As the seemingly never-ending Ezekiel Elliott suspension story unfolds, many presume the weekly drama of will-he-or-won’t-he-play is a huge distraction for Cowboys coaches, players and team executives. Many also think Dallas' opponent each week is frazzled by uncertainty as it decides whether to prepare for Elliott.
I'd say neither of those assumptions is correct.
Now that we’re halfway though the 2017 season, I believe the Cowboys have become increasingly used to the situation. It has become part of the week's normal order of events with Dallas: The league tries to enforce the running back’s six-game suspension, Elliott and his attorneys get a temporary restraining order, he has a normal practice week and he starts on Sundays. Meanwhile, opponents plan to face Elliott, who hasn't missed a game all year.
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When Elliott’s suspension for violation of the league's domestic violence policy was first announced in August (after a protracted one-year investigation by the NFL), there was significant consternation expressed by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in light of no charges ever being filed in the courts against the running back. But as the weeks have passed and Elliott has not missed a game, that discussion has toned down.
And as the team has learned to live with the Elliott case, it has started to hit its stride on the field, with three straight double-digit wins to improve to 5-3 entering Week 10. Elliott is managing to have another excellent season, ranking second in the league in rushing, with 783 yards, after leading the NFL in his rookie year. His yards per carry average is down a full yard, as defenses have been keying on him, but his reception total is up this season.
Not to equate the serious charge of domestic violence with player injuries, but the Elliott situation week to week for the Cowboys seems similar to that of a team for which a top player is questionable due to injury but shows up to play Sunday. Except, in this case, Elliott is able to practice while he awaits word on his appeals.
The injury analogy illustrates our situation when I was with the Titans and our star quarterback, Steve McNair, battled back, sternum and leg injuries from 2000 to '03. He often would be unable to practice during the week but would wind up playing Sunday. The coaching staff, led by Jeff Fisher, came to expect this as the norm, and backup Neil O'Donnell would prepare all week only to see McNair ultimately start.
I'll always remember Week 3 of the 2000 season in Pittsburgh, where McNair did not start due to a sternum injury but came off the bench after O'Donnell got hurt late in the game. McNair led a game-winning drive in his only series.
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As we did with McNair, the Cowboys must be prepared for the possible time when Elliott can no longer escape his suspension. Cowboys execs have made sure to have a quality backup in former Redskins starter Alfred Morris, who is a two-time Pro Bowl selection but has only 14 carries through the first eight games. Dallas also signed the oft-injured Darren McFadden for further insurance at the position, but he has not played so far this season.
As for Cowboys opponents, their defensive coaches will continue to prepare game plans fully anticipating that Elliott will be carrying the load. They know he has been Dallas' primary ball carrier all year, averaging 24 rushes per game.
The defending NFC East-champion Cowboys head into the second half of the season sitting two and a half games behind the 8-1 Eagles. But Dallas knows it will face Philadelphia twice, including a Sunday night meeting at home on Nov. 19, then the regular-season finale in Philly on the afternoon of New Year's Eve.
If the courts finally side with the league and the suspension sticks, the Cowboys losing Elliott down the stretch and possibly in the playoffs would be bad timing.
Elliott is just 22, and if or when he is forced to sit out six games, the Cowboys are hoping he will continue to mature. The totality of his poor decision making — not only in the alleged domestic violence case, but also other issues, such as an alleged bar fight and the St. Patrick's Day incident in March — perhaps played into the NFL's suspension. If there are no repercussions, will Elliott believe he can continue to make poor choices and skate by?
Another problem for the Cowboys and the NFL: The Elliott case makes the league look bad. It keeps a domestic violence issue front and center in a season that already includes enough bad publicity.
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Meanwhile, it's another week and another court hearing … and likely another starting assignment for Elliott in Atlanta on Sunday.
But at some point, the time could come for Elliott to sit out several weeks. At this point, even though they’re prepared to play without their star running back, the Cowboys have to hope it's not until the start of the 2018 season.
Jeff Diamond is a former president of the Titans and former vice president/general manager of the Vikings. He was selected NFL Executive of the Year in 1998. Diamond is currently a business and sports consultant who also does broadcast and online media work. He is the former chairman and CEO of The Ingram Group. Follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffdiamondNFL.
