Officially eliminated from playoff contention a week ago, the Dallas Cowboys entered Sunday afternoon's matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles hoping to keep their longtime rivals from officially clinching the NFC East.
And with America's Team coming in hot after winning four of its last five and the Birds being without the services of Jalen Hurts, many thought Dallas might actually have a shot to win this game.
But instead of putting up any sort of fight, the Cowboys looked like a team ready for the season to be over, as they took an embarrassing 41-7 defeat, marking the first time they've been swept by the Eagles since 2011. And what an ugly sweep it was, as Philly outscored Dallas 75-13 in the two meetings this season.
Despite the lopsided outcome, there was one bright spot for the Cowboys on Sunday, that being running back Rico Dowdle, who surpassed the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in five games and also made some franchise history in the process.
Rico Dowdle is the first undrafted player in Cowboys history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season
Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle became the first undrafted RB in Cowboys' history to reach 1,000 yards in a season ✭ #dallascowboys pic.twitter.com/t7PmfDQzaZ
— The Cowboys Network (@TheCowboysNet) December 29, 2024
While the Cowboys as a whole had nothing to play for, Dowdle certainly did, as he needed 97 rushing yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.
And in accomplishing that goal by running for 104 yards on 23 carries, the 26-year-old became the first undrafted player in franchise history and only the 22nd player in NFL history to do so.
The previous record for the Cowboys belonged to Troy Hambrick, who rushed for 972 yards in 2003. Dowdle naturally wasn't happy with the outcome of the game, nor was he pleased with his third fumble of the season, but he was clearly thrilled to achieve this feat.
"Definitely felt good, definitely a landmark I wanted to hit," Dowdle said afterward. "Wish it was a different outcome with the fumble, but definitely satisfying reaching that landmark."
The South Carolina alum has certainly given Jerry Jones and the Cowboys' front office a lot to think about in recent weeks, as he's set to become an unrestricted free agent.
He played this season on a one-year deal worth $1.255 million but will command quite a bit more during the upcoming offseason. With Ezekiel Elliott undoubtedly out the door, one has to wonder if Jones will be willing to bring Dowdle back.
But given the Cowboys' salary-cap concerns, he could very well opt to let Dowdle walk and take his chances in the draft. Only time will tell.