Ezekiel Elliott suspension won't derail Cowboys thanks to depth, Tony Romo says
NEW YORK — Regardless of the decision on Ezekiel Elliott's appeal of his six-game suspension, the Cowboys likely will be without their star running back for a portion of the the 2017 season.
Elliott, who is in the process of appealing the league's ban, led the NFL in rushing last year, his rookie season. He's an integral part of the Cowboys' offense, one who will be missed when Dallas opens its season Sept. 10 against the New York Giants.
But one person who thinks Elliott's absence won't derail the Cowboys' season is former starting quarterback-turned CBS analyst Tony Romo. Speaking Wednesday at a CBS media event, Romo said if there's any team that can manage losing Elliott, it's Dallas.
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"Their offensive talent is just on another level for a lot of teams," Romo said. "I’ve seen it first hand."
Romo went on to list Dallas' offensive pieces, from Dez Bryant to offensive linemen Travis Frederick, Tyron Smith and Zack Martin. (Practically the only player Romo didn't name on Dallas' offense was his replacement at quarterback, Dak Prescott.)
"At every position they’re very good," Romo said. "They’re going to be hard to beat. If anybody can handle Zeke being out it’s them."
Romo also had high praise for wide receiver Cole Beasley, whom Romo referred to as "the most underrated player in the league."
"He’s like Julian Edelman or a Wes Welker," Romo said. "We started to put things in the system a few years back and he’s the guy they want to go to on third down. He’s just really hard to guard."
Romo said it ultimately will be impossible to replace Elliott, but with the likes of Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris in the backfield, Dallas will manage until Elliott returns to the field.
"They have two guys who are backups to him who have played and rushed for over 1,000 yards in the NFL," Romo said. "They’ve had a lot of success. They’re veterans. They’re going to be OK."
Romo also took time to heap praise on one of his biggest rivals, Giants quarterback Eli Manning, also forecasting success for New York in the process.
"Eli, it’s hard to call him underrated or overrated because he has Super Bowls" Romo said. "One thing that I really think is special is … the great quarterbacks have an ability to last through the lean years when the team kind of has turnover. A lot of guys can make it through the years when you have this really good football teams, but if you’re a great quarterback you make it through the years when your team is not very good, because they ask you to carry it a little bit and still be competitive and win.
"The good ones play through that, and keep the team competitive, and come out of it with a good team on the end. I think there’s a chance you’re going to see that with the Giants. Eli is one of those."
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Romo's first opportunity to call a Giants game will come Oct. 22, when the Giants host the Seahawks. The first Cowboys game Romo will work comes Nov. 5, when the Cowboys host the Chiefs.
Romo's broadcast partner, commentator Jim Nantz, thinks he'll know the ropes by then.
"By that time, he’s going to have a much larger understanding of this business than he has right now, and he understands it a lot," Nantz said. "We’re going to get him reps, live bullets, live television. We’re going to get into that flow starting September 10, and starting Week 4, we’re going to begin our primetime package in addition to what we’re doing on Sunday. So we do get three Sundays before we go into our Thursday night game, but our Thursday night game in primetime is going to take us to the Thursday before that Dallas game, November 2, Bills at the Jets."
Romo said he's not thinking about what he's missing on the football field, and at no point has he thought about returning. But he did say he's excited for watch his former team take on its biggest rival.
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"I’m a football fan first and foremost, so for me, being a football fan, the Giants-Cowboys game is a big game," Romo said. "I’ve played in it a lot of times in my career, and know what they're feeling when they’re out there, and it’s Game 1, everyone thinks they have a shot to win the Super Bowl, everyone thinks they’re in a position to have the season of their career, and then all of a sudden after one or two weeks a lot of that gets dashed.
"It gets amped up in other places more and it’s going to be a fun thing to watch. That first game or two probably means a lot more than really probably anyone knows. Your season is either set or, after a week or two of losses, you’re now behind the eight-ball and now everyone’s jobs are on the line."