As the Dallas Cowboys prepare for their key Week 7 game against the Washington Redskins, they know the bragging rights that are at stake. Not only are the two teams battling for the same division title, they are also bitter rivals. Winning this game means a little more than most to both of these teams.

That is a sentiment strongly shared by Cowboys' star running back Ezekiel Elliott. In an interview with Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram, Elliott said that the Cowboys must find a way to come out with a win this week over Washington.

“We need to. I think it’s absolutely mandatory that we do. That’s our focus this week is going into this game, having great communication and starting fast, putting points on the board.”

If the Cowboys are unable to come away with a win over the Redskins, they would practically waste an extremely dominant victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

Elliott is going to have a major say in the Cowboys' chances this week. Dallas finally got their offense going last week, but Elliott will have to be a consistent threat each and every week.

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Throughout the first six games of the 2018 NFL season, Elliott has carried the football 117 times for 586 yards and three touchdowns. He has also caught 23 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.

There are very few running backs in the NFL that are as important to their team as Elliott is for the Cowboys. Without him on the field, their offense would take a major hit.

Looking ahead at this week's matchup, the Redskins have a defense that can give up huge games to running backs. Elliott will be asked to handle a large workload and he will be more than ready for that challenge.

Expect to see Ezekiel Elliott get used early and often by the Cowboys this week. Washington will have their hands full, especially with Dallas playing with an extreme amount of confidence.