It's starting to become more of a question about who will actually play in Thursday night's matchup between the Titans and Cowboys than about who isn't. Nevertheless, Dallas is not expected to have Tony Pollard for the Week 17 opener as the running back will be inactive, according to NFL Media.
Pollard did not practice throughout the week due to a thigh injury and is officially listed as questionable. It did seem like Dallas was holding out hope that he could play, especially after owner Jerry Jones said in a radio interview this week that Pollard "looks good for the game" and the team was "counting on him playing." However, the plan seems to have changed, with the club opting for a more cautious approach.
The 2019 fourth-round pick has been a lightening-rod in the Dallas offense and was recently selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. He leads the Cowboys in rushing and is ninth in the entire NFL with 988 yards on the ground. Pollard is also fourth on the team in receptions (39) and first in total yards from scrimmage (1,359).
With Pollard sidelined, that opens up even more attempts for veteran Ezekiel Elliott. In 13 games played this season, Elliott has 829 yards rushing and a team-high 11 touchdowns on the ground. He's also hauled in 17 of his 21 targets for 92 yards.
Along with an increased workload from Elliott, the Cowboys could also look to utilize undrafted rookie Malik Davis on Thursday night. The Florida product has appeared in 10 games so far this season and has carried the ball 23 times for 103 yards and a touchdown. He's also caught four of his five targets for 40 yards.
While this game is inconsequential for Tennessee's playoff hopes, Dallas still has an outside chance of leaping over Philadelphia for first place in the NFC East and the No. 1 seed in the conference, so this game has plenty of implications for Mike McCarthy and company.
