Archer: Five Wonders - Can Ezekiel Elliott reach 2,000 yards?

Cotton

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Can Ezekiel Elliott reach 2,000 yards?
9:41 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys eclipsed last year’s win total with Sunday’s victory against the Green Bay Packers, which moved them to 5-1.

The only team with a better record in the NFL is the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (5-0). I wonder if anybody saw this coming. If you did, go to Las Vegas, you’re on a roll.

Anyway, we’ve got more wonders. Five of them, but not one for each win.

Away we go:

• Ezekiel Elliott leads the NFL in rushing with 703 yards. He has four straight games with at least 130 yards, which is a rookie record. Dez Bryant is thinking big things for Elliott. As in 2,000 yards. “Two or more,” Bryant said. “Two thousand or more. My prediction.” I don’t wonder if Elliott will reach 2,000 yards. He would need to average 130 yards each game for the rest of the season. As good as Elliott is playing and as good as the offensive line, tight ends, fullbacks and receivers block, I don’t think that is possible. Half of the Cowboys’ remaining games come against opponents with run defenses in the top 10. But I do wonder if he can break Eric Dickerson’s record for yards in a season by a rookie. Dickerson ran for 1,808 yards in 1983. That means Elliott has to average 111 yards per game the rest of the way. That seems a little more manageable. Remember, in 2014, DeMarco Murray started out with eight straight 100-yard games but saw his production slow down. He finished with 1,845 yards, a team record.

• For the longest time, I have been of the belief that a pass rush makes a secondary. I wonder if defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has become a bigger fan of coverage than of pressure. The Cowboys do not have a dynamic pass rush. The Cowboys have 11 sacks in the first six games. They got to Aaron Rodgers just once on Sunday (for no yards), but they frustrated the Green Bay Packers quarterback with their coverage. He has employed a substitution package of just three defensive linemen in obvious passing situations, choosing to flood zones and make for tighter window throws. It might frustrate fans to see the opposing quarterback have all day to throw, but it’s hard to argue with the Cowboys’ success defensively. It’s not perfect but it’s certainly better than what many expected. The best way to affect a quarterback is with pressure, but the Cowboys also are affecting the quarterback with their coverage.

• Knowing what the Cowboys now know about Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott, I wonder what the Cowboys would do if they had a re-draft. Wentz was the top quarterback on the Cowboys’ draft board. They each have seven touchdown passes and one interception on the season. The Eagles are 3-2. The Cowboys are 5-1. Both are accurate passers. They can move. They both appear to have the "it" factor. The Cowboys came away impressed with Wentz during their hands-on work with him at the Senior Bowl. They came away impressed with Prescott when they met with him for an hour. If you go by draft grades, it says take Wentz. If you go by what you’ve seen, the picture is not as clear.

• I don’t wonder if the Cowboys will make any moves with tight end James Hanna or running back Darren McFadden this week. Hanna is on the physically unable to perform list recovering from surgery over the summer. McFadden is on the non-football injury list as he recovers from a broken elbow from over the spring. Jason Garrett was not too forthcoming with the status of either on Monday, but it makes no sense the start their 21-day practice window this week since the Cowboys aren’t really practicing this week. I do wonder when the Cowboys will start that window. They could do it next week. Of the two, McFadden is closer to returning. He had hoped to be ready for Week 1, but he wasn’t quite there. Hanna needs a little more time to recover from his surgery. A mini-wonder inside a wonder: I wonder if Lance Dunbar’s knee injury plays a part in when the Cowboys start McFadden’s window.

• Barry Church is a free agent after this season. He was rewarded with a four-year contract in 2012 after he suffered a torn Achilles. He is 28 and has proven to be durable since missing 13 games in 2012. He has missed just one game and that was last year’s finale because of a broken arm. He is a defensive captain. Against Green Bay, he forced a fumble with a big hit on Jordy Nelson and intercepted Rodgers. He has matched his career high with two interceptions in the first six games. I wonder if the Cowboys look to extend Church’s contract over the next couple of years. The Cowboys have a lot of secondary questions to answer -- Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne and J.J. Wilcox also are free agents-to-be -- and getting a deal with Church takes one question off the list.
 

Rev

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Let Carr and Wilcox walk.
 

UncleMilti

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• For the longest time, I have been of the belief that a pass rush makes a secondary. I wonder if defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has become a bigger fan of coverage than of pressure. The Cowboys do not have a dynamic pass rush. The Cowboys have 11 sacks in the first six games. They got to Aaron Rodgers just once on Sunday (for no yards), but they frustrated the Green Bay Packers quarterback with their coverage. He has employed a substitution package of just three defensive linemen in obvious passing situations, choosing to flood zones and make for tighter window throws. It might frustrate fans to see the opposing quarterback have all day to throw, but it’s hard to argue with the Cowboys’ success defensively. It’s not perfect but it’s certainly better than what many expected. The best way to affect a quarterback is with pressure, but the Cowboys also are affecting the quarterback with their coverage.
I think lots of people have an argument with it, including just about every former player who has played D.

Its a risky philosophy and it worked against Rodgers because he didn't have any dynamic WR's on the field and he had an off day (or off season so far).

We already lost one potential playoff win by not getting to a QB and I'd hate for Marinelli to get comfortable with sitting back and not pressuring the QB. In a playoff scenario, its playing with fire.
 

UncleMilti

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Let Carr and Wilcox walk.
Absolutely.

Brown can replace Carr, you still have Scandrick for the slot...extend or resign Morris, and find another multipurpose cover/hitting guy to replace Wilcox.

While their at it...dump Jeff Heath. the guy is terrible.
 

Simpleton

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Let Carr and Wilcox walk.
Wilcox has been playing a very important role as the centerfield safety in nickel/dime when Jones comes down to cover TE's/slot WR's. Jones is our safety in base sets but is often a CB in nickel/dime for all intents and purposes.

I expect us to re-sign Claiborne and Church but there is a bigger need at safety than at CB if we want to keep using Jones that way.

Claiborne/Scandrick/Brown is fine as a trio, especially with Jones coming down in passing situations as a 4th CB. We will need a rangy safety to play single high in those situations.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Absolutely.

Brown can replace Carr, you still have Scandrick for the slot...extend or resign Morris, and find another multipurpose cover/hitting guy to replace Wilcox.

While their at it...dump Jeff Heath. the guy is terrible.
I think that's what we drafted this past draft in the sixth round.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I think lots of people have an argument with it, including just about every former player who has played D.

Its a risky philosophy and it worked against Rodgers because he didn't have any dynamic WR's on the field and he had an off day (or off season so far).

We already lost one potential playoff win by not getting to a QB and I'd hate for Marinelli to get comfortable with sitting back and not pressuring the QB. In a playoff scenario, its playing with fire.
Yeah rushing 3 and dropping 8 works once in awhile because the natural clock most QBs have starts going off even if there isn't pressure there. But if a QB is patient eventually that coverage will break down.
 

Simpleton

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I think that's what we drafted this past draft in the sixth round.
Frazier is more similar to Church, I don't want him playing centerfield.

As crazy as it sounds I'd draft a safety in the 1st if they are BPA, perhaps a guy like Eddie Jackson or Marcus Williams.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Frazier is more similar to Church, I don't want him playing centerfield.

As crazy as it sounds I'd draft a safety in the 1st if they are BPA, perhaps a guy like Eddie Jackson or Marcus Williams.
Yeah I was one of the people who wanted Karl Joseph in the first round if we traded back. So obviously I have no problem with a first round safety. Church looks like a changed man this year but I totally believe that Byron Jones can play corner or safety and isn't really playing a true "safety" spot this year anyway. We are mostly using him like a big corner to matchup on teams TE's and Receivers.
 

Jiggyfly

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Yeah I was one of the people who wanted Karl Joseph in the first round if we traded back. So obviously I have no problem with a first round safety. Church looks like a changed man this year but I totally believe that Byron Jones can play corner or safety and isn't really playing a true "safety" spot this year anyway. We are mostly using him like a big corner to matchup on teams TE's and Receivers.
He is actually playing pretty much the same way Woodson did for us.
 

UncleMilti

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I think that's what we drafted this past draft in the sixth round.
Thats right...I forgot about that guy.

Did he get hurt, or he just not playing?
 

Cowboysrock55

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Thats right...I forgot about that guy.

Did he get hurt, or he just not playing?
I thought I saw Kavon Frazier on the field against the Packers but that may have been my imagination. I know he has barely played if at all this season.
 

L.T. Fan

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Why? We have other players to take some of that load.
I agree. As to the question yes he probably is very capable of doing that but why put him in the worn out and can't come back category.
 

boozeman

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I thought I saw Kavon Frazier on the field against the Packers but that may have been my imagination. I know he has barely played if at all this season.
I saw him on the sidelines once.
 

Smitty

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I thought I saw Kavon Frazier on the field against the Packers but that may have been my imagination. I know he has barely played if at all this season.
I think I saw him on the sidelines.

Edit: damn, 12 hour timestamped.
 
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