The Dallas Cowboys overcame a sluggish first-quarter start to score 20 unanswered points against the Cleveland Browns. Dak Prescott has picked up right where he left off last regular season and CeeDee Lamb is in All-Pro form despite only starting practice again less than two weeks ago.

While there was some concern that Prescott and Lamb might be a little rusty against the Browns’ stingy defense, is it really that surprising that they’re playing at a high level? Absolutely not. That’s what great players do.

While Prescott, Lamb and Micah Parsons, who took control of the game in the second quarter, stole the show, the story of the game so far has been none other than Ezekiel Elliott.

Yes, you read that right. Elliott, wearing No. 15 in his second stint with the Cowboys, performed much better than fans expected, capping a strong first half with a short touchdown run that gave Dallas a 14-3 lead.

In addition to the touchdown, Elliott totaled 44 yards from the line of scrimmage on nine touches (eight carries, one catch) in the first half. The veteran running back proved early that he was going to have a good day when he leapfrogged Browns cornerback Denzel Ward on the first play from the line of scrimmage.

The run was called back for a holding violation, but Zeke looked more alert than he had shown all summer.

You wouldn’t expect Spry and Elliott to be in the same sentence in 2024, but we’re just listening to what our eyes tell us. The two-time rushing champion left several tacklers running into thin air and he had an excellent blitz pickup to save Prescott from a potential sack.

Elliott’s touchdown was just a three-yard run, but the Cowboys struggled a lot running in the red zone last season. Among 49 running backs who had at least 100 carries, Tony Pollard’s six scores were ranked 17th, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Elliott is a more physical running back than Pollard, but he’s also more adept at evading tackles and dropping forward. Although the 29-year-old isn’t what he once was from an athletic standpoint, his vision and intelligence as a runner are still among the best in the business.

One game doesn’t mean Zeke will be great all season, but there’s no denying that he’s still making a big impact, and if he puts in more performances like that, Cowboys fans are going to have to deal with way too much criticism over the next five months.

Maybe management did know what they were doing after all.

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