Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott’s Fumble Stat Has Fans Facepalming

The Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals faced off during Monday Night Football in the first game since Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending compound fracture in his ankle. Many fans expected America’s Team to find success overall with backup Andy Dalton considering the talent level on the offense, especially with running back Ezekiel Elliott leading the way. However, the former first-round pick (2016) struggled mightily during the 38-10 loss, losing two fumbles and only rushing for 49 yards.

According to the Twitter account My Sports Update, the two fumbles took Elliott to five on the season (four lost). This total in only six games matches the number of fumbles from his rookie season and is only one shy of his career-high of six in 2018. When fans saw the stat, they immediately expressed irritation. The offense needs Elliott to play at an All-Pro level while Prescott heals, but the fumbles will create a significant issue.

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“cowboys fans said he was the best back in the league,” one football fan commented after hearing about the lost fumbles. Performing well on the field is important for Elliott, and many fans expressed faith in his ability to do so. Others, however, took the opportunity to joke about the number of fumbles this early in the season. They said that Elliott doesn’t quite compare to some of the other big-name running backs across the NFL, such as Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans.

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Talk about poor timing. When football fans saw that Elliott has struggled with fumbles during the 2020 season, they reacted by complaining about the timing. Some expressed outrage about Elliott failing to fumble during critical games against division opponents while others said that the running back is hurting them in a virtual manner. They have waited for many years to select Elliott in fantasy football, but each fumble brings a two-point penalty.

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Are Elliott’s struggles based on a sense of complacency? Some fans expressed this opinion and pointed at the running back’s massive contract extension he signed prior to the 2019 season. They said that Elliott “doesn’t have to try” anymore now that he is an extremely wealthy man with a guaranteed contract.

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The Cowboys just paid Elliott one year ago, but some fans are already asking to turn the page. Many expressed the opinion that it’s time to move on and look toward the future. They specifically mentioned selecting a talented, young running back out of the college ranks during the 2021 NFL Draft. Additionally, they said that the Cowboys should ship Elliott to a running back-needy team in exchange for at least a first-round pick.

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Some Dallas Cowboys fans obviously focused on Elliott while expressing irritation about his fumbling issues. Others, however, wanted to take aim at a different team. Many compared the running back to players on the NFC East-rival New York Giants. They expressed the opinion that Elliott is struggling, but he is “still better” than second-year quarterback Daniel Jones, as well as other members of the team.

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Six games into the season, fans of the Cowboys are adjusting their mindset. They still have faith that the 2-4 team can make the playoffs, but they have changed their opinions about Elliott’s talent. Now they are acting like fans of the 2009 Minnesota Vikings and Adrian Peterson. They express excitement when a play doesn’t end in a fumble, especially late in the game when the team needs to score.

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Is it time to part ways with Elliott despite the massive contract extension? Many Cowboys fans expressed this exact opinion on Twitter after hearing about the fumbling issues. They proclaimed that the running back is “no longer hungry.” When fans of other teams saw the despair, they jumped into the conversation with jokes about Bill Belichick. The New England Patriots coach just placed a starting running back on Injured Reserve and could use another option in the backfield. Some fans joked that he would be willing to step in provide Elliott with a home.