Cowboys' Elliott won't ask for more carries, says offense hasn't executed

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is currently tied for the NFL lead with 274 rushing yards despite a decrease in usage from last season.

Elliott is averaging 16 carries per game, down from 24 per contest in 2017, but insists he won't be asking head coach Jason Garrett for more touches.

"I mean you can (ask for more carries) but at the end of the day, if you go back and watch the film, it's poor execution on offense," Elliott said, via ESPN's Todd Archer. "You can't run the ball if you're down by 17 points. That's what it is. We get behind, we've got to be able to throw the ball and not be able to do what we want to do."

The Cowboys' offense ranks 31st in the league with 13.7 points per game, and the star running back believes the number can increase - along with his total carries - if the team executes from the opening kickoff.

"What we have to do so we can be able to run the ball more is just ... be better early in the game," Elliott said. "If we're better early in the game, if we're not taking those three and outs, if we're not playing long down and distances, you can run the football. If you execute early, we can run the football as much as we want."