The Dallas Cowboys were on the receiving end of one of the greater called shots in recent NFL history in Week 6.
That’s when Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle told his former team to “Buckle Up” headed into the game then went out and set a franchise record with 239 yards from scrimmage.
Dowdle simply imposed his will on the Cowboys from start to finish while his replacement in Dallas, Javonte Williams, had his worst game of the year with 13 carries for 29 yards.
Dowdle signed a 1-year, $2.75 million free agent contract with the Panthers after he played the first 5 seasons of his career in Dallas. He had a breakout season with over 1,000 rushing yards in 2024 to go with 249 receiving yards.
It still wasn’t enough for the Cowboys to convince themselves he was a better play than Williams, who signed a 1-year, $3 million free agent contract with the Cowboys after 4 seasons with the Denver Broncos.
Through 6 games, he still leads the Cowboys with 476 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns and is averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Still, to get torched like that by a player you discarded in such public fashion has to feel catastrophic for the Cowboys, who dropped to 2-3-1 with the loss.
“I didn’t know Emmitt Smith was going to show up in a Panther uniform (against the Panthers),” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said on “First Take” on October 13, comparing Dowdle to the NFL career leading rusher and former Cowboy.
Dowdle’s Performance Sets Social Media Ablaze
“The Revenge of Rico Dowdle” was a hot topic on social media and the Monday morning following the game.
“That wasn’t Rico Dowdle out there,” former NFL MVP and ESPN commentator Cam Newton said on October 13. “That man said ‘tell them to buckle up’ then went out and did the damn thing. That wasn’t Rico Dowdle out there … that was
Rico Suave out there.”
Dowdle has an incredible 473 yards from scrimmage in his last 2 games, becoming just the seventh NFL player since 1970 to have over 225 yards from scrimmage in 2 consecutive games.
“Rico Dowdle has more yards from scrimmage in his last 2 games (473) than Saquon Barkley has all season (462),” NFL on CBS wrote on its official X account.
“We’ve been saying he was a dog … today he was a horse,” former Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart said. “Is he the best running back in the league right now? Because he’s sure playing like it.”
“Major respect to Rico Dowdle these past 2 weeks and congratulations on the franchise record of the most scrimmage yards in a single game of 239 yards,” former NFL running back and 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley wrote on his official X account.
“Rico Dowdle‘s 239 scrimmage yards vs the Cowboys are the most scrimmage yards in a game against a former team in NFL history,” NFL Plus wrote on its official X account.
“All Rico needed was an opportunity and his number 5 back and we get historical stats like this,” ESPN’s Kev Roche wrote on X. “Googled most popular tv shows in 1970: we’re talking gunsmoke and bonanza, that’s how long ago. Rico Dowdle: doing things not seen since the ponderosa.”
Capitals break up the storm to defeat Lightning 3-2 in overtime
In an action-packed, defensive-led matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals, the Lightning couldn't finish as the Capitals went on to get the overtime win.
It was an action-packed, aggressive battle between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington. After the Lightning took a 1-0 lead into the second period, Washington came back to tie it in the second and the third period started in a 1-1 tie and ended up ending in a 2-2 tie to give hockey fans in Washington some free hockey as the Lightning and Capitals had to determine a winner in overtime. But after just a couple minutes into overtime, the Capitals struck for the game-winning goal.
Jake Guentzel put a point in the score column for the Lightning with 12:54 left in the first period. He was assisted by Ryan McDonagh with his first assist of the year and
Anthony Cirelli.
With the Lightning ahead 1-0 as the second period got under way, they held their ground for the first 18 minutes before the Capitals answered back and put a goal in the score column to tie it up 1-1 on a goal by
Aliaskei Protas with assists from Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson.
Brayden Point scored his second goal of the year in the first :90 seconds of the third period on assists by
Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov that put the Lightning back on top 2-1.
But the Capitals answered back just three minutes later to make it 2-2. It was Tom Wilson with the goal and assists by
Dylan Strome and John Carlson.
As the game headed into extra hockey via overtime, the Capitals dominated the ice and ultimately, with 3:41 left in the overtime period, the Capitals struck to take the 3-2 win over the Lightning. It was a goal by
Jakob Chychrun and assists by Wilson and Strome that sent the Lightning home on a heartbreaking defeat and handed them their third loss of the year as they continue to search for the offensive steam that they had during the preseason.
The Lightning on Tuesday were once-again out-shot by the Capitals. They had 28 shots on goal compared to Tampa’s 19. The Capitals also won 53.6 percent of the face offs compared to the Lightning winning just 46.4 percent, the Capitals had 23 hits, the Lightning only had eight. The Lightning gave the puck away 19 times, the Capitals turned it over five-times less at 14 giveaways as the Lightning continue to struggle offensively since the regular season began.
The Lightning now have a couple days off before they continue their road-trip with a Friday night matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, who are 2-1-0. It’s a 7:00 PM EDT puck drop at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
