Dallas Cowboys: 5 Bold predictions for 2021 NFL season

OXNARD, CA - JULY 24: Running back Ezekiel Elliott #21 and quarterback Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warm up before the start of training camp at River Ridge Complex on July 24, 2021 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
OXNARD, CA - JULY 24: Running back Ezekiel Elliott #21 and quarterback Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys warm up before the start of training camp at River Ridge Complex on July 24, 2021 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
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Dallas Cowboys
CINCINNATI, OH – DECEMBER 13: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys runs the ball during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on December 13, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Dallas Cowboys bold prediction No. 4: Zeke returns to form, tops 1,500 yards

We have heard it before that Ezekiel Elliott is putting in the work and ready to get back to form. And then we get let down when he looks slower than he has in the past and struggles to make players miss.

As we enter the 2021 season, it’s hard to know if the latest “Zeke is back” claims are legit or not. He’s looked great in his workout videos and on HBO’s Hard Knocks, he appeared to look like the player who was carrying the Dallas offense to the playoffs in 2018.

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However, he has yet to appear in any games since the Cowboys kept him sidelined for the preseason — which they normally do. Our first chance to see what Elliot can really do in 2021 will be on Sep. 9 when they play against the Bucs.

This second bold prediction is that he actually does turn back the clock some and puts up over 1,500 yards on the ground. One of the reasons to believe in Zeke is the fact that he will have some help back this season.

Elliot clearly suffered due to the loss of Dak Prescott last season which was ironic since the original theory was that Zeke was the reason Prescott looked good. 2020 proved that this was simple Dallas quarterback hate, which comes with the role. That will again be proven wrong when Prescott helps Zeke return to form by forcing defenses to back off the line or risk seeing him torch them with their impressive wide receiver corps, which is the subject of our next prediction.