ARLINGTON, Texas – For the first time in his career, the Dallas Cowboys facing Ezekiel Elliott missed a game due to injury.
Elliott, who suffered a calf’s nose after losing to the Baltimore Ravens on December 8, was one of the Cowboys inactive for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. He didn’t train during the week, but Coach Mike McCarthy had said he expected Elliott to play.
With Elliott out, the Cowboys have Tony Pollard ready for a bigger role. They brought in rookie Rico Dowdle as a backup and added Sewo Olonilua from the exhibition team on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Elliott said it took a few rides for his calf to break free against the Cincinnati Bengals on December 13, but once that happened he felt fine. He was limited to 48 yards on 12 carriers and needed a season-high 26-yarder in the second half to reach that total.
Elliott was held out of two week 17 matchups in 2016 and 2018 when the Cowboys’ positioning was completed. He missed six games in 2017 due to a suspension.
This season has been a struggle for Elliott. He has 832 yards on 211 carries with five touchdowns, but has lost a career-high five fumbles and has only one 100-yard game on the season. In the full seasons in which he played, he has never rushed less than 1,357 meters. When he came in on Sunday, he was running 1,024 meters.