Elliott's suspension gives Prescott chance to make Cowboys his team

Last season, the Dallas Cowboys said goodbye to the Tony Romo era and hello to the "Ezekiel Elliott-Dak Prescott Show."

The pair of rookies lit up the NFL throughout 2016, as Elliott led the league in rushing and Prescott's 23-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio helped the team to a 13-3 record. The two were tightly linked, and even shared the stage to accept Prescott's Offensive Rookie of the Year award in January.

With Romo now heading to the broadcast booth, it appeared Prescott and Elliott would once again share the spotlight in 2017 and beyond.

However, after more than a year of investigating, the NFL put the "Zeke and Dak Show" on hold for at least six games, handing Elliott a lengthy suspension last Friday.

While Elliott is a valuable player, his absence - which he's appealing - could be a blessing in disguise for his quarterback.

As a model citizen who's seemingly said the right thing at every moment of his young career, Prescott would never admit wanting to distance himself from Elliott, but the second-year quarterback has already achieved massive success in his own right, doing things his way. He'll get the chance to show off those individual abilities with Elliott sidelined - on and off the field.

Related - Prescott: Elliott's suspension gives other RBs chance to shine

Without Elliott, Prescott still has a pair of solid backs to run behind the Cowboys' league-best offensive line in former 1,000-yard rushers Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris. The veterans won't provide the same potency as Elliott, but they can do enough to keep defenses honest and give Prescott space to flourish.

And not much has been made of the Cowboys' receivers - outside of All-Pro Dez Bryant - but the unit is more well-rounded than its gotten credit for.

Cowboys receivers - 2016 stats

*college stats

It certainly isn't the greatest receiving corps in the league - or even in the division - but with an expected rise in Bryant's usage and with a year under Prescott's belt, it's not unreasonable to ask the quarterback to improve on his stats from last season.

The most important stat for Prescott, however, will be victories. The Cowboys' 11-game winning streak in 2016 gave him credibility as a rookie, but a similar streak to start the year without Elliott would push the quarterback to the next level.

If the Cowboys can win at least four games in Elliott's absence and stay atop the NFC East race, Dallas will become the "Dak Show featuring Zeke" by the time the running back steps back onto the field. It won't be an easy task, though, as Dallas faces the Giants, Broncos, Cardinals, and Packers within the first five weeks while playing without their lead rusher.

If Prescott can go 2-2 against those four opponents - while beating the Rams in Week 4 and the 49ers in Week 7, as expected - the Cowboys won't appear overly reliant on Elliott's ability. The quarterback will have two prime-time games to display his leadership skills and hog the spotlight, though his personality won't let him beg for the extra attention.

Meanwhile, the biggest off-field benefit for Prescott - if he can keep the Cowboys winning - will be showing how much more marketable he is than his suspended teammate.

While Elliott hasn't been able to keep himself out of trouble, Prescott's been squeaky clean, an elite teammate, and an ultra-charming personality throughout his first full year in the NFL. He's done virtually nothing for fans, players, or media to dislike, handling his rapid ascension to NFL superstardom with grace, respect, and modesty. Prescott has made it clear that his focus is on winning football games and getting the most out of his teammates, which seems like a page right out of Romo's book of leadership.

Regression from the Cowboys has been labeled as inevitable by some critics heading into 2017, which would make another hot start all the more impressive and elevate Prescott's status among the fan base. Winning settles everything in Dallas, so if Dak can bring home victories without Elliott, the Cowboys will officially become his team.