Ezekiel Elliott returns for Cowboys after disciplinary absence and has costly fumble against Eagles

ARLINGTON, Texas — Ezekiel Elliott played for the Dallas Cowboys a week after he was left home for disciplinary reasons, and the running back had a costly fumble in the first half of a 34-6 loss to NFC East rival Philadelphia on Sunday.

Elliott fumbled into the end zone with the Cowboys in position to take a lead on the Eagles in the second quarter. Philadelphia's Cooper DeJean recovered the fumble.

“I think the guy just, you know, got his helmet on the ball,” said Elliott, who had 22 yards rushing for an offense that generated just 146 total, the fewest at home for Dallas since AT&T Stadium opened in 2009. “That’s unacceptable, fumble in the red zone. It’s disgusting, makes my stomach hurt.”

A two-time rushing champion for the Cowboys in his first seven seasons, Elliott returned to his original team this year but didn't make the trip for last week's 27-21 loss at Atlanta because he was late for meetings.

It was the first time Elliott was a healthy scratch for Dallas in any game other than a meaningless regular-season finale.

“I’m not really trying to get too much into it,” Elliott said when asked about the discipline in his first meeting with reporters since the Atlanta game. “Just putting my best foot forward.”

Dallas trailed the Eagles 7-3 when Elliott fumbled, but got another chance when Micah Parsons sacked Jalen Hurts and forced a fumble recovered by Marist Liufau.

Elliott got the first carry from the Philadelphia 6-yard line and gained 3 yards. After an incompletion, starting running back Rico Dowdle lost 2 yards on a run, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a field goal.

The fumble by Elliott was the second of five turnovers for the Cowboys. They had the same number in their previous home game, a 47-9 loss to Detroit.

“I think the main thing is taking care of the football,” Elliott said. “I think the defense did a great job of going to get the ball. Offense, we didn’t take care of it well enough.”