Cowboys LISTEN: Would Benching Ezekiel Elliott Be a 'Panic Button' Move?
The Dallas Cowboys beat the New Orleans Saints by multiple scores Thursday night, but the offense wasn't dominant in the way the final score of 27-17 makes it seem.
Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for just 238 yards, 50 yards short of his season average. Running back Ezekiel Elliott managed just 3.5 yards per carry, and if you take away Tony Pollard's 58-yard touchdown run, the team managed just 88 yards as a team. Amari Cooper was only targeted two times throughout the game as well.
However, the team was facing a lot of adversity this week. Without Mike McCarthy during the game, the offense didn't have that extra important set of eyes. Cooper just returned following a two-game absence, and CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup did their parts to pick up the slack.
Maybe the real adversity, and the real cause for concern on offense, is Elliott's knee, which has limited his production for the past few games.
"It will be good to get a break," an ailing Elliott said.
With the 10 days off before the Cowboys face the Washington Football Team, Elliott will get some relief. However, the goal isn't for the knee to be healthy against Washington, but rather the postseason, which is still a month away.
So why not do what the club thought of last week, and shut down Zeke, at least for a time?
Said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: “His trainers, the people that are the closest to his health, his medical situation, they think he’s really good to go. And, so, I don’t see (a problem) after a 10-day rest here.
"So, I really look forward to a powerful and dynamic Zeke as we move on into this last part of the season.”
All in all? It isn't time to hit the panic button, but it also isn't time to chuck it away.
In this episode of the "Locked On Cowboys" Podcast, hosts Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool review the Week 13 win for the Cowboys over the Saints.
They discuss DeMarcus Lawrence's return, the play of the defense as a whole and if fans should be worried about the offense going forward.
Marcus and Landon deal with all that more on this episode of "Locked On Cowboys." Join us here!
