Dallas Cowboys: 3 players whose stock rose Week 2, and 2 who fell

Dallas Cowboys Stock Up: RB, Tony Pollard

Tony Pollard is playing like the best running back on the Cowboys right now. For all intents and purposes, the team’s backs split touches with Ezekiel Elliott having 16 carries and two receptions compared to Pollard’s 13 rushes and three catches. However, it was pretty clear who the most productive running back for the Cowboys was on Sunday afternoon.

Sure, Zeke didn’t play poorly, but he was completely outplayed by Pollard who eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the third time in his career. Right now Pollard is showcasing a level of explosiveness that Elliott just hasn’t shown since 2019. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore would be smart to find more ways to utilize both his running backs and keep Pollard involved in the offense in the coming weeks.

Dallas Cowboys Stock Down: Clock Management

For the most part, I really liked the game that the Cowboys called on Sunday. That said, the final seconds of their last drive left me banging my head against the wall.

After a Tony Pollard run gave the Cowboys a third and three on the Chargers’ 38-yard line with 33 seconds and one timeout remaining, the team just let the clock widdle down as opposed to trying to get one more play in.

The Cowboys had more than enough time to dial something up that would improve their field position and make everyone’s life easier. Instead, they settled for a long game-winning field goal attempt, that Greg Zuerlein thankfully made.

Yes, Zuerlein indeed came through and drilled the game-winner as time expired. But at 56 yards and just one week after missing three kicks, that’s a bigger gamble than the Cowboys should have ever wanted to take.

McCarthy has since said that the clock he was watching got obstructed and he couldn’t see it. Regardless of why it happened, someone, anyone needs to find a way to get that play off. It’s an inexcusable mistake that’s easy to avoid. Had Zuerlein missed, this would have likely been one of the big stories all week.