Hindsight: Should Zeke Have Accepted Suspension? (1 Viewer)

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

Seems like just going with the suspension would have put Dallas in a better position to make the playoffs. The schedule seemed a little easier for them at the beginning of the year, and they could have gotten the backups more game-ready knowing when they'd be playing instead of the weekly maybe/maybe not. 

I guess there was a good shot that the suspension would have been overturned, so maybe it was worth it for the opportunity, at least in the beginning. But dragging it out didn't gain anything and probably cost them a playoff spot. Or do people think it was worth it, and it didn't affect their post-season hopes? 

 

[Long Ball Larry]

A different point that what I think you are trying to discuss, but for $600K, I'm sure that Zeke wanted to fight it and I'm not sure there was much that the Cowboys could do about it.

Also, aside from the Eagles (which was close for the first half), the rest of the games he missed were not really that tough.

 

[menobrown]

Hindsight is always easier than real time decision making and if he believes he did nothing wrong I think the correct decision was to fight it tooth and nail.

Timing was not ideal for the team or his fantasy owners, but he at least got it out of the way for 2018.

As for Dallas they are not that good anyway. People went wild with the Elliot narrative when Dallas stumbled without him and acted like the team lived and died with him and it was the most lazy analysis I saw all year and said so at the time. His absence coincided with loss of arguably two players more critical to the team, Sean Lee and Tyron. They got things squared away when those two returned. Elliot's a great RB, but I don't think his suspension is why Dallas will be home for the playoffs.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Two things here...

1. Yes; in hindsight I think there wouldn’t have been the season-long distraction of media speculation & drama that surrounded this, and they would have been able to get back into the swing of things in time for the playoff run. Having him come back for the 1 game they needed to win was odd and may have caused some disruption. Clearly Zeke ran hard, but Dak was totally odd his game. 

2. If i were innocent and being accused of such a crime I would fight it tooth and nail to the bitter end. Zeke has proclaimed his innocence since day 1, investigators told the NFL there was no evidence, and it’s a pretty awful thing to be accused of. Accepting the suspension is sort of a no contest guilty plea in the court of public opinion. So from that perspective I get why he’d fight it.

 

[TwinTurbo]

If he was innocent, he should have fought it with no regrets. 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

If he was innocent, he should have fought it with no regrets. 

He did until (I assume) the cowboys pressured him to drop it so they’d have him for the playoffs. 

 

[efactor]

From a purely football standpoint, I think it would have been better.  Seems the team had the suspension hanging over their heads the first part of season. Plus, it seems that knowing he would be out the first 6 games would have made game planning easier.  They had McFadden and Morris and by the time the suspension kicked in McFadden had been inactive the entire first half. Seems it would have been better for the team to be looking forward to Zeke coming back instead of dreading that the suspension would eventually kick in. 

I get wanting to fight it if you are truly innocent though. Nobody wants punishment for something they didn’t do. 

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I get wanting to fight it if you are truly innocent though. Nobody wants punishment for something they didn’t do. 

Especially something as bad PR-wise and societally unacceptable as domestic violence. 

And as a more cynical observation, the damage to Zeke’s endorsement potential is massive. 

 

[The General]

For my fantasy team yes. 

 

[msommer]

Seems like just going with the suspension would have put Dallas in a better position to make the playoffs. The schedule seemed a little easier for them at the beginning of the year, and they could have gotten the backups more game-ready knowing when they'd be playing instead of the weekly maybe/maybe not. 

I guess there was a good shot that the suspension would have been overturned, so maybe it was worth it for the opportunity, at least in the beginning. But dragging it out didn't gain anything and probably cost them a playoff spot. Or do people think it was worth it, and it didn't affect their post-season hopes? 

Six games in 2017 = 6/16*$1,584,379=$594,142

Six games in 2018 = 6/16*$2,718,758=$1,019,534

Only if he got the suspension reduced to three or fewer games would he come out financially ahead - assuming no lawyer's fees

 

[BigTex]

Hindsight is always easier than real time decision making and if he believes he did nothing wrong I think the correct decision was to fight it tooth and nail.

Timing was not ideal for the team or his fantasy owners, but he at least got it out of the way for 2018.

As for Dallas they are not that good anyway. People went wild with the Elliot narrative when Dallas stumbled without him and acted like the team lived and died with him and it was the most lazy analysis I saw all year and said so at the time. His absence coincided with loss of arguably two players more critical to the team, Sean Lee and Tyron. They got things squared away when those two returned. Elliot's a great RB, but I don't think his suspension is why Dallas will be home for the playoffs.

Agree with almost everything you said but to say that Sean Lee’s absence was more critical is to apply that Lee is more valuable than Zeke. Lee is constantly hurt and has been throughout his career. He is not more valuable than Zeke and it’s not even close. Tyron, Zeke and Lee’s absence hurt the team but the team knew about Zeke’s situation and they did nothing, if anything these coaches are just as responsible and should bear ALL of responsibility for the failure of this team. This is the only team in the NFL with this level of talent that can’t adjust their game plan when they lose someone to injury or suspension.

Tex

 

[menobrown]

Agree with almost everything you said but to say that Sean Lee’s absence was more critical is to apply that Lee is more valuable than Zeke. Lee is constantly hurt and has been throughout his career. He is not more valuable than Zeke and it’s not even close. Tyron, Zeke and Lee’s absence hurt the team but the team knew about Zeke’s situation and they did nothing, if anything these coaches are just as responsible and should bear ALL of responsibility for the failure of this team. This is the only team in the NFL with this level of talent that can’t adjust their game plan when they lose someone to injury or suspension.

Tex

Not sure how you can say it's not close. The impact Lee has on that defense is night and day.

The injuries to Lee is another issue entirely.  I'm just talking about what is the bigger loss for Dallas when that player is not available to play and I strongly contend it's close, it's debateable and my vote is on Lee.

 

[BigTex]

Not sure how you can say it's not close. The impact Lee has on that defense is night and day.

The injuries to Lee is another issue entirely.  I'm just talking about what is the bigger loss for Dallas when that player is not available to play and I strongly contend it's close, it's debateable and my vote is on Lee.

Lol, ok.

Tex

 

[Insein]

I hate the Cowboys and I'm no fan of Zeke but from a human standpoint, if you're being accused of something you truly feel you didn't commit, I'd fight that to the bitter end.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

I wasn't really considering the "if you're innocent, you fight" aspect, so thank you for adding it in. 

But does anyone think he would have fought like that if it was two games, innocent or not? I think there's more to it than fighting because you aren't guilty. We even heard rumors they were negotiating a reduced suspension.

 

[voiceofunreason]

It’s not why Dak and Dez were horrible, and if that wasn’t fixed it really didn’t matter.