The Cowboys’ defense was back at it with double A-gap pressures.
Safety sneaking up from the backfield to attack the other, linebacker Eric Kendricks pushed into one of the openings between the center and guard.
Micah Parsons, an edge rusher, positioned behind them prepared to threaten.
Their attack had not covered this.
“What any team’s gonna want [is] block Micah, quarterback Dak Prescott told Yahoo Sports. “But it complicated us since he was off the ball and in that look.”
Prescott thus ordered three offensive linemen to monitor five possible rushers. There were others answering the call besides his offensive linemen. Let running back Ezekiel Elliott handle chip Parsons.
” Really what makes it work is Zeke being a pro,” Prescott remarked. “His man leaves; [he] follows and tracks Micah. Boom, I get up and toss the in-cut backside to Brandin Cooks at that moment.
Running a training camp hardly ensures regular season success. But on the double A-gap pressure—a look Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has progressively pushed the offense with throughout camp— Elliott executed a job his quarterback was still applauding a week and a half later, despite its total absence in the stat line.
Unlike in his early years, the 2016 fourth overall draft choice was not sprinting defenders. Elliott was not finding a crease to break through like he had lately two seasons ago, when he scored 12 touchdowns even as his efficiency dropped.
Elliott’s block, however, gave Prescott the extra time he required to pass. Elliott arrived at the correct spot at the correct moment because of his great awareness of the subtleties of draft classmate Prescott’s game and of the year 9 pro entering game.
Dallas wants more of it when the season gets underway.
Therefore, the Cowboys see Elliott’s importance in their ecosystem more favorably than the general public, even as doubt about his explosiveness and maybe his total production is justified.
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer told Yahoo Sports not all running backs have that much football brainpower. For Elliott, the game resembles a quarterback. He is extremely cool in seeing the whole picture.
“The four-minute [offense] the tough yards, the grind-it-out yards,?” Sleeping on him is not advised. Still, he has lots left in his tank.
Why did Zeke divorce then get married again? Cowboys
Elliott was released by the Cowboys ahead of the 2023 season in an attempt to unload an expensive deal that was presumably out of current given market value.
Following a holdout remarkably unlike to that of receiver CeeDee Lamb’s current absence, Elliott received a six-year, $90 million extension in 2019. He was still punishing in that first season back, averaging 4.5 yards per carry a season after leading the league in rushes, rushing yards and total touches.
Elliott’s efficiency eventually began to falter though. Elliott averaged 4 yards per carry down from his rookie five between 2020 and 2022. Though by 2022 he attacked as a one-two punch alongside 2019 fourth-rounder Tony Pollard, still scoring a stunning 32 total touchdowns in three years.
The Cowboys appreciated the opportunity to wear defenses down with Elliott’s power and then confuse defenders’ tackle angles with Pollard’s elusiveness. But the Cowboys concluded the more costly Elliott was expendable after Pollard tallied 1, 378 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns.
Dallas still leads the league in points scored and ranks fifth in yards, still winning ten games.
Elliott’s absence was clear, though. The Cowboys’ running attack dropped from ninth in 2022 to 14th, with second to fifteenth rushing scores.
Dallas succeeded on just 56.34% (14th) last season, a year after turning on a league-high 71.43% of red-zone visits.
Elliott gathered 955 yards and five touchdowns from scrimmage in New England, with a significantly less gifted offense and offensive line.
For a veteran-minimum pay of $1.25 million, the Cowboys brought him back.
“We performed poorly in the red zone last year,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Yahoo Sports. “We were not performing at our best, hence Zeke’s nose for landing that ball in was appreciated. [So] Zeke is still going to be quite successful, in my opinion.
Clearly defining Elliott’s success will depend on including his assists.
FAQ’s
Q. Is Elliot still with the Cowboys?
A. Promising Cowboys Projections for Former Buckeye Ezekiel Elliott Ezekiel Elliott will play for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. Cowboys expect Ezekiel Elliott to lead RB committee in 2024 after leaving.
Q. The Cowboys got Dak Prescott how?
A. 2016 season. Dallas entered the 2016 NFL draft to develop a young quarterback behind Tony Romo. After failing to trade up for Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook, they chose Prescott in the fourth round (135th overall). He got a 4-year contract.
