Elliott sends a ‘painful’ message

Size does matter when it comes to team rosters

Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott pulled up his jersey to reveal a new “Feed Me” tattoo on his stomach after scoring the first Cowboys touchdown of the season against the Rams.

The two-time rushing champion said he got the tattoo over the summer, with the message obvious based on the slogan that grew out of Elliott’s spoon-feeding hand signal at the end of his first-down plays. And while Elliott said it was “super painful,” it didn’t interrupt his attendance at summer throwing sessions at quarterback Dak Prescott’s house.

“I think like the next day we went and threw at Dak’s and it was all swollen and puffy,” said Elliott. “It was awful. Not going to lie it was painful, but happy with the result.”

Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had to temper his enthusiasm for the new body art. “I mean, I got kids, so I wouldn’t say I approve it,” he said. “But it’s a dope tattoo.”

THE TALL AND SHORT OF IT: Based on opening-day rosters, there were 357 players weighing over 300 pounds, 294 weighing under 200 pounds. The Philadelphia Eagles had 15 players weighing less than 200 pounds, the most in that category. Philadelphia also had the most players under 6 feet tall with 15.

The New York Giants had 15 players weighing over 300 pounds, the most in the league.

Dallas apparently doesn’t have much faith in shorter players, with only three under 6 feet. Denver had the fewest 300-pounders with eight.

All of those teams lost their openers.

LATE GAME COLLAPSE: In coach Vic Fangio’s first season in Denver, the Broncos became the sixth team since 2000 to lose three games in a season that they led in the final 30 seconds.

They did it again in the opener vs. Tennessee.