3 unlikely standouts from Cowboys blowout win over the Giants

1. Rico Dowdle, Running Back

For some reason, the Cowboys can't get out of their own way when it comes to running backs. For years, they refused to ride the hot hand as they would often keep Tony Pollard on the shelf while feeding Ezekiel Elliott. This year, they finally decided to move on from Zeke and they kept Pollard by way of the franchise tag.

Now after nine games, they're showing they learned absolutely nothing from their prior mistakes. Pollard has been their starter and he should be, but he's also not having his best season. Backup running back Rico Dowdle, on the other hand, is having the best year of his career.

Pollard came into this one with 474 yards and two touchdowns while averaging a career-low 4.0 yards per rush. Dowdle, who had seven career rushes coming in the season, has 133 yards on 35 rushes while averaging 3.8 yards per carry. That number might be low but he has had a lot of big runs taken back due to penalty.

Dowdle has simply looked hungry whenever he gets the ball and fans have been clamoring for more. Despite the burst he's shown, Mike McCarthy often pulls him after just one carry. This Sunday, that finally changed.

The former undrafted free agent from South Carolina had a career-high 12 carries against New York and responded with a career-high 79 yards. Despite having three fewer attempts than Pollard in this one, he finished with 24 more yards. He also scored his first rushing touchdown of his career (he did have a receiving touchdown earlier in the year).

Hopefully, this will open the door for Dowdle to get the ball more going forward. Pollard remains a dangerous runner but he's someone who would benefit from another back helping to wear down the opposing defense. Dowdle continues to prove he can be that guy.

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