Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott Says He's 'Not Shutting It Down' After Calf Injury

The Dallas Cowboys are 5-9 and on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, but running back Ezekiel Elliott doesn't plan on shutting down for the season even though he missed Sunday's 41-33 victory over the San Francisco 49ers with a calf injury.

"Oh no, I'm not shutting it down," he said, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. "We'll see how it goes, and I'll see if I can get out there next week."

Elliott explained he couldn't play in Sunday's contest because of a "tug" he felt in his calf.

"Honestly, I hadn't been feeling the best all week, but on game days I've been able to go normally," Elliott said. "At first, I was feeling good. But yesterday I felt a tug. And that's something I can't really play with. I can play with pain and soreness, but with a tug, I can't be as explosive as I need to be."

Dallas is still somehow within striking distance of the postseason in the NFC East and is just one game behind the Washington Football Team following the latter's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Its offense didn't really miss a beat without Elliott, as Tony Pollard ran for 69 yards and two touchdowns while hauling in six catches for 63 yards. He looked plenty explosive in place of the three-time Pro Bowler, which raises the question about whether he will see more playing time in the final games against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants even if the starter returns.

There is no doubting Elliott's status as one of the best running backs in the league considering he led the NFL in rushing yards in two of his first four seasons.

However, he hasn't been his typically dominant self this year and is averaging a career-worst 3.9 yards per carry. He has also lost a career-high four fumbles and has run for more than 100 yards just once on the season.

The Ohio State product has not been the physical playmaker who can put the offense on his back for extended stretches, and the calf injury is another thing that may slow him down during the stretch.

Fortunately for the Cowboys, they have one of the best backup options in the league in Pollard.