Tag: Ezekiel Elliot

Report: NFC executive said Dalvin Cook would be better than Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas

“Cook can play. Contact don’t bother him. You’ve got to get him down. He’d be better than Zeke in Dallas,” an NFC executive told ESPN.

The Cowboys have been known for having a strong offensive line for some time now.

Even though center Travis Frederick retired, Pro Football Focus gave the Cowboys the third-best rating heading into the 2020 NFL season.

The Vikings were ranked No. 23 on that same list.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that an NFC executive thinks the Cowboys would be different with Vikings running back Dalvin Cook in the backfield. Here’s how:

“Cook can play. Contact don’t bother him. You’ve got to get him down. He’d be better than Zeke in Dallas,” an NFC executive told ESPN.

That executive ranked Cook as the top running back in the NFL. Cook, however, came in sixth on ESPN’s running back rankings.

Cook is coming off a season in which he had 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019. Both those stats were career highs for him.

Earlier this offseason, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cook will be out of any team-related activities until he receives a “reasonable” deal.

With Cook ranking high on this list and the Vikings being reliant upon the run, hopefully the team can work out a deal sooner rather than later.

Let’s look back at the last time Ohio State and Alabama played… because we love it

With the two teams playing two huge games in a few years, let’s look at the last time Ohio State and Alabama met on the football field.

Ohio State’s resurgence under Urban Meyer came to the forefront in the 2014 college football season. The Buckeyes needed redemption after a few (relatively) disappointing performances in the national spotlight since 2005, and the road to redemption was always going to go through the SEC.

But, of course, why am I recapping this? Every Buckeye fan knows this. It was Ohio State’s redemption from a decade of being second-best. It was finally a (second) bowl win over an SEC program, after the Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas was vacated. And, perhaps most importantly, it was a huge win by a great program that no one gave a chance.

Well, with Ohio State and Alabama announcing a home-and-home series this decade, let’s look back on that game. And yes, I am using this as an excuse to write about the game, because, in all honesty, what Buckeye fan wouldn’t?

In fact, I think we here at the Buckeye Wire should look back at this game every chance we get. Heck, we should look back on it every day if we can. Honestly, the most popular Ohio State website could definitely be one that just plays highlights of this game over and over.

Is there any game in recent years that Buckeye fans, on the whole, love more than this one? Maybe one or two others come close. But this game defined the 2010s for Ohio State football, and Buckeye fans aren’t soon to forget it.

First, let’s start with the pre-game. When I said above that no one gave Ohio State a chance, I meant it. Here’s the ESPN pregame, where everyone picked Alabama to win.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rm2O-hSCMs&w=560&h=315]

I don’t want to go through every single highlight right now, and can definitely save that for another post (or ten, because this will be written about nonstop when Ohio State’s next game against Alabama approaches), but let’s skip through the first quarter. Ezekiel Elliot had a great run and Devin Smith a great catch, but the Buckeyes couldn’t pay off those drives with touchdowns, and turnovers let Alabama jump out to a 21-6 lead.

I’m even going to skip through the Buckeyes’ touchdown drive to bring it to 21-13, because I want to focus on just the biggest and best plays here.

Speaking of which, the Buckeyes ended the first half on what remains, to this day, the very best single play in College Football Playoff history. It’s a trick play, a perfect throw by a wide receiver, and a great catch by Michael Thomas, getting his foot down an inch away from the sideline. (Yes, I have a video of my reaction to this play. No, I will not be sharing it. Let’s just say that I ran up to the television in my college dorm lounge so I could point to the sliver of green between Thomas’ shoe and the sideline.)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhsISsfUsZA&w=560&h=315]

The next highlight I want to focus on came a bit later. After the Buckeyes took the lead on a beautiful touchdown pass from Cardale Jones to Devin Smith, the Buckeyes stretched their lead to 13 points on the most beautiful “big guy touchdown” in recent Buckeye history.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjgL0hHvIUI&w=560&h=315]

The next 15 minutes didn’t go so well for the Buckeyes. They never relinquished the lead, but it got stressful for a time. Let’s not overly focus on that section. I also don’t want to focus on the final play of the game (maybe I’ll do a separate post on that), because that Hail Mary throw came dangerously close to being caught. (Yes, it was intercepted by Tyvus Powell. But Powell was behind two Alabama receivers, and if that ball comes down half a yard shorter it could have been caught.)

Instead, let’s cap the game off for its most memorable moment:

85 Yards Through the Heart of the South.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9WwaeV9IoA&w=560&h=315]

Report: Players from 2 NFL teams test positive for COVID-19

NFL teams are hit by COVID-19.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been a massive concern when it comes to sports trying to start up. Now comes a report several Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans players have tested positive for COVID-19.

Teams can’t reveal the names of players who have tested positive due to HIPAA and the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act. But the agent for Dallas star Ezekiel Elliott told NFL.com Insider Ian Rapoport the running back is one of the players.

However, Elliott was not happy about word getting out, as he sent out a message on social media stating: “HIPAA ??” and he later added that his agent only confirmed it because someone else already leaked that he had contracted it.

Elliott was criticized earlier this offseason for not using social distancing. A video surfaced of a party which included Elliott and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in attendance.

Previously, Denver Broncos defensive star Von Miller tested positive for COVID-19 as did Los Angeles Rams center Brian Allen in April. Now that it’s mid-June, these contractions certainly stir up a bit more interest since the NFL’s regular season is inching closer, as is training camps in late July.

 

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Cowboys News: Elliott helped force Goodell’s hand; Gallup, Cooper excellence shines through

The Dallas Cowboys news for June 5, 2020 including Michael Gallup, Tyrone Crawford, The Black Live Matters movement and more

The Dallas Cowboys continue their quest for a sixth Lombardi trophy this season. Today, take a look in on wide receiver Michael Gallup along with hype surrounding the new look defense being lead by defensive coordinator Jim Tomsula. Amari Cooper, he’s really good at what he does.

There is a lot going in the world bigger than football though, bigger than the Cowboys and bigger than sports as a whole.  If a global pandemic wasn’t enough to throw a wrench in the world of sports’ plans for 2020, more police brutality has resulted in the death of yet another Black man in America. Since this tragic event, peaceful protests on social injustice have been prominent across the country and coming with that, unfortunately, are violent riots and looting.

Ezekiel Elliott joins fellow stars in the NFL in a very powerful video shared to the world, forcing the reluctant NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to echo words of support for Black Lives Matter.

Two years ago, the Cowboys started to have a conversation about the social injustice that happens every day in America. On Friday, 11 days after Floyd’s murder, the players broke the organization’s silence.

Cowboys’ Elliott among Black NFL stars in iconic video calling out league on police-brutality response :: The CowboysWire

Some of the biggest names in the NFL speak out in a powerful video sent out to the world. It was an iconic statement of high impact, demanding the league account for their role in silencing peaceful protest against brutality for the years leading up to the events of the past two weeks.

 

The video, which it turns out was made by NFL media employees without the initial consent of the league.

 

Inside NFL players’ Black Lives Matter video, and how it forced Goodell’s hand :: The Athletic

Jourdan Rodrigue went behind the scenes with the NFL employee responsible for setting up the video, and how day after day of the league’s inaction after a shallow public statement dismayed and infuriated many of the league’s employees. It led Byrndon Mintor to want to do more, reaching out to the Saints’ Michael Thomas who went on a recruiting rampage to organize players. His first call, former Ohio State teammate Ezekiel Elliott.

The end result, Roger Goodell was forced make a public statement of support for Black Lives Matter. Chess.

Michael Gallup has done almost everything right. He needs to do one more thing. :: The Athletic

He was a top-50 talent who fell to 81st in the 2018 draft. And despite an 1,100-yard sophomore season as a Cowboy, Michael Gallup still seems to be flying under the radar. That’s due in part to the household names he shares the WR room with in Dallas… but it’s also because the Colorado State product needs to clean up an issue with frequent drops.

Cowboys film notebook: Breaking down Amari Cooper’s sluggo mastery :: Dallas Morning News

The incomparable John Owning is back at it again, showing the nuance of football skill in fine detail. Here he looks at Cooper’s famous sluggo route, which he identified to Cowboys Wire last season was his absolute favorite to run.

Four impressive stats that will have Cowboys fans excited about the addition of Jim Tomsula :: Blogging the Boys

Mike McCarthy gets the spotlight, but his coaching hires may end up being the star, particularly along the defensive line. When you look at team sack rankings, making good playing great, turning collective talent into team success, and shutting down opponents’ run attacks, Jim Tomsula stands to bring the D back to Dallas in a big way.

Nine NFL bandwagons to hop aboard in 2020: Bills, Bucs top list :: NFL.com

It’s hard to think America’s Team needs to put out the call for new fans, but Adam Schein says now may be a good time to get on the ‘Boys’ bus. He calls Mike McCarthy’s hiring “one of the most significant moves of this offseason” and thinks “Dallas’ loaded offense is going to sizzle.”

Cowboys’ Tyrone Crawford hasn’t been run out of town, so he might as well ball :: The CowboysWire

The veteran defensive lineman will be returning to play for a new defensive coordinator in 2020. Here’s an inside look on why he will make the most of it.

2020 backup QB rankings: Where does Cowboys’ Andy Dalton land? :: Inside the Star

Cooper Rush and Mike White didn’t exactly instill truckloads of confidence in fans’ minds over recent seasons. But, oh, how quickly things can change. The Cowboys suddenly find themselves with- according to this list- the best backup quarterback in the league with the signing of the three-time Pro Bowler.

Summer scouting: 2021 offensive line :: Blue Chip Scouting

It’s never too early to start building the big board, and offensive line is always a place to add as much depth as possible. Get a leg up on learning the names of hot collegiate prospects like Penei Sewell, Samuel Cosmi, Trey Smith, and Jackson Carman.

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Report card: Bills top Cowboys, 26-15

The Buffalo Bills played lights out against Dallas on Thanksgiving to move to 9-3 on the season.

“Well, well, well…” is what BillsMafia is saying to the collective national media, who counted out the Buffalo Bills on their Thanksgiving clash with the Dallas Cowboys, 26-15.

On the national stage, the Bills had their pie and ate it too. The Bills played their most complete game of the season in Dallas showing off to the nation what many in Western New York already knew. The Bills are legitimate playoff contenders.

With that, here’s how the positional groups graded in the Bills’ Week 13 win on Thanksgiving:

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback: A

Josh Allen played like a true franchise quarterback on Thursday, using both his legs and arm to make plays down the field. Allen showed that he can beat a team with his arm, he can improvise in the pocket, and turn a seemingly dead play into something positive. This is something Bills fans have seen all season, but never against a quality opponent on this big of a stage.

Allen completed 79 percent of his passes on 19-for-24 passing with 231 yards, and one passing touchdown. Allen also used his legs to rush for 43 yards and the game sealing touchdown in the third quarter.

He also showed improved decision making and better ball placement and he was making it easy for his receivers to make big plays. This type of game is something the Bills franchise has been looking for since the days of Jim Kelly.

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Bills at Cowboys: 5 matchups to watch

The Buffalo Bills face the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving in an important game that have potential playoff implications for both teams.

The Bills will be facing the Dallas Cowboys for a Turkey Day clash, and will be looking to pull an impressive upset on the big stage. Dallas sits at 6-5 and are coming off a poor loss to the New England Patriots, while the Bills are 8-3 and are coming off an important victory vs. Denver.

Both teams are jockeying for playoff positions before the homestretch of the season. With that being said, here are five important matchups to watch on Thanksgiving:

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Ezekiel Elliot vs. Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano 

Ezekiel Elliot is one of the best running backs in football and has the burden of carrying Dallas’s offense. In four of the Cowboys losses this season Zeke was held to under 100 yards, which means that the entire Bills defense needs to be on the top of their game to stop the Pro Bowl running back. If Buffalo wants a shot at winning they will need to hold Zeke to under 100 yards.

Holding Elliot to under 100 yards is easier said than done though. On his 215 rushing attempts this season he has 919 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Elliot averages 4.9 yards per carry, while the Bills defense allows 4.4 yards per attempt which is 20th in the NFL. Luckily for the Bills, Elliot has only managed 3.1 yards per carry in his past three games. 

The leaders of the Bills defense, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano will be spearheading the rush defense to prevent Ezekiel Elliot from dominating Buffalo. In the past two weeks, Milano and Edmunds have been sent on more blitzes on crucial downs which has led to the two making blowing up plays in the backfield. 

Milano and Edmunds have combined for 153 tackles this season, with 17 of them coming in the backfield. If Edmunds and Milano want to prevent Elliot from dominating the game, they will need to make plays in the backfield and at the line of scrimmage. 

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6 things Patriots fans should know about the Cowboys

The Cowboys present the Patriots their toughest opponent at home so far.

The Dallas Cowboys are coming to Gillette Stadium this Sunday for a Week 12 matchup against the New England Patriots. It will be a battle between America’s Team (Dallas) and America’s Most Hate Team (New England). The Cowboys have won three of their last four games, scoring at least 35 points in all three of those wins. The Patriots vaunted defense will be battle-tested once again vs. one of the top offensive teams in the entire NFL.

Here are six things New England fans should know before kickoff:

1. Dak Prescott is legit.

Dak Prescott is enjoying the best season of his four-year career so far. Boasting a league-leading 3,221 passing yards through 10 games, Prescott is well on pace to break his previous career-best 3,885 passing yards from last season. He has thrown for at least 395 yards the last two weeks, with a 444-yard performance in Week 11 vs. Detroit.

Even though Prescott has already thrown nine interceptions, tied for fifth-most in the league, he is proving he’s more than capable of leading the Cowboys offense. Prescott owns a 21-to-9 touchdown-interception ratio.

2. Can Stephon Gilmore and the Patriots secondary shutdown the Dallas receiver unit?

A reason why Prescott is having so much success this season is because of the receivers he’s throwing to.

The Dallas receiver unit is explosive with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. The Cooper-Gallup combo is just one of three receiver-duos to find themselves in the top 20 for receiving leaders in the league. Cooper has the fourth-most receiving yards with 886 yards while Gallup is no. 20 with 678 yards. Both are big play threats, so Stephon Gilmore, Devin McCourty and the rest of the New England secondary should have their hands full trying to shut them down.

3. Add in Ezekiel Elliot and the Cowboys present the toughest opponent the Patriots have faced at home.

When the Cleveland Browns came to Gillette Stadium in Week 8 with Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., and Nick Chubb, there was a lot of talk that they might have had what it took to beat the Patriots. It did not take long for those thoughts to be put to rest.

Dallas presents New England with its toughest test yet in Foxboro. Not only do the Cowboys have the best aerial attack in the league, they have a stud running back in Ezekiel Elliot. In his fourth season, Elliot has ran for 833 yards and seven touchdowns through Dallas’ first 10 games.

4. The Cowboys defense presents another top-10 defense for the Patriots offense.

Last week it was the Philadelphia Eagles and their no. 9 ranked defense that provided Tom Brady and the New England offense a challenge. The Dallas defense is even tougher, ranked seventh in the league in least yards allowed per game at 322.1. In addition, the Cowboys allow 19.7 points per game, good for ninth-least in the league.

Fortunately for the Patriots, Dallas middle linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has been ruled for Sunday. New England’s offensive line will have to stop another Cowboys middle linebacker in Jaylon Smith, who is tied for seventh in the league with 90 tackles. Defensive end Robert Quinn is another force amongst the defense, leading the team with 8.5 sacks.

5. When was the last time Dallas came to New England?

Like most NFC teams, it’s often quite some time that the Cowboys travel to Foxboro. The last time Dallas came to town was eight years ago when the Patriots beat them 20-16 in a Week 6 tilt.

Tony Romo, who is a lead commentator for CBS, was the Cowboys quarterback in the contest and outside of Tom Brady, the two rosters are mostly completely different.

6. Will Dallas finally beat the Patriots?

New England has won its last five games against the Cowboys, dating back to 1999. The last time Dallas won was in a 12-6 victory all the way back in 1996. Shockingly, the game featured the only remaining active NFL player from that game in 46-year-old kicker Adam Vinatieri.