Instant Fantasy Analysis - RB Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

[Cruzer 1,992]

I warned everybody, why pass on proven talent as a stud WR for a guy you think is Walter Peyton without no NFL game experience. Another year, same mistakes from the beginning of fantasy football, gawd i love you victims.

I yelled for months - taking a RB to help the defense was a pretty ridiculous plan.. I know it was crazy - but I thought it would be best to address our defense by actually drafting defensive guys to help our defense. As anyone can see after 2 weeks - it's beyond pathetic. But we got a steal in Round 2 - he may even play next year if everything goes right, or the year after that - or maybe even the year after that. Zeke, with any luck, will look as good as Morris has before long. He did fumble twice y-day and almost cost us the game - never counted on that surprise bonus.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

Is it me or does he lack vision?

[Cruzer 1,992]

Is it me or does he lack vision?

Part of the problem was Zeke just being a rookie. He's been so eager to hit the hole, which is good, but he gets there before the blocks develop. He was better this week - actually showed some patience... Another problem has been the line - they've not been good up front. Granted they've seen 8 in the box - but still they've been getting pushed back into the backfield.

 

But the biggest thing was a coaching blunder - not shocking form this team. They were giving Zeke the ball from the Gun position - which means Zeke gets the ball flat footed. We finally figured out that if we give it to him with Dak under center, he has a full head of steam and momentum when he gets the ball - his best runs all came from this formation y-day....... Regardless though - his impact has not been anywhere near noticeable enough to justify taking him at 4. What is noticeable is just how Gawd awful this defense is. And I hate to break it to fellow Cowboys fans - but Tank Lawrence and Bong Hit Gregory ain't gonna change it all that much.

[Kent 228]

Part of the problem was Zeke just being a rookie. He's been so eager to hit the hole, which is good, but he gets there before the blocks develop. He was better this week - actually showed some patience... Another problem has been the line - they've not been good up front. Granted they've seen 8 in the box - but still they've been getting pushed back into the backfield.

 

But the biggest thing was a coaching blunder - not shocking form this team. They were giving Zeke the ball from the Gun position - which means Zeke gets the ball flat footed. We finally figured out that if we give it to him with Dak under center, he has a full head of steam and momentum when he gets the ball - his best runs all came from this formation y-day....... Regardless though - his impact has not been anywhere near noticeable enough to justify taking him at 4. What is noticeable is just how Gawd awful this defense is. And I hate to break it to fellow Cowboys fans - but Tank Lawrence and Bong Hit Gregory ain't gonna change it all that much.

Zeke will be fine. It's only been two games and he has a rookie QB that doesn't scare the defense like Romo does. Emmitt had Aikman.

[sirensong 111]

Is it me or does he lack vision?

 

i don't see that--i see an impatient back who is pressing rather than allowing the zone concepts to materialize.

 

i also see a back who is getting hit at or behind the LOS on just about half of his carries. seriously--watch the replays.

 

here's every run last week--he gets hit within a yard of the LOS on 11 of his 22 touches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMYrd2DjXTA

[sirensong 111]

cruzer--was thinking of you this morning as i watched the JAX defense get dismantled. here's an example of a team that has invested a ton of draft capital in its defense, but without substantial payoffs. their 1st/near 1st round talents are:

 

-ramsay (5th overall)

-jack (34th)

-fowler (3rd)

-posluszny (34th)

-cyprien (33rd)

plus FA add gipson.

 

now, i agree that DAL has a talent deficiency on defense, and should have been addressing that to a greater degree in recent drafts. but i think this is a good example of how drafting a ramsay over an elliott wouldn't necessarily have paid off this year, or even possibly next year. this means that adding strength on strength (the elliott pick) was a very reasonable course of action.

 

we'll have to wait and see if taking smith over jack will pay off in the long run.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,657]

After two games I see nothing special. Not a bust or anything, just a guy with a good line

[Cruzer 1,992]

Zeke will be fine. It's only been two games and he has a rookie QB that doesn't scare the defense like Romo does. Emmitt had Aikman.

More importantly than Emmitt having Aikman - #22 had an all world, dominant defense. Which is really my beef with Zeke... Not him personally, I think he's a good kid and an pretty good back. But whether or not he's good, fine or great - the main problem still exits - the defense sucks. I don't know how much longer it's going to take the Cowboys sheep to figure out - we ain't winning anything until that unit is really, really good Zeke or not.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

More importantly than Emmitt having Aikman - #22 had an all world, dominant defense. Which is really my beef with Zeke... Not him personally, I think he's a good kid and an pretty good back. But whether or not he's good, fine or great - the main problem still exits - the defense sucks. I don't know how much longer it's going to take the Cowboys sheep to figure out - we ain't winning anything until that unit is really, really good Zeke or not.

You think Zeke is a good kid? So far I wouldn't put him in that category. Good kids don't seem like they are on the verge of suspension or drug protocol

[Cruzer 1,992]

You think Zeke is a good kid? So far I wouldn't put him in that category. Good kids don't seem like they are on the verge of suspension or drug protocol

So far so good.. And not that I'm sticking my head in the sand - but so far all we have on those concerns is Zeke walking into a head shop. Meh, not exactly Pablo Escobar we're talking here.

[sirensong 111]

After two games I see nothing special. Not a bust or anything, just a guy with a good line

 

he's running into 9-man boxes and constant run blitzes, as defenses are daring prescott to beat them through the air. and DAL lost one of the best run-blocking TEs in the league due to hanna's injury.

 

sorry--no RB is going to look good when he's consistently getting met in the backfield.

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

he's running into 9-man boxes and constant run blitzes, as defenses are daring prescott to beat them through the air. and DAL lost one of the best run-blocking TEs in the league due to hanna's injury.

 

sorry--no RB is going to look good when he's consistently getting met in the backfield.

I'm the one who told you Hanna's injury would be crippling, you said it wouldn't be - which is it?

 

And not buying the loaded fronts and run blitzes. For 1 - I've been told this is the best offensive line in football, they can't handle run blitzes? And 2 - the only time we're seeing 9 in the box is when Dak is under center, which is not very often. Most of the time he's out of the gun - it's spread out, 9 in the box would leave somebody uncovered....... But even if's and butts - Zeke, nor any superstar running back, is the answer to this defense. For the majority of the past decade or so - teams win with defense. We seem to think it's more important to have offensive Pro Bowlers than division titles and SBs.

[R8RMick 242]

I'll stand by my take, the kid turns it around and has a great year. For now, he needs to relax and let this magnificent offensive line create some yardage for him. I think he's pressing.

[sirensong 111]

I'm the one who told you Hanna's injury would be crippling, you said it wouldn't be - which is it?

 

And not buying the loaded fronts and run blitzes. For 1 - I've been told this is the best offensive line in football, they can't handle run blitzes? And 2 - the only time we're seeing 9 in the box is when Dak is under center, which is not very often. Most of the time he's out of the gun - it's spread out, 9 in the box would leave somebody uncovered....... But even if's and butts - Zeke, nor any superstar running back, is the answer to this defense. For the majority of the past decade or so - teams win with defense. We seem to think it's more important to have offensive Pro Bowlers than division titles and SBs.

 

by itself, hanna's absence is not crippling. combined with romo's absence, it becomes a much bigger deal since defenses can load the run.

 

watch the youtube i posted above--on 50% of his touches last week, elliott was getting hit within a yard of the LOS. week 1 was even crazier--hit within a yard of the LOS on 16 of his 20 attempts. read that number again: 16 out of 20. here's the video--watch the penetration every single play.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000700899/Ezekiel-Elliott-highlights

 

as for the offensive pro bowlers, you're suffering from recency bias. remember back when the cowboys were putting up mediocre seasons every year because they had a great defense, but kept losing games 10-7? i do, and i hated it. ever since the tyron smith over JJ watt pick, DAL has tried to draft defense. they wanted donald. they wanted shazier. they wanted barr. they wanted vacarro. instead, they got the best guard in the league and the best center in the league. you want to complain about escobar? fine--i won't argue with you. you say the jaylon smith pick doesn't square with the 'win now' approach to the first round? hell--i agree with you there.

 

but don't be just another over-reactionary cowboy pessimist, like half of this damn town. the boo-birds spend their lives waiting for a chance to say "i told you so" by always proclaiming doom and gloom about their own team. yes, the team needs to get better. but at least be a fighter, man.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,657]

 

by itself, hanna's absence is not crippling. combined with romo's absence, it becomes a much bigger deal since defenses can load the run.

 

watch the youtube i posted above--on 50% of his touches last week, elliott was getting hit within a yard of the LOS. week 1 was even crazier--hit within a yard of the LOS on 16 of his 20 attempts. read that number again: 16 out of 20. here's the video--watch the penetration every single play.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000700899/Ezekiel-Elliott-highlights

 

as for the offensive pro bowlers, you're suffering from recency bias. remember back when the cowboys were putting up mediocre seasons every year because they had a great defense, but kept losing games 10-7? i do, and i hated it. ever since the tyron smith over JJ watt pick, DAL has tried to draft defense. they wanted donald. they wanted shazier. they wanted barr. they wanted vacarro. instead, they got the best guard in the league and the best center in the league. you want to complain about escobar? fine--i won't argue with you. you say the jaylon smith pick doesn't square with the 'win now' approach to the first round? hell--i agree with you there.

 

but don't be just another over-reactionary cowboy pessimist, like half of this damn town. the boo-birds spend their lives waiting for a chance to say "i told you so" by always proclaiming doom and gloom about their own team. yes, the team needs to get better. but at least be a fighter, man.

Down goes Cruzer!

[tanatastic 2,061]

He has scored in both games, relax people he looks fine. Doesn't look great, but he looks fine. Kind of JAG like, but that's good enough.

[redsrback 30]

Zeke will be fine. It's only been two games and he has a rookie QB that doesn't scare the defense like Romo does. Emmitt had Aikman.

First off I cant stand Romo, second Emmitt didn't do anything for me with the line he had, now run to goodwill since you think all answers are solved with Zeke and Romo and get your jacket.

[Djgb13 2,338]

Pretty sure I stated earlier that Zeke wouldn't be the man in the backfield because he is still wet behind the ears. Morris is the guy to own this year. Zeke needs more time to be able to get up to speed with the NFL level of game play. I got Morris in almost all my leagues in double digit rounds. Just need the cowboys to run him more instead of Zeke and that lotto ticket will have paid off

[brotherbock 349]

Pretty sure I stated earlier that Zeke wouldn't be the man in the backfield because he is still green behind the ears. Morris is the guy to own this year. Zeke needs more time to be able to get up to speed with the NFL level of game play. I got Morris in almost all my leagues in double digit rounds. Just need the cowboys to run him more instead of Zeke and that lotto ticket will have paid off

I like the phrase 'green behind the ears'. That's the best thing since bread and butter.

[Djgb13 2,338]

I like the phrase 'green behind the ears'. That's the best thing since bread and butter.

lol whoops meant wet behind the ears. Went to type greenhorn and ended up typing the wrong thing

[brotherbock 349]

lol whoops meant wet behind the ears. Went to type greenhorn and ended up typing the wrong thing

Nah I'm serious, I like it. I mean, I like both phrases. Six dozen of one, half the other

[nobody 2,044]

So far so good.. And not that I'm sticking my head in the sand - but so far all we have on those concerns is Zeke walking into a head shop. Meh, not exactly Pablo Escobar we're talking here.

Plus the texts to his ex-girlfriend saying he's going to live in a sauna for 24 hours trying to make sureservations he passes a drug test.

[polecatt 403]

Before he started putting it on the grass Sunday it looked like Zeke had finally started find a little bit of the burst we didn't see the first game and a half.

He had a nice 21 yard run and possibly on the way to his first 100 yard game had he not starting fumbling and therefore getting benched.

I believe he's been having issues adjusting to the speed or timing in the NFL maybe and is starting to find it a little bit. I believe he is a good candidate to have a bit of a break out game week 3.

If he can just hold onto the ball!!

[Cruzer 1,992]

as for the offensive pro bowlers, you're suffering from recency bias. remember back when the cowboys were putting up mediocre seasons every year because they had a great defense, but kept losing games 10-7? i do, and i hated it. ever since the tyron smith over JJ watt pick, DAL has tried to draft defense. they wanted donald. they wanted shazier. they wanted barr. they wanted vacarro. instead, they got the best guard in the league and the best center in the league. you want to complain about escobar? fine--i won't argue with you. you say the jaylon smith pick doesn't square with the 'win now' approach to the first round? hell--i agree with you there.

 

but don't be just another over-reactionary cowboy pessimist, like half of this damn town. the boo-birds spend their lives waiting for a chance to say "i told you so" by always proclaiming doom and gloom about their own team. yes, the team needs to get better. but at least be a fighter, man.

I've watched pretty much every Cowboys game available since the late 70's, plus I record the games and go back and watch as tape - pretty sure I don't need to see a youtube video to recount Zeke's carries... But speaking of getting hit BLOS - it's going to happen. When we aren't spread out, they are going to run blitz and they are going to shoot the gaps. We have the best line in football (supposedly) - we have to be better. We also have a 6'2", 210 lbs. rock of a wr out there - get him going on 3 step slants, run play action, get Zeke the ball in the I position so he can run downhill with momentum when he grabs it, keep running the bootleg until they stop sending everyone... It's not rocket science - go where the defense is not, make a play.

 

That all being said, it still doesn't fix the problem... The Cowboys rose colored crowd was fooled by this win - to them we landed in Washington and kicked ass... The reality is that we were 2 wide ass open td misses by Cousins and an end zone pick from getting blown out by 20 plus... Which reminds me - maybe we've been watching different teams since the last SB, what "great" defenses are you talking about that we've had? I sure and heck don't remember any. We had a couple really good units back in the early 2000's, but none of them were dominant. But if you remember, as I do, the reason we went 5-11 and 9-7, etc.. isn't bcoz of the lack of a running game. We lost back then bcoz we didn't have a quarterback. If you remember, as I do, the Post-Aikman era was among us and we were swimming thru the cesspool of quarterback hell. It was bum city around here: Quincy Carter, Anthony Wright, Ryan Leaf, Chad Hutchinson, Clint Stoerner , (an old) Randall Cunningham, (and old) Vinny Testaverde, (and old) Brad Johnson, (and old) Drew Bledsoe and (and old) John Kitna.. These alleged "great" defenses you talk about had this junk to deal with behind center - that's why we were weren't worth a damn.

 

I've said many, many, many times here - you win in today's game (in order): Defense, QB play... (down the line) Running Game... You have to look no further than the past, recent, SB winners... Since 2000 - of the 17 Champions, maybe 4 of them won bcoz they were offensive juggernauts, maybe. And none of them had the leading rusher.. Even looking around this year - the Broncs took down the high powered Panthers with freaking Seiman at QB. Why? Bcoz the most important part of the equation they are dominant in.

 

Which brings me to the foundation and reason why this Cowboys team has stunk so bad of late... We don't know what we've doing in the War Room, we are among the worst drafting and building teams in the league.. You mentioned Donald, Shazier, Barr, Vacarro - we didn't get them... Ok, so what? We are the only team I know, who has 8 months to prepare for a draft, then when "our guy" isn't there - we panic! Why? You mean to tell me the reason this defense sucks is bcoz Pitt took Shazier 1 spot ahead of us - really??? I will not kill this staff for our recent 1st round picks. I love that we addressed the offensive line and I love that we started recognizing you win games from the inside out.... But our draft history from rounds 2 thru 5 is nauseating - flat out deplorable.............I think we can both agree - from 2010 and on, those are the guys who should be the core unit of your team right now, agreed? Since 2010 this team has drafted 54 players.. Of those 54, do you know how many defensive guys are still on the team? I do, the answer is 10 (and 4 of those came this year).. Do you also know, since 2010 - how many of the 54 drafted are starting on this defense? I do, the answer is 4. Let me repeat that - since 2010 we have all of 4 stinking defensive starters on this team that we've drafted - THERE'S THE PROBLEM!..... And to be honest, Hitch shouldn't even be starting, he's a suspension necessity - didn't exactly c0unt him but I guess technically I have to.

 

The punch line in all of this is that this team, and the Kumbaya disciples, think drafting an all world RB with our 4th pick is the answer to correcting the cancerous draft strategies of this organization. 54 players taken and you have 4 (mediocre, well Lee and Jones could be considered really good) starters to show for it - no running back is going to fix that... You want to call me an over-reactionary pessimist, than I guess I am. But at least I'm not a spoon fed sheep - sipping the Kool Aid Jerry leaves out. Speaking of the pessimists - what are you taking about? Everyone in this town is an ass kissing, blind ass homer - I know of very few with the stones to call this team out..... Ever see the movie 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'? Donald Sutherland tries like hell to avoid the pods and becoming one of "them'. He makes it till the vey end when we shockingly find out he's been snatched... You've been snatched my fiend - you've been taken by one of Jerry's pods.. If you and the rest of this town is hunky dory and okay with the "30-Year" plan, so be it - I'm sure and hell not. I've been spoiled by the likes of Landry and Jimmy - I expect better from this organization... 3 playoff wins in 20 freaking years, zero SB appearances - yea, the "Process" is working just fine all right.

[nobody 2,044]

Jesus, dude. It's just a game. Why are you getting so worked up over some an organization that exists specifically to use your loyalty to pry away your dollars?

[Cruzer 1,992]

Jesus, dude. It's just a game. Why are you getting so worked up over some an organization that exists specifically to use your loyalty to pry away your dollars?

Why not? It's fun - and I get passionate about my teams - when did that become a bad thing? Plus, it is "my" money - I'll do what I want with it.

[sirensong 111]

Why not? It's fun - and I get passionate about my teams - when did that become a bad thing?

 

 

that's what i like most about you.

 

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

 

that's what i like most about you.

 

Ha - agreed, ditto... You going to make it out to the Star in Frisco ever? I'd like to see what in hell a $1.5B practice facility looks like myself.

[sirensong 111]

Ha - agreed, ditto... You going to make it out to the Star in Frisco ever? I'd like to see what in hell a $1.5B practice facility looks like myself.

 

my brother's new house is apparently like a mile and a half from there, so i'm hoping to visit the place eventually...or at least drive by.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

 

i don't see that--i see an impatient back who is pressing rather than allowing the zone concepts to materialize.

 

i also see a back who is getting hit at or behind the LOS on just about half of his carries. seriously--watch the replays.

 

here's every run last week--he gets hit within a yard of the LOS on 11 of his 22 touches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMYrd2DjXTA

 

I've seen those words put on a guy by the name of Trent Jefferson.

[Skinny_Bastard 154]

After two games I see nothing special. Not a bust or anything, just a guy with a good line

 

I second this.

Totally unbiased take too.

[Cruzer 1,992]

Ironically - I think Zeke goes off this week against the Bears. And the mess Chicago has at QB - our defense is going to look like Doomsday and all will be good........................... for a week.

[sirensong 111]

fantastic article on DAL's run game issues. problems with both zeke and with the line (though both are rectifiable):

 

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016/9/21/12998712/dallas-cowboys-run-game-see-where-the-problems-are-how-to-fix-them