The Dallas Cowboys were trailing the New York Giants 10-7 with less than two minutes remaining during Sunday Night Football, and they had one final chance to at least tie the game late.
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When the Cowboys' offense took the field inside their own five-yard line, MVP candidate Ezekiel Elliott wasn't on the field. Elliott wasn't hurt; in fact, he was the lone bright spot on the evening for the Dallas offense. Yet, he didn't see the field for the Cowboys' final seven plays or final two possessions of the game.
Dallas, of course, did not score — or come anywhere close — and coach Jason Garrett was left to answer for the mystifying decision to leave Elliott on the bench in favor of third down back Lance Dunbar.
"Lance Dunbar has been in some of those two-minute situations for us and that's been a role that he's played," Garrett said. "Zeke has done that as well, but we just felt that Lance, in those situations was pretty good so we gave him those opportunities."
Elliott is the Cowboys' best back in pass protection, and he's a dangerous weapon in the passing game as well. Elliott took a screen pass 83 yards for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in November.
It was a very questionable decision from Garrett and the Cowboys' 11-game winning streak was snapped. The Cowboys have two losses to the Giants this season and zero to the rest of the league. Perhaps next time Garrett will use Elliott in the crucial stages of the game the next time the Cowboys trail late.
(h/t USA Today)
