A lot has changed for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 and that includes Ezekiel Elliott's production on offense. Since he entered the NFL in 2016, Elliott has positioned himself as one of the league's best running backs. Yet this season he hasn't been able to produce. Many have claimed different reasons as to why this is the case, but let's dive in.

First off, many have pointed out that Ezekiel Elliott's attitude has changed. Honestly, that sounds like a very simple answer to a complicated issue. Whenever something goes wrong, fans like to point out it's about attitude and mentality. But although losing and winning teams certainly carry themselves differently, said explanation fails to explain everything that's going on with Zeke.

If you look at Ezekiel Elliott's traditional stats, you need to put them into context. For most of the season, the Cowboys have played from behind. Prior to Dak Prescott's injury, the team was emphasizing the passing game over the running game. Yet, through eight weeks Elliott is fourth in the NFL in rushing attempts with 132. Unfortunately, he isn't among the best in many other categories.

Obviously, the Cowboys are working with a banged-up offensive line that's not even close to the unit that welcomed Zeke into the NFL. Consider the fact that Ezekiel Elliott has averaged 2.3 yards before contact per carry, which is tied for 18th in the NFL among running backs. But Elliott's stats after contact aren't better.

Zeke ranks eighth in the NFL in total yards after contact. But on average YAC, his ranking tumbles down all the way down to 27th, per Pro Football Reference. Seemingly, he ranks 24th in rush attempts per broken tackle. Not even with advanced statistics like DVOA does Elliott ranks in the top tier. In fact, he ranks 18th in Football Outsiders' DVOA.

But why?

It's not uncommon for players at the running back position to regress. The Arizona Cardinals regretted paying David Johnson. The Los Angeles Rams regretted paying Todd Gurley. So on and so on. I don't doubt Elliott is a very talented player and that he can bounce back at any moment, but he undoubtedly needs a strong offensive line in front of him.

And now that the Cowboys are ready to play their fourth quarterback this season, it's clear defenses will focus on Zeke. In fact, Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin shared this comment on Wednesday:

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin when asked about preparing for Cowboys QBs Cooper Rush and Garrett Gilbert: “Either way, we’re getting ready for Ezekiel Elliott.”

“He’s one of the best in the business and I’d imagine common sense tells you he’ll be a central figure in any plan.”

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 4, 2020

Which will obviously mean Elliott will continue to face loaded boxes in the near future. Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles loaded the box with eight defenders in 52.63% of the snaps Zeke played, per Next Gen Stats. That's by far the most Zeke has seen loaded boxes this season, and that's not a coincidence as Ben DiNucci made his NFL debut on Sunday Night.

Just compare it to previous weeks:

• Week 7: 25%
• Week 6: 16.67%
• Week 5: 26.32%
• Week 4: 3.33%
• Week 3: 35.71%
• Week 2: 4.55%
• Week 1: 4.55%

Be it Cooper Rush or Garrett Gilbert who starts for the Cowboys on Sunday, expect more of the same.

But Ezekiel Elliott's struggles also come from an individual standpoint. Through eight weeks, Zeke already has five fumbles. Not only that but he's been missing the ability to have explosive plays. Since 2019, he's racked up only five 20+ yard carries on 433 rush attempts.

Number of 20+ yard carries since 2019 for #Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott: 5 on 433 attempts.

Number of 20+carries in 2020 for #Browns RB Nick Chubb: 6 on 57 carries.

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 3, 2020

Now, I don't believe Ezekiel Elliott should be benched. Many have voted for Tony Pollard to have an increased role, and while I believe he's talented, his production would likely decline if his playing time increases. After all, he's averaging the same yards per carry in significantly fewer carries.

But the Dallas Cowboys need to understand that Ezekiel Elliott won't be producing at the same level as previous years, both because of himself and the players surrounding him. Even with Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton out of the equation, Kellen Moore will probably fail if he wants to win games just by "feeding Zeke."

Featured Image Via Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports