Robert Griffin III declares Cowboys offense is missing Ezekiel Elliott
The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up to host former first-round pick Ezekiel Elliott and the Patriots in AT&T Stadium on Sunday. The history between Dallas and Elliott certainly adds some intrigue to the cross-conference matchup, even if the former Cowboys back isn’t the leading RB for New England. Despite his release from the team in March, the two sides have remained relatively amicable.
Former Commanders quarterback Robert Griffin III claimed on Get Up on Tuesday, however, that the Cowboys are “missing” Elliott. Their problems punching the ball through in the endzone have Griffin convinced that Jerry Jones may have sent his solution packing before the season.
“It felt for like two or three years, everyone … was talking about Zeke being washed,” Griffin said. “But the bottom line is, the Dallas Cowboys miss Zeke right now.”
“Last year he was 17-1 on third and fourth down conversions, short yardage situations,” he added. “In the red zone, when you have a hammer like Ezekiel Elliott, it could take pressure off the quarterback.”
Griffin’s assertion that the Cowboys don’t have a go-to short-yardage option doesn’t really hold up to intense scrutiny, however. As some have pointed out since the ESPN analyst shared his take, Dallas has failed in the red zone primarily in 3rd-and-long situations. The absence of three of five starting offensive linemen was the more probable cause for red zone holdups on Sunday, not the lack of Elliott’s ground-and-pound running.
Top running back Tony Pollard has 62 carries with 264 yards and two touchdowns through three games, along with 12 catches for 48 yards. On the other hand, Elliott has just 28 carries in his first three games with the Patriots.
Elliott previews return to Dallas
Ahead of his first game back in AT&T Stadium since his release from the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott opened up about what it will be like for him on Sunday in Arlington.
“It’s going to be fun. I’m excited to go back to Dallas, a place where I have so much history, my home in the offseason,” Elliott said, via ESPN. “It will be cool to get back in AT&T [Stadium].”
His comments came after he had his best game of the season so far for the Patriots in their win over the struggling Jets. He posted 80 yards on 16 carries in the 15-10 victory.
The Cowboys should be especially cautious regarding Elliott in Week 4 after their Week 3 performance against the Cardinals. The Dallas defense gave up 222 rushing yards from just 30 carries by the Cardinals on Sunday. Almost 90 yards came from just two runs by Joshua Dobbs and Rondale Moore.
Despite the threat he poses to them on Sunday, the former Cowboys first-rounder maintains a very close relationship with his old teammates. In the team’s final preseason game against the Raiders, Dak Prescott even wore a No. 15 Ohio State jersey in Elliott’s honor.
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