Twitter: Zeke's declining yard average per year

[Coogiguy03]

There is about 30 backs or more that can average 4.2 ypc in this offense. Heck Pollard is a full ypc higher then Zeke in each year.

Zeke is nothing special at all. Waste of salary and waste of a roster spot. Time to move on.

This is refreshing to hear you whine, I like it!! You owe me one

 

[CowboyRoy]

He was also hurt....he could have check out, but he didn't....any one with an ounce of football knowledge would appreciate that and blame the coaches and not the player.

He should of checked out and obviously refused. But yah coaches should have benched his sorry azz.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I like them both

Half way there

 

[Floatyworm]

Would have cut bait 3 years ago.....if you can't see he is going down the Earl Campbell path of health....then your blind.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Lol. The narrative that if the OL isn't #1 then it's all their fault. Got it. Plenty of excuses as to why he wasn't good down the stretch. But it starts with Zeke not being the same runner that entered the league. I guess your point is there are no good RB'ls just good OL?

Is that my "narrative"? I never said we have to have #1 O-line. Because of your agenda, you are making up shtuff I never said.

If you want me to say Zeke isn't the same RB as 2016...I'll go ahead and say it. Zeke isn't the same RB he was in 2016. I don;t expect him to match and beat that every single year.

I thought he looked very good early 2021. There was a game he got legs rolled on, and not sure he fully recovered from that. I think he is still a good RB, and has been of great value to Dak in several ways.

I also believe our run blocking was not very good or especially not consistent. I believe it's a combination of rotating personnel, missed assignments and scheme.

The run game STARTS with the right scheme and o-line execution. If you call that "excuses".....then well so be it.

 

[blueblood70]

I really hope they can rebuild the offensive line this year.

2018 Travis Fredrick goes to IR and is replaced by Joe Looney
2018 Connor Williams becomes starting LG

2019 Travis Fredrick Returns but is not the same player

2020 Joe Looney replaces Travis Fredrick,
2020 Tyron Smith starts 2 games

2019 KM becomes OC that the missing link to the downfall of our run game. yes OL also blame it on zeke should be new country song but we all know the truth...Dak gets paid OC goes pass happy ol degrades and now Zeke is target,.lmao.

 

[MyFairLady]

Throwing the ball to Zeke has become one of the worst offensive plays in all of football and I am not even kidding. Look it up if you want to. A throw to Zeke has become some of the all time worst offense in NFL history.

 

[DuncanIso]

Throwing the ball to Zeke has become one of the worst offensive plays in all of football and I am not even kidding. Look it up if you want to. A throw to Zeke has become some of the all time worst offense in NFL history.

that check down play doesnt work well.

Especially vs 2 Man.

Dak didnt care. He'd throw it anyway.

I think they would have more luck over the middle/A Gap. Or even a slip screen.

 

[RonnieT24]

that check down play doesnt work well.

Especially vs 2 Man.

Dak didnt care. He'd throw it anyway.

I think they would have more luck over the middle/A Gap. Or even a slip screen.

Let us balance all this bluster with some facts.

Here are the lowest yards per reception rankings in the NFL last season.

1 Myles Gaskin MIA 24 rb 17 10 63 49 77.8% 234 4.8 4 13 24 3.7 2.9 13.8 2
2 Devonta Freeman BAL 29 rb 16 8 42 34 81.0% 190 5.6 1 9 15 4.5 2.1 11.9 0
3 Devin Singletary BUF 24 RB 17 16 50 40 80.0% 228 5.7 1 11 19 4.6 2.4 13.4 5
4 Mike Davis ATL 28 rb 17 8 58 44 75.9% 259 5.9 1 12 20 4.5 2.6 15.2 4
5 Ezekiel Elliott DAL 26 RB 17 17 65 47 72.3% 287 6.1 2 17 21 4.4 2.8 16.9 1
6 Najee Harris* PIT 23 RB 17 17 94 74 78.7% 467 6.3 3 22 25 5.0 4.4 27.5 0
7 Saquon Barkley NYG 24 RB 13 13 57 41 71.9% 263 6.4 2 13 54 4.6 3.2 20.2 2
8 Josh Jacobs LVR 23 RB 15 14 64 54 84.4% 348 6.4 0 14 29 5.4 3.6 23.2 2
9 Dalvin Cook* MIN 26 RB 13 13 49 34 69.4% 224 6.6 0 9 24 4.6 2.6 17.2 3


The first thing that jumps out is that they are all running backs.. The second thing to point out is that Zeke was not the worst but 5th from the bottom.. 17 of his 47 catches went for first downs.. 36.2%. Compare that to Dalvin Cook whom most would agree is a "more explosive" back.. went 9 first downs on 34 receptions. 26.4% . In fact Zeke had a higher first down percentage than all the guys on this list. That would certainly indicate to me that checking the ball down to him came with a higher probability of a successful outcome than most other backs in the league. In fact as I eyeball the list only a handful of backs were better in this regard.. But yall don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.. Have at it.

 

[blueblood70]

torn PCL will get your Rushes cut.

still, 1200 APY and 12 TDS. 4.2 YPA

first 8 games 5.1 YPC and was having a nice resurgence then hit his back and then the pcl..yet haters who dont want to realize Zekes here one more year anyway want to criticize this great Dallas Cowboys, for what hes not going anywhere why rip the man apart.

his career has been great.,. KM , the OL, and his injuries stunted his finish to the year. Thats a bad year for zeke sure wish we got more but its not bad year overall given the circumstances....

Not zekes fault he gats paid then they change the entire offensive philosophy that same season..

 

[blueblood70]

his career avg is 4.5.

but he was playing with a torn PCL.

which is in line with the great ES22....who had similar years himself they were aLL GREAT as matter of fact ES only cracked 5.0 ONCE..both are volume backs take away carries they arent as effective.

 

[blueblood70]

Right now I'd take a 4th for him and be so very happy.

can we trade you? id take coupon and call it a day...

 

[RonnieT24]

first 8 games 5.1 YPC and was having a nice resurgence then hit his back and then the pcl..yet haters who dont want to realize Zekes here one more year anyway want to criticize this great Dallas Cowboys, for what hes not going anywhere why rip the man apart.

his career has been great.,. KM , the OL, and his injuries stunted his finish to the year. Thats a bad year for zeke sure wish we got more but its not bad year overall given the circumstances....

Not zekes fault he gats paid then they change the entire offensive philosophy that same season..

Yeah it's really Jerry's fault for not realizing that if you let an ex-QB "genius" call the offense 90% of the "genius" is going to involve throwing the ball. Moore has yet to show any real imagination or even desire to use the running game. So IMHO the problems in the running game aint leavin until he does. If Jerry had known this was going to be the direction then he certainly would not have re-signed Zeke.. nor should he. People wanting to blame Zeke for that are just in their feels..

 

[blueblood70]

Let us balance all this bluster with some facts.

Here are the lowest yards per reception rankings in the NFL last season.

1 Myles Gaskin MIA 24 rb 17 10 63 49 77.8% 234 4.8 4 13 24 3.7 2.9 13.8 2
2 Devonta Freeman BAL 29 rb 16 8 42 34 81.0% 190 5.6 1 9 15 4.5 2.1 11.9 0
3 Devin Singletary BUF 24 RB 17 16 50 40 80.0% 228 5.7 1 11 19 4.6 2.4 13.4 5
4 Mike Davis ATL 28 rb 17 8 58 44 75.9% 259 5.9 1 12 20 4.5 2.6 15.2 4
5 Ezekiel Elliott DAL 26 RB 17 17 65 47 72.3% 287 6.1 2 17 21 4.4 2.8 16.9 1
6 Najee Harris* PIT 23 RB 17 17 94 74 78.7% 467 6.3 3 22 25 5.0 4.4 27.5 0
7 Saquon Barkley NYG 24 RB 13 13 57 41 71.9% 263 6.4 2 13 54 4.6 3.2 20.2 2
8 Josh Jacobs LVR 23 RB 15 14 64 54 84.4% 348 6.4 0 14 29 5.4 3.6 23.2 2
9 Dalvin Cook* MIN 26 RB 13 13 49 34 69.4% 224 6.6 0 9 24 4.6 2.6 17.2 3


The first thing that jumps out is that they are all running backs.. The second thing to point out is that Zeke was not the worst but 5th from the bottom.. 17 of his 47 catches went for first downs.. 36.2%. Compare that to Dalvin Cook whom most would agree is a "more explosive" back.. went 9 first downs on 34 receptions. 26.4% . In fact Zeke had a higher first down percentage than all the guys on this list. That would certainly indicate to me that checking the ball down to him came with a higher probability of a successful outcome than most other backs in the league. In fact as I eyeball the list only a handful of backs were better in this regard.. But yall don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.. Have at it.

hater wont stop they made their mind up in 2017 post suspension and will devalue zeke at every chance.

 

[charron]

Is that my "narrative"? I never said we have to have #1 O-line. Because of your agenda, you are making up shtuff I never said.

If you want me to say Zeke isn't the same RB as 2016...I'll go ahead and say it. Zeke isn't the same RB he was in 2016. I don;t expect him to match and beat that every single year.

I thought he looked very good early 2021. There was a game he got legs rolled on, and not sure he fully recovered from that. I think he is still a good RB, and has been of great value to Dak in several ways.

I also believe our run blocking was not very good or especially not consistent. I believe it's a combination of rotating personnel, missed assignments and scheme.

The run game STARTS with the right scheme and o-line execution. If you call that "excuses".....then well so be it.

Same run blocking as early in the season. Overall the OL graded out above average but zeke didn't. Yes that is your narrative, your narrow point of view blaming the OL. They aren't great but better than average. Plenty of guys wishing they could run behind this OL. They just can't make up for zekes lack of explosiveness. More excuses. He's a good short yardage and goal line power back with superb blocking skills who's running ability has been in decline for the last few years. Blame whomever you want though.

 

[Captain-Crash]

and his yards decline while dak's throwing percent increases. wow who would think that few yards had to do with getting the ball?

 

[blueblood70]

Yeah it's really Jerry's fault for not realizing that if you let an ex-QB "genius" call the offense 90% of the "genius" is going to involve throwing the ball. Moore has yet to show any real imagination or even desire to use the running game. So IMHO the problems in the running game aint leavin until he does. If Jerry had known this was going to be the direction then he certainly would not have re-signed Zeke.. nor should he. People wanting to blame Zeke for that are just in their feels..

on point

 

[RonnieT24]

Same run blocking as early in the season. Overall the OL graded out above average but zeke didn't. Yes that is your narrative, your narrow point of view blaming the OL. They aren't great but better than average. Plenty of guys wishing they could run behind this OL. They just can't make up for zekes lack of explosiveness. More excuses. He's a good short yardage and goal line power back with superb blocking skills who's running ability has been in decline for the last few years. Blame whomever you want though.

I could counter that the run blocking was pretty bad all year long. The only reason they produced over the 4 game stretch before New England is that 1) they stuck with it, 2) Zeke and Pollard turned a lot of TFLs into positive gains and 3) they stuck with it. After Zeke got hurt he was clearly no longer able to cover for the crappy blocking and eventually Pollard got hurt too. That happens a lot when the line sucks.. The guys running behind it get beaten down over time. Zeke averaged > 5 ypc and was second in the NFL in rushing before he got hurt. That's an irrefutable fact. To sit here and act like "well he sucked after he got hurt" should be how we view him makes no sense. Great production before the injury... poor production after.. Behind what YOU say was the same blocking. It aint rocket surgery.

 

[mattjames2010]

Anyone who is struggling to accept that a RB is declining after years of tread on his tires should just be ignored. You don't understand patterns of positions and you have fanboy goggles on.

Zeke is nowhere near what he used to be and what he used to be was gone in a flash. Nature of the position and building your team around an RB and giving him a sizable contract tells you how out of touch the Jones' family is when it comes to modern football.

 

[SlammedZero]

I think Zeke could still have a role on this team. We all know he is overpaid and on the decline, but I think he could still be beneficial to our offense in certain situations. We just never seem to have a coaching staff that knows how use players in correct situations, or, they have their hands forced play the player a certain way by their boss.

At any rate, he was definitely fun to watch in 2016! That was a fun season.