3 big regrets the Dallas Cowboys should have in 2023

The Dallas Cowboys are still in position for a playoff run at 6-3 but for the second time this year, they were unable to secure a win against an elite opponent. In Week 5, they were embarrassed against the San Francisco 49ers in a 42-10 defeat.

In Week 9, they were at least within striking distance of the Philadelphia Eagles but they still came up short while allowing their biggest rival to improve to 8-1 on the year.

What makes these defeats so frustrating is that they spent the offseason trying to round out their roster in order to contend with the best teams in the NFC. After this loss, it's clear that some of these decisions have turned into regrets — and here are the top three.

3. Believing Tony Pollard could be a workhorse RB

Unlike the next two "regrets," we're not sure anyone foresaw Tony Pollard struggling to this extent as the Cowboys' featured back.

Granted, some talking heads and fans had trepidation about Pollard receiving 20 touches per game considering he had never logged more than 195 touches and he feasted as the change-of-pace guy behind smashmouth back Ezekiel Elliott.

Heading into Week 11, Pollard already has 135 touches so he should eclipse last season's career-high pretty comfortably. His 3.9 yards per carry is a career-low and his yards after contact per attempt is down from 3.87 in 2022 to 2.7 this season so his efficiency has cratered following the increased workload.

While the offensive line has been a letdown blocking for the run, there's a reason fans are clamoring for more Rico Dowdle snaps. Is Pollard not fully recovered from tight-rope ankle surgery? Is he not cut out to be a lead back?

These are questions the Cowboys brass might be asking itself with each passing week that Pollard is outplayed by Dowdle.