Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott hasn’t quite picked up where he left off during his rookie season and even his successful runs have led to questions about whether something’s off in his game.
Elliott had a 30-yard run against the Cardinals in last Monday’s victory that came after he bounced outside and some have wondered if he could have gone all the way to the end zone if he’d stayed vertical. Others wondered if Elliott didn’t score because he’s lost a step, which led to a question for Elliott about what he’d say to those people.
“Shut up,” Elliott said, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Elliott said he thought the way he ran the play led to more yards than he would have doing things another way, but neither that response nor his blunt rebuke mean he thinks the running game is firing on all cylinders.
“We’ve had a little bit of growing pains in the first couple of games, but we’re getting there,” Elliott said. “We’re getting into a rhythm and plan on getting better every week.”
Elliott had a miserable day against the Broncos in Week Two, but he’s been productive if not explosive in the team’s other two games. The Cowboys have won both of those games, which makes it easier to wait for a breakout from the leading rusher in the NFL last season.