It’s not how you start — or in this case, don’t start — but how you finish, right?
When Ezekiel Elliott has been healthy for the Dallas Cowboys, he’s started. That didn’t happen on Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts. Fans wondered: Is this is a sign that he’s now the 1B to Tony Pollard’s 1A? The beginning of the end of his Cowboys career?
Nope. Jerry Jones filled in reporters after the game, and it turns out there was some kind of disciplinary issue involving the running back, one that led to the temporary benching. It didn’t matter, stats-wise: He finished with 17 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown, along with three catches.
From Pro Football Talk:
“There was a little issue he had with his coach and some discipline issues — being tardy for a meeting or a phone going off or something serious, relative to Zeke, but I won’t get into that, but I’m not giving out that punishment,” Jones said. “I’d be a lot more lenient than that.” …
“That was not a demotion as to [not being] the first one on the field,” Jones said. “That had more to do with your phone going off at the wrong time, those types of things. Nothing of consequence. Be sure and mention that. No behavior issues.”
There you have it.