Cowboys come alive on offense, capitalize on turnovers to beat Panthers for sixth win

The Dallas Cowboys upset the Carolina Panthers to earn their sixth win of the season on Sunday. It is a actual sentence and factor that occurred. The Panthers had not been the favorites to win any recreation over their final 34 tries, however oddsmakers had them slated to defend dwelling area and snap a four-game dropping streak towards a Cowboys crew that got here in winners of two of their final three. The lone loss was on Monday night time towards the Cincinnati Bengals and got here on a botched punt block restoration, all however ending already distant playoff hopes for the Cowboys. Understandably, their motivation to proceed enjoying arduous to shut out a misplaced season outlined by equal components ineptitude and accidents has come into query.

Dallas answered this query with one in all their most full performances of the season to win 30-14. Mike McCarthy’s crew is now 6-8 with three video games remaining, and momentum is constructing in direction of the fifth-year head coach returning on a brand new contract. Each efficiency like this one for a Cowboys crew nonetheless sitting in third place of the division they received a 12 months in the past helps justify letting McCarthy see by the roster getting more healthy and Dak Prescott again within the beginning lineup at QB. There may be nonetheless the query of the place any resemblance of consistency has been for a crew that’s nonetheless received simply as soon as at dwelling all 12 months. With the Panthers caught on three wins since Week 10, the mixed document of the groups the Cowboys have beat this season is 24-32. The Steelers account for near half of the wins right here as a present 10-4 division chief beneath Russell Wilson, who didn’t begin the Sunday night time recreation towards the Cowboys.

What the Cowboys did earn with their early kickoff win on the Panthers, one which FOX analyst Greg Olsen referred to as “gym class” at one level in a penalty-filled second half, is one other probability to convey some intrigue to their final primetime recreation of the season. Just like the Cowboys internet hosting the Bengals as a gathering of two dropping groups final Monday night time however nonetheless bringing in document scores, the Cowboys now have a high quality win going right into a matchup with a Buccaneers crew that’s received 4 in a row. Tampa Bay is making a surge in direction of the playoffs, most not too long ago dropping 40 factors on a Chargers protection who’s earlier excessive was 30 to the Ravens this season. The matchup of their Baker Mayfield-led offense going up towards a Mike Zimmer protection that simply had two interceptions, six sacks, and two fumble recoveries towards the Panthers will quietly be one of many higher ones across the league in Week 16 for Sunday Evening Soccer.

Zimmer’s protection had the good thing about enjoying from forward within the win at Carolina, with the Cowboys offense getting higher as the sport went on. They discovered straightforward completions for Cooper Rush, ran the ball for a season excessive 211 yards (surpassing final week’s excessive of 156), and transformed 6 of 12 third-down makes an attempt to manage the sport. The Bryce Younger-led Panthers offense had no solutions. Micah Parsons, Osa Odighizuwa, Carl Lawson, and Mazi Smith all set the tone up entrance for Dallas by beating blocks and getting within the backfield.

Despite the fact that this group continues to be lacking a Professional Bowl participant in DeMarcus Lawrence, they confirmed lots towards a Panthers crew that’s struggled on the offensive line for a number of seasons now. Improved offensive line play in safety of Younger had been an enormous motive why the Panthers got here into this recreation enjoying a lot better soccer regardless of shut losses, however the Cowboys line of defense proved an excessive amount of for them.

Dallas’ personal offensive line had way more of a say in profitable up entrance on this recreation, with one other patchwork group nonetheless paving the way in which for Rico Dowdle to have a profession day and giving Rush time to learn the sphere.

Although not technically eradicated from the playoff image but, the Cowboys are nonetheless very a lot within the mode of evaluating what they’ve for 2025 at this level within the 12 months, and noticed lots to love in all three phases towards the Panthers to earn a bounce-back win. Let’s get to some different notes on the motion that noticed Dallas bounce forward 10-0 within the first half and by no means look again, main by as a lot as 20 within the fourth quarter.

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The Cowboys did their greatest to point out why they have been betting underdogs to a three-win crew early on this recreation, compelled to punt on their first two possessions together with the primary of the sport. An enormous second-down play down the center to CeeDee Lamb was negated by an unlawful formation penalty, and Dallas did the predictable factor of force-feeding Lamb the ball once more on a display on second and even longer to convey up their first third-down strive of the afternoon. Rush was sacked on a nook blitz, and the Cowboys rapidly punted.

The Panthers held the ball for 13 performs on the following drive, their longest of the sport, and obtained into the purple zone, trying to rapidly seize momentum and take the lead. The Cowboys have loads of alternative stage gamers taking the sphere on protection on a weekly foundation proper now, and the Panthers discovered final week’s scapegoat in Amani Oruwariye rapidly to maintain the drive alive. Oruwariye additionally had an offsides penalty lining up within the impartial zone in press protection.

The Panthers additionally picked on Marist Liufau in protection, who’s way more of a downhill linebacker towards the run than one capable of persist with backs or receivers in man protection. Fortunately for Dallas, a Panthers crew that got here in with the sixth-worst turnover differential within the NFL would give them one early as their promising opening drive got here up empty. After impressively spinning away from Micah Parsons on a scramble, Younger was hit by Liufau and coughed up the ball, recovered by rookie Marshawn Kneeland. It feels just like the extra Liufau is on the sphere on an each down foundation, the nearer he will get at any given time to creating a splash play. Zimmer and the Cowboys workers have been impressed along with his instinctual capability as a prospect out of Notre Dame, and now Liufau finds himself the largest beneficiary of a enjoying time enhance following DeMarvion Overshown’s harm.

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This transformation in momentum wouldn’t spark the Cowboys offense simply but, as they promptly had their solely three and out of the sport. The Cowboys did have the present of time to settle into this recreation although, maybe displaying they don’t belong among the many true backside feeders on this league caught on two or three wins, and did simply that after forcing one other punt to leap forward 7-0.

Nonetheless working the display recreation on this scoring drive, the Cowboys went to it on second and lengthy once more for Jake Ferguson to convey up a 3rd and eight. One other display, this time to Lamb, would transfer the chains, and after two Dowdle runs and Lamb’s longest catch of the sport for 28 yards, the Cowboys WR1 was in the long run zone on a fade route from 14 yards out. Dowdle had the important thing blitz pickup coming all the way in which throughout the formation on the downfield shot to Lamb, understanding of the slot the place numerous his greatest performs have are available in latest weeks.

Lamb was one in all three Cowboys receivers with at the least two receptions on this recreation to common over ten yards a catch. McCarthy’s offense has gotten one of these manufacturing from receivers within the video games Rush has began earlier than, regardless of his struggles to all the time ship the ball downfield precisely, however what made this win towards the Panthers totally different was Jalen Tolbert discovering the tip zone for the fifth time this season and Jalen Brooks scoring for the primary time in his NFL profession.

Tolbert’s landing got here after an Osa Odighizuwa sack on the primary play of the second half created one other fumble, and Brooks obtained in the long run zone from 17 yards out to cap off the longest drive of the sport for the Cowboys after getting the ball off a 3 and out when Chauncey Golston obtained to Younger for an additional sack. It’s unlucky that the often-used time period “complementary football” has not helped the Cowboys get wherever near the 12 wins of seasons previous regardless of discovering methods to play it in stretches, however regardless of all of the accidents it was on full show towards the Panthers.

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The Cowboys did enable seven factors of their very own off one other Rush mesh level fumble that led to the longest offensive landing for the Panthers since 2019, however their ten factors off turnovers with the opposite three being a area aim following Eric Kendricks’ interception was greater than sufficient to win.

It was Jourdan Lewis in protection on the contested throw by Younger that ended up being picked by Kendricks. Cornerback has been a revolving door for the Cowboys this season, now with out the chance to play with each DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs collectively for the remainder of the season following Diggs’ newest knee harm. Lewis has been a constant veteran presence that’s discovered new life in Zimmer’s protection and beneath the teaching of Al Harris. The Cowboys studying they will depend on Lewis as a defender able to masking out of the slot or on the boundary might be one in all their greatest takeaways from this powerful season. Lewis additionally had a third-down sack that compelled a punt within the second half.

Staying on this aspect of the ball, Dallas additionally noticed Mazi Smith flash just a few occasions all through this recreation, staying sq. on the level of assault and shedding blocks to make performs alongside the road of scrimmage.

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The dialog about how this crew can retain Mike McCarthy and nonetheless enhance sufficient to return to the playoffs subsequent season, one thing that may’t be solely depending on Prescott bringing them there, shall be an ongoing one. A efficiency like this from Zimmer’s protection, significantly up entrance the place Dallas was anticipated to take a step again after Dan Quinn took not solely his teaching however a number of defensive linemen with him to Washington, could be a actual step in direction of this time discovering the id they need beneath McCarthy. A brand new head coach desirous to retain Zimmer and never usher in yet one more new defensive coordinator can be unlikely.

On the opposite aspect, the Cowboys are seeing an offensive line that’s turned to the likes of Chuma Edoga and Brock Hoffman a number of occasions this season nonetheless play formidably, even with a backup QB beginning. Persevering with to take strides right here as effectively would make Dallas a stout crew up entrance each offensively and defensively, and though enjoying this manner towards the Panthers is admittedly a low bar to clear, it did result in the most effective all-around Cowboys wins of the 12 months.

A daily season win towards the Panthers in December with each groups hardly fascinated by the playoffs (Carolina was formally eradicated with this loss) definitely must be put in full context earlier than anybody makes this a defining win for the 2024 Cowboys that carries an excessive amount of relevance to subsequent season. Nonetheless, his was a crew beneath all these adverse circumstances that got here out and executed an awesome gameplan, performed arduous, and obtained a decisive victory.

The Cowboys did have a season excessive 14 penalties on this recreation, however with the ability to run the ball 25 occasions for 141 yards within the second half and 40 occasions whole, additionally a season excessive, went a great distance in not letting penalties have an effect on the end result.

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Rico Dowdle’s new profession highs in makes an attempt with 25, and yards with 149 on the bottom, gave Dallas yet one more factor to take from this recreation that may apply to constructing in direction of the long run. Ever since being declared the beginning operating again, Dowdle has supplied the much-needed stability to this Cowboys offense by getting probably the most out of each run with a bodily between the tackles model.

The Cowboys will look to earn a 2-2 break up towards the NFC South this season towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at dwelling subsequent week, their second-to-last alternative so as to add one other AT&T Stadium win earlier than ending the season towards the Commanders. This win towards the Panthers ensured that McCarthy, in his seventeenth full season as a head coach, is not going to end with lower than six wins for the primary time ever. The 2008 Packers completed 6-10 as did the 2020 Cowboys, however a McCarthy crew has by no means dipped beneath this line. The 2024 Cowboys are doing every thing they will to show they aren’t as traditionally unhealthy and incapable at a franchise-altering stage as beforehand thought, and in that means this win towards the Panthers can imply lots now with lower than a month to go on the season.