FRISCO, Texas – This time last year, Ezekiel Elliott was returning from a six-game NFL suspension and the 2017 season didn't go quite as he planned – for himself or his team.
A year later, the Cowboys (8-6) are in position to clinch the NFC East for the second time in three years, and Elliott is back in the Pro Bowl for the second time in his young career.
The third-year running back currently leads the league in rushing (1,349 yards) and scrimmage yards (1,892) with nine total touchdowns.
"It's definitely an honor just for my peers and the coaches and fans to honor me as one of the best backs in the league and represent the NFC," he said Wednesday. "But we're definitely chasing a Super Bowl, not a Pro Bowl."
Elliott said the team felt "a lot of disappointment" after last Sunday's 23-0 loss against the Colts in their first chance to clinch the division this season. But they've moved on to Sunday's home matchup against the Bucs, knowing they've "hopefully a lot of football left to play," he said.
"This is a must-win for us," Elliott said of the team's mindset. "We've got to do whatever we can to go out there and secure that NFC East division title. We've just got to know that nothing's going to be given to us. We've got to go out there and take everything."
