Under Head Coach Jason Garrett, it was an uphill battle to gain traction to the running back by committee strategy in Dallas.
Demarco Murray and Ezekiel Elliott, for all intents and purposes, were solo acts for the majority of their careers with the Cowboys.
When McCarthy took over, the trend started to move in a better direction, although it wasn’t immediate.
Tony Pollard, in his third season, saw an approximately 200-yard increase from the year prior. However, it wasn’t until 2022 when he reached his first 1000-yard season and equal status with the incumbent, Elliott.
Oh, what a time it was for Dallas, having their own version of thunder and lightning in the backfield sometimes together.
Now, thunder is gone, and the team tried lightning (Pollard) all by himself even after a significant lower leg injury. After this past Sunday, I believe the tide will turn once again. This time, it will be another fourth-year runner that will start to see his carries increase (hopefully).
Will Dallas finally concede some of Pollard’s carries to Dowdle?
Sunday’s throttling of the New York Giants left so many Cowboys fans filled with joy and laughter. Joy, simply because the team was in the win column.
Laughter, well because, they laid 89 points in 2 games on a division rival.
There are so many angles to take this week, but Rico Dowdle should definitely get some love. It’s not necessarily about what he did against the G-men but the potential across the remainder of the season.
Tony Pollard has yet to find his groove as the lead man in McCarthy’s ‘Texas Coast’ offense.
We can point to several reasons why he hasn’t played up to expectations. Obviously, we can start with the injury. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that a player of his caliber wouldn’t be the same after that type of setback.
Secondly, we can point to defensive game plans. Normally, it’s Ezekiel Elliott who opposing defenses would prepare for. When you are the lead back, you get that attention. You get that smoke.
Lastly, I mentioned before, this coaching staff isn’t using Pollard in a way that he can be most effective. Unfortunately, it does leave the door open for others to walk through that do fit the running strategies.
Rico should have opened more eyes on Sunday
Yes, it was the 2-6 New York Giants, but it still happened. Rico Dowdle showed Dallas cowboys coaching staff different things.
He displayed the power they’ve been lacking in the run game. There was decisiveness that has been missing in Pollard’s game. The vision was much better and overall, he looked much fresher.
Do you know why he looked fresher? It’s easy. The coaching staff distributed rushing attempts much more evenly.
On the season, Tony has been given 135 carries where Rico has been awarded only 47. On Sunday it was much different. The split was 15 to 12 in Pollard’s favor but still a much better overall split.
The Dallas Cowboys give Pollard the running back one treatment. Ezekiell Elliott earned that treatment and was due it accordingly. While I agree that Pollard should be the starter, it should not be by the landslide it has been this season.
And Owner, Jerry Jones, agrees with that sentiment.
A two-back system is the way of the NFL and the smart way to go. It gives the team a different style of runner, a fresh body and multiple players for defensive coordinators to game plan for.
Call me a prisoner of the moment but I continue to argue that this team is built for multiple runners, but on a consistent basis.
