OT: Is Zeke Elliott a Quitter?

Submitted by LSA91 on

For anyone who hasn't seen it, Zeke Elliott is taking some heat for not pursuing a Broncos interception.

Deadspin takes a contrary view - that it was impossible for Zeke to change direction fast enough to catch Chris Harris, so people are really mad that he didn't make an effort to appear to be chasing the ball. (Of course, being Deadspin, they then moralize for a while about what a terrible person Zeke is, IMHO fairly).

http://deadspin.com/ezekiel-elliott-quit-on-a-play-and-some-people-are-…

I'm curious what people think. My instinct is that he should have run back as quicklly as was safe. You never know what kind of play will develop, and for all you know, you'll be in the right place and the right time after Harris goes sideline to sideline a couple times. Maybe it's only a few chances in a hundred, but it's football and crazy stuff happens.

darkstar

September 18th, 2017 at 2:35 PM ^

shit probably happens on almost every interception by some offensive player downfield but we never get to see it because the cameras follow the ball.  

Can't say I blame him for not wanting to run his ass off to get back into it and risk getting smoked by a Den player.....but it would have been funny as hell to see him get laid out.

CRISPed in the DIAG

September 18th, 2017 at 3:02 PM ^

Sounds a lot like when angry sportsfan yells about baseball players not running out grounders or using 2 hands to catch pop-ups.  He's human and generally better at his sport that any of us here. Even if he is Ohio.

sharklover

September 18th, 2017 at 4:15 PM ^

I believe he is referring to old timers raging against players with poor fundamental skills. An example of the kind of thing that they complain about is when players jog to first on grounders or fail to use two hands to catch fly balls. Most kids are taught to use two hands, and most pros don't do it because it doesn't look stylish, even if one handed catches lead to the occasional dropped ball.

ElBictors

September 18th, 2017 at 3:23 PM ^

Dez Bryant didn't exactly take off running on an INT either.  The Cowboys are quitters ...got boat-raced out of Mile High yesterday.

 

It was awesome ...and Lewis and Taco both played well, despite the loss.

Perkis-Size Me

September 18th, 2017 at 3:40 PM ^

I'll fault Elliott for quite a few things; being an immature douchenozzle is one of them. But this happens in almost every game. Not necessarily with him. All over the league.

But no one is going to write the story about the middling tight end or right guard running after the defender to try and strip the ball. They're going to write about the high-profile player who has already been in the news for the wrong reasons. It's an easy story for them and will generate clicks. 

I'm not going to get that worked up about it because at its core, this really isn't a big deal. It's the media fishing for a story. But in this league you're often what you're perceived to be. If he wanted to avoid that perception, he could've at least tried running after the guy. Even if it was half-assed, no one could say he didn't try. But if he doesn't like it, he'd better get used to it. You're the starting RB for the Cowboys. Absolutely every little thing you do will be under a microscope. 

Sambojangles

September 18th, 2017 at 4:04 PM ^

RB is the most punishing position in the league, where most guys, even if they are successful, don't make it far past their rookie deals. Why waste his energy on a play he has next to no chance to make?

UofM626

September 18th, 2017 at 4:05 PM ^

Sooner everyone realized that the better. Hers just not a good dude. Same as at OSU - everything is great until he doesn't get the ball and he calls everyone out in public about it. When things go bad on the field he packs it in, As a huge Bronco fan it was very enjoyable to watch him pout all game and quit on his team on countless plays. The INT was the icing on the cake, he was such a baby when it happened he just flat out gave up on the play and the team. He's a DUECHE and he is easily becoming one of the most hated Buckeyes or #1 hated Buckeye ever. I just hate "me players" that's why I hate the NBA and the NFL is not far behind.

UM Fan from Sydney

September 18th, 2017 at 4:06 PM ^

God damn it. I am so sick of hearing about this asshole. The media blew up his story and suspension more than it should have been. Every other sports story was and has been about this piece of shit.

Perkis-Size Me

September 18th, 2017 at 4:36 PM ^

Got to hand it to LaVar Ball: he's a loudmouth, but he's pretty crafty in the marketing department. Or at the bare minimum, he's smart enough to realize that whatever he says, the Stephen A. Smiths and Skip Bayless's of the world will go on a fucking tirade about it on national television the next day. That gives LaVar and his brand that much more airtime, that much more free media exposure, and eventually, that's going to turn into more dollars and cents. 

Deep down I don't think he believes half the things he says. But I don't blame him at all for saying the things he says. Look where it's gotten him and his kids. For better or worse, he has found a way to go from being a footnote of a footnote in some random sports almanac to an American household name. 

UNCWolverine

September 18th, 2017 at 4:52 PM ^

my instinct is that you should not have posted this. imagine how you would feel if an osu fan posted the same thing about an ex-michigan player. we'd all mock that guy for finding anything they can to discredit him. why sink to that level?

LSA91

September 19th, 2017 at 9:56 AM ^

I was honestly curious what people thought, since some sites were saying it was bad, and others were saying that chasing after an interception is just window-dressing. I honestly don't know the answer to the question, and wanted to hear what people thought.

I guess I should have titled the thread something a little less troll-ish, though. It didn't occur to me at the time, but I'll work on it.

ComputerEngineer

September 18th, 2017 at 6:05 PM ^

Chris Harris is going to need to juke around some people to get to the endzone and that will slow him down a lot.  If Elliot can come up from behind him while he's trying to dance around some lineman, he could potentially cause a fumble and get the ball back.

 

Also, pointing out that deadspin has a dumb opinion on something is like pointing out that water is wet.  Just ignore them in the future.