FRISCO, Texas -- There's a chance the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 season might be cursed, but they've unearthed a gem worth holding on to in former undrafted running back Rico Dowdle.
Dallas (5-8) went with a running back-by-committee approach in the first 10 weeks of the season, rotating through using Dowdle (83 carries), a late-stage Ezekiel Elliott (54 carries), 2023 sixth-round Deuce Vaughn (seven carries) and a late-stage Dalvin Cook (eight carries). That wasn't working as the Cowboys were averaging 83.7 rushing yards per game, the second fewest in the NFL ahead of only the Las Vegas Raiders (76.9 rushing per game).
In Week 11, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy altered his approach and anointed Dowdle as the Cowboys' "lead back." As a result, only 2024 NFL rushing yards leader Saquon Barkley (632 rushing yards since Week 11) has more yards on the ground than Dowdle's 357 since he became the face of the Cowboys ground game in Week 11. His 69 carries are far and away the most on the team in this stretch, followed by fill-in starting quarterback Cooper Rush's 13 and then Elliott's seven.
Now, the Cowboys have an above-average ground game, ranking 14th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (108.3) since Week 11 with Dowdle as their go-to-guy in the backfield. The last two weeks -- Week 13 vs. the New York Giants and Week 14 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals -- Dowdle has posted consecutive career highs on the ground with 112 rushing yards on 22 carries against New York and 131 rushing yards on 18 carries against Cincinnati.
"We've been able to get the run going for sure," Dowdle said Wednesday. "Those guys up front have been playing their asses off. ... I think the tape speaks for itself, and like I said, the eye in the sky don't lie. I think it's been able to show getting those repeated carries, those repeated run calls is definitely showing on the field, like the rhythm of being able to figure out what the defense is doing. Figure out where you can hit them on the next play, and it's definitely shown [with results]."
Dowdle has averaged 19.5 touches per game since Week 11, the 10th most in the NFL, and his 78 total touches in that span are tied for the third most in the league with Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris. In an ideal world, Dallas would like for Dowdle to register a minimum of 20 carries going forward.
"You always want to get a guy touches, especially more touches, with that kind of production," McCarthy said Tuesday. ... "My goal is when you got a back that's hot, you want to get him the ball 20 to 25 carries, you're talking about a perfect world here."
Beyond simply giving the ball to Dowdle more often, the Cowboys simplifying their run schemes have also paid major dividends. The run game becoming much more of weapon for Dallas since Week 11 also doesn't surprise Dowdle one bit.
"Early on in the season, we were behind [in games], so we weren't able to run the ball. We were doing a different approach with it as well, and we made a couple changes," Dowdle said. "We switched our scheme a little bit, sticking to the bread and butter core concepts that everybody was good at. I think that all played a factor into it. It's not surprising at all. We've been able to do it. We weren't able to do it in some games, and then we were up against it in other games."
McCarthy agreed with Dowdle's points and also pointed to the offensive line started to get comfortable playing alongside each other in a year where the unit has been beset by injuries to right guard Zack Martin (ankle), left tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle/knee) and center Cooper Beebe (concussion).
"Well, I think it's a combination of things, I think first you got to talk about Rico. He's running the football [well]. I think the courses and his run style is, you know, we've always loved his run style," McCarthy said. ... "I think he definitely fit the way we're running the football, particularly the last three games.
"I think there's a number of variables but it definitely starts with the runner. And more importantly I think the guys up front are getting it done."
A question worth asking about Dowdle and his workload is simple: "Can he handle it?" This is a player who suffered a broken hip in 2021 and is now up to 152 carries in 2024, well past the 96 career carries he had in his first three NFL seasons played combined. He is stretching every day now, and he's made a dietary change: Dowdle stopped eating red meat -- with the exception of going to a nice steakhouse -- and pork in January of this year, switching to chicken and turkey almost exclusively for his source of protein. It's worked: He says his body fat percentage is now down "a lot."
"I feel pretty good right now," Dowdle said. "You got your nicks and nacks from the games, but other than that I feel pretty good, honestly. I could go for another 12 games for sure, if they [the NFL] allowed us."
Dowdle also prides himself on being a downhill, violent runner, and that style has lent itself to him having one of the most efficient rushing seasons in the entire league in 2024. A successful run is analytically defined by gaining at least 40% of the yards required on first down (4 yards on a first and 10 for example), 60% of the yards required on second down and moving the chains for a first down on either a third- or fourth-down carry.
The metric of rushing success rate is the amount of those successful runs divided by the overall number of rushing attempts a player has. Among 25 players who have at least 150 carries this season, Dowdle's 54.6% rushing success rate is the seventh best in the entire league. That's just ahead of Detroit Lions Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs (53.4%) and right behind Philadelphia Eagles NFL rushing yards leader Saquon Barkley (56%).
NFL rushing success rate leaders, 2024 season
Minimum 150 carries
| Player | Rush Success Rate |
|---|---|
Bijan Robinson (ATL) | 57.2% |
Derrick Henry (BAL) | 57.1% |
David Montgomery (DET) | 56.7% |
Kareem Hunt (KC) | 56.3% |
Chuba Hubbard (CAR) | 56.3% |
Saquon Barkley (PHI) | 56% |
Rico Dowdle (DAL) | 54.6% |
Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) | 53.4% |
Chase Brown (CIN) | 51.8% |
51.6% |
In Week 15, Dowdle will have a chance to put up a career high in rushing yards for the third consecutive week when the Cowboys head out east to face the 3-10 Carolina Panthers. They have been the league's worst run defense in 2024, allowing a league-high 170.1 rushing yards per game.
"We got to come out there, and let the game play itself," Dowdle said. "I don't really pay attention to the rankings in matchups. This is the NFL, anything could happen. ... The game will take care of itself when we get there."
