Ezekiel Elliott on what he loves about a Cowboys rookie - and why he wears those blue sweatpants

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys boast the two-time NFL rushing champion in Ezekiel Elliott. But after both he and backup Tony Pollard each exceeded 100 yards rushing in a Week 3 win over Miami, Zeke would like to do some boasting about the rookie.

"He's just got juice,'' Elliott said of Pollard, the fourth-round pick from Memphis. "He's physical. He's fast. He runs angry. He runs with a chip on his shoulder."

When Pollard was drafted, his highlight reel created the impression that he's a "waterbug,'' a "gimmick guy.'' The Cowboys personnel department thought more highly of him than that. Owner Jerry Jones now points out that Pollard isn't a small guy, that at "6-0, 211 pounds or so, he's just built like a running back,'' as Jerry put it.

What Pollard told me after his effort in the 31-6 win over Miami in which he tallied 103 yards and a TD: "It just shows how much depth this team has, not only in the backfield but all around - offense and defense. ... It's very satisfying seeing our O-line impose their will on other teams.''

So now it's on to New Orleans, where Pollard gets to share the field with a star with whom he is often compared: Saints do-it-all back Alvin Kamara. Kamara, of course, also has "juice.'' ... and he's the key Saints weapon to be controlled if Dallas hopes to leap to 4-0.

Of course, the Saints defense has similar concerns -- or maybe even double the concerns when the Cowboys finally unveil yet another wrinkle in offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's new approach: A steady diet of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in the lineup at the same time.

As much "juice'' as Pollard brings, though, Elliott remains the bell cow here. He noted this week that his early-week practices are a bit less intense for him than later in the week "because I've touched the ball 30 times on Sunday; I get a little banged up.''

Elliott does take one extra health-related precaution, though. Cowboys Nation may have noticed, in perusing video or pictures from practices here at The Star, that while all the other Cowboys are wearing their familiar football pants -- silver or white, with blue striping down the sides, pads in the thighs and knees -- Zeke has a habit of wearing a pair of blue sweatpants to work.

I asked him why.

"Oh, I've got my regular football pants underneath,'' Elliott told me. "And then the sweatpants I wear over them. Just keeps the muscles in my legs warm.''