Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott’s correct in his assessment
While most conversations about the Dallas Cowboys revolve around what’s missing with the Ezekiel Elliott suspension, quarterback Dak Prescott reminds us of what they still have without him.
Pending his appeal to the NFL, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will miss the first six games of the 2017 NFL season. Whether you agree with that ruling or not, the fact remains that it’s tough to replace the production of 1,600 yards 15 rushing touchdowns.
But as quarterback Dak Prescott reminded us Tuesday, the Cowboys still have some good talent to lean on in the place of Elliott. As Dak points out, it starts with the guys right behind Zeke on the depth chart.
The running backs
"“We have great running backs. Darren McFadden, Alfred Morris. Those guys have had a lot of success in this league for a long time. It’s just an opportunity for them to come in and get more reps in that time off.”"
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While he’s not the ideal candidate to take all the carries this season, the Cowboys could do a lot worse than McFadden. Just two seasons ago, he took the lion’s share of the carries and totaled 1,089 rushing yards.
Dallas faced numerous problems that season, including the absence of a decent backup quarterback behind Tony Romo. However, the ground game was not one of those problems. McFadden averaged 4.6 yards per carry and revived what had been a pretty unimpressive career before joining the Cowboys.
Then there’s Morris. He, himself began his career with three straight 1,000+ yard seasons. Morris was a pivotal part of the Washington offense through 2015 and knows a thing or two about running the ball in the NFL.
While neither back is as explosive as Elliott, they do both have experience and can still string together enough yardage to keep the offense moving. But like Elliott had last season, McFadden and Morris will have another huge advantage working for them. They get to run behind that offensive line.
The offensive linemen
Say what you want about Zeke and his talents, but you can’t get the full story without considering the front five. The squad of Tyron Smith, Jonathan Cooper, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and La’el Collins is as big and talented as any other five in the NFL.
Between the five, the Cowboys have 10 Pro Bowl selections and five All-Pro honors. While Collins and Cooper have yet to receive any kind of recognition like those, they’re in for a great season in 2017. Not to mention, the five average 305.8 pounds each and have already looked good in the first two preseason games. Running behind these guys, Morris and McFadden are in very good hands. But the truth about Prescott’s comments isn’t all about the running game, either. This Dallas team does have an array of offensive weapons.
The quarterback and receivers
The bottom line is, we’re talking about a team led by Prescott. Last season’s Associated Press Rookie of the Year has proven he can play. Granted, he set the bar pretty high in 2016 for himself. But, most like the Cowboys chances with him at the helm.
He’s an accurate passer and he makes great decisions with the football. He also has an above-average receiving corps to get the ball to, highlighted by Dez Bryant. Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley are excellent change-of-pace receivers that have made their own fair share of big plays, too.
And when all else fails, he still has tight end Jason Witten as “old reliable.” Between those four, Dak can get the ball across the field quickly and effectively when the running game bogs down.
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Sure, the Zeke suspension is not ideal. Of course, in a perfect world he’d keep his nose clean and focus on his job without jeopardizing it with stupid off-the-field decisions. But this isn’t a perfect world and there are consequences for his actions. The Dallas Cowboys will feel the brunt of that and adjust accordingly. But with the talent on this offensive roster, maybe that adjustment doesn’t have to be so hard after all.