Ezekiel Elliott was clearly the centerpiece of the Cowboys’ offensive game plan going in to Monday night’s game against Arizona. Of the team’s first fifteen offensive plays, Elliott’s number was called ten times.
But when he fumbled the ball away on touches No. 9 and 10, turnovers that directly resulted in two Cardinals touchdowns, the game plan had to change.
After the humiliating 38-10 home loss, the running back placed the blame squarely on his own shoulders.
“I’m supposed to be a guy this team can rely on,” Elliott told reporters on a postgame conference call. “I’m supposed to be a guy that this team can lean on when times get rough. I just wasn’t that today. I got off to a terrible start; defense was playing well. But I killed our momentum. Two fumbles? I can’t do that. I can’t.”
After his second fumble, Elliott found himself on the bench. For several plays on the team’s next offensive series, he watched Tony Pollard take his spot in the backfield as Dallas tried in vain to pull themselves out of yet another deep hole. The three-time Pro Bowler says the coaching staff was fully justified in pulling him.
“I’m giving the ball away. I can’t. I wasn’t helping the team,” Elliott explained. “They did the right thing and gave some of those reps to TP. I can’t do that. I have to be a guy this team can lean on, especially in the times right now with so many of our starters hurt and not playing. It’s not acceptable, and I need to figure it out.”
FROM ELIAS: Ezekiel Elliott is the only #Cowboys non-QB with a lost fumble on back-to-back touches in the last 40 seasons. He’s the first non-QB to do that for any team this year.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) October 20, 2020
Elliott ended the game with 49 rushing yards on just 12 carries as offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was forced to shift to a pass-heavy approach as the Cowboys attempted to play catch-up.
Quarterback Andy Dalton was making his first start in place of Dak Prescott, but for the veteran backup, it was same song, different verse.
“We’re hurting ourselves with the turnovers,” Dalton told the press after the game. “We’ve got to get this fixed. It’s been the trend this year, especially early in games. That’s affected how we’ve been able to play. We haven’t been able to run our full offense, run it how it should be run just because we’re getting down in these games because we are turning the ball over.
“The ball’s the most important thing. We can’t be handing it to the other team.”
Dalton was responsible for two turnovers as well, tossing two interceptions Monday night in a comeback effort.
Does Ezekiel Elliott have a fumble problem? 2018-2020, nine skill players in the league have 600 touches and nobody can touch his ball security issues (although Carson comes close): pic.twitter.com/GpnYNqUwpK
— Bob Sturm (@SportsSturm) October 20, 2020
As for Elliott’s latest ball security issues- he has lost four fumbles already in 2020, more than he had during all of last season- the two-time rushing champ can’t put his finger on what’s wrong with his grip lately.
“Um… honestly, I can’t… I can’t really… even… I don’t know why. I’ve just got to focus up. I’ve got to be better with it.”
Also at a total loss regarding turnovers is head coach Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys have given the ball away over a league-worst 15 times through six games.
“It’s something that we work diligently on. It’s not carrying over to the game. That’s something we have to continue to stay after,” McCarthy offered in his postgame remarks. “Maybe we’re trying too hard, or maybe we’re overcoaching it. It clearly has put us in a position [where] we’ve been playing uphill every single game. We haven’t got into a groove or a rhythm and got out in front yet this year. It’s self-inflicted wounds that continue to plague us. We’ve got work to do, and we’ve got to do it fast because we’ve got Washington coming on us quickly.”
Elliott is also looking ahead, eager to get back to work with a short week of practice that will no doubt focus on ball security.
“I’ve just got to have a short memory. I’ve got to get that behind me and get play some good ball, get on a roll.”
But he expects that Washington’s defense will smell blood in the water and be looking to strip Elliott at every opportunity.
“When you’re fumbling every game, obviously teams are going to lock in on it and they’re going to go for it more. That’s just more reason for me; I need to figure it out.”
Ezekiel Elliott to Lisa Salters before the game: “I don’t think I’m going to fumble the rest of the season.”
Proceeds to cough it up twice in the first half
— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) October 20, 2020
If Elliott does not figure it out and puts the ball on the ground again in Week 7, he could easily find himself on the sidelines once again. McCarthy made it clear that Elliott’s status as the default leader of the team with Prescott gone doesn’t afford him any extra leeway when it comes to fumbles.
“Every player that plays in this league- no different on our football team- if you don’t take care of the football, it obviously does affect your opportunities,” McCarthy said. “At the end of the day, Zeke is our bell cow, and we need to get it right. He’s part of the plan. He’s going to be part of our success. We have to get it right; we have to take care of the football. That’s for everybody that touches the football on our team.”
Dalton has faith that Elliott will rectify his fumbling problem.
“You never want to turn over the ball. For him, he understands that. He knows that. Zeke’s going to get this thing fixed.”
Elliott says he’s ready to getting back into the lab to do just that.
“I want to say I’m sorry. This one’s on me. And I need to be better for this team.”
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