The Cowboys have made clear that as long as Ezekiel Elliott is healthy, Tony Pollard will be nothing more than a backup running back. But Pollard thinks he can carry as big a load as the Cowboys will give him.
Asked about Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete saying 30 snaps is Pollard’s max before he loses a step, Pollard disagreed.
“I definitely can do more” than 30 snaps, Pollard said, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean exactly a 30-play cutoff.”
This actually isn’t even debatable: Pollard is right and Peete is wrong. Pollard doesn’t get many opportunities to play more than 30 snaps in a game because the Cowboys give Elliott most of the snaps, but when Pollard does play more than 30 snaps he plays very well late in the game. In the Cowboys’ game against the Lions this year Pollard played 41 snaps, and his 41st snap was a 25-yard run. In the Cowboys’ game against the 49ers two years ago Pollard played 52 snaps, and his 52nd snap was a 40-yard touchdown.
But Pollard isn’t complaining.
“Whatever they ask me to do, whatever they need me to do, I got it,” Pollard said.
And if the Cowboys ask Pollard to do more, he’ll do more.