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Ezekiel Elliott ready to show appreciation to Cowboys offensive line
5:55 PM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- After DeMarco Murray set an NFL record with his seventh straight 100-yard game to open the 2014 season, he bought the Dallas Cowboys offensive linemen $1,300 iMacs, complete with a 21.5-inch screen.
When the season ended and Murray had set a Cowboys record with 1,845 rushing yards, which led the NFL, he bought 22 Orefici watches for his teammates. During the year, he bought meals and other trinkets as well.
It was just a way to say thank you to teammates who helped him, especially the offensive line.
A month into his rookie year, Ezekiel Elliott is leading the NFL with 412 yards on 94 carries. He has three touchdowns as well.
He is getting ready to dip into his rookie signing bonus to show his appreciation.
"We haven't gone to dinner yet, but I think that's something we're planning on doing this week," Elliott said of his linemen.
The relationship between a running back and an offensive line is of the upmost importance in the Cowboys' running game, and it's not just about buying gifts to show appreciation. Last year, Joseph Randle never quite figured it out on or off the field, but Darren McFadden, who ran for 1,089 yards, quickly did.
In the Cowboys' system of running the ball, the back can't freelance. There are certain landmarks they have to hit on specific runs, like the inside hip of a tight end or the outside hip of the guard. It's not so much reading the defense as much as it is reading the blockers.
"The importance of patience in our running game, with all style of runs, it's all coordinated," coach Jason Garrett said. "There's timing to it. There are landmarks to it. And you have to be disciplined to those things as the play starts. And then, once the play develops, you have to go be a football player. And he's pretty good at that."
It took Elliott two games to figure out the timing required.
In the last two games, Elliott has run for 140 yards on 30 carries in a win against the Chicago Bears and 138 yards on 23 carries in last week's win against the San Francisco 49ers. It was just the fourth time in franchise history a Cowboys rookie running back has had back-to-back 100-yard rushing yards. It was just the fifth time in team history a running back has posted back-to-back games with more than 125 yards.
Murray did it on two occasions in 2014.
"In our system, everything is kind of married together," right guard Zack Martin said. "The last couple of weeks, we've been playing well together as a whole offense, so we've got to keep that up."
It's happened with a new left side of the offensive line for the last six quarters. Chaz Green has started at left tackle for an injured Tyron Smith, who missed the last two games with back spasms. Ronald Leary took over for La’el Collins at halftime of the Chicago game after Collins suffered a toe injury that required surgery on Tuesday and landed him on injured reserve Wednesday.
Smith, who went through a limited practice Wednesday, is hopeful to return Sunday.
"They're a gritty group from the top to the bottom," Elliott said. "The starters, the backups, all those guys can play. They can ball. They have a culture in that room that allows them to all come in and play at a high level. I mean, it doesn't matter who's in there, they're going to go in there and do their job. They have pride in the way they take the field and the way they compete."
At Ohio State, Elliott considered himself one of "the slobs," which was the self-appointed nickname of the Buckeyes offensive line. They hung out together. They talked football together. They talked college life together.
Elliott won't go so far as to call his Cowboys linemen slobs. "They work hard on their physiques, so I would never step across that line and call any of them a slob," he joked.
But he will take them to dinner. And he might do more throughout the season, like Murray did two years ago.
"You know, hopefully we don't take advantage of it too much," Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick said. "Offensive linemen, we do like to eat. I don't know if he's ready to see that number yet."
5:55 PM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- After DeMarco Murray set an NFL record with his seventh straight 100-yard game to open the 2014 season, he bought the Dallas Cowboys offensive linemen $1,300 iMacs, complete with a 21.5-inch screen.
When the season ended and Murray had set a Cowboys record with 1,845 rushing yards, which led the NFL, he bought 22 Orefici watches for his teammates. During the year, he bought meals and other trinkets as well.
It was just a way to say thank you to teammates who helped him, especially the offensive line.
A month into his rookie year, Ezekiel Elliott is leading the NFL with 412 yards on 94 carries. He has three touchdowns as well.
He is getting ready to dip into his rookie signing bonus to show his appreciation.
"We haven't gone to dinner yet, but I think that's something we're planning on doing this week," Elliott said of his linemen.
The relationship between a running back and an offensive line is of the upmost importance in the Cowboys' running game, and it's not just about buying gifts to show appreciation. Last year, Joseph Randle never quite figured it out on or off the field, but Darren McFadden, who ran for 1,089 yards, quickly did.
In the Cowboys' system of running the ball, the back can't freelance. There are certain landmarks they have to hit on specific runs, like the inside hip of a tight end or the outside hip of the guard. It's not so much reading the defense as much as it is reading the blockers.
"The importance of patience in our running game, with all style of runs, it's all coordinated," coach Jason Garrett said. "There's timing to it. There are landmarks to it. And you have to be disciplined to those things as the play starts. And then, once the play develops, you have to go be a football player. And he's pretty good at that."
It took Elliott two games to figure out the timing required.
In the last two games, Elliott has run for 140 yards on 30 carries in a win against the Chicago Bears and 138 yards on 23 carries in last week's win against the San Francisco 49ers. It was just the fourth time in franchise history a Cowboys rookie running back has had back-to-back 100-yard rushing yards. It was just the fifth time in team history a running back has posted back-to-back games with more than 125 yards.
Murray did it on two occasions in 2014.
"In our system, everything is kind of married together," right guard Zack Martin said. "The last couple of weeks, we've been playing well together as a whole offense, so we've got to keep that up."
It's happened with a new left side of the offensive line for the last six quarters. Chaz Green has started at left tackle for an injured Tyron Smith, who missed the last two games with back spasms. Ronald Leary took over for La’el Collins at halftime of the Chicago game after Collins suffered a toe injury that required surgery on Tuesday and landed him on injured reserve Wednesday.
Smith, who went through a limited practice Wednesday, is hopeful to return Sunday.
"They're a gritty group from the top to the bottom," Elliott said. "The starters, the backups, all those guys can play. They can ball. They have a culture in that room that allows them to all come in and play at a high level. I mean, it doesn't matter who's in there, they're going to go in there and do their job. They have pride in the way they take the field and the way they compete."
At Ohio State, Elliott considered himself one of "the slobs," which was the self-appointed nickname of the Buckeyes offensive line. They hung out together. They talked football together. They talked college life together.
Elliott won't go so far as to call his Cowboys linemen slobs. "They work hard on their physiques, so I would never step across that line and call any of them a slob," he joked.
But he will take them to dinner. And he might do more throughout the season, like Murray did two years ago.
"You know, hopefully we don't take advantage of it too much," Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick said. "Offensive linemen, we do like to eat. I don't know if he's ready to see that number yet."