FRISCO -- The Cowboys aren't down on running back Darren McFadden, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said Thursday. That's not why he wasn't Ezekiel Elliott's backup Sunday in the opener against the Giants.

McFadden had been the No. 2 back throughout training camp and the preseason, but the Cowboys made him inactive Sunday and instead had Alfred Morris behind Elliott.

Last week in practice, the Cowboys were getting Alfred Morris ready to start if Elliott had been suspended. Instead, Elliott had his six-game suspension blocked by an injunction order.

"We were preparing Alfred before the thing with Zeke came final for the week," Linehan said. "He had taken a lot of reps with the first group to be honest with you, and we felt like he had earned that at that point.

"They're in competition, really good competition each week. We love Darren. We love them both."

Linehan said Morris impressed the Cowboys in training camp.

"As it went on, we felt like he was earning his way based on how he played in the preseason," Linehan said. "It didn't have anything to do with we're happy with one or the other. We had to pick one."

Morris said he's sure the decision for the coaches "was a tough one."

"We all did such a good job and that's what we always talk about, making it hard on them," Morris said. "I don't know if it's going to be a week-to-week thing or what, but we'll continue to make it hard on them regardless."