Cowboys run defense still can't 'buckle up' for opposing RBs

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball while getting pressured by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Shemar James (50) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Cowboys run defense still can't 'buckle up' for Panthers' Rico Dowdle or other RBs

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 5:27 PM ET

Before Sunday's home game, Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle warned the Dallas Cowboys to be ready. They weren't.

Dowdle — who said his former team would need to "buckle up" following a Week 5 home win over the Miami Dolphins — earned his second straight start Sunday. Panthers' starting RB Chuba Hubbard was sidelined again because of a calf injury.

After rushing for a career-high 206 yards in the 27-24 win over Miami, Dowdle, who played for Dallas from 2020-24, looked unstoppable again. The former South Carolina star rushed for 183 yards on 30 carries. He also logged four receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown catch.

Dowdle's performance powered a 30-27 Carolina win. The Panthers are now 3-3. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are now 2-3-1 due in part to their inability to stop the run.

.@ricodowdle revenge game @Panthers | @FedEx pic.twitter.com/K6F5OTvwQ0
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025

Dallas Cowboys run defense is one of their biggest weaknesses

After trading defensive end Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers before the season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said it would improve their run defense. In his final season with Dallas, Pro Football Focus credited the four-time Pro Bowler with an average 65.5 run-defense grade.

However, like many things Jones has said through the years, that has proved to be malarkey. Entering Sunday's game against Carolina, the Cowboys ranked 22nd in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (127.4). Defensive tackle Kenny Clark — whom they acquired in the Parsons trade — has posted a below-average 57.8 run-defense grade through six games.

Against Carolina, Dallas allowed a season-high 216 rushing yards. Entering Sunday's game, the Panthers ranked 10th in the league in rushing yards per game (128 YPG). The Cowboys will face more prolific rushing attacks in the coming weeks.

In Week 7, the Cowboys host the Washington Commanders (3-2), who led the league in rushing yards per game (156.4) through five weeks. The unit features rookie RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who ranked first in yards per carry (6.6) among 45 eligible ballcarriers in his first five games.

Ahead of Sunday's game, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said they would "have seatbelts" ready for Dowdle. However, they didn't have them on Sunday and haven't throughout the season.

The Cowboys should consider acquiring another DT before the Nov. 4 trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET, perhaps Shelby Harris of the Cleveland Browns. That could prevent teams from continuing to run all over Dallas.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

More must-reads: