Rico Dowdle gives his best performance of his career in the Cowboys’ game against the Bengals

“Yeah, we have a six-day week, a short week, but we just stick to our bread and butter,” Dowdle said, also acknowledging the offensive line. “The guys at the top have done a great job in the last few weeks. It starts with them and it’s something we’ve talked about throughout the week.”

“It will start in the trenches, with the guys at the front. They set the tone and they open up the goal lines for me and it works for us as an offense.”

The honor is certainly more than justified for a group that has also battled a series of injuries this season that resulted in a carousel of lineups after being without perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin this season , only to be selected as a rookie in the third round and starting center Cooper Beebe left the Bengals’ affair due to a concussion that could cost him a trip to Carolina in Week 15.

Brock Hoffman has been a revelation in recent games and TJ Bass has come into his own while Terence Steele finds his rhythm and Tyler Smith continues to do All-Pro things.

“I think we have a good group of linemen,” Dowdle added. “A lot of guys who aren’t starters but have the potential to start in the NFL. They came in and played well I was ready when the opportunity came.

“I don’t think it was a really crazy setback from the guys who got injured and the guys who were in there. These guys prepared properly and it worked out for them.”

However, two things are true in this scenario and the other is that Dowdle will be playing the best football of his career in 2024.