Tony Pollard Proves He’s the Cowboy’s Lead Running Back For The Season

Tony Pollard Proves He’s the Cowboy’s Lead Running Back For The Season

Previous to Elliott’s Week 7 damage, he and Pollard have been just about sharing the Cowboys’ backfield, although Elliott was functioning because of the lead again. By means of seven games, Elliott had 109 carries and eight passing-game targets to Pollard’s 67 carries and 18 targets. However, in these first seven games, Pollard averaged 5.6 yards per carry to Elliott’s 4.1.

He had 4 runs of no less than 20 yards, whereas Elliott had just one. (And Pollard added to that whole Sunday with a 54-yard landing run that put the sport away within the fourth quarter.) As powerful as Elliott is, nobody who has watched the Cowboys over a previous couple of years can deny that Pollard is the extra explosive runner, and there are lots who suppose the Cowboys could be smart to lean on him much more than they do.

Judgment: OVERREACTION

Look, Sunday was Pollard’s day to play the function again position. And his yardage and landing numbers point out that he took full, wonderful benefit of it. However guys … he had solely 14 carries. Undrafted rookie Malik Davis bought eight, and the Cowboys have been lining extensive receiver CeeDee Lamb up within the backfield an honest quantity. Pollard has been on the Cowboys for 4 years now.

Do you suppose that if they felt he was able to deal with a bigger position, he would have one by now, particularly on a day when Zeke was on the sideline? Pollard is not the pass-protection again Elliott is (few are), so as soon as Elliott is wholesome this can be a moot level. They’ll preserve taking part in him so as to assist defend Prescott.

However essentially, the purpose right here is this: The rotation with Elliott and Pollard has labored. The Cowboys are successful games with it. Conserving Pollard contemporary so he can keep hitting these house runs seems a good suggestion. Let Elliott, who’s possible in his ultimate season in Dallas anyway, take the pounding on the early downs and in blitz pickup, and spot Pollard in the place he can supply the utmost profit.

Pollard was sensible on Sunday and may proceed to be within the position he performed in Weeks 1-7. There isn’t any cause for the Cowboys to maneuver off their plan simply because Pollard did what they knew he may do on 14 carries Sunday.