Cowboys News: Ezekiel Elliott able to continue to play; Cowboys still most valuable NFL franchise

Texas Judge Denies NFL Emergency Motion For Stay Of Elliott Injunction - CBS DFW

The NFL appealed Judge Amos L. Mazzant’s decision to allow hold off Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension. However, as expected, Mazzant stood by his initial decision.

Judge Amos L. Mazzant (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Sherman) has denied the National Football League’s emergency motion for a stay of the preliminary injunction against Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. The ruling allows Elliott to keep playing while his 6-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy remains in limbo.

According to court documents, the basis for the NFLPA’s petition to vacate is that Harold Henderson (NFL Arbitrator) denied Ezekiel Elliott a fundamentally fair arbitration proceeding by denying certain evidentiary requests, including; access to investigator notes; ability to cross-examine accuser Tiffany Thompson; and the ability to question NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Despite the ruling today, Zeke’s suspension can come at any time.

Emergency stay of injunction denied for NFL in Ezekiel Elliott case, running back can keep playing for now - Dave Halprin, Blogging The Boys

Haplrin notes that although the NFL has requested a ruling by next week, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals does not have an obligation to reach that time frame.

Judge Amos Mazzant denied the NFL’s emergency motion for a stay of the injunction granted to Ezekiel Elliott. The move was expected since the same judge was the one who originally granted the preliminary injunction allowing Ezekiel Elliott to stay on the field while his case makes its way through the court system. The ruling means Elliott can continue to play until the NFL’s next appeal is heard.

That emergency order motion has already been field with the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by the NFL. They have requested a ruling by September 19th and no later than September 26th, but the court is under no obligation to give a ruling in that timeframe.

Elliott still able to play after latest ruling - ESPN (VIDEO)

Ryan Smith talks about Zeke’s current situation.

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LaDainian Tomlinson Says Ezekiel Elliott 'Absolutely Quit' on Cowboys - Tyler Conway, Bleacher Report

Despite the good news on Monday, Zeke still faced his fair share of criticism following his eight yards on nine carries performance on Sunday. In fact, Hall of Famer LaDanian Tomlinson went as far to say that the Cowboys running back ‘absolutely quit’ on his team in week two.

Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson said Ezekiel Elliott "absolutely quit" on his Dallas Cowboys teammates in Sunday's 42-17 loss to the Denver Broncos.

"Zeke, to his credit, he didn't have any room today," Tomlinson said Sunday on NFL Network (h/t Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). "He was running, getting hit in the backfield, making moves in the backfield. But all of that is OK. I didn't like the way he quit today. I didn't like that. He absolutely quit on his team today."

"First his attitude on the sideline. Clearly, he didn't have any communication with his teammates," Tomlinson said about Elliott. "But also, he didn't want to talk to his teammates. Some times when things are going wrong, as a leader of that team, as a captain, you have to step up and rally the troops. You have to go to the offensive line and say, 'I know it's tough but let's keep battling, let's keep fighting.' You have to go to the quarterback and say, 'Hey man, I'm not getting it done today - you have to step it up.' You have to rally the troops.

Cowboys Need to Discipline Ezekiel Elliott for Lack of Effort in Loss to Broncos - Peter King, MMQB

Do the Cowboys need to discipline Zeke for his outing and attitude against the Broncos? Peter King certainly believes so.

I don’t like what Ezekiel Elliott did Sunday. At all.

With the Cowboys down 18 to Denver in the middle of the third quarter, Elliott, the defending NFL rushing champion, ran a route from the left slot. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for the receiver just outside Elliott to the left, Dez Bryant; the ball went through Bryant’s hands, and Denver’s Chris Harris intercepted it. At the time of the interception, Harris was about five yards away from Elliott. Elliott immediately stopped and put his hands on his hips and didn’t chase Harris. Harris ran to his left, passing maybe four yards from Elliott at their closest point. Eventually, in a zig-zag course, Harris ran back to his right and was tackled by a Dallas lineman.

It was a stunning lack of effort in the middle of a game that was still certainly in play. Dallas, down 28-10 at the time of the Harris interception, had six possessions after that. So often in cases like this, the player gets a pass. And very often, Dallas players get passes, because the Cowboys take chances on great players who have character or behavior or ethos flaws. Elliott might have all three of those. To give up on that play was horrendous. Dallas coach Jason Garrett has to do something about it—if he has not already. Owner Jerry Jones should back his coach 100 percent when Garrett does discipline Elliott. And if Garrett does not, then there’s something seriously wrong in Dallas.

Tiki Barber: Here's What Cowboys Should Do About Ezekiel Elliott - Sports Illustrated (VIDEO)

The former New York Giants running back talks about Ezekiel Elliott’s performance on Sunday and how he did not attempt to tackle Chris Harris. When asked, Barber says he doesn’t believe the Cowboys need to “send a message to Zeke”.

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Sturm: How Broncos handed Cowboys a beat down of the highest order and what it means - Bob Sturm, SportsDay

Bob Sturm writes his thoughts on the Cowboys’ performance against the Broncos, Dak Prescott, and Ezekiel Elliott’s lack of effort.

Sturm doesn’t hold back. He’s blunt about the way the Cowboys played in week two.

But we do know the results. The result was a severe beatdown of the highest order, to what is considered a fringe playoff contender in the AFC. Being physically manhandled on both sides of the ball in a way which we have seldom seen in these parts the past few years. In fact, the 25-point loss was the most punishing defeat on the scoreboard since similar humiliations in New Orleans in 2013 (by 32), in Philadelphia in 2011 (by 27) and the night Wade Phillips was fired in Green Bay back in 2010 (by 38).

Those games did not receive the same cosmetic treatment this one did, as the Cowboys were able to make the final box score a bit more flattering after the Broncos had extended the drubbing to 35-10 with six minutes to go in the third quarter. From there, the Broncos allowed the Cowboys to grow their absurdly low offensive numbers from 92 yards to 268 (still atrocious, but no longer historically atrocious) and their first down total from six to 16. But the damage was there for all to see. Dallas was never remotely competitive in this game from the opening kickoff, when they meekly surrendered a quick three-and-out series and then allowed Denver to march 78 yards right down the field and punch in the opening touchdown.

He points out that regardless of who is behind center, or how much pressure there is, the Broncos know play excellent coverage.

So, as we tick down that list, it is easier to understand Prescott's passer rating of 68.6 with a completion percentage of 60 percent and just one 20-yard play (the 28-yard touchdown to Jason Witten well after the game was decided). The Broncos have the personnel in their secondary to match up, get physical and prevent a catch of substance. If they do, they definitely aren't going to allow big runs after the catch because the physical mentality of their defensive backs is right there with Seattle, and similar to those Seahawks, putting pressure on the quarterbacks helps, but it is not mandatory. Even if Prescott gets a clean pocket and time to look, there is just not much to see downfield.

Sturm wasn’t too pleased with Zeke on Sunday, to say the least.

Oh, speaking of Elliott.

I don't know when Elliott actually hung the moon for the rest of us, but for a 22-year old running back who is standing five yards away to put his hands on his hips and not even flinch as Chris Harris Jr. intercepted a pass, let alone consider helping his teammates chase Harris down, is just the epitome of horrendous. There is no excuse for that, and I hope he is properly humiliated when the team watches film Monday and sees how little he cared to pitch in and help. We all know his authority figures in the organization are very unlikely to light him up for that, but perhaps a teammate or two will let him know that greater players than him didn't find it difficult to keep trying when the day was not going their way. That was very, very poor.

Dak and Zeke report: No running room in ugly loss to Broncos - VAfan, BTB

VAfan talks about Dak and Zeke’s week two performance.

What’s the problem here? There were no holes. There was no push. Almost all the runs were up the middle, and were stuffed. I counted one attempted rush to the right end, but it was negated by a penalty. There were only two drives where Zeke received more than one carry, and there were five drives where he didn’t receive any. His longest carry was five yards on fourth and one.

Is it fair to say Zeke brought no energy to the game? He looked disinterested to me on sideline shots, but I wonder if that’s just how he is when he’s sitting. Am I reading too much of the situation into it? What could be more telling is Bob Sturm ripping him for making no effort to stop Chris Harris after he intercepted the ball off Dez Bryant’s hands just after halftime.

After putting up two polar-opposite performances, will the real Dallas Cowboys please stand up? - Kevin Sherrington, SportsDay

After physically dominating the Giants in week one and being embarrassed by the Broncos in week two, Sherrington asks if the real Dallas Cowboys will please stand up.

So after two polar-opposite games, are the Cowboys the bunch that dominated the Giants?

Or was that belly-flop in Denver something we should get used to?

My guess is they're closer to the former than the latter, but, at least one disturbing trend continues to grow.

Sherrington mentions how awful Dak and the offensive line looked in Mile High.

The World's Greatest Offensive Line performed like a band of AARP members trying to hold back the crowd at a Walmart opening. The defense made Trevor Siemian look like the old Broncos quarterback up in the suites, watching through binoculars. Meanwhile, Dak Prescott resembled the quarterback everyone pegged as a fourth-rounder. Or worse.

The Cowboys were so inept, it was a victory when they managed to remain upright. They slipped and slid and spun their wheels. The sight of Jeff Heath - head down, feet pedaling the air while his man ran away from him -- is an image that will stick with me awhile.

He says Dak and Dez must improve on their chemistry, but he also believes Sean Lee, Jason Witten, and Ezekiel Elliott will all be better moving forward.

From here on out, I expect the offensive line will play closer to its reputation. Sean Lee won't whiff on tackles. Jason Witten won't drop touchdown passes. Zeke won't average next-to-nothing.

NFL Week 2 overreactions: Is Cowboys' offense in trouble? - Lorenzo Reyes, USA Today Sports

Are the Cowboys overrated? That’s one overreaction from week two.

The Cowboys are overrated

It’s not a shock that the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Denver Broncos 42-17 on Sunday. What’s surprising is how the defeat unfolded.

The Broncos crafted an excellent defensive game plan by loading the box with extra defenders and clogging running lanes. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who led the NFL in rushing last year as a rookie, was held to an astonishing career low of 8 yards on nine carries.

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The Dallas Cowboys Head The NFL's Most Valuable Teams At $4.8 Billion - Kurt Badenhausen, Forbes

The Cowboys continue to be America’s Team, as Forbes says the Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable franchise in the National Football League. The franchise’s history and fan support is unlike any other in sports. With two young stars leading the team, it’s no surprise that the Cowboys continue to be popular and valuable.

The Cowboys are the NFL's most valuable team for the 11th straight year and the world's most valuable sports franchise. America’s Team is worth $4.8 billion, up 14%, with profits of $350 million thanks to a booming merchandise business and the revenue opportunities at their new practice facility, The Star.

The Cowboys generate more than $150 million annually from sponsors. Owner Jerry Jones revolutionized the sponsorship template in the NFL two years after he purchased the team in 1993. He secured agreements with big brands Nike, Pepsi and American Express tied to his stadium, instead of the team, to get around the NFL's control of sponsorships for clubs. Lawsuits flew before Jones settled with the NFL, and a new era was ushered in with teams actively selling sponsorships. The NFL’s 32 teams generated $1.4 billion in revenue last season from sponsorships, ad signage and stadium naming rights.