Major Test For Cowboys Star RB
July 15th, 2021
Rejuvenated?
It’s never too early to start pimping the Bucs’ first game.
How cool is it that the Bucs’ first game kicks off the season on Thursday night? Against the Cowboys fresh off their appearance on “Hard Knocks.”
And it seems the Cowboys are putting the word out that as a result of underwear football, the Bucs will have their hands full with Ezekiel Elliott.
Jon Machota of The Athletic says it appeared Elliott, exposed last year with the Cowboys unable to throw the ball without Dak Prescott, looked like he was toast. But allegedly Elliott has been reborn through underwear football.
Elliott, the NFL’s rushing champ in 2016 and 2018, is coming off a year when he finished with career lows in rushing yards (979), yards per carry (4.0), rushing touchdowns (6) and rushes of 20-plus yards (3).
“Everybody said it,” Cowboys RB coach Josh Hicks noted of Elliott, “and he probably saw it and felt it himself, that he probably slowed down a little bit or lost a step a little bit or whatever.”
But having worked with Elliott over the past four months, Hicks says he sees better movement and quicker feet.
“When I first got him, to me, Zeke’s feet seemed a bit heavy,” Hicks said. “They were coming up and off the ground, but not as quick as we needed them to be.”
Well, this all sounds good if you are a Cowboys fan. But Elliott is going to have a helluva wake-up call immediately, facing a Bucs defense that eats running backs alive for lunch. The Bucs held running backs to 1,289 total rushing yards last year, easily the best in the NFL.
And guess what, Zeke? Every one of those Bucs defenders return. So have fun trying to move the ball on arguably the best front-seven in the league.
Honestly, Joe cannot think of a better front-seven in the NFL.
Think Devin White won’t be hyped to stop Elliott on the same night the Bucs’ 2020 Super Bowl champions flag is raised at The Licht House?
July 15th, 2021 at 11:09 am
can’t imagine Dak being 100% in game one
July 15th, 2021 at 11:19 am
We hear that every year in offseason. “The guy looks the best he has in years”
They said that for obj last couple years.
What has he done?
Means nothing IMO
July 15th, 2021 at 11:34 am
I’m all in on the Bucs, but this will be a test, a healthy Dak may pose as one of the best offenses the Bucs defense will face. I do believe the Bucs will outscore the Cowboys, but an elusive Dak with their line returning healthy, a couple of good RBs and a trio of nice receivers (sounds like the Bucs offense) except for the QB position will be a nice early test. Cowboys and Rams are really the only two teams has potential to drop 24-30 on us if we are not sharp out of the gate.
July 15th, 2021 at 11:35 am
Zeke is an overrated overpaid bum.
The man was babbied behind the great wall of dallas for his entire career look how well he did last year. NOT GOOD, the UFA backup did a better job then him behind the same line.
The dude coughed the ball up so much last year too.
Zeke was a botch of a draft pick. What’s more important, a running back the most replaceable position or a top 5 corner in the NFL?
July 15th, 2021 at 11:48 am
I predict our secondary gets shredded and zeke eats because of it.
July 15th, 2021 at 11:57 am
I predict Bucs 34 Cowgirls 20.
July 15th, 2021 at 11:58 am
Let me get this out o the way: Zeke has talent. BUT… how much?
There’s a downward slope in his yards per carry since he was drafted (outlier year 2). How much of the early success was the Dallas OLine (which was perhaps one of the top 2 NFL Olines) and how much was him? Since he’s on a downward slope, is that from deterioration of the Dallas OLine (it was better, past tense) or is that cumulative wear and tear affecting Zeke?
July 15th, 2021 at 11:59 am
More like Cowboys will have their hands full with RoJo, Fournette and Bucs receivers. Dak and Zeke will make a few plays, but Bucs win handily.
July 15th, 2021 at 12:00 pm
Not to mention that we get him during the time in the season where defenses are traditionally ahead of offenses. But with Zak im his first game back they will clearly try to establish the run. Good luck.
July 15th, 2021 at 12:06 pm
This will be an ugly game.
Their defense is young and lacks talent. Bucs will score easily.
The Dallas won’t have the luxury of running the ball. The offense will become one dimensional, and Dak will be under constant pressure. He’ll get pulled in the fourth after taking multiple sacks/hits.
40-16
July 15th, 2021 at 12:14 pm
The Cowboys are the most overpaid, overrated TEAM in the entire NFL. If we lose every other game this season we HAVE to beat the Cowboys!
Yes, I HATE the Cowboys!
July 15th, 2021 at 12:34 pm
I think it’s foolish to pay huge money to a RB… Draft one in the first round – use them up for 5 seasons then draft another one.
How many RBs are still playing at a high level and injury free after 5 seasons?
July 15th, 2021 at 1:33 pm
i think it’ll be a slug fest through the first quarter and a half…mid way thru the 2nd quarter BL & Bowles will show why they’re both HC’s…
BUCS win 34-13…
Dak will be rusty and nervous…dallas has a new DC…
GO BUCS!!!!!
July 15th, 2021 at 1:54 pm
Why should Zeke (snotty ring in the nose) Elliott be any different than any other RB the Bucs face…….he will be shut down as with the Cowboys.
July 15th, 2021 at 2:03 pm
I’m not worried. Remember they have MacCarty to help them suck….🤣
July 15th, 2021 at 2:22 pm
Kenny Bell once had good feet in underwear football. I’m selling any notion that the cowboys are finding some kind of next level with their current roster, be it against the Bucs or any other opponent. They’re a 9-8 team.
July 15th, 2021 at 2:35 pm
Dak has been healthy since he came into the league, minus last year, and has done what..? Remind me please…How many playoff games has he won? In his rookie season he was 13-3. He is 29-24 since, most of that time with one of the best O-lines and a top 5 running back. If he wasn’t in Dallas he’d be an afterthought.
July 15th, 2021 at 2:51 pm
PassingThru, you’re not wrong which is why I think he’s a bit overrated. I’m not saying he sucks but there are a few other backs in the NFL I’d rather have over Zeke.
July 15th, 2021 at 2:55 pm
I agree. I think he’s overrated. He’ll never lead that team anywhere meaningful and Cowboys fans will still try to remind the rest of us of how awesome their team was 30 years ago.
July 15th, 2021 at 3:09 pm
AltBuc, Dak is 1-2 in the playoffs.
Abysmal. They only have 3 playoff games and paid him that much coin?
What’s crazier is Matt Stafford is 0-3. 11 seasons and three playoff appearances and zero wins.
“Experts” are picking 0-3 to beat the Bucs and represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
July 15th, 2021 at 4:05 pm
Devin White will not let Zeke get going.
July 15th, 2021 at 4:12 pm
I am not and will not be intimidated by a man in a belly shirt.
July 15th, 2021 at 4:50 pm
Every off season they talk about the Cowgirls and every year they finish 8-8. The most overrated team in sports history.
July 15th, 2021 at 7:53 pm
E E looks like an Ewock.
July 15th, 2021 at 8:28 pm
FACTS Wesley!
July 15th, 2021 at 9:42 pm
Ewokial Elliott indeed. I still can’t believe Jerry J. paid that much for an injured Dak…it blows my mind. Bucs got TB12 below market value without surrendering nary a draft pick. Very fortunate…