'Trash Stats': Zeke And Dak Know Which Numbers Matter in Rams at Cowboys

Rams Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips Says Dallas' Talent 'Depresses' Him To Think About. But Today For Dallas in Week 15, It's About More Than Reputation Or 'Trash Stats' For Zeke And Dak

ARLINGTON - "I don’t want to go too much further,'' Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said of reviewing the Dallas Cowboys' stat-sheet-filling talent. "I get depressed." 

But just as depressing for the owners of that talent and those stats? The inability to morph all of that into wins.

"Trash stats'' is the phrase Dallas QB Dak Prescott used, and I'v never heard a player say that before. It's an astute admission; the Cowboys have spent most of the season on top of the NFL rankings in terms of offensive performance. Dak's thrown for over 4,000 yards and Ezekiel Elliott is already over a milestone with 1,071 yards.

“Win ball games,'' Elliott said this week when somebody mentioned the 1,000-yard mark. "I’m trying to win a Super Bowl. I really don’t care about that number. Who cares if you rush for 2,000, and you don’t even make the playoffs?”

With three games left in the season, 2,000 rushing yards isn't happening. But not making the playoffs? That remains in play for Dallas, even as it sits at just 6-7 - good enough to give the Cowboys the NFC East inside track to the postseason.

To close last year, Dallas played at Los Angeles in a second-round playoff game. Elliott recorded 23 touches for 66 yards. Today, more production is called for. Will it be about Dak's arm? Zeke's legs?

“Whatever is in the game plan, whatever the team needs me to do to win, I’m going to go out there and do,” Elliott said. “They know I’m always ready to get as many touches as they need me to get.”

The touches need to matter. The throws need to matter. The "trash stats''? The Cowboys are admitting they have all-too-many of those.