After a statement win over the New York Jets, Head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys (2-2-1) are gearing up for another big showdown against the Carolina Panthers (2-3), who are fresh off a gutsy comeback win against the Miami Dolphins. But this matchup comes with a broader storyline. Schottenheimer will be reuniting with Panthers running back Rico Dowdle, whom he let go. And Schottenheimer made sure everyone knew there were no hard feelings.

Despite allowing him to test free agency in the offseason, Schottenheimer was full of praise for the former Cowboys RB. “Rico’s a really skilled runner,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s got great vision. He runs hard. We’ve got a ton of new faces; they don’t realize the power that he has. Rico was a guy we considered keeping, and we kind of fell in love with Javonte. Were we right? I don’t know,” he added.

You can’t blame Dowdle if he circles this one on the calendar. After all, he was coming off the best season of his career before being shown the door.

Rico Dowdle joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 as an undrafted free agent and quickly earned a spot on the 53-man roster as the third-string running back behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. He primarily contributed on special teams that year, appearing in 15 games with limited offensive snaps.

After battling injuries over the next two seasons, Dowdle broke through in 2023 with 361 rushing yards, 144 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns in 16 games. His perseverance paid off even more in 2024, when he made franchise history as the first undrafted player in Cowboys history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season, cementing his place as one of the NFL’s best comeback stories.

When free agency opened, Carolina wasted no time and scooped him up on a two-year, $6.25 million deal. And so far, he’s proving every penny worth it. After a steady start to the year, Dowdle exploded in Week 5. His career-best performance.

He torched the Dolphins’ defense for 206 yards on just 23 carries, averaging a ridiculous 9.0 yards per attempt. He also scored a touchdown, ripped off a 53-yard run, and chipped in three catches for 28 yards through the air.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys moved on with Javonte Williams. And you can’t really blame the Cowboys HC for falling in love with him. He’s been electric so far, already finding the end zone six times in five games while piling up 525 scrimmage yards. Both Williams and Dowdle are red-hot heading into this week. So much so that Dowdle couldn’t help but send the Cowboys a warning.

Rico Dowdle sends a blunt warning to the Cowboys

Well, it looks like Rico Dowdle has his eyes set on revenge as the Panthers RB just sent Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys a blunt warning. “They gotta buckle up. I think they know.” Dowdle said. That was just meaning it’s going to be a very physical game. I take pride in that. Buckle your chinstraps up. I will be coming.

But Schottenheimer wasn’t about to back down either. “I know we’re going to have to buckle up,” he said. “We’ll bring our seatbelts, Rico. We’ll buckle up. Can’t wait to see him though.” Clearly, there’s no love lost between the two. That being said, the Cowboys really do need to buckle up.

They currently rank dead last in total defense, giving up an average of 412 yards per game. They’re also 32nd in passing defense (284.6 yards per game) and 23rd against the run (127.4 yards). That’s not exactly ideal when you’re about to face a running back out for revenge.

Sure, their performance against the Jets looked like a step in the right direction. They hit a 50.9% pressure rate, their best mark of the year. But context matters. That was against a winless team struggling to protect its quarterback. The Panthers’ offense, especially with Dowdle running angry, will be a much tougher test.

And here’s the big question: how much action will Dowdle actually get if Chuba Hubbard returns from injury? Because after accounting for 56% of Carolina’s total offense last week, it’s hard to imagine the coaching staff dialing back his touches. Especially when he’s clearly got a point to prove.

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