By Jon Machota, Saad Yousuf, Joe Person and Jelani Scott
The Dallas Cowboys put an end to the Carolina Panthers’ recent run of inspiring efforts to earn a 30-14 victory for their third win in four games.
Against a Panthers team actually favored to win, the word of the day appeared to be “rush,” as evidenced by the play of Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush and Dallas’ talented-yet-struggling defense. Rush, save for a redzone fumble off Rico Dowdle’s thigh, played efficiently en route to a 18-of-29 day for 214 yards and a season-best three touchdowns. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb compiled an eight-catch, 105-yard and one-score first half to secure his fourth straight 1,000-yard season and finished with nine catches for 116 yards.
Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons tallied two sacks for a unit that tallied six sacks and four takeaways. The defense did surrender Carolina’s longest play of 2024 on a Jalen Coker 83-yard TD near the end of the first half but they did make up for it with a takeaway on the first play of the second half.
With Sunday’s loss, Carolina (3-11) is now tied for third behind the current top pick holder Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) and No. 2 New York Giants (2-12). Dallas (6-8), meanwhile, maintained its slim playoff hopes heading into Week 16.
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Cowboys continue to fight
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones probably annoyed some fans on Friday when he expressed having no interest in tanking during the final month of the season.
“We want everybody making the plays and having the opportunity to have success,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “Success is very important. … We’ll go out there and win every down.” And while there have been multiple opportunities to go through the motions over the last four weeks, the Cowboys have continued to fight. It’s probably the most impressive thing to come from what will likely end up being a very forgettable season.
There were several opportunities Sunday when things started to unravel and the Cowboys fought right back. Instead of potentially going into the halftime locker room up 17-0, a Rush fumble led to the halftime score being 10-7. The Panthers had the ball to start the second half, when Osa Odighizuwa sacked Young on the first play and forced a fumble. The Cowboys never looked back, scoring two touchdowns and two field goals on their next four drives.
The playoffs are extremely unlikely, but it appears the Cowboys are going to continue playing to win in their final three games regardless. — Jon Machota, Cowboys beat writer
Dallas enjoys rare all-around performance
The Cowboys hit all of the big checkmarks required to win a football game.
On offense, Lamb led the charge, totaling over 100 yards in the first half alone, including the only touchdown for the Cowboys in the first 30 minutes. Dowdle had over 100 yards rushing again — 149 on the day — making it the third consecutive game in which he topped the century mark. It’s the first time a Cowboys running back has had this sort of stretch since Ezekiel Elliott in 2019. Even the supporting cast contributed, with Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks each snagging a touch touchdown in the back of the end zone in the second half.
Kicker Brandon Aubrey got a chance to set the NFL record with a 70-yard attempt to end the first half, which badly missed, but he was a positive factor once again. Defensively, the Cowboys got sacks from across the board and a few major turnovers that turned the tide.
It was a complete performance for the underdog team in a season in which they have been rare. — Saad Yousuf, Cowboys beat writer
Poor play again plagues Young, Panthers
Just when it looked like Bryce Young had figured things out and had a solid hold on the Panthers’ quarterback job going forward, he dropped the ball Sunday against the Cowboys. A lot.
After playing the best football of his career over the past four games, Young lost a season-high four turnovers in a lopsided loss to Dallas — with two fumbles and two interceptions. Young’s first fumble kind of took the wind out of the Panthers’ sails and set the tone for the day. The Panthers had driven inside the Cowboys’ 20 and taken eight minutes off the clock on their first possession, when Young juked Parsons with a spin move on a scramble play — only to be stripped of the ball to end the scoring threat.
Dave Canales stuck with Young the entire game instead of going to Andy Dalton. Canales has continually said he would evaluate the quarterback position on a week-to-week basis, but afterwards said Young would get the nod at home against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16.
Young’s damage was self-inflicted, but he didn’t get much help. The offensive line allowed him to be sacked six times, the second-most of his career. He also lost one of his top playmakers when Xavier Legette left with a groin injury early in the second half and did not return. — Joe Person, Panthers beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
