Linebacker Greg Ellis was not miraculously healed in time for the Cowboys game against the Rams.

In fact he is still not 100 percent from the torn left Achilles he suffered against the Cardinals last November.

But Ellis was motivated to get on the field for the first time all season by a financial boost given to him by the Cowboys on Saturday.

The Cowboys restructured Ellis' contract, guaranteeing him next year's salary in the form of a bonus.

It was the security and comfort Ellis had been asking for since last April, when he began complaining about his salary after the Cowboys drafted linebacker Anthony Spencer in the first round.

The Cowboys were opposed to doing anything with Ellis' salary because he was coming off of an injury and there was no guarantee he was ready.

Well in this game of chicken, Ellis held fast that he wasn't going to be ready until he got some type of security. He felt the Cowboys could cut him after the season if he didn't play well. And he wasn't going to risk further injury without some sort of financial boost. Ellis also wanted the Cowboys to show him that they valued his services. The only way to do that was with money.

Ellis gave the Cowboys an instant return on their investment with 1.5 sacks in 15 plays. He also had three quarterback pressures.

"His specialty is being able to rush but that's what we put him in there to do and he did it quickly," coach Wade Phillips said. "When I was asked before the season if he came back before the first game on a Saturday would we play him, well yes, it's the fourth game now, but he's able to go out there and play and you have to utilize him the ways he can be utilized, which is pass rush first, and I was real happy for him, just the mental part he's gone through."

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