The Dallas Cowboys suffered an embarrassing 47-9 defeat to the Detroit Lions in Week 6, as Mike McCarthy’s unit completely fell flat at home in front of a national audience. Dallas is now 3-3 on the campaign and isn’t close to being a contender in a weaker NFC.
One of the primary reasons for the Cowboys’ struggles has been the ineffectiveness of the rushing attack. Rico Dowdle has shown flashes of excellent play, but Ezekiel Elliott is beyond washed, and the run game has been subpar and inconsistent overall.
With Dallas’ lackluster ground game hindering the team’s performance, NFL Network’s Maurice Jones-Drew suggests a reunion with Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard to solve the Cowboys’ crisis at the position.
After letting Pollard walk during the offseason, the Cowboys brought back Ezekiel Elliott to join Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn in the backfield. The Zeke reunion clearly hasn’t panned out as the organization had hoped. Through six weeks of the 2024 NFL season, the Cowboys have the league’s worst rushing offense, averaging a measly 77.2 ground yards per game.
Pollard enjoyed a lot of success under Mike McCarthy, recording two 1,000-yard rushing campaigns in 2022 and ’23. He helped Dallas feature a more balanced offensive attack, which in turn made it one of the more prolific units in the league. If the Cowboys want to improve their middle-of-the-pack offense and double down on their purported “all in” approach to 2024, now’s the time to bring in a player who’ll provide a significant boost. A second attempt at an RB reunion, this time with Pollard, is the move.
If Tennessee is willing to part ways with Pollard and the asking price isn’t egregiously high, general manager Jerry Jones should strike a deal with the Titans to bring Pollard back to Dallas.
The former fourth-round pick has enjoyed a productive season behind an erratic Tennessee offensive line, totaling 421 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns through five games.
It’s well known that Pollard flourishes when in collaboration with another tailback, and Rico Dowdle’s performance this season has instilled some confidence into the former undrafted free agent. Dowdle has posted 377 scrimmage yards and 4.2 yards per carry in 2024. A duo of Pollard and Dowdle would give Dallas an explosive and versatile tandem in the backfield.
The Cowboys’ season is at a crossroads, and Jerry Jones has no excuses to not bolster the roster at the trade deadline if he intends on competing.
Tony Pollard won’t salvage the 2024 campaign by himself, but he will fix one of the team’s most pressing needs and is already familiar with the offense and Mike McCarthy’s culture.
Dallas has a much-needed bye week after a blowout loss to Detroit but will have a formidable test awaiting in Week 8, as the team travels to Santa Clara to take on the San Francisco 49ers.