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By Valentina Martinez
Contributing Sports Writer
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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy announced Rico Dowdle is now the team's lead running back. There is no longer a running back by committee in Dallas.
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"Definitely, you have to get him the ball," McCarthy said of Dowdle. "That's my focus to continue to get him opportunities. He's the lead back."
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The news comes just a few weeks after Ezekiel Elliott was inactive Week 9 for disciplinary reasons. It marked the first time Elliott was a healthy scratch in a non-season finale in his career.
Since then, Dowdle has handled the backfield responsibilities for Dallas. As Dowdle was dubbed the starting running back, Elliott and Dalvin Cook will take a back seat in the rushing attack.
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Last Sunday, Elliott lost his first red-zone fumble of his career. It's been clear for a majority of the season Elliott isn't the same star running back he used to be.
As for Dowdle, yhe 26-year-old has been a shining light in a dark season for the Cowboys. Dowdle has consistently produced at a high level and will likely only excel more now that he is the true No. 1 running back.
This season, Dowdle has recorded 83 carries for 374 yards. He's averaging 4.5 yards a carry. Dowdle has record career-highs in first down runs and rushing success rate.
Severals fans have been vouching for Dowdle to get an increased amount of touches a game and McCarthy has finally made the decision to make Dowdle the main running back in Dallas.
The Cowboys' run game has done poorly this season, but having Dowdle at the helm should provide a boost in the Dallas rushing attack. The Cowboys have a 3-6 record and it looks as though the team won't be able to turn things around in 2024.
It's been a nightmarish season for Dallas. Quarterback Dak Prescott hasn't performed as expected this year and he recently sustained a season-ending injury. Prescott underwent surgery in New York to repair his partially torn hamstring.
With Prescott out, the Cowboys are down to using their second and third-string quarterbacks, Cooper Rush and Trey Lance.
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The Cowboys hoped to turn things around against the Philadelphia Eagles last week, but endured another tough loss. Dallas will try and bounce back against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football.
The matchup is a tale of two struggling teams. The Cowboys have lost four straight games, while the Texans have lost three of four contests.
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