Dallas Cowboys running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard are on pace to amass more than 2,800 yards from scrimmage this season.
The Cowboys have quarterback Dak Prescott and receiving threats in wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper and tight end Dalton Schultz, but the two running backs set the table for the NFL’s No. 1-ranked offense (at 434.4 yards per game), an offense that the Falcons will face at 1 p.m. Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
A slimmed-down Elliott has rushed 128 times for 622 yards and five touchdowns. Pollard has rushed 72 times for 403 yards and a touchdown. Elliott has caught 22 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Pollard has 17 catches for 148 yards.
Combined, Elliott and Pollard have amassed 1,025 yards rushing, 301 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
“If you are playing on defense, every player is at the point of attack,” Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. “A lot of times they’ll say you have to stop the off-tackle play. You’ve got to stop the outside play and set the edge.”
Pees will take a different approach with Elliott and Pollard.
“When they get handed the ball, every player on that defense is at the point of the attack,” Pees said. “I’ve the seen the ball that’s supposed to be run in the A-gap, and (Elliott) jumps that thing all the way outside, and he’s got a big gain.”
Elliott’s and Pollard’s running styles are similar.
“They can run downhill,” Pees said. “They’ve got a low center of gravity. The other thing is that when you tackle them, you better bring everybody to the party because they’ll spin.
“I’ve seen one hand on the ground, and he comes up. Everybody thinks he’s down, but he’s not down. Both of those guys. I think they are really complimentary to each other. I just think that everybody is at the point of attack when they get the ball.”
-Staff writer Anfernee Patterson contributed to this article.
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Bye Week
Next four games
Falcons at Cowboys, 1 p.m. Sunday
Patriots at Falcons, 8:20 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18
Falcons at Jacksonville, 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 28
Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 5
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