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The production of Ezekiel Elliott, or the absence of it over the years, has been maddening for Dallas Cowboys fans. During Elliott’s first three seasons, he dazzled his hometown crowd and irritated the opposition. Elliot ran with force, vigor, and a dab of finesse.
Yet, fast forward to today, and Elliott has seemingly hit the proverbial wall. Ripping off 50 and 60-yard runs is now a thing of the distant past. Shredding tacklers and carrying the offensive load appear to be behind him as well. But while Dallas fans have screamed and shouted that Elliott should be traded, waived, or benched in favor of Tony Pollard, there’s reason to remain hopeful.
The stage for Elliott to do something special during the 2022 season has been set. While he hasn’t led the league in rushing yards since 2018, we have a feeling that things will change in a major way this year. So why should Dallas fans hitch their wagons back to Elliott and believe that he’ll produce a monster year? Keep reading to find out.
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#3 Injury-free
Whether anyone wants to hear it or not, Ezekiel Elliott simply wasn’t healthy for the majority of the season. After suffering a partial PCL tear, he lumbered up and down the field. His normal burst was gone. His ability to run past defenders was nonexistent and even his tenacity to take a hit and keep his legs churning wasn't there.
Should Elliott have taken some time off and handed the reigns temporarily to Tony Pollard? Sure. But the Dallas star is a warrior and couldn’t envision himself sitting on the sidelines while his team went to battle without him. With the running back completely healthy, all signs point to him getting back to his normal self.
On a recent visit to rookie minicamp, Elliott participated in a few drills. He didn’t do so apathetically either. He ran the ball as if his life depended on it during camp and was clocked running 22 mph. With the injury bug seemingly behind him, the running back will power past defenders on his way to the end zone.
If he remains healthy all year long and his break-away speed remains intact, he should find himself near the very top of the rushing leaderboards.
#2 Motivation
Fat, out of shape, lazy, washed up and whatever disparaging words you can think of were levied in the direction of the running back over the past few seasons. While harsh, the criticism of his game was warranted.
No matter how hard he tries to turn a blind eye to it, it’s simply impossible not to hear it. His demise as an elite-level back began in 2020. Despite playing in 15 games, he rushed for just 979 yards. This past season was much the same as it took him 17 games to rush for 1,002 yards.
The criticism, while fair, has to push the superstar towards the brink of losing his mind. As he continues his offseason workout regimen, the running back will likely listen to countless talk shows and read the press clippings as they relentlessly rip into him.
In high school, he was exceptional. During his senior season, he rushed for 3,061 all-purpose yards, 2,155 of which came on the ground and recorded over 50 scoring touchdowns. From there, he dominated in college football, rushing for at least 1,800 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Everywhere he has gone, he’s been the best running back around. At the age of 26, Elliott is likely seething now that his name isn’t mentioned amongst the game's best. Expect a monster bounce-back year.
#1 Opportunity
Elliott isn’t the only running back who failed to put up big-time rushing yards last season. With the NFL promoting the passing game more than ever before, only seven total running backs rushed for over a thousand yards. Still, while he was a part of this list, his 1,002 rushing yards only just made it.
With what amounted to a bad knee due to a partially torn PCL, Elliott still ran the ball 237 times, the seventh-highest total in the league. Although Dallas’s offense is now run primarily through Dak Prescott, during their most successful period Dallas placed the football into Elliott's hands and allowed him to move it.
While his rushing style has been innocuous over the past two seasons, if given the opportunity, he’s still more than capable of producing. In 2016 and 2018, he led the league in total attempts, which subsequently led to him leading the NFL in rushing yards.
Overcoming adversity has been a popular phrase in the NFL of late and the Dallas running back has had plenty of it in recent seasons. Coming into what seems like a make-it-or-break-it year, the formula for the Cowboys is simple. If you want your running back to return to his elite form, give him the damn ball. After all, he can hardly succeed if he's not given the chance.
Expect to see the Cowboys' much-maligned running back playing his heart out in 2022.
