Ezekiel Elliott on Sunday had his best performance since joining the Patriots last month, totaling 80 rushing yards on 16 carries as New England defeated the New York Jets 15-10 at MetLife Stadium.
It caught the attention of Skip Bayless.
Bayless, an outspoken Cowboys fan, tipped his cap to Elliott during New England's road win. The veteran running back displayed the talent that earned him three Pro Bowl selections in seven seasons with Dallas.
"Zeke is showing flashes today of good-old-days Zeke I haven't seen in three years," Bayless posted Sunday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Guess he's getting ready for next Sunday, at Cowboys."
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The Patriots, as Bayless noted, travel to AT&T Stadium for a Week 4 showdown with the Cowboys. New England will look to build on its Week 3 victory, whereas Dallas is eyeing a bounce-back effort after suffering a shocking 28-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
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So, what should we expect from Zeke against his former team? Well, Bayless' assessment Sunday came about a month after the polarizing FS1 pundit downplayed Elliott joining the Patriots. Perhaps the 28-year-old will make Bayless eat crow as New England pulls off an upset in Dallas.
"I don't think he has much left. I will not miss him," Bayless, a longtime Elliott supporter, said back on Aug. 17. "I will not fear him when New England comes to play at Dallas. I will not fear Zeke. I'm sure he'll suck it up and give whatever he has left to give."
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Elliott rushed for just 42 yards on 12 carries in the Patriots' first two games -- both losses -- and Rhamondre Stevenson remains atop New England's running back depth chart. But Zeke provided some much-needed toughness in the fourth quarter Sunday as the Patriots held off the Jets.
It was a notable offensive development within a defensive rock fight, suggesting Elliott is starting to find his footing with his new team.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images