The [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/) aren't having the best season, and they fell to 5-8 after losing to the [Cincinnati Bengals](https://www.cincyjungle.com/) on Monday night. However, there's been a few bright spots, and running back Rico Dowdle is one of them. After some controversy earlier in the year, the Cowboys have clearly committed to him being the lead back, and it's paying off immensely. With his 131 yards on 18 carries (7.3 yards per rush) against the Bengals, Dowdle became the first Cowboys runner to run for over 100 yards in back-to-back games since Tony Pollard in 2022.
Dowdle is now up to 731 yards on the season on 152 carries, which is 4.8 yards per rush. He has played in 12 games this season and has averaged over four yards per rush in 10 of them with four games over five yards per rush. Dowdle is averaging about 61 yards a game. With four games left, he'll finish just shy of 1,000 yards for the season if he keeps up that pace, but if he continues the tear that he's on, or close to it, that milestone can be achieved.
One talking point during this season, and it'll continue when the offseason comes, is Dowdle's future in Dallas. He's clearly shown that he's a quality back. However, the price the Cowboys will be willing to pay is the question. Dowdle doesn't deserve a huge payday or anything, but he's certainly earned somewhere in that $3-4 million a year range from what he's done in 2024 (making $1.2 million this season).
All of that will be worked out after the season is over. A lot of props have to be given to Dowdle, though. This is the first year he's escaped the injury bug, and he's showing that while he's not elite, he's a guy that if you pair him with a "dude" as they say in the NFL, that can create quite the formidable rushing attack.
If Dallas does bring him back, that's exactly what they should do.