It had to be difficult for Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy to watch game film during the bye week, especially when it came to running the ball.

His offense was abysmal in that regard through the first six games of the season. They are currently last in the league with just 463 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns.

MORE: CeeDee Lamb responds to Troy Aikman’s comment about “lazy” receivers

For this reason, McCarthy has made it clear that Rico Dowdle will be getting more contacts in the future. Dowdle was the only back in Big D who could move the ball consistently, which is why such a move makes sense. However, getting him more touches may not be the only change. According to Dianna Russini of The athleteThe Cowboys should turn to Dalvin Cook, who took over as first-team reps at practice this week.

“In six games, Dallas has 463 yards and two touchdowns on the ground – both totals rank last in the NFL.” Dalvin Cook took over as first team representatives this week. The Cowboys believe he is ready to get started. “Don’t be surprised if the veteran makes his Cowboys debut on Sunday night.” – Russini, The Athletic

Cook signed with Dallas in late August and was on their practice squad all year. There were times when it looked like they would include him in the matchday squad, but that hasn’t happened yet. Instead, they continued to work Ezekiel Elliott into the game plan, which was difficult to watch.

Ahead of the Week 8 showdown with the San Francisco 49ers, McCarthy appears ready to give Cook a chance. There’s no reason to believe he’ll be the player we saw in his prime, but it’s also hard to imagine he wouldn’t be an improvement over Zeke at this point.

— Enjoy free Dallas Cowboys coverage from SI —

Cowboys 4-Round Mock Draft: Playmaking WR starts off with impressive success

Cowboys vs. 49ers: 3 keys to win in Week 8

Dallas Cowboys vs. 49ers Week 8 Injury Report: Friday, October 25

NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: The Cowboys can make up ground with a win

Updated 2025 NFL Draft order after Week 7: Where do the Cowboys stand?

Meet Abby Summers: Dallas Cowboys rookie cheerleader