Dallas Cowboys' insider chimes in on team's misuse of Tony Pollard
It's time for the Dallas Cowboys to unleash Tony Pollard. In fact, it's been "time" for that to happen for a while now. Yet for some reason, the Cowboys refused to do so even while Ezekiel Elliott was dealing with a painful knee injury. There's no excuse for the Cowboys. The frustration grew, even more, […]
It's time for the Dallas Cowboys to unleash Tony Pollard.
In fact, it's been "time" for that to happen for a while now. Yet for some reason, the Cowboys refused to do so even while Ezekiel Elliott was dealing with a painful knee injury.
There's no excuse for the Cowboys.
The frustration grew, even more, when the Cowboys lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card Round. Not only because of the loss itself, but because the 49ers were doing the exact opposite with their play-maker.
In the second half of the season, 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan put on a clinic on how to get the most out of a players' skill-set by using Deebo Samuel in all kinds of ways. Samuel was running routes out of the backfield generating favorable match-ups. He was getting carries like a traditional running back.
They were messing with the opponent's defensive structures week-in and week-out.
Dallas Cowboys' insider Brianna Dix from D1210Sports recently spoke with our own Will Steele about how the team could use Pollard's abilities.
"Utilize (Pollard) like a Deebo Samuel with the jet sweeps, the bubble screens. I think he's more tailored in the slot or out of the backfield with the short passing game or the intermediate routes or the free release out of the backfield," said Brianna Dix about the Cowboys' running back.
As you probably know, the Cowboys haven't done that. Instead, they've used Tony Pollard as a "change-of-pace" runner. In fact, he had only 30 snaps from the slot including the regular season and postseason.
"This guy's acceleration is insane," Dix said on A to Z Sports Dallas before adding, "To me, he's the most underrated player on the Cowboys' team."
Will Steele and Brianna Dix also discussed CeeDee Lamb, Mike McCarthy, and much more. You can check out the complete interview here.
The Dallas Cowboys need to figure out how to exploit Pollard's abilities beyond utilizing him as any other running back. Some will raise concerns about avoiding turning him into a "gimmick" player. But there's a difference between that and a versatile offensive weapon.
Others will share concerns about his ability as a blocker, yet Pollard wasn't nearly as bad as some claim him to be. Elliott is one of the best running backs in pass protection, but that doesn't mean Pollard can't hold his own.
Whatever the answer is to utilize Pollard to the best of his capabilities, members of Cowboys Nation are right to complain about how he was misused in 2021.
And guess who apparently shares that sentiment? Pollard himself.
Earlier this month, A to Z Sports Dallas published an Instagram Reel on calling out the Cowboys for not hiring a coach to help the team's running game. "Help (Kellen Moore) put the ball in Tony Pollard's hands and not five, six times in a game that we lose."
Pollard liked the clip. Although that doesn't mean he's frustrated with his coaches, it's worth pointing out he might be ready to demand an expanded role within the Cowboys' offense.
Featured image via Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
