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FRISCO, Tex. -- Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott had a little fender bender Wednesday morning that scared the entire Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. But just as he did when he was seven years old, Elliott left the accident and made it to practice.
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There were no injuries and the accident was minor. The Dallas faithful were able to breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'm fine. I'm healthy. I'm good," Elliott said afterward. "It's like nothing happened. My car is messed up, that's about it."
More important, the Cowboys' game plan remains intact for Sunday's NFC divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys are a run-first, ball-control team with Elliott as the centerpiece of their attack.
Elliott gashed the Packers for 157 yards on 28 carries in a 30-16 victory earlier this season. Going into the game, the Packers had the top-ranked run defense in the league while allowing only 42.8 yards a game.
"That was when I was starting to get really rolling," Elliott said. "We've just got to watch that film and see what made me so successful in that game."
The Cowboys have been better on defense of late. They finished the season ranked eighth in rushing defense (94.7) and held the New York Giants to only 70 rushing yards in the wild-card round on Sunday.
The Packers have not faced a run game as strong as the Cowboys, nor a running back as good as Elliott.
As Green Bay nose tackle Letroy Guion said, "Packers are doing good right now, so let's go. (Elliott) is doing a good job, hats off to the rookie, but Pack coming to town, baby."
Elliott acknowledged that the Packers are playing better. But running the ball is what the Cowboys do best. It's not about stopping Elliott in the first quarter, it's stopping him for four quarters.
"There's nothing like going out there and playing four quarters of tough football," Elliott said. "There's nothing better than seeing you take your opponent's will. I mean, that fourth quarter and start taking those big runs."
