The 2020 NFL season for the Dallas Cowboys has been a disaster from the get-go. From injuries, players calling out the coaching staff, to putrid play on the field they have vastly underachieved with the expectations that were set upon them before the season started.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott spoke to the media on Wednesday about the Cowboy's current state of affairs.
“I think it's kind of 2020 summed up,” Elliott said. “No one here was expecting to be in this position. You can't really control what has happened up to this point. We had a lot of injuries. We haven't played the best in some games.”
Elliott has seen several injuries happen to the men responsible for blocking for him. All-Pro Left Tackle Tyron Smith (neck) and starting Right Tackle La'el Collins (hip) are both out for the season. All-Pro Guard Zack Martin missed only the third game of his seven-year career this past Sunday vs the Washington Football team with a concussion. Joe Looney, who started the season center, suffered an MCL sprain in the first play of the Cowboys Week 4 loss to the Cleveland Browns and hasn't played since.
Martin returned to practice this week and is expected to play this Sunday vs the Philadelphia Eagles. Looney returned to practice also and could be activated for the game as well.
2020 has also been a rough season so far for Elliott because of his unfortunate mishaps. He's fumbled fives this season (the team has lost four). In four of the last five games, he's rushed for under 60 yards, failing to even crack the 50-yard mark in the last two. Also, he hasn't reached the 100-yard mark yet this season, making this the longest stretch of his career that he hasn't done so.
Elliott feels all these things have contributed to the Cowboys 2-5 start.
“It's a combination of everything,” Elliott said. “Getting down early and we're banged up and there were some weeks when I gave the ball away early, adding to that deficit. It's a combination of things, but getting back to the run is something we're definitely going to focus on this week.”
Even with everything that has gone wrong for the Cowboys this season they're only a half-game behind the Eagles for the NFC East lead and can take over the top spot with a win against them this Sunday in Philadelphia. Elliott talked about what a victory against their division rival would mean.
“What we do know is that if we win this week, aren't we first in the division?” Elliott said. “We're still right where we need to be. We're still at a place where we can make a run for the playoffs. I think it's on us taking on that adversity.”
Elliott also mentioned that no matter who's on the field the Cowboys are in a must-win situation this week.
“We have to figure something out fast,” Elliott said. “We've got to win this weekend. We can't have any excuses. It doesn't matter how many guys we have down.”
The Cowboys are trying to avoid their third consecutive loss which would also be their fifth defeat in the last six weeks. Time is running out on them to salvage what's left of the 2020 season which calls for a sense of urgency this Sunday vs the Eagles.
