Cowboys' Dak Prescott: 'Brother' Zeke Will Help Patriots
You won't find a more biased ... if not knowledgeable ... critic of Ezekiel Elliott's abilities than Dak Prescott.
Until his March release from the Dallas Cowboys, Elliott was conjoined to Prescott's proverbial hip: both served as major freshmen catalysts behind the Cowboys' 2016 run to the NFC East title, the first of seven seasons of collaboration in the North Texas backfield. Broad results ... namely those on the postseason ledgers ... proved mediocre, but Elliott and Prescott were at least reliable contributors to the Boys' box scores. The lasting friendship formed between Elliott and Prescott, however, was an undoubted success, even if it's now separated by 1,764 miles now that the former has signed with the New England Patriots.
Prescott is facing a potential make-or-break season under Dallas center, his first sans Elliott. Even though one of his most trusted allies has moved on, Prescott is optimistic about what Elliott can bring to Foxborough's table.
"That’s a brother well beyond this football field," Prescott said of Elliott per Mike Reiss of ESPN. "I know he’s going to help that team. Talk about being a great teammate, a professional, there’s not many better than Zeke that I’ve seen in my time."
Perhaps most importantly, Prescott approves of his speedy friend's new look.
"(I) love his new haircut," Prescott said. "He looks younger."
The Patriots certainly hope Elliott plays younger: as the offense seeks clarity and traction, they'll likely rely upon Elliott and Rhamondre Stevenson to pave the early portions of the way. While Elliott ran for a career-low 876 yards as a 27-year-old, the fact he scored 12 touchdowns could make him a reliable option for New England's red zone attack, which finished dead last in the NFL with a touchdown rate of just over 42 percent last season.
Elliott and Prescott were the headliners of the Cowboys' offense in the last seven seasons. They ranked in the top five in yardage in three of those campaigns, standing as the leaders in 2019 and 2021.
Dallas will host a reunion between its former franchise faces during Week 4 action in October when the Patriots visit AT&T Stadium. In the meantime, the first unofficial game of the Elliott era lands on Saturday when New England ventures to Lambeau Field to battle the Green Bay Packers (8 p.m. ET, WBZ).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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