Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will not accompany the team to Atlanta due to disciplinary issues and will be inactive for Sunday’s game. This is the first time in his career that Elliott has been a healthy scratch in a non-season finale. At 29, he scored the Cowboys’ first touchdown last week against the San Francisco 49ers.
In Week 9, Rico Dowdle and Dalvin Cook are expected to handle the backfield duties, with Cook recently elevated from the practice squad. Cook had limited involvement in the loss to San Francisco, as Dowdle was sidelined by illness.
The Cowboys continue to struggle in their running game, and Elliott’s absence will alter the running back rotation once more. This season, Elliott has accumulated 149 rushing yards on 48 carries and two touchdowns, while the team ranks last in the NFL with an average of 74.1 rushing yards per game. Throughout his nine-year career, Elliott has amassed 9,053 rushing yards.
Dallas aims to even its record at .500 with a win over the Falcons, who currently stand at 5-3 this season, presenting a significant challenge.
In addition to the backfield issues, quarterback Dak Prescott has also faced difficulties generating rushing yards. He acknowledged the need to increase his running in 2024. “For sure, I mean, just off the top of my head, I know I haven’t been running,” he said in the team transcript.
He reflected on missed opportunities for scrambles and acknowledged the balance of risk and reward in his play: “I think that’s to my point is the risk versus reward [as far as] I’m pulling some of these things down.”
Taking responsibility for his lack of rushing yards, Prescott noted, “When you’re weighing that risk — it’s when I’ve got the ball in my hands, it’s not just about that play. It’s about the team, the game, the momentum of it, and I’ve just gotta be better.”
With Elliott unavailable, Prescott may need to take on more responsibility in the running game against Atlanta this Sunday.
