'We're Fine-Tuning!' Dallas Cowboys' Tony Pollard Heating Up For Playoff Run

After a relatively quiet season first half of the season, Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard is starting to heat up with touchdowns in two straight games. ... and with the NFL playoffs nearing.

After spending the first four years of his career as part of a 1A-1B tandem, the 2023 season marked a huge change for Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard.

With the departure of Ezekiel Elliott this offseason, Pollard, a 2019 fourth-round pick out of Memphis, was set to become the sole feature back in Dallas. Coming off his first season with 1,000 rushing yards, though, the first half of the season wasn't as productive for Pollard as many would've thought. Through the Cowboys' first nine games, he had 135 carries for 529 yards (3.9 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns.

Lately, though, Pollard has begun to look more like his old self again. It began in Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers, when he had 12 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown. Then in the Cowboys' Thanksgiving game against the Washington Commanders, when he had 13 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown in a 45-10 blowout victory.

"We're fine-tuning everything,'' Pollard said. "I feel like we're trending in the right direction.''

Pollard runs through the Commanders' defense during Thursday's game / Getty

In less than a week's time, Pollard doubled his touchdown total on the season while posting two of his three best yards per carry marks of the year (5.1 against Carolina and 6.1 against Washington). After somewhat of a sluggish season so far, it seems like Pollard has found his groove again.

Did Cowboys & Tony Pollard Find 'New Rhythm'?

If Pollard can keep up this level of play, that bodes very well for Dallas as the season winds down. The Cowboys' offense has been on fire recently, scoring 30 or more points in four of five games since their Week 7 bye, and most of that was with Pollard not at his best. 

With a seemingly rejuvenated Pollard, this offense - which takes on visiting Seattle next Thursday - could reach a whole new gear.

"It was huge,'' Pollard said of this win. "We've been getting the rhythm ... We're locked in and ready for the next opponent.''