Updates: Evans signed; Dowdle questionable - Staff, DallasCowboys.com

There have been calls for more Rico Dowdle, but he is now questionable for the game. The Cowboys also elevated Rashaan Evans to the 53-man squad.

Running back Rico Dowdle has been downgraded to questionable with an ankle injury.

The Cowboys had a light practice on Saturday before taking off to Carolina.

Dowdle is coming off a career-high 79 rushing yards last week against the Giants with a touchdown.

Tony Pollard is expected to start again at running back.

The Cowboys chose not to elevate Malik Davis from the practice squad. So if Dowdle doesn’t play, Deuce Vaughn and Hunter Luepke could also get more carries.

The Dallas Cowboys have activated LB Rashaan Evans to the active roster ahead of the game against the Carolina Panthers. This comes after Evans used the last of his three practice squad elevations against the Giants last week when he played 39 snaps on defense and special teams.

To make room for Evans’ activation, the Cowboys have moved rookie defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko Jr. to the reserve/injured list after he popped up on the practice report this week with a knee injury.

Dallas Domination by Tony Pollard at Carolina? Cowboys vs. Panthers ‘Mismatch’ Predicted -Bri Amaranthus, Sports Illustrated

Tony Pollard hasn’t completely captured his form from before his leg injury in the postseason. Pollard has only posted a single 100-yard rushing game this season and the running game has been largely ineffective. However, Pollard can get back on the right track and the other members of the offense should thrive in a prime matchup to exploit the Panthers.

It’s a “mismatch at every level,” according to ESPN. Carolina’s offense has struggled with No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young at quarterback. Cowboys star Micah Parsons and the defense look to get after the rookie Young, who ranks 29th in the NFL in QB rating at 75.9.

On the flip side, the scrutinized “Texas Coast Offense” hopes to keep the positive momentum after a commanding 49-17 win over the New York Giants in Week 10. While quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb are on record watch, ESPN predicts Cowboys running back Tony Pollard will rush for more than 100 yards for the first time since Week 3. Facing the 26th-ranked run defense in Carolina (131.9 per game), this is a perfect opportunity for Pollard to shine as the primary back.

Also, keep an eye on Lamb against the Panthers. Lamb needs 25 receiving yards to reach 1,000 receiving yards in 2023. He would be the second-fastest Cowboy to 1,000 receiving yards in a season (10 games), trailing only Michael Irvin in 1995 (nine games). Prescott could also make Cowboys history on Sunday. Prescott has totaled 300 passing yards in three straight games. With 300 yards on Sunday, Prescott would set a franchise record for the most consecutive 300-yard games with four.

Cowboys’ Rooting Guide for NFL Playoff Implications of Week 11 - Joe Tansey, Bleacher Report

Thanksgiving is a few days away and, in the NFL, it’s the beginning of the playoff push. As we look over the standings and the Cowboys’ upcoming games, here’s how Cowboys fans should root this week in the NFL.

Chiefs over Eagles

Dallas needs Philadelphia to struggle throughout the toughest part of its schedule. Philadelphia’s Monday night clash with Kansas City kicks off a five-game stretch in which it faces the Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Cowboys and Seahawks.

The Eagles enter Week 11 with a two-game edge on the Cowboys, but that can be cut in half with a Dallas win in Carolina and an Eagles loss in Kansas City. The reigning NFC champion has been vulnerable on the road. It suffered its lone loss at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets. The New England Patriots and Washington Commanders stayed within one score of the Eagles.

Dallas has a far easier schedule over the next few weeks against Carolina, Washington and Seattle. The Cowboys have a mini-bye ahead of the Week 14 clash with the Eagles since they play the Seahawks on Thursday night in Week 13. They can’t overtake the Eagles this week, but Week 11 could present a strong step in the right direction in the divisional title race.

Rams over Seahawks

Dallas can finish the weekend in the No. 5 seed if it wins and the Seahawks fall on the road to the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle is currently ahead of Dallas on the conference record tiebreaker. The Seahawks are 5-1 in the NFC, while the Cowboys are 3-3 inside the NFC. Dallas can erase all of Seattle’s advantages before the end of November.

A win over Carolina combined with an in-division defeat from the Seahawks would flip the teams in the wild-card race and give Dallas an advantage ahead of their Week 13 battle. Seattle lost its season opener to the Rams by a 30-13 score and it could be hurt again by Matthew Stafford, who is cleared to play after missing the Week 9 loss to the Green Bay Packers. If the Week 11 results play in Dallas’ favor, it could have the opportunity to bury Seattle in its head-to-head competition for a wild-card spot in Week 13.

Who Deserves Midseason Awards for the Cowboys?-Shane Taylor, Inside the Star

As stated, we are reaching the beginning of the playoff push. Before that begins, let’s reflect on the players that helped get the team where they are currently.

MVP

Dak Prescott. Yes, Prescott has been the leader after nine weeks. After leading the league in interceptions in 2022, he has been great so far, most of which has come after the wake-up call loss to the 49ers. Since that game, he has been one of if not the best quarterback in football. He currently has 2,415 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only six interceptions, which is near the bottom.

I will agree that he needs to do this and win against the handful of teams on the way. Beat the Eagles, Bills, Dolphins, or Lions and man folks are going to take this conversation seriously.

Defensive MVP

We all know who takes the award for this one. Although DaRon Bland has been fantastic this season after getting his role expanded with Trevon Diggs out for the year, Micah Parsons is that guy. Parsons pressures the opposing quarterbacks better than anyone in football. He faces more double teams than anyone in the league.

He has 7.5 sacks through the first nine games of the season. Dan Quinn is doing a great job moving him all over the place, making him a tough matchup for other teams each week. People are worried about his play against the Giants, but they didn’t need him to even do anything to slow that Giants’ offense down.

Relax.

He may see time at linebacker more like we noticed last week against the Giants. Leighton Vander Esch has been ruled out for the year with that Neck injury, which many say might even put his career at risk. The Cowboys have a lot of football left, and these awards could change from now until the end of the season.

The hardest part of the schedule is on the way after the next two weeks, and we will really find out who the most valuable players are for this football team.

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