To put it in simpler terms, the Cowboys are half of what they usually are without star running back Ezekiel Elliott. Not trying to insult here, but it is the truth. The absence of Elliott as not only a running back, but as a decoy affects both the offense and the defense. With Elliott missing the next six games due to his suspension, the Cowboys are left to fill a hole in their team that may ultimately cost them their season.

For evidence, just look at the last two games the Cowboys have played, both without Elliott. The first game, a 27-7 Cowboys lose to the Atlanta Falcons, showed how one dimensional the Cowboys offense is without Elliott. It started out promising, with the Cowboys putting together a solid drive, capped off by a Dak Prescott touchdown run. After that, it felt like reality had set in, with the Falcons scoring 27 unanswered points on their way to a dominating win. If anything, this game gave the Cowboys a preview of how it was going to be, and what they need to do to be functional without Elliott.

The second game seemed almost identical to the first, only difference was that the Cowboys gave up more points in a 37-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. This time, the Cowboys did not even score a touchdown. Quarterback Dak Prescott summed up the game for the whole team in his stat line, a measly 145 passing yards and three interceptions. Again, the offense seemed dysfunctional, however backup running back Alfred Morris did show us his abilities, running for 91 yards. Still, there was no end result at the end of many productive drives for the Cowboys, which either resulted in interceptions or punts.

Elliott’s impact on the field is immense. People are now seeing just how much he means to the Cowboys. Not only Is he an explosive, powerful player, adding a strong run game behind the Cowboys talented and experienced offensive line, but he has an affect on the whole team as well. His ability to pass block for Dak Prescott allows Prescott extra time in the pocket to throw. With the ability to run with Elliott, it opens up the play-action possibilities for the Cowboys. More than anything, he is a decoy for opposing defenses, allowing for opportunities for other players on the offense to get the ball. All in all, Elliott is a very important player for the team.

Whether or not the Cowboys did well without Elliott, his lost presence with definitely be missed. This puts more pressure on players like Dak Prescott, wide receiver Dez Bryant, and running back Alfred Morris. Currently, the Cowboys have a record of 5-5, still on the hunt for playoffs, but the task just became much harder.