Return of the 2-Headed Monster: Cowboys RB bullpen evokes fond memories
The Cowboys had just completed a Triplet’s Era-like road win in Los Angeles, grinding out a long, clock-exhausting drive that let kicker Greg Zeurlein fell the Los Angeles Chargers at the gun.
Dallas’ offensive balance was a line from the ’90s. 198 yards on the ground and 227 through the air. Dak Prescott posted a most Troy Aikman-like line: 23 of 27 completions, averaging 8.8 yards per attempt.
To old hands, the win brought back warm and fuzzy memories of road wins in difficult places. For the younger set, weaned on Romo magic, the efficiency was hard to square. Prescott was mocked in some regions of social media for a “pedestrian game.”
Further disputes, and confusion, came from the manner in which the Cowboys threw their weight at a Chargers unit not used to being pushed around. In the glory days, a rushing line like this would have come almost exclusively from Emmitt Smith’s feet. In recent years, the base has seen Ezekiel Elliott finish off opponents in Smith-like fashion.
From Pony Personnel to the Bullpen Approach
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On Sunday, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore recalled a different ground approach. He divided his rushes almost evenly between the bruising Elliott and the slashing Tony Pollard. Pollard finished the game with 109 ground yards to Elliott's 71. Pollard was Mr. Outside while Elliott did most of his dirty work inside the tackles. Moore's division of labor recalled an effective approach from the aughts, where bully boy Marion Barber shared duties with a pair of speedsters, first Julius Jones and then Felix Jones. The two-headed monster as some called it then, had a similar division of labor. One of the Jones would open the contest, tire the defense with wide runs and short pass receptions, then turn the contest over to Barber, who could soften opposing fronts in the second quarter and bludgeon them into submission over four quarters.
The Set Up Man
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Pollard's body of work against the Chargers showed a Jones' clone of the highest efficiency. Every one of his thirteen carries went for three yards or more. He caught three passes for 31 more. Pollard was most effective running right, though he succeeded inside and out. He netted 42 yards inside the tackles. He finished the Cowboys' opening drive with a five-yard score off right tackle and thrice skirted the Chargers left edge for 67 yards. That level of big-play production should not be put back in mothballs. Pollard was the change-up option in the Bucs opener, working from a two RB set. Here, he took his reps as the lone tailback. Some Elliott partisans scoffed post game at the idea that Pollard could supplant their favorite, but it seems that's not in Moore's plans. The OC does however, seem to be warming to keeping a rushing blend of the two.
The Closer
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Elliott, for this contest anyway, appeared to be adapting to a Marion Barber like role. He's still a heavy-duty back, but he seems to have lost his sixth gear. Only once did he break beyond 10 yards against L.A., on a 19-yard scamper where he broke into the secondary but was quickly run down from behind. Six of his sixteen carries went for one yard of less, compared to none for Pollard, who seems to have more shake and spin. But that hardly means that Elliott has lost value. Moore seemed to have a power purpose for #21. Against Tampa Bay, we saw him line up as a fullback in an I-formation and convert a 4th and short. Against the Chargers, Elliott was again counted on to convert third-down runs and when Dallas ventured on its game-winning drive it was Elliott who manned the backfield, carrying four times and catching two passes on the Cowboys methodical march. This may be an adjustment for the fans, who have become conditioned to Elliott getting heavy duty and then receiving a series of rest from Pollard. We may have the ideal rotation backwards. In the Parcells era, when Julius Jones opened for Barber, and in the early Jason Garrett-as-OC days, when Felix Jones played the scat back role, the speedsters set the table, and then let Marion the Barbarian feast upon fatigued defenses. We may be looking at more of this style of blend, and why not? If a Parcells-era running back formula can produce Triplet's style results, as it did Sunday, who are we to complain?
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