FRISCO -- An introduction will take place Sunday evening in the shadow of New York City.

Giants defense, please meet Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys running back you saw to open the regular season doesn't resemble the current version.

Part of the motivation the rookie carries into this rematch?

"You kind of feel that, but like I've said before, every game is a big game for us, so every game I want to go out and show the back I am,'' Elliott said. "That's how I'm going to approach it. I'm not going to put any extra on it. I don't think there needs to be any extra put on it.

"We are passionate about every week, every game we play, so it's a big game and we're going to go out there and perform.''

Elliott leads the NFL in rushing. He's that rare player who immediately exceeds expectations even though expectations were inordinately high with him being the fourth pick in the draft.

It can be argued that the only game Elliott fell short was the first time around against the Giants.

The Cowboys were cautious with Elliott in training camp, holding him out of a number of practices to nurse a sore hamstring. He had only seven carries during the preseason schedule.

That light workload showed in the opener. Elliott lacked patience, appeared tentative and finished with 20 carries for 51 yards.

"It was definitely frustrating because it was not how I imagined it,'' said Elliott, who averaged a season-low 2.6 yards a carry in that game. "But I think it definitely helped shape me into the player I am today and put a chip on my shoulder early this season to go out there and get things right.''

Get things right? Elliott has more than doubled that production on a week-by-week basis, averaging 112.2 yards rushing since the opener. His lowest output during the Cowboys' 11-game winning streak has been 83 yards.

Elliott's longest run against the Giants went for 8 yards and a touchdown. It was the sole flash of what was to come. He had only one other run that went for longer than 5 yards and caught one pass that picked up another yard.

The rookie has had a run of 14 yards or longer in every game since. He's added 27 receptions for 321 yards and a touchdown.

"I just wasn't comfortable with the system yet,'' Elliott said. "It took some games, some time and I think now I'm right where I need to be.''

Center Travis Frederick said you can see the improvement Elliott has made from one week to the next. Whatever the coaches tell him to focus on and improve, he does.

"He's come a really long way,'' Frederick said.

Jason Garrett believes Elliott has improved as a runner, blocker and receiver since that game on Sept. 11. The Cowboys' coach calls the rookie a smart and aware football player who learns quickly and rarely repeats his mistakes.

"As a runner, as a feel of understanding what we want to do running the football, I think he's improved there,'' Garrett said. "Again, seeing the runs against the different looks allows you to play more decisively with more confidence.

"He's a very natural runner. We know that. The more experience he gets doing what we do against the different defensive looks help him get better.''

Another point should be made here: This offensive line is better than it was to open the season. It's hard for a group to break from the gate with the physical edge required to dominate in the run game because teams just don't do that much hitting in training camp. It takes a few games to toughen up.

And now?

"I think we're the most physical team in the league, and I think that's why we're successful, that physicality,'' Elliott said. "You see it in the fourth quarter when we wear teams down, and you see it with our play.''

You've seen it from Elliott in every game this season except the first one. Now he gets another chance to show the Giants what he's all about.

And it comes with five days of rest before the Cowboys returned to the practice field on Wednesday.

"It feels lovely,'' Elliott said of the break that came after last Thursday's win over Minnesota. "It's kind of like having a second bye week, having that weekend off. But I'm ready for this last stretch, the last quarter of the season.

"I'm ready to get busy.''

Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and with The Hardline at 4:10 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday during the regular season.