'It Hurts': Zeke Details Cowboys Turnover Problem

ARLINGTON - Last year, in 355 touches, Ezekiel Elliott lost three fumbles. This year, in 93 touches, he's got three fumbles.

There are literally hundreds of reasons why the Dallas Cowboys enter today's afternoon visit from the New York Giants here at AT&T Stadium wobbling along at 1-3.

But a "less-than-fun fact''? A "nutshell number''?

Ezekiel Elliott is arguably this team's best player ... and he's become a fumbler.

"It hurts," Elliott said. "I look at myself as a leader for this team. And I look at myself as someone who's supposed to help pick the team up when we get down and not be the cause of falling behind."

Unfortunately, this year's Cowboys always fall behind. They have virtually never led in any of their four games this year, a circumstance that creates a catch-22 of turnovers.

They are behind, so they throw. Or get sloppy. Or panic.

Then they make mistakes that create poor field position.

Then ... they become the NFL's worst defensive team, the easiest to run against, the easiest to score against ... and they enter Week 5 with a league-worst minus-7 in turnover margin.

"Trust me, I do not like where we are with the turnover ratio," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Everyone clearly understands that on our team."

Oh, Cowboys Nation trusts that McCarthy is aware and unhappy. What Cowboys Nation does not know is what McCarthy and Elliott and company are going to do about it.

"We've gotten behind in games, and I'd say that's because we've turned the ball over," Elliott said. "We're turning the ball over, giving them short fields, and putting them in position to go score and get leads on us. We've just got to take care of the ball early in the game."

Elliott, the two-time NFL rushing champ, has actually suggested that maybe Dallas is entering these games with some sort of lack of confidence. McCarthy doesn't agree with that evaluation.

Nor, by the way, does the coach agree with his own players who have said Dallas isn't "going full-speed,'' "is soft'' or thinks the defense should be "simplified. ... all of which hints at a disconnect or a dishonesty that is a story for another day.

For now?

Maybe in addition to ball security, the Dallas offense might help out its porous defense with some ball control. McCarthy has eschewed the idea in the first month of this NFL season, and admittedly, it'd be harder to do that ever now that starting tackles Tyron Smith and La'el Collins are out for the season.

"I just got to focus and work on it in practice and make sure I'm keeping that ball tight,'' Elliott said. "I can't give up the ball anymore.''

And while not committing a turnover or three, maybe his defensive mates could grab one or two or three for themselves.

Add us as a preferred source on Google