deep playoff threat as long as he's calling the plays.

 

[quickccc]

He reached 22 miles this week in a work out. Stop sleeping on his speed. He’s probably faster than pollard. He just weighs more and doesn’t have a faster 5 yard burst.

- if Zeke was faster than Pollard, ..then we would've already had seen "faster" on the playing field.
We would've seen and had the 'eyeball" test for the last 3 years.

- And sorry, we've heard all of this " fast again" .., " look like 2016 Zeke " before,...been there, done that

- I thought Elliott should've been working with heralded Track n Field trainers (ala Michael Johnson) in the best effort
in regaining 2016 burst and agility (he used to high hurdle would be tacklers)
than training with ex-RB Skip Hick, trying to be more elusive- which he has never been a big miss ;em guy.

- Frankly i expected a change in his body frame, more closer than 2016 version, and there hasn't been that.
i expected a return of his high hurdling agility,.. and it hasn't been that.

- Everyone that is hoping to see that 2016 Zeke really wants it to be 2016 Zeke. And will want to believe anything that
could suggest such a return to glory.

- But it's when the pads are on, and we see what Zeke is on the actual playing field.
Not work outs, not videos, not coach speak, not media suggestions,..

 

[G2]

Lol, "the only thing Pollard is better at is being a dynamic runner, making big plays, being a dangerous receiver, a great kick returner, and ball security.....other than that, Zeke is better!"

Pollard isn't better than an older, slower and injured Elliott. I don't understand why some fans have to argue and prop one up, they're both mediocre and we need fresh legs.

 

[quickccc]

Sure.. burst is about explosion and rapid acceleration. Fast is just how fast you can run at top speed. Burst is how quickly you can get there. What made Zeke so dangerous in his early career was not only was he really fast at top speed but his burst enabled him to get to top speed before the defense even knew what hit 'em. My sense is that Zeke is as fast at top speed as he has ever been, but the toll of 6 years of NFL wars has taken some of the starch out of his acceleration. It just takes longer for the body to get clicking.

One other factor that is not really talked about is that Zeke himself pulled back some of that speed in order to pace himself in games. Accelerating to top speed in the blink of an eye takes a tremendous amount of energy. And the body only has so many of those in it before it shuts down. At the end of 2018 Zeke decided that he should try to pick his spots better. You're not going to take every carry to the house so burning energy like you think you are is going to lead to an empty tank by halftime followed by a lot of helmet tapping in the second half. So he has tried to run "smarter" these last few years. The biggest change was that he started seeking out contact more than ever. He stated himself that he wanted to "send a message to the defense and wear them down." But of course that only works if you're getting 20-25 carries in the game. This business of him getting 12-15 carries just isn't going to work with his strategy.

Ironically after losing 10 pounds last offseason and coming into 2021 he was quicker but unfortunately for him the line was in decline and Kellen Moore had concluded that "Yards are yards" and refused to make any effort to actually establish the running game. Other than the 4 game stretch after Jerry called him on the carpet for the 11 rushes between his two top backs in Tampa fiasco the running game was going to be an afterthought the rest of 2021. Which it was. The only time we ran it a lot was when we were blowing some sorry teams out. Any tight game or game where we were trailed or were not in complete control was going to be a 70/30 pass run split. It's the main reason why I cannot see this team as a deep playoff threat as long as he's calling the plays.

If Zeke was " still fast " – we would see it on the field.

and it was very important with him to maintain that "still fast " because he has never been overly elusive, he’s never been a big miss ‘em guy, he’s a one cut runner, he’s not one to be bobbing and weaving, stop and re-starting such as Emmitt.

And yeh I’ve heard the excuses too - “ oh he’s trying to be a more patient runner, not trying to overrun lanes, trying to pick his spots more, …
... " oh he’s lost 10 pounds in offseason."

- And then here’s the knee injury – when he still wasn’t showing 2016 burst prior to that injury.
When i think or hear the name of Zeke Elliott, i never think speed anymore. When i think of ZKE now, i think more of a Mark Ingram. a mere pounding bell cow.

- If Zke gets cut as a cap casualty next offseason, it will have nuthin to do with running with more patient, or knee injury, or how we always run up the middle,
Kellen moore, or how many touches ZKE gets,..
It will be because we are dishing way too much cap money to a back that is clearly on the decline and clearly no longer has Adrian Peterson-like burst and impact.

 

[OmerV]

The great Earl Campbell never lacked for contact and he did all right.

Elliott isn't the great Earl Campbell. Few absorb that kind of contact and last long enough for greatness. It actually cut Earl's career short, he just lasted long enough to cement his status as an all time great.

 

[RonnieT24]

If Zeke was " still fast " – we would see it on the field.

[ snip ]
.

No you wouldn't.. and the reason you wouldn't is because of what I stated. Now that he's older and has more miles on him it takes him longer to get to top speed. Rookie Zeke could go from zero to 60 mph (well 22 mph) in the blink of an eye. The current version probably need 25-30 yards to get anywhere close. But as I have stated many times even though no one wants to listen, human beings don't get to top speed until somewhere between 40 and 60 yards. All the talk of guys getting to top speed "in just a few strides" is just mediot-speak. It doesn't happen. But it's clear some guys are able to get closer to top speed sooner than others.. That's why when you watch sprints the guy who is leading at 40 meters is almost never the same guy who is leading at 75 meters and still another guy comes through at the end. Zeke is taking longer to get to top speed now than he did a few years ago. Meaning the guys chasing him now have a larger window to be able to get to him. It is what it is. I'm not here to debate whether he is declining. If he is it's up to the coaching staff to get the most out of him and Pollard. That means resting them when needed, better blocking, fewer runs up the gut and maybe most importantly, a lot less blitz pickup.. I have more faith in the ability of the backs than I do in the coaching staff to do those things.

 

[G2]

No you wouldn't.. and the reason you wouldn't is because of what I stated. Now that he's older and has more miles on him it takes him longer to get to top speed. Rookie Zeke could go from zero to 60 mph (well 22 mph) in the blink of an eye. The current version probably need 25-30 yards to get anywhere close. But as I have stated many times even though no one wants to listen, human beings don't get to top speed until somewhere between 40 and 60 yards. All the talk of guys getting to top speed "in just a few strides" is just mediot-speak. It doesn't happen. But it's clear some guys are able to get closer to top speed sooner than others.. That's why when you watch sprints the guy who is leading at 40 meters is almost never the same guy who is leading at 75 meters and still another guy comes through at the end. Zeke is taking longer to get to top speed now than he did a few years ago. Meaning the guys chasing him now have a larger window to be able to get to him. It is what it is. I'm not here to debate whether he is declining. If he is it's up to the coaching staff to get the most out of him and Pollard. That means resting them when needed, better blocking, fewer runs up the gut and maybe most importantly, a lot less blitz pickup.. I have more faith in the ability of the backs than I do in the coaching staff to do those things.

Elliott wouldn't know about 75 yards.

 

[RonnieT24]

Elliott wouldn't know about 75 yards.

Emmitt had one run of over 70 yards his entire career. It didn't seem to impair him all that much. Football is far more about a bunch of 3,4 and 5 yard runs than it is 75 yarders. If a back can consistently get you 3-5 yards he's more valuable than a back who can hit an occasional home run but gets trapped for losses or no gain a lot. 80 yards on 15 carries at a consistent 3-5 yards a pop is more valuable to an offense than 80 yards on 10 carries with one 60 yard run and 9 runs of 2-3 yards or less. Yes the 60 yarder will make a nice highlight. and that guy will have the gaudier ypc average. But that guy's team be in 2nd and 3rd and long a lot more and will punt a lot more.

 

[805BoysInBlue]

I think you need yo remove the Letter S from the thread title