LaDainian Tomlinson: Zeke Elliott 'absolutely quit' on the Cowboys; Jason Garrett responds

[bbgun]

Following the Cowboys' 42-17 loss in Denver Sunday afternoon, Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson strongly criticized Ezekiel Elliott.

Tomlinson, the former TCU and Chargers star, said the Cowboys All-Pro running back "absolutely quit on his team."

"Zeke, to his credit, he didn't have any room today," Tomlinson said on NFL Network's NFL GameDay Prime. "He was running, getting hit in the backfield, making moves in the backfield. But all of that is OK. I didn't like the way he quit today. I didn't like that. He absolutely quit on his team today."

Tomlinson was then asked to explain what he meant by saying Elliott "quit" on his team.

"First his attitude on the sideline. Clearly, he didn't have any communication with his teammates. But also, he didn't want to talk to his teammates. Some times when things are going wrong, as a leader of that team, as a captain, you have to step up and rally the troops. You have to go to the offensive line and say, 'I know it's tough but let's keep battling, let's keep fighting.' You have to go to the quarterback and say, 'Hey man, I'm not getting it done today - you have to step it up.' You have to rally the troops.

"They need him to do that because last year, he led the league in rushing. So everybody is looking at him as the top dog. So if you want to be the top dog, you have to do it on and off the field."

Fans on social media were particularly critical of Elliott after the game for not putting forth more of an effort after Broncos cornerback Chris Harris intercepted Dak Prescott midway through the third quarter with the Cowboys trailing 28-10.

The Broncos scored two plays later to make it 35-10.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was asked during his weekly radio appearance Monday morning on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM] if he thought Elliott quit on that play.

"Obviously you want guys to pursue the ball and get the guy to the ground," Garrett said on the Shan and RJ show. "Those things happen sometimes and we'll certainly coach our guys to play the right way. On those takeaways, it's really, really important that everybody gets there and everybody somehow, some way, does everything they can to get the guy to the ground. We'll address that with everybody on our team."

 

[Doomsday]

Well. Zeke's lack of effort and interest was symptomatic of the whole team in this outing. For whatever reason they were not prepared for this opponent or for a game period.

 

[UVAwahoos]

Looks like a player who rightfully could not give two fucks about his head coach or any ramifications for this.

 

[theoneandonly]

I am more troubled by the fact that his explosiveness seems to have greatly lessened. As for his 'fuck it" attitude, we all knew back to his OSU days that he would never be performing surgery.

 

[yimyammer]

I'm more concerned about the overall malaise Zeke appeared to have.

On the interception, he was on his back foot and the guy who picked it off was already running in the opposite direction with a 5 yard head start. Sure he could and probably should have feigned an effort but I doubt it would have made a difference beyond appearances.

The problems revealed by this game seem much deeper and worrisome. I hope Dak isn't turning back into a pumpkin because if Dak is a one year wonder, you can almost guarantee it will take this organization 7 years to figure that out.

And how the fuck does Denver get so many great corners that can tackle so well?

 

[theoneandonly]

I hope Dak isn't turning back into a pumpkin because if Dak is a one year wonder, you can almost guarantee it will take this organization 7 years to figure that out.

Yeah the organization has trouble figuring those things out before they become contractually obligated for long years and big money.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Looks like a player who rightfully could not give two fucks about his head coach or any ramifications for this.

So isn't this the definition of the head coach LOSING his players? Because that was the exact reasoning Jones gave in firing Wade after Green Bay. He claimed that Wade had lost the players.

 

[ThoughtExperiment]

"Obviously you want guys to pursue the ball and get the guy to the ground," Garrett said on the Shan and RJ show. "Those things happen sometimes and we'll certainly coach our guys to play the right way. On those takeaways, it's really, really important that everybody gets there and everybody somehow, some way, does everything they can to get the guy to the ground. We'll address that with everybody on our team."

But Garrett said today he hasn't talked to Zeke about it.

"It's really important that players do this, but when they don't, I won't say anything to them about it."

 

[Doomsday]

But Garrett said today he hasn't talked to Zeke about it.

"It's really important that players do this, but when they don't, I won't say anything to them about it."

It's first year in pee-wee stuff! Nobody should ever have to tell professional players this shit. It says more about Zeke than perhaps he would ever have wanted known.

 

[dbair1967]

Well. Zeke's lack of effort and interest was symptomatic of the whole team in this outing. For whatever reason they were not prepared for this opponent or for a game period.

Very true. he is getting singled out some because they caught it during the game, but go watch clips of other plays. Numerous guys mailed it in.

They acted like a team that didn't want to be there and play a game, and got the fucking shit kicked out of them.

 

[dbair1967]

So isn't this the definition of the head coach LOSING his players? Because that was the exact reasoning Jones gave in firing Wade after Green Bay. He claimed that Wade had lost the players.

The Green Bay debacle where Wade got fired afterward was EXTREMELY similar to yesterday.

 

[NoMoRedJ]

Well. Zeke's lack of effort and interest was symptomatic of the whole team in this outing. For whatever reason they were not prepared for this opponent or for a game period.

"whatever reason?" Its the same reason they werent prepared for the Packers in the playoff game last season. We had a healthy team with the best record in the conference and a banged up broken down team came in and ran the score up before anybody on the Dallas sideline knew what was going on. We all know what the "reason" is for this team every time it isnt prepared to play.

 

[dbair1967]

Looks like a player who rightfully could not give two fucks about his head coach or any ramifications for this.

I don't know if anyone caught it last Sunday night, but after the game (where we beat the guys who beat us twice last yr, season opening huge division win, Zeke played and played a good game) they interviewed Zeke, and he honestly did not seem happy to me. Didn't seem happy that the team won or that a judge had bitch slapped the NFL on his behalf. I really believe he might be battling severe depression. He didn't sound good and he doesn't look good. If he is, it wouldn't be a tremendous shock because of what he has gone through due to Goodell and Friel, but I really do think this thing took a toll on him.

Maybe it's just me, but that's what I took from that interview.

 

[yimyammer]

I don't know if anyone caught it last Sunday night, but after the game (where we beat the guys who beat us twice last yr, season opening huge division win, Zeke played and played a good game) they interviewed Zeke, and he honestly did not seem happy to me. Didn't seem happy that the team won or that a judge had bitch slapped the NFL on his behalf. I really believe he might be battling severe depression. He didn't sound good and he doesn't look good. If he is, it wouldn't be a tremendous shock because of what he has gone through due to Goodell and Friel, but I really do think this thing took a toll on him.

Maybe it's just me, but that's what I took from that interview.

I was getting a vibe that something wasn't right with him as well.

Wonder how much the altitude, if any, had to do with their performance?

This organization seems to have a habit of getting full of itself which inevitably leads to massive servings of humble-pie

 

[JPP1974]

Well you can only hope he had just a bad game. And nothing more than that. As really Denver Defense has been really good the past two weeks. Just hope Zeke will be better in week 3.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

But Garrett said today he hasn't talked to Zeke about it.

"It's really important that players do this, but when they don't, I won't say anything to them about it."

Leadership at its finest.

 

[dbair1967]

But Garrett said today he hasn't talked to Zeke about it.

"It's really important that players do this, but when they don't, I won't say anything to them about it."

That's quality head coaching at its finest there

 

[dbair1967]

But Garrett said today he hasn't talked to Zeke about it.

"It's really important that players do this, but when they don't, I won't say anything to them about it."

Looks like he has checked with Jerry and Stevie, it's ok for him to talk to him now.

Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer*
Jason Garrett said he will have a discussion with Ezekiel Elliott's effort on covering two interceptions in Sunday's loss to Denver. Garrett has yet to speak with Elliott but he was disappointed. "That's not the way we play," Garrett said.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

That's quality head coaching at its finest there

And you wonder why the players quit? Sounds like Garrett himself quit with that statement.

 

[NoMoRedJ]

Garrett with the ole fight and scratch and claw is fundamental for this team nonsense at his presser.