The running back situation in Dallas has been a complete disaster all year. The Cowboys rank dead last in the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and yards per carry. Jerry Jones may not like to admit it but the offseason decisions have clearly backfired as the team has the worst running game in the league.

The biggest miss of the offseason was arguably the decision to bring back Ezekiel Elliott. Not only has the veteran rusher been awful, averaging 3 yards per carry, but he has also been dissatisfied with his role, battling with the coaching staff.

Things could get even worse for Zeke after head coach Mike McCarthy’s latest remarks. McCarthy said after the embarrassing Week 6 loss that Rico Dowdle needs to touch the ball more.

Cowboys News: Rico Dowdle to Get More Touches Going Forward

Dowdle having a bigger workload will have to come at Elliott’s expense. Zeke played 28 snaps on Sunday, the most since Week 1. He also had eight carries but failed to do anything with them, totaling 17 yards. Dowdle, on the other hand, had five carries for 25 yards and five catches for 30 yards against the Lions.

It’s not like Dowdle has been setting the world on fire with his touches but he has been much better than Elliott. Therefore, McCarthy’s statements are certainly understandable.

However, what effect it will have on Zeke and the rest of the team remains to be seen. Deuce Vaughn was inactive in the past two weeks and the Cowboys don’t have too many other options if they further demote Elliott.

The running back problem is going to persist in Dallas and unless the front office addresses it, it’s going to continue to limit the upside of the offense.