Ezekiel Elliott of the Cowboys proves the complaints were valid. This is a surprise that no one expected

No position has caused more controversy for the Dallas Cowboys this season than running back. This remained the case before kickoff against the San Francisco 49ers, as starter Rico Dowdle was sidelined due to an apparent illness that struck him upon his arrival at Levi’s Stadium.

Dowdle’s surprising absence gave Ezekiel Elliott a starting role. In a timeshare with newly active Dalvin Cook, Elliott made his first start since the season opener on Sunday evening.

While Cowboys fans have tempered their expectations of the NFL’s worst rushing attack, they’ve actually had reasonably good success on the ground against a normally stingy 49ers defense.

Elliott played a big role, highlighting the offense’s best performance in weeks with a touchdown that gave Dallas a 7-3 lead in the second quarter.

This is vintage Zeke.

If you recall, Elliott expressed frustration with his role in the offense after the Cowboys beat the Steelers in Week 5. According to team reporter Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports, Elliott was apparently “flabbergasted” by his lack of opportunities in the red zone.

Elliott’s complaint came, for lack of a better term, after Rico Dowdle fumbled while trying to get into the end zone against Pittsburgh with seconds left in regulation. If Dak Prescott hadn’t pounced on the football, the Cowboys would have lost the game.

Although Elliott’s words came across as selfish, it turns out there was some truth to them. The two-time rushing champion has long been one of the NFL’s best goal-line running backs. He has an unteachable feel for the end zone and that proved true with his touchdown in the second quarter.

It’s no secret that Dowdle is the best RB on the roster. Elliott has taken a big backseat to the former undrafted free agent, but has proven multiple times this season that he can still be effective in a timeshare. It’s just that he’s exceeding expectations in a leadership role compared to the 49ers.

There’s still a lot of game left, but Elliott was a catalyst for Dallas’ TD drive and that’s the difference in the game right now. He has six carries for 49 yards and counting. That’s already the most yards he’s had in a game this season, and his 4.8 yards per carry is by far his best performance.

Perhaps Elliott had a desire to play a larger role.

More Cowboys news and analysis