Getty The Cowboys have an out in running back Ezekiel Elliott's deal after the 2022 season.
Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott was a non-participant in the team’s October 6th practice just days before kickoff against NFC East rival New York Giants. During his Week 5 press conference, Elliott revealed he is dealing with a knee injury but indicated it has improved since the day after the Cowboys’ win over the Panthers. All indications are Elliott plans to play against the Giants on Sunday, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
“Ezekiel Elliott didn’t practice today because of a knee injury. But he expects to be back at practice tomorrow,” Machota noted in a series of tweets. “Ezekiel Elliott on his knee: ‘I had some tightness the day after the game. But I’d say today I feel three times better than I did Monday.’”
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McCarthy: ‘I Think the Best Thing That We Do Have Going Is Zeke Doesn’t Have to Go out & Carry It 30 Times’
Part of the reason for Tony Pollard’s increased role this season is Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy’s desire for Elliott to be in peak form when the regular season ends. After the Cowboys’ Week 4 victory, McCarthy once again emphasized that Elliott would not be getting 30 carries per game any time soon.
“Obviously had huge, huge seasons his first couple years,” McCarthy explained in his Week 4 postgame press conference. “Once again, we do have a path that we feel like you need to take. It’s a long year, there’s 17 games, you know that.
“You think about those things, and I think the best thing that we do have going is Zeke doesn’t have to go out and carry it 30 times you know every week or 25 times a week. So, the most important thing is you get to win games that’s a priority but you know we want to make sure those guys are healthy for the long term, too.”
The Cowboys Have Gone With a ‘Hot-Hand’ Approach at Running Back
We have seen the Cowboys take a bit of a hot-hand approach at running back this season relying on Pollard or Elliott from game to game. Both players have had big games through the first month of the season. Pollard had 13 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ win over the Chargers in Week 2. Elliott is coming off his best performance of the season notching 20 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers.
“We just wanted to go with who was hot,” Pollard said after his big game against the Chargers. “We both feed off each other, so if he was hot, we would have just went that way. It just turned out that way for this game, and we got the dub. …We’re good, as long as we’re getting Ws, you know winning, everything’s fine.”
Even after Pollard’s big game in Week 2, Elliott remained in good spirits praising Pollard for his hard work.
“Oh man, I mean, T.P. [Tony Pollard], he ran his tail off today,” Elliott said with a smile during his postgame press conference. “He’s a great back, all-around, can catch it, can run it. He’s smaller, but he runs hard. He breaks a lot of tackles. He had a helluva day. I’m proud of him. I’m glad he went out there and did his thing.”
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Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott Reveals New Injury, Misses Practice: Report