Getty The Cowboys are dealing with injuries to both of their top running backs.
The Dallas Cowboys are expecting to be at full strength at running back as they take on the Washington Football Team in Week 14. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy indicated both Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott are expected to play against Washington.
There had been some concern given the Cowboys opted to sign former Falcons running back Ito Smith as insurance. Pollard has been a new addition to the injury report after tweaking his foot against the Saints.
“Tony injured a foot in the [Saints] game,” McCarthy explained during his December 9 press conference. “Frankly, I think [it] was on the touchdown run. So, it’s a foot sprain, and he’ll continue to work this week, but the plan is to just take the week and put him on the projection to play on Sunday.”
Elliott has been playing through a knee injury but both the Cowboys and the star running back have emphasized that he does not plan to miss time, despite rumors suggesting the team could rest Zeke. McCarthy noted that Elliott has had a “good week” in regards to the injury.
“He has a knee injury, so he’s definitely making progress, feels better just from my communication with [the medical staff] this morning when [we] went back through everything,” McCarthy detailed. “So, he’s having a good week, [the injury] is something he’s been dealing with for quite some time.”
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Zeke: Knee Injury Is ‘Getting Better…Going in the Right Direction’
During his weekly media session, Elliott reinforced that he plans to keep playing through the injury. Elliott revealed his recent MRI showed his knee is progressing and added that “playing on it is not making it worse.”
“Feels good, yeah, it feels good, getting some strength back a lot,” Elliott said during his December 8 press conference. “Some of the stiffness is going away and got an MRI, things look good. They’re getting better, so it’s healing up and going the right direction.”
This echoes something that owner Jerry Jones previously noted about Elliott being on the field not causing further injury to his knee.
“But no, I’m really, I’m sound with where [Elliott is],” Jones told Dallas’ 105.3 the Fan on December 3. “His trainers, the people that are the closest to his health, his medical situation think he’s really good to go. And so, I don’t see after a 10-day rest here and a lot of times, if you can get through games.
“If you can push on, then that’s better for you than sitting it out and then you actually, if you have an issue, it improves if you’re able to get through and not injure it more. He certainly didn’t injure anything any more last night [vs. Saints], and so I really look forward to a powerful and dynamic Zeke as we move on into the last part of this season.”
McCarthy Admitted Signing Smith Gives the Cowboys Some Insurance at Running Back
McCarthy admitted that the team wanted some insurance behind Elliott and Pollard given their injuries. The team signed Smith who played in 14 games last season for the Falcons notching 63 carries for 268 yards and a touchdown while adding 17 receptions for 75 yards.
“Good point, I think really, especially in today’s roster development, it’s something we’ve been talking about,” McCarthy noted. “He’s [Smith] someone that has come across my desk a number of times already this year. So, I think the fact that it is December football. Tony and Zeke are just working through some things, fully expect them to play, but I think it’s just part of the development of the roster and trying to have as many guys available for this stretch run.”
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