Well, the NFL MVP race is officially at a crap shoot level after Tom Brady and Matt Ryan stank up the joint yesterday. Cowboys rookie Ezekiel Elliott is inevitably going to become the frontrunner for these honors in the media and among NFL fandom until he has a bad game.
But, considering he’s running through nothing but broad daylight every Sunday, I don’t know that that’s going to happen. I mean, the former Ohio State Buckeye is always having a rookie season comparable to Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson. That’s ridiculous, but he’s been that damn good.
I like to think I’m a pretty progressive guy. I have a hard time managing change in my life because I like to be in control of every little decision and #BREAKINGNEWS: that’s not a realistic outlook on life, but oh well. Big Natural gonna Big Natural. Still, I’m also an idea guy. I’ll listen to just about anything.
The idea that an entire offensive line could win NFL MVP honors? Hmmm….
Well, Bill Barnwell, sir….you have Big Natural’s attention.
Courtesy of ESPN – “Do you know how many times Elliott was even touched by a Steelers player on his three touchdowns?
Zero.
Elliott traveled 129 yards from scrimmage on those three plays and never even had to beat an unblocked defender one-on-one. Zeke showed great patience in hitting his hole and accelerating past the flat-footed Robert Golden on his final score, and the Steelers might have been trying to allow Elliott to score on his second touchdown, but one would think Elliott would run into a Steelers defender just based on sheer electric football chance.
There’s a third actor in this discussion, and it’s the reason Elliott went untouched on those plays. The Dallas Cowboys‘ offensive line is as dominant as any unit or any individual player in football on a week-to-week basis. Despite losing La’el Collins to a foot injury, Dallas’ five-man gang of Tyron Smith, Ronald Leary, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and Doug Free has been the backbone of an offensive renaissance in Dallas. The Cowboys are averaging 28.7 points per game, the fourth-best rate in the league, while starting a rookie fourth-rounder at quarterback and missing their star wideout for a large portion of the season. The offensive line is making everybody on this offense look great. They, collectively, deserve serious consideration as league MVP.”
The 2016 Dallas Cowboys are mind-boggling. Starting a fourth-round draft pick at quarterback and the offensive line paving the way for a rookie to win the NFL rushing title.
It’s absurd. Who saw this coming?
Elliott wasn’t touched scoring THREE TOUCHDOWNS. Not. Touched. Once. This is the NFL – a league that features the most elite athletic talent in our country. All the while, Elliott is basically out there at a track meet.
Look at some of these holes:
I feel bad for 49er fans, but damn – that is funny. There isn’t a soul in sight, and that safety at the goal line isn’t stopping Zeke with a 20-yard head of steam. How does an offensive line blow a hole 10-feed wide like that?
What are you even doing, Cincinnati? There are Dallas linemen everywhere and Elliot just slips out. All he has to do is focus on not running out of bounds and not dropping the ball for no reason – it may be the easiest job a running back has ever had in NFL history.
You see that, and have to just think, “Okay – Zeke. Just run straight.” But then, you’re so focused on NOT dropping the ball, you end up dropping the ball….so maybe it is tougher than I’m making it seem. I don’t know.
That offensive line is a handicap in Dallas. Roger Goodell should give serious thought to arming opposing defenses with shanks, and making it legal for players to stab each other. Allow defenses to dress wild grizzly bears on gamedays opposite Dallas – just line ’em up at defensive tackle and see what happens. If not, the ratings are going to continue in a downward spiral through the playoffs as Dallas literally steamrolls every other team in the league en route to a Super Bowl title.
Cowboys 0-line for MVP. I can dig it. I like what we’ve done here today – perpetuated a progressive idea and solved the NFL ratings issues.
Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network, Tennessee Titans Featured Analyst for Pro Football Spot, Contributor to FanSided’s Bama Hammer, and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @PFSpot, @WrestlingNewsCo, @Bama_Hammer
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