The Carolina Panthers hung tough with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (30-27 loss in Week 12) and the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles (22-16 loss in Week 14), but they couldn’t handle the zombie Dallas Cowboys. Dallas came to Charlotte significantly depleted by injuries and left with a 30-14 victory.
It was the Cowboys’ defensive effort that led the charge Sunday in Week 15: they recorded a season-high four takeaways with two interceptions off of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and two fumbles lost by Young. The first takeaway ocurred when Cowboys rookie third-round rookie linebacker Marist Liufau punched the football out of Young’s grasp on a scramble, and rookie second-round edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland recovered the loose football. The second was an interception, one in which Dallas cornerback Jourdan Lewis deflected the football into the air before linebacker Eric Kendricks came down with the football. The third was a strip-sack of Young by Dallas defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa where the fumble was recovered by Cowboys edge rusher Chauncey Golston. Young’s fourth and final turnover was an interception by Dallas defensive back Israel Mukuamu at the tail end of the fourth quarter. The four giveaways and six sacks taken by Young on Sunday both marked career-worsts. Young threw for 291 yards, a touchdown (an 83-yarder to wide receiver Jalen Coker) and two interceptions on 19 of 28 passing in addition to two fumbles lost and a six-yard rushing touchdown.
Dallas’ two top offensive playmakers, All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (116 receiving yards and a touchdown on nine catches) and running back Rico Dowdle (career-high 149 rushing yards on a career-high 25 carries), also came to play Sunday afternoon. They gave the Cowboys their first game with a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver for the first time since Week 10 of the 2022 season at the Green Bay Packers with Dowdle’s predecessor Tony Pollard (115 rushing yards) and Lamb (150 receiving yards). With his efforts on Sunday, Lamb hit 1,089 receiving yards on the season, which made him the first Cowboys player ever with at least 1,000 yards receiving in four of his first five seasons. Dallas quarterback Cooper Rush threw for 214 yards and three touchdowns — a 14-yarder to Lamb, an 11-yarder to receiver Jalen Tolbert and a 17-yarder to receiver Jalen Brooks — and no interceptions on 18 of 29 passing. He did fumble the football twice, including one fumble lost.
Why the Cowboys won
Dallas dominated across the board. They won the turnover battle by three (four to one), Dowdle produced his career-high in rushing yards for the third consecutive game, and Lamb carried the offense with nine catches, especially in key third down situations. The Cowboys also tied their defensive season-high in sacks with six, which forced the Panthers to call a very predictable game offensively. Three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons registered two of those sacks, and he now leads the entire NFL in both sacks (7.5) and quarterback pressures (40) since returning from a high ankle sprain in Week 10.
Why the Panthers lost
Carolina’s offensive line got smoked, no way to sugarcoat it. After Young looked like he had truly turned the page after finding some level of consistency the last few weeks, he and the entire offense regressed to their 2023 selves after he committed four turnovers and absorbed six sacks. The lone bright spot was Young’s 83-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Jalen Coker, but outside of that, there wasn’t much to write home about on either side of the ball.
Turning point
Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa’s strip-sack of Bryce Young on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Not only did it set the tone for how the second half was going to unfold, but it gave Dallas’ offense phenomenal starting field position at the Panthers’ 29. The Cowboys were in the end zone five plays later on an 11-yard scoring strike from Rush to Tolbert. That sequence put Dallas up 10, 17-7, which essentially iced the game.
Play of the game
Lamb’s diving, 14-yard touchdown catch. His diving catch on an underthrow by Rush exhibited high-level concentration and body control, impressive in it’s own right, but it’s doubly notable considering he is battling an AC joint sprain in his shoulder.
What’s next
Dallas improved to 6-8 to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, and they will return home to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 16. Carolina fell to 3-11 to stay alive in the race for the 2025 NFL Draft’s first overall pick. They’ll host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16.
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Author: Garrett Podell
December 15, 2024 | 7:46 pm
