Fresh and healthy Ezekiel Elliott primed to carry Dallas Cowboys to NFC East title
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has no concerns about quarterback Dak Prescott’s availability for Sunday’s showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East title.
He knows Prescott, who has a sprained right AC joint, will play, bum shoulder and all.
But if the Cowboys want to get on Elliott’s back and ride him to the division title, he is ready for that too.
Elliott said he is the freshest and healthiest he has been at this point in the season. Although he is fifth in the NFL in rushing with 1,188 yards, he has had the fewest touches of his career through 16 games.
“I think so. I mean, today is Wednesday and I feel really good. It’s week what, 16? Normally I’m not feeling this well,” Elliott said. “I think we’ve done a great job just managing it throughout the season. Right now it’s crunch time. I’m ready for anything.”
Elliott is feeling especially spry after last week’s effort in the 44-21 victory against the Los Angeles Rams when he rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries and had 43 yards in receptions to mark his first game of 2019 with over 153 all-purpose yards.
Backup Tony Pollard had 131 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, as the Cowboys amassed a season-high 263 rushing yards.
Elliott believes they can build on that performance against the Eagles.
“I feel great about the run game. I feel good about this week,” Elliott said. “O-line definitely had one of their best games last week. Hopefully we’re starting to get this thing clicking. Got some good momentum and want to keep this thing running.”
For Elliott, it’s a matter of continuing what he has always done against the Eagles. He is 5-0 all-time against the Eagles, rushing 118 times for 574 yards (four 100-yard games) and two touchdowns. He has hauled in 36 catches for 241 yards and a score.
All this includes him running for 111 yards and a touchdown and catching six passes for 36 yards in a 37-10 victory against Philadelphia earlier this season.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson says there is no doubt in his mind that Prescott is going to play on Sunday but he knows the one to stop for his team is Elliott.
“We understand Zeke is the guy and things are going to go through him,” Pederson said. “We know the focus is on Zeke and trying to at least slow him down.”
Elliott knows his history against the Eagles but he said none of that matters on Sunday. The NFC East title is on the line and that’s his only motivation.
“It doesn’t matter who we were playing this week,” Elliott said. “Could be Philly. Could have been any other team. Come out there with the same intensity, go out there to win the ballgame.
“It’s a championship game. We’re playing for the division championship this Sunday. That’s how we’re looking at it.”
And whether Prescott is fully healthy or not, using Elliott and the team’s physical offensive line to control the ball and the clock is the style the Cowboys prefer to play this time of year.
The Rams game was a prime example. The Cowboys outrushed them 263-20 and led in time possession, 36:06-23:54.
“It’s tough for anyone to be on the field that long,” Elliott said. “You’re just going to wear them down. It’s tough on their defense.”
“I just don’t think there’s a lot of teams who could just line up in front of us and just beat us. We have very good personnel, a very good offensive line. If we know where they’re going to be, I think it’s tough for them to stop us.”
Center Travis Frederick explained further.
“As you get later on into the season and into colder-weather games, running the ball becomes more important,” Frederick said. “We try to eventually wear on teams, and I think when you run the ball, especially this late in the season, when guys are beat up already, can help make the third and fourth quarter a little easier.”
This story was originally published December 19, 2019 at 5:30 AM.
