Rico Dowdle Erupts In Revenge Game, Backs Up Smack Talk To Lead Panthers Past Cowboys

After talking loudly ahead of time, Rico Dowdle took full advantage of his revenge game.

Dowdle erupted on his former team Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium. He racked up 183 rushing yards and set a franchise record with back-to-back dominant outings in the Carolina Panthers’ 30-27 win over the Dallas Cowboys. That pushed the Panthers to 3-3 and gave them their second straight win.

Dowdle is now the first player to record back-to-back games with at least 200 scrimmage yards since Dalvin Cook did so in 2020. He's the first undrafted player to pull that feat off since 1970.

Dowdle got his start with the Cowboys, and notched a career-high 1,079 rushing yards last season in Dallas. He was the first undrafted running back in franchise history to hit the 1,000-yard mark. But the Cowboys let him go in free agency, and he signed a one-year deal to join the Panthers in March.

After a slow start to the season backing up Chuba Hubbard, Dowdle racked up 206 rushing yards last week in the team’s win over the Miami Dolphins. He got the start with Hubbard out with a calf injury. The 27-year-old entered Sunday with 289 rushing yards and 48 receiving yards this season.

After the Dolphins game, Dowdle issued a warning to the Cowboys.

“They got to buckle up,” he said. “I think they know for sure. They didn’t keep me there for five years for no reason.”

After the Cowboys game, Dowdle had this to say: 

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Dowdle started again this week with Hubbard still inactive, and had 80 rushing yards on 13 carries in the first half to help keep the Panthers in it. He then caught a wide-open pass that he took 36 yards into the end zone for his first touchdown of the game just four plays into the second half. That put Carolina in the lead for the first time.

Though the Cowboys responded with a 34-yard touchdown grab from George Pickens, Dowdle and the Panthers answered with a long drive to take the lead again just minutes into the fourth quarter. Bryce Young hit Tetairoa McMillan for a 2-yard score there, marking his second of the day.

Dallas, despite getting all the way down within the 10-yard line, settled for a field goal on the next drive to tie the game up again. But the Panthers, after being held to a quick three-and-out for the first time all day, got the ball back with more than six minutes left and ran all over the Cowboys to set up an easy 33-yard field goal from Ryan Fitzgerald to win the game. 

Dowdle's 183 rushing yards came on 30 carries while averaging 6.1 yards per attempt. He had another 56 receiving yards and a score on four catches, which brought him to a combined 473 total scrimmage yards over the past two games. That broke Christian McCaffery's record for a two-game span.

Bryce Young went 17-of-25 passing for 199 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the win for the Panthers. McMillan had 29 yards and two scores on three catches. 

Dak Prescott went 25-of-34 for 261 yards with three touchdowns for the Cowboys (2-3-1). Javonte Williams led them on the ground with 29 yards on 13 carries, while Pickens had 168 receiving yards and a score on nine catches. 

The Cowboys, who are allowing more than 33 points per game, will take on the Washington Commanders next week. While their defense is certainly the biggest issue currently facing the franchise, letting Dowdle walk was certainly a choice that, at least Sunday, he made sure they regretted.