'Keep It Simple, Zeke': Ezekiel Elliott Plan for Dallas Cowboys at Eagles

FRISCO - Maybe it's better, all things considered, if Dallas Cowboys don't spent this week here at The Star trying to calculate their present No. 4 slot in the NFC Playoffs can be impacted by all the things that might happen on Sunday, the day after they play a Saturday nighter at Philly.

KISZ.

"Keep is simple ... Zeke''?!

“I’m playing this week,” Elliott said.

there’s been some question as to whether the team’s starters will take the field in Philly, and about how long they might play. But Elliott’s position mirrors that of the Jones ownership family, and that of QB Dak Prescott, and that of head coach Mike McCarthy.

Said Jerry Jones: “I want to see them play. That’s a playoff team, likely, that we’re playing in Philadelphia – quite possibly. We need to play a playoff game. This is what gets you ready to go.”

It's true that the game likely has minimal playoff implications for the 11-5 Cowboys, who won the NFC East championship but then struggled last week in a 25-22 loss to the Cardinals that bumped Dallas down from the No. 2 slot.

A Dallas win on Saturday, combined with Sunday results involving Tampa Buccaneers (12-4), Los Angeles Rams (12-4) and Cardinals (11-5), provides a move-up formula.

The Buccaneers host the Carolina Panthers, the Rams host the San Francisco 49ers and the Cardinals host the Seattle Seahawks. All three of the teams Dallas would wish to lose are favored.

But ... 

Dallas could move from No. 4 to No. 2 in the event of a three-way tie with the Rams and Buccaneers or Buccaneers and Cardinals to move from the fourth seed to the second seed. (Three teams, in this case, tied at 12-5 would push up Dallas.) 

And Dallas could move to No. 3 if both the Rams and the Cardinals lose.

All unlikely? Sure. But if Dallas fails to try ... then realize on Sunday that it made a mistake? Yeah, maybe better to try.

Besides, said McCarthy, "We are going play to win the game. That is our approach. That is the best thing for us. That is the best thing for our football team. We understand the scenarios. There are slight odds we could potentially move up. We want to make sure we take care of business on our end. And playing well in the weather in Philadelphia will serve us well.”

There is one more debate, specific to Elliott: He's been banged up this season, with a knee ligament problem. But Zeke has insisted that his medical understanding is that the problem won't be worsened by playing.

So the Week 18 game at Philly is on 7:15 p.m. CT. And also "on'' - the field - will be Ezekiel Elliott and his fellow first-teamers.

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