The Dallas Cowboys were hunting for consecutive wins for the first time this season, but they ultimately came up short in their bid after a 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. The day belonged to former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle, who gouged the Dallas defense for 183 rushing yards. But just as interesting was what would happen in Dallas' backfield.
The Cowboys’ running game has been a success, ranking eighth in the NFL, averaging 134.4 yards per game on the ground entering Sunday. There was also hope that they could get another boost behind Javonte Williams after Jaydon Blue made his NFL debut last week.
While Blue didn’t make an immediate impact, he was stepping into a bigger opportunity after Miles Sanders went on injured reserve earlier this week. However, after failing to gain a yard on three carries against the Panthers, the Cowboys may have to face the truth that Blue could need another year before he’s ready to contribute.
Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue's Rough Start Could Push Dallas to Make Trade
The Cowboys had a right to be excited about Blue coming out of the University of Texas. A multi-dimensional back who ran for 730 yards and eight touchdowns and added 42 catches for 368 yards and six touchdowns, Blue was a fourth-round pick and figured to add some lightning to the free-agent duo of Sanders and starter Javonte Williams.
Despite a clunker of a performance on Sunday (13 carries, 29 yards), Williams has been spectacular in his bellcow role, racking up 476 yards and five touchdowns on the year. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer stated that the veteran's job wasn’t in danger as Blue returned from an ankle sprain suffered in the preseason, and the rookie didn’t do much in his debut, carrying the ball four times for seven yards. But the news that Sanders required a chondral tissue graft surgery on his left knee opened the door for Blue to do more.
As his stat line showed, that wasn’t the case. Now, things could get interesting for the Cowboys ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. While Dallas doesn’t need a starter, Williams’s injury history, which includes a major knee issue in 2022 where he tore multiple ligaments, including his ACL and LCL, could increase the importance of finding a solid backup.
After Sunday’s clunker, it appears that Blue is not the player for the job. And it could have Dallas a surprise trade to bolster their depth and get out of their 2-3-1 hole after Sunday’s loss.