Dallas Cowboys: 5 Things to build on from crucial win vs. Eagles

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 20: Tony Pollard #20 of the Dallas Cowboys reacts during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles in the game at AT&T Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

2. Split up the carries

One thing that really stood out in this win was the way the Cowboys split up the duties of running the ball. We all know Ezekiel Elliott is capable of carrying the load and getting 30 carries a game, but there’s no reason to do that if others on the team can be effective and help him out some.

In Week 7, Dallas finally did that, and they were very creative in doing so. They ended up with 189 yards on the ground on 36 carries — with only 22 of those being handled by Elliott. They also had three rushing touchdowns, all by a different player.

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Their first score of the game was an impressive run by wide receiver Tavon Austin, who lined up in the backfield and took a pitch from Dak Prescott 20 yards for a touchdown. Prescott also got in on the fun as he ran 30 yards on five carries with a touchdown of his own.

Elliott scored the other rushing touchdown, taking it in from one-yard out in the first quarter. He finished with 111 yards on the ground and added 36 yards on six receptions as well.

As for the player with the second-most carries, Tony Pollard finished with 28 yards on eight carries. It could have been much more but he had a long run called back due to a penalty.

The main point is, the Cowboys ran the ball well with several different players. They need to continue to do that as it will allow Elliott to save some wear and tear, plus they have guys such as Austin and Pollard who can break any play for a long score. Players with that kind of ability need to get their chances as well.

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