3 reasons the Cowboys were able to hand Vikings their second loss
2. Keep Rolling With the 1-2 Punch
There have been several debates about whether Tony Pollard or Ezekiel Elliott should be getting more snaps as a running back. Both have proved that they have the ability to be an RB1. However, the answer isn’t one or the other. We have learned that it’s clearly both.
Pollard did an excellent job with Elliott out for the last two games. As the RB1, he had 115 yards against the Packers and 131 yards against the Bears.
However, with Elliott back in the lineup against Minnesota, fans could see how crucial having both backs working together is for this offense. Pollard was there for both long rushes and receiving yards, and Elliott was there to get the brute force short gains he’s known for.
Pollard had another monster night with 15 rushes for 80 yards to go along with six receptions for 109 yards.
According to Next Gen, Tony Pollard hit a max speed of 20.35 mph on that run 😳🏃💨 https://t.co/AjDqem36LK
— Hailey Sutton (@_HaileySutton) November 20, 2022
What Pollard has that Zeke may not have is that unstoppable speed. On both of his touchdowns against the Vikings, he turned on the jets to essentially go untouched into the end zone.
However, Elliott deserves his credit, too. After sitting out for three weeks (including the bye week) due to a knee sprain, No. 21 looked like he’d never left. He had 15 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns on the win.
Ezekiel Elliott: 15 carries, 42 yards, 2 TDs after missing two games because of a knee injury
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 20, 2022
(Video: @nfl) pic.twitter.com/tRfVdTPlFR
This game truly proved that the complement of the two backs is a lethal combination for defenses. Both have very unique skill sets and Kellen Moore is lucky to have both at his disposal.