In the offseason, the Cowboys made the decision to move on from Ezekiel Elliott after seven years together. Dallas instead chose to give Tony Pollard a chance at being the full-time starting running back.
While most people believed Dallas made the right decision, one upset loss has one analyst rethinking the move. After the Cowboys fell to the Cardinals on Sunday, Robert Griffin III believes that the team’s offseason decision to release Elliott could have been a mistake.
“It felt like two or three years, everyone ... was talking about Zeke being washed,” Griffin III said. “But the bottom line is, the Dallas Cowboys miss Zeke right now.”
In the loss vs. Arizona, Dallas struggled in the red zone, scoring just one touchdown while settling for two field goals. According to Griffin III, the Cowboys didn’t replace Elliott’s skillset in the offense, and that is hurting them.
“Last year he was 17-1 on third and fourth down conversions, short yardage situations. In the red zone, when you have a hammer like Ezekiel Elliott, it could take pressure off the quarterback.”
"It felt like two or three years, everyone ... was talking about Zeke being washed. But the bottom line is, the Dallas Cowboys miss Zeke right now."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 26, 2023
—@RGIII pic.twitter.com/azaAQMJlXw
Without Elliott, the Cowboys have not been shy to use Pollard often. Through three games, Pollard has a league-leading 62 carries with 264 yards and two touchdowns, along with 12 catches for 48 yards. Elliott, meanwhile, has 28 carries in his first three games with the Patriots, accumulating 122 yards with no touchdowns so far.
