McCarthy: Dowdle to be Cowboys' lead back

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy announced Rico Dowdle will see the bulk of the team's carries at running back going forward.

"He's the lead back," McCarthy said, according LoneStarLive.com's Aaron Kasinitz. "I thought he had a really good first half, and I think that's illustrated by the attempts. Rico needs to touch the ball."

The South Carolina alum has carried the ball at least 29 more times than any other halfback on Dallas' roster. Dowdle leads the Cowboys with 374 rushing yards on 83 carries and is averaging 4.5 yards per rush. He's also caught 24 passes for 166 yards and three scores.

"Gotta get him the ball," McCarthy said. "That's my focus, just continue to get him opportunities."

McCarthy's announcement represents a pivot from the running back-by-committee approach. Veteran Ezekiel Elliott received the starting nod to begin the campaign in his second stint with the Cowboys but is averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry.

Dallas has been unable to generate much success on the ground despite Deuce Vaughn and four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook receiving limited work. The Cowboys rank 31st in the NFL in yards per game at 83.7, and their 197 rushing attempts are the fewest in the league.

Dowdle will see an uptick in touches while sharing a backfield with quarterback Cooper Rush, as star signal-caller Dak Prescott is set to miss the remainder of the season.

The Cowboys will host the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football in their next game.