At the center of shutdown fight, health care is one of the most intractable issues in Congress

At the center of shutdown fight, health care is one of the most intractable issues in Congress

By MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats believe health care is an issue that resonates with a majority of Americans as they demand an extension of subsidies for their votes to reopen the shuttered U.S. government. But it is also one of the most intractable issues in Congress — and a real compromise is unlikely to be easy, or quick.

There are some Republicans in Congress who want to extend the higher subsidies, which were first put in place in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as millions of people who receive their insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces are set to receive notices that their premiums will increase at the beginning of the year. But many GOP lawmakers are strongly opposed to any extension — and see the debate as a new opportunity to cut back on the program altogether.

“If Republicans govern by poll and fail to grab this moment, they will own it,” wrote Texas Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican, in a letter published in the The Wall Street Journal over the weekend. He encouraged senators not to go “wobbly” on the issue.

“The jig is up, the pandemic is over and my colleagues shouldn’t blink in any other direction,” Roy wrote.

Republicans have been railing against the Affordable Care Act, former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, since it was enacted 15 years ago. But while they have been able to chip away at it, they have not been able to substantially alter it as a record 24 million people are now signed up for insurance coverage through the ACA, in large part because billions of dollars in subsidies have made the plans more affordable for many people.

Now, some of them see the Democrats’ fight as their chance to revisit the issue — putting Republican congressional leaders and President Donald Trump in a complicated position as the government shutdown enters its seventh day and hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going unpaid.

“I am happy to work with Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to reopen,” Trump wrote on social media Monday night, walking back earlier comments saying there were ongoing negotiations with Democrats.

Waiting for the other side to blink

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly indicated that Republicans are open to extending the subsidies, with reforms, if Democrats would reopen the government. But he has refused to negotiate until that happens — and has suggested Trump will be key to the eventual outcome.

Thune told reporters Monday “there may be a path forward” on ACA subsidies, but stressed, “I think a lot of it would come down to where the White House lands on that.”

Many GOP senators argue the only path forward is to overhaul the law. “The whole problem with all of this is Obamacare,” said Florida Sen. Rick Scott.

Most House Republicans agree, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has been noncommittal on discussions.

“Obamacare is not working,” Johnson said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “We’re trying to fix it.”

Democrats believe that public sentiment is on their side and argue that Trump and Republicans will have to come to the negotiating table as people who are enrolled in the program, many of whom live in Republican districts and states, are notified that their rates will increase.

“All I can tell you is the American people feel very deeply about solving this health care crisis,” Schumer said after the Senate rejected a House-passed bill to reopen the government for the fifth time Monday evening. “Every poll we have seen shows they want us to do it, and they feel that the Republicans are far more responsible for the shutdown than we are.”

Bipartisan talks face difficulties

With leaders at odds, some rank-and-file senators in both parties have been in private talks to try to find a way out of the shutdown. Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota has suggested extending the subsidies for a year and then phasing them out. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, has suggested pushing ahead with a group of bipartisan spending bills that are pending and a commitment to discuss the health care issue.

But many Democrats say a commitment isn’t good enough, and Republicans say they need deeper reforms — leaving the talks, and the U.S. government, at a standstill.

Maine Sen. Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, voted with Republicans to keep the government open. But he said Monday that he might switch his vote to “no” if Republicans do not “offer some real solid evidence that they are going to help us with this crisis” on health care.

Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said his party is “not budging,” however. “First and foremost, before we can talk about anything, they need to reopen the government.”

Some Republicans urge action on health care

Still, some Republicans say they are open to extending the subsidies — even if they don’t like them — as it becomes clear that their constituents will face rising costs.

“I’m willing to consider various reforms, but I think we have to do something,” said Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri. He said Congress should address the issue “sooner rather than later” before open enrollment begins Nov. 1.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she is “not a fan” of Obamacare but indicated she might vote to extend it.

“I’m going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district,” she posted on social media Monday evening.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Matt Brown, Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves and Joey Cappalletti contributed to this report.

Loaded Oatmeal

Loaded Oatmeal

This recipe is a fun and quick way to get a balanced breakfast! And, it packs well for those on-the-go mornings.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup milk, water, or plant-based milk
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • Toppings of your choice: apple slices, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, honey, nut butter, chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, chia seeds, etc.

Instructions

1. Cook the oatmeal
In a small pot, combine the oats and liquid of choice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often until thick and creamy. Sprinkle the cinnamon in the oats for flavor.

2. Prepare the toppings
Slice any fruit options you’d like to add to your oatmeal and toast any nut options if you want to add some crunch.

3. Assemble
Place the cooked oatmeal in a bowl and top with the toppings of your choice. Enjoy warm as a quick, tasty, and balanced breakfast.

Bari Weiss is the new editor-in-chief of CBS News after Paramount buys her website

Bari Weiss is the new editor-in-chief of CBS News after Paramount buys her website

By DAVID BAUDER AP Media Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount said Monday that it has bought the news and commentary website The Free Press and installed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the editor-in-chief of CBS News, saying it believes the country longs for news that is balanced and fact-based.

It’s a bold step for the television network of Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather and “60 Minutes,” long viewed by many conservatives as the personification of a liberal media establishment. The network is placing someone in a leadership role who has developed a reputation for resisting orthodoxy and fighting “woke” culture.

Paramount said Monday that it has bought the news and commentary website The Free Press and installed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the editor-in-chief of CBS News, saying it believes the country longs for news that is balanced and fact-based. (AP Video)

“I am confident her entrepreneurial drive and editorial vision will invigorate CBS News,” said David Ellison, who took over this summer as the corporate leader overseeing the network when his company, Skydance, purchased Paramount. “This move is part of Paramount’s bigger vision to modernize content and the way it connects — directly and passionately — to audiences around the world.”

No purchase price was announced for The Free Press, which has grown to reach 1.5 million subscribers since Weiss started it in 2021 after leaving The New York Times as an opinion editor. When she left the Times, she wrote a letter of resignation that spoke of a culture of intolerance at the newspaper and said she was bullied by colleagues who disagreed with her.

Weiss will report directly to Ellison and partner with the current CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, who reports to Paramount executive George Cheeks.

Editor-in-chief is a new role at CBS News. Ellison said that Weiss will “shape editorial priorities, champion core values across platforms and lead innovation in how the organization reports and delivers the news.”

In a letter to CBS News employees on Monday, Weiss said that watching CBS was part of a family tradition growing up in Pittsburgh. Her goal in the next few weeks is to get to know the staff, she said.

“I want to hear from you about what’s working, what isn’t, and your thoughts on how we can make CBS News the most trusted news organization in America and the world,” Weiss wrote. “I’ll approach it the way any reporters would — with an open mind, a fresh notebook and an urgent deadline.”

Some at CBS News have been concerned about what they see as signs that the news division is moving in a direction more friendly to President Donald Trump. Paramount’s merger with Skydance was approved by the administration shortly after Paramount settled the president’s lawsuit against “60 Minutes.” Ellison has hired Kenneth Weinstein, former head of a conservative think tank and a Trump contributor, as an ombudsman to examine complaints about CBS News.

“60 Minutes,” which is two weeks into its new season, has been seeking an interview with Trump.

CBS isn’t the only news organization to face pressure from the president. He also settled a lawsuit against ABC News, has sued The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and is fighting a battle with The Associated Press over access.

Broadcast news organizations are generally fading in influence with the growth of online alternatives, and have aging audiences. CBS is generally third in popularity behind ABC and NBC, but “60 Minutes” and “CBS News Sunday Morning” have devoted fan bases.

Rather, who stepped down as anchor and managing editor of the “CBS Evening News” in 2005, told The Associated Press that he did not know Weiss and hopes she gets to know the people at CBS News before making any big changes.

“No one has to send a memo to everyone down the line at CBS News about what is going on with journalism and this presidency,” Rather said. “It is obvious that there is tremendous pressure to bend the knee to the Trump administration. The fear is that this appointment is part of that overall play.”

Weiss has worked in opinion journalism and has little background in broadcast journalism. She has described herself politically as a centrist and wrote a column for the New York Post in 2021 headlined, “10 ways to fight back against woke culture.”

Writing for the liberal website the Unpopulist, Matt Johnson said that “one reason for The Free Press’ popularity is that it offers intellectual reassurances to legions of anti-anti-Trump readers — sophisticated conservatives who may be uneasy about Trumpism, yet want to believe that wokeness and other left-wing excesses are the primary threats to western civilization.”

Weiss told fellow CBS News employees that she stood for the same core journalistic values that have defined the profession from the beginning, including reporting on the world as it actually is and being fair, fearless and factual.

In separate staff memos, Ellison and Weiss outlined similar philosophies about a mainstream America being ill-served by a destructive form of partisanship.

“When we reduce every issue to ‘us vs. them’ or ‘my way vs. the wrong way,’ we close ourselves off from listening, learning and ultimately growing, both as individuals and as a society,” Ellison wrote. “I don’t pretend to have a solution to this challenge. But I do believe we each have a responsibility to do our part.”

Weiss will remain as the boss of The Free Press, which she indicated would continue on the same course but expand more quickly with Paramount’s money. Indeed, she said in a letter to subscribers that The Free Press will help reshape CBS News.

She said mainstream Americans — which she defined as being politically mixed and pragmatic — are being ill-served by an illiberalism from the fringes of society.

“On the one hand, an America-loathing far left,” she wrote. “On the other, a history-erasing far right. These extremes do not represent the majority of the country, but they have increasing power in our politics, our culture and our media ecosystem.”

In a Pew Research Center survey taken earlier this year, 56% of Americans who are Democrats or lean Democrats say they trust CBS News, while only 23% of Republicans say the same thing. Those levels are similar across all major broadcast media outlets, with Republicans primarily turning to Fox News Channel.

Rush announce reunion tour five years after the death of drummer Neil Peart

Rush announce reunion tour five years after the death of drummer Neil Peart

By MARIA SHERMAN AP Music Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Five years after their influential drummer and lyricist Neil Peart died of glioblastoma, the Canadian band Rush have announced a reunion tour.

On Monday, Rush co-founders Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson revealed a 12-date, seven city tour is scheduled for summer 2026, kicking off in June at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles — where the band played their final show in 2015.

The reunion tour will end in Cleveland in September 2026. They’ll also hit Mexico City, Fort Worth, Texas, Chicago, New York and Toronto.

Taking Peart’s place is celebrated German composer and producer Anika Nilles. She has previously toured with Jeff Beck.

“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of Rush alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil. A lifetime’s worth of songs that we had put our cumulative hearts and souls into writing, recording and playing together onstage,” Lee wrote in a statement.

He added that he and Lifeson “could not be more excited” to introduce Nilles to their fanbase “whom, we know, will give her every chance to live up to that near impossible role.”

They are also hoping to add additional musicians into the fold for the performances.

Earlier this year, the band released a greatest hits collection titled “Rush 50.” Fittingly, it ended with the last songs the band played at their final concert a decade ago.

Their 2026 tour is titled “Fifty Something.”

“We are thrilled to support the Fifty Something tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist,” Peart’s widow and daughter, Carrie Nuttall-Peart and Olivia Peart, shared in a joint statement.

“Neil’s musicianship was singular… As the band enters this new chapter, it promises to be truly unforgettable. We are excited to see how their new vision unfolds, and to hear this legendary music played live once again.”

Speaker Johnson says it’s up to Democrats to ‘stop the madness’ on shutdown’s sixth day

Speaker Johnson says it’s up to Democrats to ‘stop the madness’ on shutdown’s sixth day

By KEVIN FREKING and JOSH BOAK Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers provided few public signs of meaningful negotiations to break an impasse on reopening the federal government as the shutdown entered its sixth day. House Speaker Mike Johnson said “there’s nothing for us to negotiate” while House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries declared the “time is now” to work out a deal on health care.

Johnson, R-La., told reporters on Monday that they could stop asking why he wasn’t negotiating an end to the impasse and that it was up to a handful of Democrats to “stop the madness” and pass a stopgap spending bill that had earlier passed the House.

“We did the job to keep the government open, and now it’s on the Senate Democrats,” Johnson said.

The House is not expected to be in session this week, focusing attention on the Senate to take the lead on any deal in the Republican-led Congress. Yet even with House lawmakers away, the Republican and Democratic leaders have been holding almost daily briefings as they frame their arguments and seek to shift blame for the shutdown.

Democrats are insisting on renewing subsidies to cover health insurance costs for millions of households, while President Donald Trump wants to preserve existing spending levels for now as he believes that Democrats will have to fold because of the jobs and federal infrastructure and energy projects being put at risk.

Jeffries said in an NBC “The Today Show” interview Monday that notices have already started to go out to Americans enrolled in health insurance exchanges established through the Affordable Care Act, with those notices showing dramatic increases in premiums next year.

“That’s what people are facing right now, which is why we need to address it,” Jeffries said.

Turmoil for the economy

The stalemate comes at a moment of troubling economic uncertainty. While the U.S. economy has continued to grow this year, hiring has slowed and inflation remains elevated as the Republican president’s import taxes have created a series of disruptions for businesses and hurt confidence in his leadership. At the same time, there is a recognition that the nearly $2 trillion annual budget deficit is financially unsustainable.

The Trump administration sees the shutdown as an opening to wield greater power over the budget, with multiple officials saying they will save money as workers are furloughed by imposing permanent job cuts on thousands of government workers, a tactic that has never been used before.

Trump had seemingly suggested Sunday night that layoffs were already taking place, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was talking about furloughs. Under a furlough, workers cannot report to work, but they will return to their job and get paid retroactively after the shutdown ends. She said layoffs were still planned if the shutdown continues.

The talk of layoffs has escalated an already tense situation in which Washington lawmakers have struggled to find common ground and build mutual trust. Leaders in both parties are betting that public sentiment has swung their way, putting pressure on the other side to cave.

Democrats say a promise is not enough

Even though it would be Trump’s choice to cut jobs, Republicans are putting the blame on the Democrats because of the shutdown.

Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California defended his party’s stance on the shutdown, saying the possible increase in health care costs for millions of Americans would make insurance unaffordable. He called it a “crisis.”

But Schiff also noted that the Trump administration has stopped congressionally approved spending. That essentially undermines the value of Democrats trying to seek compromises on the budget since the administration could block the spending of money from any deal. The Trump administration sent Congress roughly $4.9 billion in what are called pocket rescissions on foreign aid, a process that meant the money was withheld without time for Congress to weigh in before the previous fiscal year ended last month.

“We need both to address the health care crisis, and we need some written assurance in the law — I won’t take a promise — that they’re not going to renege on any deal we make,” Schiff said.

But a deal appears a long way off. The two parties do not appear to be having productive conversations with each other in private, even as Republicans insist they are in conversation with their Democratic colleagues.

In the Senate, a stubborn stalemate

The Senate has voted multiple times on the same legislation to reopen the government, only to have it fail each time.

The last vote came on Friday, as Republican bill that would reopen the government failed to notch the necessary 60 votes to end a filibuster in the 100-member chamber.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said Sunday that the shutdown on discretionary spending, the furloughing of federal workers and requirements that other federal employees work without pay will continue so long as Democrats vote no.

“They’ll get another chance on Monday to vote again,” Thune said. “And I’m hoping that some of them have a change of heart.”

___

Schiff appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and Thune was on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

Pickled Red Onions

Pickled Red Onions

This recipe for homemade pickled onions is super easy and can add flavor to a variety of dishes!

Ingredients

  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup apple cider or white vinegar
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. black peppercorns
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced
  • 1 tsp. chili flakes

Instructions

1. Prep the veggies
Thinly slice the onion and pack the slices into a glass jar. Do the same with the garlic clove.

2. Create the pickling mixture
In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, hot water, sugar, salt, and other spices. Then, pour the mixture over the sliced onions and garlic in the jar so that it fully submerges them.

3. Let the onions marinate
Leave the onions in the jar with the pickling mixture for around 30-60 minutes, then enjoy on a sandwich, salad, taco, or any other dish of your choice! You can refrigerate the pickled onions for up to 2 weeks.

October 6th 2025

October 6th 2025

Thought of the Day

Getty Image

Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.

Israel and Hamas prepare for negotiations in Egypt ahead of possible ceasefire

Israel and Hamas prepare for negotiations in Egypt ahead of possible ceasefire

By SAMY MAGDY and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Israel and Hamas prepared for indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday, as hopes for a possible ceasefire in Gaza grew after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a hostage release could be announced this week.

Tuesday marks two years since the Hamas attack that sparked the war.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sunday that he hoped his government was “the closest to a hostage deal since January” as Israel and Hamas were preparing for indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday. (AP Video)

President Donald Trump has welcomed the Hamas statement accepting some elements of the U.S. peace plan. Israel has said it supported the new U.S. effort. Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — about 20 believed to be alive — within three days. It would give up power and disarm.

The delegation led by top Israeli negotiator Ron Dermer will leave Monday for the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Netanyahu’s office said. An Egyptian official said the Hamas delegation had arrived. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief reporters, said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is joining the talks.

Discussions will focus on the proposed exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, Egypt’s foreign ministry said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the situation “the closest we’ve come to getting all of the hostages released.”

Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,’’ he described two phases after Hamas accepts Trump’s framework: The hostages are released and Israel pulls back in Gaza to the “yellow line,” where it was in August.

Rubio told CBS that Hamas should release hostages as they are ready, and that bombardment needs to end so they can be released.

The U.S. plan also addresses Gaza’s future. In a text exchange with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Trump said there would be “complete obliteration” if Hamas stayed in power there. Trump also texted that Netanyahu was on board for ending the bombing and peace in Gaza but added, “soon on the rest.”

Support for a ceasefire grows

Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Badrosian told journalists that Netanyahu is in “regular contact” with Trump and that the prime minister has stressed that the talks in Egypt “will be confined to a few days maximum.”

“I hope that we are closest to a hostage deal since the (ceasefire) deal in January,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in a speech.

Anxious relatives of hostages gathered near Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, with some urging Trump to continue to apply pressure. Israel’s recent military offensive in Gaza City led many to fear for the hostages’ lives.

“We cannot allow such a historic agreement to be sacrificed again,” said Michel Ilouz, father of Guy Ilouz.

As hundreds of thousands of people marched across several European cities and elsewhere in support of Palestinians, the foreign ministers of eight Muslim-majority countries issued a joint statement welcoming steps toward a possible ceasefire.

They also underlined their commitment to the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, unifying Gaza and the West Bank and reaching an agreement leading to a “full Israeli withdrawal” from Gaza.

Rubio told ABC that decisions regarding a governing structure or international group to manage Gaza can take place simultaneously with the ceasefire’s first step.

“That’s the part that I think is going to be a little tougher to work through, but that’s what’s going to provide permanency to the end of the conflict,” he said.

At least 12 killed in Gaza on Sunday

Trump has ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza, but residents and local hospitals said strikes continued across the territory.

The Israeli government spokeswoman, Badrosian, said “certain bombings have actually stopped inside of the Gaza Strip.”

But Israel’s military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, said that “if the political effort does not succeed, we will return to fight.”

At least eight people were killed Sunday in multiple strikes in Gaza City, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. A security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media said the strikes were against Hamas militants who were a threat to troops.

Four other people were shot dead near an aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, according to Nasser Hospital. Israel’s military said it was not involved.

Doctors Without Borders confirmed the death of colleague Abed El Hameed Qaradaya, who was wounded in an attack Thursday that killed another colleague in Gaza.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the war reached 67,139 on Sunday, with nearly 170,000 injured. The ministry does not differentiate how many of those killed were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up about half of the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

Israel’s military has said it continues to dismantle Hamas infrastructure and warned residents not to return to northern Gaza.

“We’re on the brink, and we don’t know whether one will die of a strike or starvation,” said Mahmoud Hashem, a Palestinian father sheltering in a tent in Gaza City.

___

Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Andrew Wilks contributed from Istanbul.

Carolina’s Rico Dowdle predicted he’d have a big game against Miami. Then he rushed for 206 yards

Carolina’s Rico Dowdle predicted he’d have a big game against Miami. Then he rushed for 206 yards

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE,. N.C. (AP) — Rico Dowdle told his Carolina Panthers teammates last week that he’d run for 180 yards against the Miami Dolphins.

It sounded like a bold prediction, but he more than backed it up.

Dowdle, who got his first start of the season in place of the injured Chuba Hubbard, had runs of 53 and 43 yards in the second half on Sunday and finished with a career-high 206 yards on 23 carries, tied for the second-highest rushing total in franchise history — only 5 yards shy of breaking DeAngelo Williams’ single-game record.

“I put trust in those guys up front,” Dowdle said after Carolina’s 27-24 come-from-behind win. “I knew we would be able to run the ball, it was just a matter of how well we could run it. I had great confidence in those guys up front and myself, and it worked out in my favor. We had an opportunity and we took advantage.”

Dowdle almost didn’t get that chance.

Bryce Young turned the ball over on each of Carolina’s first two possessions and the Panthers fell behind 17-0. But instead of panicking and going exclusively to the passing game, Panthers second-year coach Dave Canales stuck with Dowdle — and it paid off.

Dowdle even helped out the coaching staff along the way.

During the second quarter, he noticed the Panthers might have an opportunity for a big gain if they ran a toss play to the right side. He relayed the message to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik in the second quarter, and Canales decided to call the play to start the second half.

The result was Dowdle breaking a tackle and scampering 53 yards to set up a field goal that cut Miami’s lead to 17-13. He later scored on a 1-yard plunge to give Carolina its first lead with 6:10 remaining.

“(Idzik) came up to me after the game and told me, ‘Just tell me what runs you want to run,’” Dowdle said with a laugh.

It’s unclear if Hubbard, who has a calf injury, will be back for Week 6. No matter what, Dowdle appears to have earned more playing time.

“The attitude that he ran with, the violence that he ran with, finishing through arm tackles, it’s something that we’ve been challenging our guys on,” Canales said. “When we get you to the second level, have a plan for how you finish, and I saw a great finish today out of Rico.”

Dowdle didn’t realize until someone told him after the game how close he was to breaking the team rushing record.

He felt like he would have shattered the mark if he hadn’t had to leave the game on multiple occasions in the second half with cramping in both legs. Dowdle said he drank five cups of pickle juice and a packet of hydration mix, which allowed him to return for the final drive.

“Hey, I will get another opportunity to do it again,” Dowdle said of the record.

His first chance comes next Sunday on the same field against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Dowdle eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing for the Cowboys last season, but owner and general manager Jerry Jones showed little interest in re-signing him. Dowdle said he’s had a chip on his shoulder since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent and having to bide his time as a special-teams player. Facing Dallas, he said, might mean a little more to him.

The Dolphins ranked 30th in the league against the run coming into the week; the Cowboys were 20th.

“They’ve got to buckle up. I think they know, for sure,” Dowdle said. “I had been there for five years and they didn’t keep me there five years for no reason, I will definitely say that.”

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