Dallas Cowboys: Five bold predictions for 2017

BOLD PREDICTION #3

Ezekiel Elliott will rush for 2,000+ yards in 2017.

In 96 years of there being such a thing as the National Football League, there have only been seven men to rush for 2,000+ yards.  Ezekiel Elliott will be the eighth in 2017.

Looking at those other seven times, the first thing that I notice is the number of carriers each running back received.  All seven players were given more carries in their 2,000+ yard seasons that Elliott received in 2017.

Now, it’s a good thing that the Dallas Cowboys did not over work Elliott in his rookie year.  Obviously, the Cowboys want Elliott around for a long, long time, however I think he’s ready to go for 2,000.

Last year, Zeke had 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns on 322 carries.

On average the seven men who have ran for 2,000+ yards totaled 2,046 yards on 362 carries in those seasons.

Elliott’s 5.1 yards per carry last year would tie him for the worst of any of the previous seven with Broncos’ Hall of Famer Terrell Davis. Davis was given the ball 392 times in 1998.  The Cowboys will not do that to Zeke, especially with a capable back up in Darren McFadden around.

If, however, Elliott can increase his yards per carry from 5.1 to 5.4, he will only need 49 more carries in 2017 to obtain 2,000+.

Now, remember too that Elliott did not play in Week 17 while having three other games of less than 20 carries.  When you factor in that information, it’s easy to see how Ezekiel Elliott could be the next man to 2K.