Ezekiel Elliott is back; Dallas Cowboys facing Vikings without run-stuffing nose tackle
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will return to the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
It will be Elliott’s first game since he sustained a sprained knee against the Detroit Lions on Oct. 23. He missed the Oct. 30 game against the Chicago Bears and last Sunday’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers after the bye.
Elliott will likely be on a pitch count in his first game back with Tony Pollard continuing to carry the bulk of the load.
Pollard rushed for 131 and 115 yards in two starts in place of Elliott.
The issue for the Cowboys against the Vikings is that they will be without nose tackle Quinton Bohanna, who is their largest defensive lineman at 6-foot-4, 330 pounds and their best inside run stuffer.
Bohanna is out with an illness. He will be replaced by Neville Gallimore in the starting lineup.
After allowing more than 200 yards rushing against the Bears and Packers and now ranking 29th in the league against the run, the Cowboys are focused on stopping the run against the Vikings.
The team will also be without linebacker Anthony Barr for a second straight game due to a hamstring injury.
The other inactives for Sunday’s game are quarterback Will Grier, safety Markquese Bell, cornerback Nahshon Wright and defensive end Tarell Basham.
