While quarterback Dak Prescott is clearly the Dallas Cowboys' most valuable player, no player is more valuable to their offense than running back Tony Pollard. His 5.9 yards per scrimmage touch (5.9) in the regular season led all running backs who had at least 100 touches, and the Cowboys will certainly miss his versatility out of the backfield since he was carted off just before the end of the first half of their divisional round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Dallas entered the locker room trailing, 9-6, after San Francisco kicker Robbie Gould hit a 50-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter.
Pollard suffered a lower leg injury that looked very similar to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' in Saturday's AFC division round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mahomes was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain earlier Sunday, and like Mahomes, it was officially confirmed that Pollard also suffered a high-ankle sprain. However, unlike the Chiefs quarterback, he will not return to the game in the second half. The fourth-year running back totaled 33 yards from scrimmage on eight first-half touches (six carries and two catches).
A week ago, there was a significant discrepancy in the Cowboys' offensive efficiency when Ezekiel Elliott was on the field instead of Pollard. The Cowboys averaged 7.6 yards per play on the 40 plays in which Pollard was on the field last week in Tampa Bay, while they put up 4.2 yards per play on Elliott's 33 snaps. The injury couldn't have come at a worse time for Pollard personally, as the 25-year-old is set to hit free agency this upcoming offseason.
