Rico Dowdle told his old Dallas Cowboys teammates to “buckle up.” Turns out, they didn’t.

The former Cowboys running back exploded for 239 total yards and a touchdown, powering the Carolina Panthers to a 30-27 win over Dallas in a game that left the Cowboys searching for answers on defense.

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“They wasn’t buckled up,” Dowdle said postgame, twisting the knife just a bit deeper after handing his former team a gut punch.

Dowdle’s 183 rushing yards on 30 carries — plus 56 receiving yards and a score through the air — made him the first Panthers player ever to record back-to-back 200-yard games from scrimmage. His 473 total yards over the last two weeks set a franchise record.

“It was personal for him and we knew that,” Panthers quarterback Bryce Young said. “That’s our brother, and if it’s personal for him, it’s personal for us.”

The Cowboys (2-3-1) wasted a strong night from Dak Prescott, who completed 25 of 34 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Wideout George Pickens posted a career-best 168 yards and a touchdown, but Dallas couldn’t stop Carolina’s run game — getting outgained 216 to 31 on the ground.

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“We knew they were a physical football team,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “They were able to run it and we weren’t.”

Prescott tipped his cap to his former teammate after the loss.

“Rico told us to ‘buckle up,’ and he got the last laugh,” he said. “I love my team, but I miss that guy. Rico’s a hell of a friend. I’m proud of him more than anything.”

The Cowboys will look to regroup when they host Washington next Sunday, trying to repair a defense that got bulldozed by one of their own.