Heading into Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, the main objective for the Dallas Cowboys’ defense and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was to shut down ex-Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle, who went off for 234 total yards and a rushing touchdown in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.
In fact, after his fantastic performance last week, Dowdle sent a message to his former team, telling them “they gotta buckle up.” Eberflus did not heed that warning from the former Cowboy, who carved up Dallas’ defense, which didn’t come as a surprise to anyone based on how the first five games have gone.
Dowdle recorded 183 rushing yards on 30 carries, along with a team-high four receptions (five targets) for 56 yards and a touchdown in a three-point win for Carolina. Following the win, the ex-Cowboy had another message for Eberflus and Co.
Ex-Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle Sends Poignant Message to Dallas
According to Sheena Quick of FOX Sports 1340 AM, Dowdle was asked what his message was after the game. The veteran running back responded with, “They weren’t buckled up.”
As you can imagine, this is the last thing Dallas fans want to hear after seeing the defense not step up despite a special performance from Dak Prescott and George Pickens. Dowdle told the Cowboys what they needed to do, and Eberflus failed to do so.
Had the defense contained Dowdle, it would’ve forced the Panthers to lean on Bryce Young more to win the game, which would’ve possibly benefited Dallas. However, that wasn’t the case as the former Cowboy averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
Heading into Sunday’s game, Dallas’ run defense allowed 127.4 yards per game (11th-most in the NFL) and 4.4 yards per carry. If you’re owner Jerry Jones, this is another strike against the new Cowboys defensive coordinator.
It’s bad enough to see this Dallas defense get picked apart every week. But it’s frustrating when an ex-Cowboy tells you what he’s going to do and actually follows through on it because your defensive coordinator just wasn’t prepared or didn’t make adjustments.
If you’re Matt Eberflus, you have to realize that you’re on the proverbial hot seat. Dallas’ offense has continuously made plays this season, while the defense has given up big plays. That isn't a winning combination for any team.
It will be interesting to see what the tone and temperature around Eberflus is, as Dallas has a huge Week 7 matchup against the Washington Commanders.