MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings should know about Tony Pollard‘s speed now.
To open the third quarter, Pollard scored on a career-long 68-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to give the Dallas Cowboys a 30-3 lead via a play that was equal parts scheme and speed.
First the scheme: Facing third-and-15 after two negative plays from Pollard on a minus-1-yard run and minus-4-yard screen, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was able to match up Pollard on Minnesota linebacker Jordan Hicks. After a subtle double move that froze Hicks, Pollard hauled in Prescott’s perfectly placed pass and raced to the end zone for his second touchdown of the day.
In the second quarter, Pollard scored on a 30-yard checkdown from Prescott on which his speed was too much for Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson.
In case you were wondering, no other running back has more 30-yard TD catches this season. Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints has one.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Pollard is the first running back with multiple receiving touchdowns of 30 or more yards in a game since Jamaal Charles had three in 2015 for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Oakland Raiders.
Pollard now has three touchdowns of at least 50 yards this season, tied for the most by a Cowboys running back in a season since Ezekiel Elliott, who did it in 2016 in his rookie year. Pollard is set to be the first Cowboys running back with 100 receiving yards and 50 rushing yards in the same game since Emmitt Smith did so on Nov. 14, 1993.
Just call @Tp__5 “Mr. Untouchable” 😉
📺: @NFLonCBS | #DALvsMIN pic.twitter.com/etmRpEFgdL
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 20, 2022