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Playing with a chip on his shoulder, Ezekiel Elliott is out to prove he’s the NFL’s best running back
By Calvin Watkins Sep 5, 2018
FRISCO, Texas — It seemed the entire world was against Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott in 2017.
His year began by fighting a suspension stemming from domestic violence allegations, although he was never criminally charged. He went to courthouse after courthouse trying to clear his name in the NFL, before eventually giving up the fight and serving a six-game suspension handed down by the league. Still, he never forgot what happened to him last year. He finished his second NFL season with 983 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. If Elliott had played a full 16-game regular season, maybe the Cowboys would have been playing playoff football in January.
With the 2017 season over, Elliott spent the entire offseason improving mentally and physically. And now with the 2018 season starting for Dallas on Sunday afternoon at Carolina, Elliott enters his third season with a chip on his shoulder. By all accounts, a massive chip.
“The chip on my shoulder is just not having a full year last year and not performing the way I believe I could have,” Elliott said Wednesday.
Elliott wants to produce massive numbers as he rolls this chip (it could possibly be a boulder) up and down football fields this season. He felt denied last season, and while he’s moved on from the drama that was 2017, the only incidents he wants will come against eight- and nine-man fronts.
“I mean, we’ve faced eight-, nine-, 10-man fronts every week since I got here,” he said. “I don’t know how many more guys they can throw in the box. I mean, just go back and watch the film. Go back and watch the games. Guys don’t play two-high, they play single-high. They bring an extra safety in the box and if they don’t bring extra safety in the box, then we punish them.”
It’s this punishment Elliott wants to exert on opposing defenses in 2018. The Cowboys have plans to use him more, especially out of the backfield on pass plays. Elliott’s number of touches will rise, especially early in the season as quarterback Dak Prescott tries to break in two new wide receivers and part-time tight ends who are getting full-time snaps in games.
Last season, Le’Veon Bell led the NFL with 321 carries, followed by LeSean McCoy’s 287. Will Elliott reach those numbers? In his rookie year, Elliott led the NFL with 322 carries. So surpassing 300 carries shouldn’t be a problem. Elliott wants the ball and the Cowboys are poised to provide him with it.
“That’s exactly it,” Elliott said. “I want to prove I’m the best back in the game. That’s what my focus this offseason was.”
Elliott ran at an elite level in 2016 and defenses noticed it the next season, sitting a safety closer to the line of scrimmage to find him. Elliott, with the one-back cut technique taught by running backs coach Gary Brown, nearly rushed for 1,000 yards during an abbreviated 2017 campaign.
The offensive line had its issues last year too, with health problems to left tackle Tyron Smith and an inconsistent passing game. Elliott, despite what he says, had to block out his own issues with the NFL regarding the suspension. He showed up at meetings worn down just from worrying and talking to his agent and attorneys about his status.
When Elliott spoke with reporters on Wednesday there were some long strands of gray hair twisting out of his head. Most 23-year-olds don’t have grey hair. Elliott’s, it would seem, is stress-related.
“I would never say last year, I wasn’t engaged with the game,” said Elliott. “I did a great job of checking my (expletive) at the door. It is a lot more stress-free [now] though. I would say that.”
He spoke for nearly 10 minutes, more than what he wanted to, and joked he could carry a heavy load because he’s young.
Of the seven men in league history with over 2,000 rushing yards, the youngest of the group was 23-year-old Chris Johnson, who rushed for 2,006 for the Titans in 2009.
The NFL has seen only four running backs handle 400-plus carries in a single-season and Jamal Anderson, who ran the ball 410 times in 1998, was the youngest at 25. Recently, former Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray has come closest to the 400 mark. In 2014, Murray carried the ball a franchise-record 392 times.
The way the Cowboys want to utilize Elliott, 392 might be doable.
“You need that focus in the offseason just to make sure you’re prepared to carry it over to the field,” Elliott said. “How that carries it over to the field, how that helps the field, is when I get out there. I’ve taken all the mental reps I need to. I’ve taken all the physical reps I need to. Mentally, I know my assignment. I know my landmarks. I know my pace. It’s like what I get in the game, I’ve been there before.”
Elliott was supposed to become a participant in the Cowboys’ third preseason game after an outstanding training camp during which he displayed both power and speed. Some observers believe Elliott looks better in 2018 than he did in 2016 when he led the NFL in rushing yards (1,631) and carries (322).
The concerns about Elliott not finding a rhythm are minor. Success for this Cowboys offense starts with Elliott. Yes, Prescott means an awful lot, but with no true No. 1 wide receiver and Jason Witten retired, the offense needs Elliott.
This is probably how it should be, given what he brings. Elliott is prepared to not only bring this massive chip with him, the one turning into a boulder minute-by-minute, but the confidence he can become the NFL’s top running back.
He’s doing it at a time where the running back position has new life thanks to men like Elliott and Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette, Melvin Gordon, David Johnson, and Todd Gurley.
Being a running back is fashionable again and the Cowboys are ready to use Elliott to make him the best player in the NFL.
“I think it’s just my focus,” Elliott said. “I’m definitely going into this year with a chip on my shoulder and I think I have a lot to prove. I was more focused and ready to go out there and prove what I can do on the field.
By Calvin Watkins Sep 5, 2018
FRISCO, Texas — It seemed the entire world was against Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott in 2017.
His year began by fighting a suspension stemming from domestic violence allegations, although he was never criminally charged. He went to courthouse after courthouse trying to clear his name in the NFL, before eventually giving up the fight and serving a six-game suspension handed down by the league. Still, he never forgot what happened to him last year. He finished his second NFL season with 983 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. If Elliott had played a full 16-game regular season, maybe the Cowboys would have been playing playoff football in January.
With the 2017 season over, Elliott spent the entire offseason improving mentally and physically. And now with the 2018 season starting for Dallas on Sunday afternoon at Carolina, Elliott enters his third season with a chip on his shoulder. By all accounts, a massive chip.
“The chip on my shoulder is just not having a full year last year and not performing the way I believe I could have,” Elliott said Wednesday.
Elliott wants to produce massive numbers as he rolls this chip (it could possibly be a boulder) up and down football fields this season. He felt denied last season, and while he’s moved on from the drama that was 2017, the only incidents he wants will come against eight- and nine-man fronts.
“I mean, we’ve faced eight-, nine-, 10-man fronts every week since I got here,” he said. “I don’t know how many more guys they can throw in the box. I mean, just go back and watch the film. Go back and watch the games. Guys don’t play two-high, they play single-high. They bring an extra safety in the box and if they don’t bring extra safety in the box, then we punish them.”
It’s this punishment Elliott wants to exert on opposing defenses in 2018. The Cowboys have plans to use him more, especially out of the backfield on pass plays. Elliott’s number of touches will rise, especially early in the season as quarterback Dak Prescott tries to break in two new wide receivers and part-time tight ends who are getting full-time snaps in games.
Last season, Le’Veon Bell led the NFL with 321 carries, followed by LeSean McCoy’s 287. Will Elliott reach those numbers? In his rookie year, Elliott led the NFL with 322 carries. So surpassing 300 carries shouldn’t be a problem. Elliott wants the ball and the Cowboys are poised to provide him with it.
“That’s exactly it,” Elliott said. “I want to prove I’m the best back in the game. That’s what my focus this offseason was.”
Elliott ran at an elite level in 2016 and defenses noticed it the next season, sitting a safety closer to the line of scrimmage to find him. Elliott, with the one-back cut technique taught by running backs coach Gary Brown, nearly rushed for 1,000 yards during an abbreviated 2017 campaign.
The offensive line had its issues last year too, with health problems to left tackle Tyron Smith and an inconsistent passing game. Elliott, despite what he says, had to block out his own issues with the NFL regarding the suspension. He showed up at meetings worn down just from worrying and talking to his agent and attorneys about his status.
When Elliott spoke with reporters on Wednesday there were some long strands of gray hair twisting out of his head. Most 23-year-olds don’t have grey hair. Elliott’s, it would seem, is stress-related.
“I would never say last year, I wasn’t engaged with the game,” said Elliott. “I did a great job of checking my (expletive) at the door. It is a lot more stress-free [now] though. I would say that.”
He spoke for nearly 10 minutes, more than what he wanted to, and joked he could carry a heavy load because he’s young.
Of the seven men in league history with over 2,000 rushing yards, the youngest of the group was 23-year-old Chris Johnson, who rushed for 2,006 for the Titans in 2009.
The NFL has seen only four running backs handle 400-plus carries in a single-season and Jamal Anderson, who ran the ball 410 times in 1998, was the youngest at 25. Recently, former Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray has come closest to the 400 mark. In 2014, Murray carried the ball a franchise-record 392 times.
The way the Cowboys want to utilize Elliott, 392 might be doable.
“You need that focus in the offseason just to make sure you’re prepared to carry it over to the field,” Elliott said. “How that carries it over to the field, how that helps the field, is when I get out there. I’ve taken all the mental reps I need to. I’ve taken all the physical reps I need to. Mentally, I know my assignment. I know my landmarks. I know my pace. It’s like what I get in the game, I’ve been there before.”
Elliott was supposed to become a participant in the Cowboys’ third preseason game after an outstanding training camp during which he displayed both power and speed. Some observers believe Elliott looks better in 2018 than he did in 2016 when he led the NFL in rushing yards (1,631) and carries (322).
The concerns about Elliott not finding a rhythm are minor. Success for this Cowboys offense starts with Elliott. Yes, Prescott means an awful lot, but with no true No. 1 wide receiver and Jason Witten retired, the offense needs Elliott.
This is probably how it should be, given what he brings. Elliott is prepared to not only bring this massive chip with him, the one turning into a boulder minute-by-minute, but the confidence he can become the NFL’s top running back.
He’s doing it at a time where the running back position has new life thanks to men like Elliott and Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette, Melvin Gordon, David Johnson, and Todd Gurley.
Being a running back is fashionable again and the Cowboys are ready to use Elliott to make him the best player in the NFL.
“I think it’s just my focus,” Elliott said. “I’m definitely going into this year with a chip on my shoulder and I think I have a lot to prove. I was more focused and ready to go out there and prove what I can do on the field.
