WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

October 04, 2018 at 1:09 am.

–When the dust settled on Week 4 of the NFL season, the Cowboys not only held steady with a 2-2 record, they had league leaders in a couple of very important individual statistical categories.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who topped the NFL in rushing yards as a rookie in 2016, is once again at the top with 426 yards. That puts him at 106.5 yards per game and 88 yards in front of the Rams’ Todd Gurley II in second place.

Elliott surged into first place in the rushing category by carrying 25 times for 152 yards on Sunday in a 26-24 victory over the Lions.

“I think we got back to our old self, you know what I mean, and it showed,” Elliott said. “We wore that defense down and we hit some big runs in the second half. And then we went out there and did what we had to do to win the game.”

Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is also leading the NFL in his most glamorous category as he has 5.5 sacks through four games. Lawrence is half a sack in front of three players tied for second with 5.0 sacks. Going into the Monday Night Football contest between Kansas City and Denver, Broncos linebacker Von Miller had a chance to pass Lawrence. But Miller, who entered the game with four sacks, couldn’t corral Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the backfield.

Lawrence, who finished tied for second in the league with 14.5 sacks in 2017, is off to another blazing start as the leader of the Hot Boyz, the Dallas D-line’s self-appointed nickname.

“I am basically trying to show the world that I am no one-trick pony,” Lawrence said. “Every time I step on the field, I am here to put on a show.”

–Linebacker Sean Lee’s absence from the field due to injury caused major problems for the Cowboys’ defense in 2017.

Although it’s a new season and the Cowboys were very careful to keep Lee healthy during training camp, he’s once again sidelined with a hamstring injury. But Dallas drafted linebacker Leighton Vander Esch in the first round for just such a scenario.

Vander Esch, from Boise State, got his first start on Sunday and he was effective against the Lions. The rookie had five solo tackles and one assist. But, more important than individual stats, he kept Dallas from dropping off with Lee out. The Cowboys made enough plays on defense to grasp a 26-24 victory over the Lions.

“This was huge,” Vander Esch said. “I think it gave us a big boost of confidence. There’s still stuff to clean up, that’s the thing, but we’ve got things all around the game to clean up. It was an amazing team win and it felt good to get the W and everyone played awesome.”

–Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving has completed his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and reported for full duty.

Garrett said the team will evaluate Irving during practice, however the Dallas coach hasn’t given an indication as of Wednesday whether or not Irving will be activated for this week’s game at Houston.

Irving dealt with personal issues instead of joining the team at training camp, but came back to team headquarters to work out separately from the team a couple of weeks ago. He tallied seven sacks in eight games last season.

BY THE NUMBERS: 137.8 – Ezekiel Elliott’s total yards per game this season, third in the NFL among non-quarterbacks. Elliott boosted the total on Sunday by rushing for 152 yards and catching four passes for 88 yards in the Cowboys’ win over the Lions.

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