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Simpleton
DCC 4Life
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Carolina has a disciplined, exotic defense, I think they'll be able to slow our offense down at times but over the course of the game we should get ours.
Again, were the better team and will win if we play a relatively clean game, if not it'll be a struggle.
Again, were the better team and will win if we play a relatively clean game, if not it'll be a struggle.
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Panthers at Cowboys: Applying pressure on Dak Prescott, Chuba Hubbard steps into big shoes and a prediction
By Joseph Person 3h ago
Boiled down to its simplest form, the Panthers’ defensive game plan Sunday at Dallas is — Sack Dak.
That’s easier said than done.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, back from two surgeries on his right ankle, leads a Cowboys offense that represents the biggest test the Panthers’ defense — the NFL’s best — has faced this season. Prescott, who missed the final 11 games in 2020 after fracturing his ankle, is the league’s eighth-highest-rated passer through three games.
Prescott is completing 77.5 percent of his passes, opened the season with a 400-yard passing game against Tampa Bay and threw for three touchdowns without an interception in Monday night’s 41-21 win against Philadelphia.
And while the Panthers lead the league with 14 sacks (by nine players), the Cowboys’ veteran offensive linemen have done a pretty good job protecting Prescott, who’s been sacked seven times. Four of those came in the win against the Eagles.
Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow said Prescott gets rid of the ball in less than 2.4 seconds on most of his throws.
“So it’s hard to sack a guy,” Snow said. “You’re just not gonna sack him very often.”
But Snow and defensive end Brian Burns said there are other ways to throw off the timing of the Dallas offense, which ranks in the top 10 in total yards (416.7 a game), rushing yards, passing yards and points per game (30.0).
“He does get the ball out very fast. But there’s also times when he holds it and he tries to extend and make something happen. So we have to take advantage of those opportunities,” said Burns, whose three sacks rank second on the team behind Haason Reddick’s 4 1/2.
“But it does get frustrating and aggravating when you can’t get to the quarterback,” Burns added. “But as long as you get in his passing window or put people in front of him, try to get him off his spot, that’s the main thing we can do to disrupt him.”
Prescott calls the offense from the line of scrimmage and does a good job seeing the field, according to Snow. The diversity in the Cowboys’ passing game also makes them difficult to defend.
“You can try to get him off rhythm a little bit. But that’s hard to do, too, because he recognizes what you’re in and what you’re doing, and he gets rid of the football really quickly,” Snow said.
“Plus, their passing game — there’s not a type of pass that they don’t use. They spread out. They dash. They boot. They three-step. They drop back. They do everything and they screen you. So Dak has a lot of tools that he can utilize, and he does.”
Snow said if the Panthers’ defensive backs can cover well — especially on “easy-access throws” — and make Prescott hold the ball, the pass rush has a better chance of reaching him.
But the task is more difficult after the Panthers placed rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn (broken foot) and veteran safety Juston Burris (groin) on injured reserve. Still, Burns is confident in the Panthers’ pass rushers and the guy they have calling the defensive scheme.
“I feel like we have a great plan to get after Dak,” Burns said. “He does get rid of the ball fast and it’s gonna be a challenge, but I feel like we’ve got the guys to do it.”
Panthers smart to give Henderson a break-in period
Secondary coach Evan Cooper didn’t land cornerback C.J. Henderson when he recruited him to Baylor four years ago. But Cooper has Henderson with him now in Charlotte, and their work together could dictate how quickly Henderson makes an impact in the Carolina secondary.
Rhule has reiterated the Panthers have the “long play” in mind with Henderson, whom they acquired in a trade with Jacksonville, along with a fifth-round pick, in exchange for tight end Dan Arnold and a third-round selection. Henderson was a top-10 pick in 2020 who was punted by Jacksonville after he struggled physically and mentally.
Before that, he was a highly recruited defensive back from Miami who received 27 offers — including one from Cooper at Baylor — before committing to Florida.
“I wasn’t too big on Baylor,” Henderson said. “But (Cooper) was always a great person back then. So that’s why our relationship’s been strong since then.”
Henderson walked into his first Panthers practice Wednesday alongside Cooper, who’s helping him learn the defensive system. Despite Horn’s potentially season-ending foot injury, Rhule doesn’t want to rush Henderson into the lineup. It helps that veteran A.J. Bouye is ready after missing the preseason with an injury and sitting the first two games while suspended.
“He’s healthy. He has to learn some more of what we do. … So he’ll probably start in a limited role,” Rhule said of Henderson. “I don’t know if that’s this week or not. I think we’ll go through, watch the tape, see what he’s ready for.
“The guys that have been practicing and preparing, been with us for a while – those are the guys that we trust to go win the game.”
The Panthers are smart to bring along Henderson slowly given how things unraveled in Jacksonville. It was interesting to hear Henderson call the Panthers “very player-oriented,” and discuss the benefit of having a familiar face in the 34-year-old Cooper.
“That’s huge for me,” Henderson said. “I’m excited for that, as well — to have a coach that believes in me and really believes in my talent.”
Whatever the timetable is, Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson predicted Henderson would be “easy to bring along.”
“You could tell when he was in Jacksonville, he was locked in. He was ready to go, ready to play,” Jackson said. “That’s the same energy he brought here. He’s asking a lot of questions early on. He wants to compete.”
Chuba Hubbard (Troy Taormina / USA Today)
Putting his best foot forward
With Christian McCaffrey out for a few games — no one has put a precise number on it, but two to three seems to be the expectation — rookie running back Chuba Hubbard will make his first NFL start Sunday. Everyone from Rhule to offensive coordinator Joe Brady has said they want Hubbard just to be himself — although ideally, it will be the version of himself that doesn’t slip when making a cut.
“I’ve wanted to see him really play with his feet underneath him. He’s had a lot of times where he’s slipped and fallen cutting off his inside foot,” Rhule said. “I think once he got into a rhythm in the last game (at Houston), you saw that sort of dissipate and you saw him run with power and speed.”
Hubbard, the Canadian-born, fourth-round pick, has 19 carries for 62 yards, including 34 yards after contact. But he’s broken only two tackles on his runs, in large part because he hasn’t been on his feet to do so.
“I’m not gonna lie, yeah, I’ve been slipping a lot lately. I don’t know why,” Hubbard said. “I’ve just gotta get my footing right and get back on that field. I’ll get that taken care of.”
Hubbard indicated he’s changed cleats after his footing problems on the artificial surfaces in Charlotte and Houston. The Cowboys also play on turf at AT&T Stadium.
“It may have been a little shoe thing. They got me right on that. Maybe a little bit of jitters, too,” Hubbard said. “As the (Texans) game went on, I felt like I got my feet better under me.”
Five questions with Greg Olsen
The former Panthers great will be in the Fox booth for each of the Panthers’ next two games, beginning Sunday as the color analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
What’s it going to be like calling a game involving your old team?
I’m excited about it. I was hoping the Panthers got off to a good start, and of course, they did. They’re playing really well. They’ve got a young, exciting, aggressive, fast team. I hate it for Christian (McCaffrey). I was looking forward to talking about him and seeing him play. It sucks that he won’t be out there. It’s funny because it’s the same uniforms and there’s a couple people (he played with), but it’s really a new team. There’s only a handful of guys out there and the guys I do know aren’t wearing the same jerseys anymore.
Was it surprising for you as a tight end to see them deal Dan Arnold so quickly?
I like Dan. I thought he was a good player all the way back to his time in New Orleans when he was younger. It wasn’t necessarily a knock on the player as much as it was the player’s role. I just think with all the guys they can throw the ball to — the wide receivers and, of course, Christian and the backs — the tight ends weren’t getting a ton of volume. I’m sure they would have loved to keep him. But to go get a top-10 pick from a year ago that ended (going) two picks after Derrick Brown, you end up getting two top-10 picks from the 2020 draft. That’s a pretty unique opportunity. Factor in the injuries they’ve dealt with in the back end, I don’t blame them for doing that.
What’s been the biggest difference with Sam Darnold?
He looks really comfortable. He really looks in command. I think he’s really playing the position in all areas. He’s sprinkled in a little (running). He’s rushed for two touchdowns. He’s plenty athletic to keep defenses off-balance, especially in the red zone. I think Joe Brady’s scheme is really good. He’s throwing on the run out of the pocket. He’s buying time in the pocket. He’s throwing on time from the pocket. All the areas you ask a quarterback to do, he’s really playing at a high level and he’s got a lot of good players around him skill-wise. He realizes sometimes he’s just gotta get the ball out and get it into those guys’ hands and let them do the work.
In a word, how would you describe this defense?
I think they’re fast. They get a lot of guys to the ball. They’re multiple. I think what’s really unique about them, they have a lot of guys — and it was kind of a Phil Snow catchphrase of the position-less player that was kind of mocked for a little bit. But when you watch what they do — whether it’s Jeremy Chinn or (Brian) Burns or Haason Reddick — they do really have guys that play multiple positions in a multitude of different schemes and looks and responsibilities. They’re young. They’re athletic. They play fast. They’re aggressive. They’re gonna have their mistakes and breakdowns, especially against a guy like Dak (Prescott) and that offense and what they can do. But I think the group they’ve built is a pretty formidable one, you would hope for the foreseeable future.
What do you think the ceiling is for this year’s team?
I expect them to be right there. They’ve already gotten a game against New Orleans. I think Atlanta’s rebuilding and not overly formidable. Within the division, the Tampa games are of course always going to be tough. But they’re already at worst 1-1 against New Orleans. No reason they can’t be 2-0. Atlanta, there’s no reason they can’t win both. And the next thing you know, you’re right there in the mix, whether you win the division or you just get in on a wild card. I don’t think there’s any reason why they can’t be in that playoff picture this year. They’ve gotta get Christian back and I think we also have to be realistic about the schedule that’s gonna come. They’re gonna play better teams, teams with better offenses. This Cowboys team will be by far the best offense (they’ve faced). The Houston offense they played was very, very basic, protecting a young quarterback. The Jets — young, rookie quarterback. Jameis (Winston) didn’t play great, but they really played well against New Orleans. Can they keep this pace and finish No. 1 in the league (defensively)? Maybe. I don’t know if I’d bet on it. But I think they’re plenty good on defense and complementary on offense that they can be a playoff team and be right there in the mix.
Prediction time
I had the outcome right last week in Houston, but the game didn’t unfold like anyone expected with the injuries to McCaffrey, Horn and Burris. The Cowboys’ defense, particularly their pass defense, is vulnerable, despite the interception wizardry of Trevon Diggs. Darnold will have to be aware of where Diggs is, but there are big plays to be made in the passing game. I’m just not sure the Panthers will run the ball effectively enough to stay in manageable downs and distances. Defensively, the Panthers need corners Bouye and Rashaan Melvin — not to mention their backup safeties — to step up, and that feels like: advantage, Prescott. The Panthers fall from the unbeaten ranks, 27-24. (Season picks record: 2-1.)
By Joseph Person 3h ago
Boiled down to its simplest form, the Panthers’ defensive game plan Sunday at Dallas is — Sack Dak.
That’s easier said than done.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, back from two surgeries on his right ankle, leads a Cowboys offense that represents the biggest test the Panthers’ defense — the NFL’s best — has faced this season. Prescott, who missed the final 11 games in 2020 after fracturing his ankle, is the league’s eighth-highest-rated passer through three games.
Prescott is completing 77.5 percent of his passes, opened the season with a 400-yard passing game against Tampa Bay and threw for three touchdowns without an interception in Monday night’s 41-21 win against Philadelphia.
And while the Panthers lead the league with 14 sacks (by nine players), the Cowboys’ veteran offensive linemen have done a pretty good job protecting Prescott, who’s been sacked seven times. Four of those came in the win against the Eagles.
Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow said Prescott gets rid of the ball in less than 2.4 seconds on most of his throws.
“So it’s hard to sack a guy,” Snow said. “You’re just not gonna sack him very often.”
But Snow and defensive end Brian Burns said there are other ways to throw off the timing of the Dallas offense, which ranks in the top 10 in total yards (416.7 a game), rushing yards, passing yards and points per game (30.0).
“He does get the ball out very fast. But there’s also times when he holds it and he tries to extend and make something happen. So we have to take advantage of those opportunities,” said Burns, whose three sacks rank second on the team behind Haason Reddick’s 4 1/2.
“But it does get frustrating and aggravating when you can’t get to the quarterback,” Burns added. “But as long as you get in his passing window or put people in front of him, try to get him off his spot, that’s the main thing we can do to disrupt him.”
Prescott calls the offense from the line of scrimmage and does a good job seeing the field, according to Snow. The diversity in the Cowboys’ passing game also makes them difficult to defend.
“You can try to get him off rhythm a little bit. But that’s hard to do, too, because he recognizes what you’re in and what you’re doing, and he gets rid of the football really quickly,” Snow said.
“Plus, their passing game — there’s not a type of pass that they don’t use. They spread out. They dash. They boot. They three-step. They drop back. They do everything and they screen you. So Dak has a lot of tools that he can utilize, and he does.”
Snow said if the Panthers’ defensive backs can cover well — especially on “easy-access throws” — and make Prescott hold the ball, the pass rush has a better chance of reaching him.
But the task is more difficult after the Panthers placed rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn (broken foot) and veteran safety Juston Burris (groin) on injured reserve. Still, Burns is confident in the Panthers’ pass rushers and the guy they have calling the defensive scheme.
“I feel like we have a great plan to get after Dak,” Burns said. “He does get rid of the ball fast and it’s gonna be a challenge, but I feel like we’ve got the guys to do it.”
Panthers smart to give Henderson a break-in period
Secondary coach Evan Cooper didn’t land cornerback C.J. Henderson when he recruited him to Baylor four years ago. But Cooper has Henderson with him now in Charlotte, and their work together could dictate how quickly Henderson makes an impact in the Carolina secondary.
Rhule has reiterated the Panthers have the “long play” in mind with Henderson, whom they acquired in a trade with Jacksonville, along with a fifth-round pick, in exchange for tight end Dan Arnold and a third-round selection. Henderson was a top-10 pick in 2020 who was punted by Jacksonville after he struggled physically and mentally.
Before that, he was a highly recruited defensive back from Miami who received 27 offers — including one from Cooper at Baylor — before committing to Florida.
“I wasn’t too big on Baylor,” Henderson said. “But (Cooper) was always a great person back then. So that’s why our relationship’s been strong since then.”
Henderson walked into his first Panthers practice Wednesday alongside Cooper, who’s helping him learn the defensive system. Despite Horn’s potentially season-ending foot injury, Rhule doesn’t want to rush Henderson into the lineup. It helps that veteran A.J. Bouye is ready after missing the preseason with an injury and sitting the first two games while suspended.
“He’s healthy. He has to learn some more of what we do. … So he’ll probably start in a limited role,” Rhule said of Henderson. “I don’t know if that’s this week or not. I think we’ll go through, watch the tape, see what he’s ready for.
“The guys that have been practicing and preparing, been with us for a while – those are the guys that we trust to go win the game.”
The Panthers are smart to bring along Henderson slowly given how things unraveled in Jacksonville. It was interesting to hear Henderson call the Panthers “very player-oriented,” and discuss the benefit of having a familiar face in the 34-year-old Cooper.
“That’s huge for me,” Henderson said. “I’m excited for that, as well — to have a coach that believes in me and really believes in my talent.”
Whatever the timetable is, Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson predicted Henderson would be “easy to bring along.”
“You could tell when he was in Jacksonville, he was locked in. He was ready to go, ready to play,” Jackson said. “That’s the same energy he brought here. He’s asking a lot of questions early on. He wants to compete.”
Chuba Hubbard (Troy Taormina / USA Today)
Putting his best foot forward
With Christian McCaffrey out for a few games — no one has put a precise number on it, but two to three seems to be the expectation — rookie running back Chuba Hubbard will make his first NFL start Sunday. Everyone from Rhule to offensive coordinator Joe Brady has said they want Hubbard just to be himself — although ideally, it will be the version of himself that doesn’t slip when making a cut.
“I’ve wanted to see him really play with his feet underneath him. He’s had a lot of times where he’s slipped and fallen cutting off his inside foot,” Rhule said. “I think once he got into a rhythm in the last game (at Houston), you saw that sort of dissipate and you saw him run with power and speed.”
Hubbard, the Canadian-born, fourth-round pick, has 19 carries for 62 yards, including 34 yards after contact. But he’s broken only two tackles on his runs, in large part because he hasn’t been on his feet to do so.
“I’m not gonna lie, yeah, I’ve been slipping a lot lately. I don’t know why,” Hubbard said. “I’ve just gotta get my footing right and get back on that field. I’ll get that taken care of.”
Hubbard indicated he’s changed cleats after his footing problems on the artificial surfaces in Charlotte and Houston. The Cowboys also play on turf at AT&T Stadium.
“It may have been a little shoe thing. They got me right on that. Maybe a little bit of jitters, too,” Hubbard said. “As the (Texans) game went on, I felt like I got my feet better under me.”
Five questions with Greg Olsen
The former Panthers great will be in the Fox booth for each of the Panthers’ next two games, beginning Sunday as the color analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
What’s it going to be like calling a game involving your old team?
I’m excited about it. I was hoping the Panthers got off to a good start, and of course, they did. They’re playing really well. They’ve got a young, exciting, aggressive, fast team. I hate it for Christian (McCaffrey). I was looking forward to talking about him and seeing him play. It sucks that he won’t be out there. It’s funny because it’s the same uniforms and there’s a couple people (he played with), but it’s really a new team. There’s only a handful of guys out there and the guys I do know aren’t wearing the same jerseys anymore.
Was it surprising for you as a tight end to see them deal Dan Arnold so quickly?
I like Dan. I thought he was a good player all the way back to his time in New Orleans when he was younger. It wasn’t necessarily a knock on the player as much as it was the player’s role. I just think with all the guys they can throw the ball to — the wide receivers and, of course, Christian and the backs — the tight ends weren’t getting a ton of volume. I’m sure they would have loved to keep him. But to go get a top-10 pick from a year ago that ended (going) two picks after Derrick Brown, you end up getting two top-10 picks from the 2020 draft. That’s a pretty unique opportunity. Factor in the injuries they’ve dealt with in the back end, I don’t blame them for doing that.
What’s been the biggest difference with Sam Darnold?
He looks really comfortable. He really looks in command. I think he’s really playing the position in all areas. He’s sprinkled in a little (running). He’s rushed for two touchdowns. He’s plenty athletic to keep defenses off-balance, especially in the red zone. I think Joe Brady’s scheme is really good. He’s throwing on the run out of the pocket. He’s buying time in the pocket. He’s throwing on time from the pocket. All the areas you ask a quarterback to do, he’s really playing at a high level and he’s got a lot of good players around him skill-wise. He realizes sometimes he’s just gotta get the ball out and get it into those guys’ hands and let them do the work.
In a word, how would you describe this defense?
I think they’re fast. They get a lot of guys to the ball. They’re multiple. I think what’s really unique about them, they have a lot of guys — and it was kind of a Phil Snow catchphrase of the position-less player that was kind of mocked for a little bit. But when you watch what they do — whether it’s Jeremy Chinn or (Brian) Burns or Haason Reddick — they do really have guys that play multiple positions in a multitude of different schemes and looks and responsibilities. They’re young. They’re athletic. They play fast. They’re aggressive. They’re gonna have their mistakes and breakdowns, especially against a guy like Dak (Prescott) and that offense and what they can do. But I think the group they’ve built is a pretty formidable one, you would hope for the foreseeable future.
What do you think the ceiling is for this year’s team?
I expect them to be right there. They’ve already gotten a game against New Orleans. I think Atlanta’s rebuilding and not overly formidable. Within the division, the Tampa games are of course always going to be tough. But they’re already at worst 1-1 against New Orleans. No reason they can’t be 2-0. Atlanta, there’s no reason they can’t win both. And the next thing you know, you’re right there in the mix, whether you win the division or you just get in on a wild card. I don’t think there’s any reason why they can’t be in that playoff picture this year. They’ve gotta get Christian back and I think we also have to be realistic about the schedule that’s gonna come. They’re gonna play better teams, teams with better offenses. This Cowboys team will be by far the best offense (they’ve faced). The Houston offense they played was very, very basic, protecting a young quarterback. The Jets — young, rookie quarterback. Jameis (Winston) didn’t play great, but they really played well against New Orleans. Can they keep this pace and finish No. 1 in the league (defensively)? Maybe. I don’t know if I’d bet on it. But I think they’re plenty good on defense and complementary on offense that they can be a playoff team and be right there in the mix.
Prediction time
I had the outcome right last week in Houston, but the game didn’t unfold like anyone expected with the injuries to McCaffrey, Horn and Burris. The Cowboys’ defense, particularly their pass defense, is vulnerable, despite the interception wizardry of Trevon Diggs. Darnold will have to be aware of where Diggs is, but there are big plays to be made in the passing game. I’m just not sure the Panthers will run the ball effectively enough to stay in manageable downs and distances. Defensively, the Panthers need corners Bouye and Rashaan Melvin — not to mention their backup safeties — to step up, and that feels like: advantage, Prescott. The Panthers fall from the unbeaten ranks, 27-24. (Season picks record: 2-1.)
Simpleton
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I figured Pollard was a lock to play, great to hear that Gregory is good to go also.
Genghis Khan
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That's a huge key for our defense I think.
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Good answer. You haven't accomplished anything of significance yet
Simpleton
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Fucking dumbass Neal would be able to play this week if he was fully vaccinated.
Chocolate Lab
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Cowboys pregame riffing: Undefeated Panthers will challenge Dallas with their blitzing defense
By Bob Sturm Oct 1, 2021
Seventy-three days since the Dallas Cowboys training camp held its first full practice in Oxnard, Calif.; 134 days until Super Bowl 56 in Inglewood, Calif.; and just two more days until the noon CT Sunday start at AT&T Stadium against the undefeated Carolina Panthers …
You certainly are aware that the Dallas Cowboys have lived two lives. The first life would be from the birth in 1960 until the victory in Super Bowl 30 at the end of 1995. That marks the proudest era for the proudest franchise in the sport with championships and near championships at a level the rest of the league could only dream.
The second era in Cowboys’ history started in 1996 and still goes to this very moment. It is defined with zero trips to the Super Bowl and zero trips to the NFC Championship Game. It is a trip through the wilderness that teases a fairy tale conclusion, only to rip the carpet out from under the operation at the last moment. It is a playoff record spanning 25 seasons that totals four wins (all wild-card round) and 10 losses. Averaging one wild-card round win every six years is certainly not what this franchise believes it deserves.
It is possible that you are unaware, however, of the significant role the Carolina Panthers have played in this second era. They were unable to play a role in the first era since they didn’t exist until 1995, but since then they have been to two Super Bowls and four NFC Championship games.
The first one was in 1996 and that was the first time these two franchises crossed paths in the playoffs. That day (technically in January of 1997), Kerry Collins survived Troy Aikman and the dynasty Cowboys in Charlotte, 26-17, in the Divisional Round. It seemed impossible that a franchise in its second year would beat a team coming off its third Super Bowl win in four years. But alas, it happened.
There was also a game in November of 2003 at Texas Stadium that resulted in a Cowboys’ win and a famous Bill Parcells quote when the first-year Cowboys coach said, “You can’t call them losers anymore!” This was true as they were 8-3. It was also true that the Cowboys would go to Carolina again six weeks later and get steamrolled badly in the wild-card round, 29-10.
You could also impress your friends with this little piece of trivia — assuming your friends like useless pieces of trivia. The first start of Tony Romo’s career was in Charlotte against the Panthers in an unforgettable Sunday night performance when the wild young Romo, who resembled a Brett Favre cover band, could do no wrong. He had a remarkable debut in a 35-14 win. That’s not the trivia. The trivia is that not only was his first career start against the Panthers, but so was his last career start. As part of a season where he broke his collarbone twice in the same year, Romo spent his 2015 Thanksgiving with the very last start in a regular-season game.
They have only played one time since — a forgettable 2018 season opener after the Cowboys had dismissed Dez Bryant and convinced themselves they would be fine with no lead wide receiver. They were wrong and traded for Amari Cooper within two months.
Overall, Dallas is 9-3 vs. the Panthers in the regular season, but 0-2 in the postseason. They meet Sunday with both teams feeling like they are on a tremendous roll, with second-year coaches and optimism in the air. But only one team will feel that way by Sunday dinner.
Let’s take a look at this interesting battle.
When the Cowboys have the ball
The Cowboys have a distinct disadvantage on Sunday in that they will be coming off a Monday Night Football short week, while playing a team that has not played since Thursday. When one team is getting a six-day week and another is getting 10 days, there will be some issues to contend with regarding recovery, energy and overall ability to go toe to toe. Also, adding a noon start to the mix will be another challenge for Mike McCarthy’s staff as they attempt to build a resilient side and that means no letdowns after a couple of nationally televised wins. McCarthy’s predecessor was famous for following up big wins with inexcusable defeats.
The true test everyone is waiting to see if the blitzing packages the Panthers will deploy. Blitzing packages against the Cowboys’ offense are becoming somewhat famous around the league. I think the first real question is whether Carolina’s defensive brain trust of Matt Rhule and DC Phil Snow believe their blitzing will hold up on the road against Dallas.
This won’t resemble Jets rookie RB Zach Wilson making his first NFL start when the Panthers blitzed him 12 times. It won’t be similar to going into Houston and rocking rookie Davis Mills — a backup QB making his first NFL start — 13 times. Carolina did not let those young men get comfortable.
But, blitzing Dak Prescott is a different animal. He has handled extra pressure better and better in his career and while it still might be the best way to deal with Dallas’ many weapons, it comes with massive risk. Prescott’s 104 passer rating against blitzes is not the NFL’s best over his time with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, but at 111.2, it ranks fifth (seventh if you include two retired passers, Philip Rivers and Drew Brees) and that is comfortably ahead of Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Tom Brady.
Our projection of Dallas in 11 personnel vs Carolina in nickel
With Jaycee Horn and the trade for C.J. Henderson, the Panthers are surely thinking they will be able to play more man coverage than before, but Horn isn’t playing (foot injury) and Henderson is trying to sort through the playbook quickly after arriving from Jacksonville last weekend. We’d be guessing to know how much the Panthers trust Henderson at this point. Regardless, Carolina will be short-handed in the back.
However, the Panthers’ front will be a real challenge. All four of the players up front can win and two of them were unrestricted free agents last spring brought in on good prices. Haason Reddick (from Arizona) and one of the many Temple Owls from Rhule’s stay there joined Carolina and causes issues over the right tackle and Morgan Fox (Rams) wins inside. Adding those two to Brian Burns and Derrick Brown has made Carolina a team that can apply pressure without a blitz.
NFL Team Rankings (1-32) for 2021
We have been riffing a long time and I can tell you that I have never seen a defense with six No. 1 ranks of my 10 categories for analysis until now. Again, Carolina has a very good defense, but I also think it is important to remember the teams they have played (Jets, Saints, Texans). When the best QB you have faced is Jameis Winston … we must consider the reality that this is the first contender they’ve had to fight.
Always respect your opponent, but the Panthers haven’t had to deal with a team that has answers like the Cowboys yet. Dallas has been played two defenses — Tampa Bay and and the Los Angeles Chargers — that most would rank ahead of the Panthers, regardless of these current rankings with just three weeks of data.
It’s fair to suggest that Carolina will not sit back and allow the slow bleed, so the obvious counter for Dallas is to hurt them over the top and to look for explosives.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Dak Prescott vs. Phil Snow
Carolina is doing stuff that is very creative and stressful. The Panthers are using players who are hybrids and blurred position designations. Is this guy a safety or a linebacker? Is this guy an edge or a secondary player? They have many combo players and this means you better expect players to do many things to try to cross you up. Expect Prescott to get the team to the line and to sort it all out there with tempo, composure and audibles that result from shifting and motion.
In other words, this will be a great chess match between coordinators and quarterbacks.
When the Panthers have the ball
Earlier, we referenced losing a game you shouldn’t lose habitually with the last regime and that we have seen this all before. It was Oct. 13, 2019, when Dallas headed to MetLife Stadium to take on a New York Jets team that seemed ill-equipped to deal with Dallas. The Cowboys were near the top of the league and the Jets hadn’t seen Sam Darnold in weeks because of his bout with mononucleosis. The game was seen as easy money for Dallas to rebound and get to 4-2. Dallas was a touchdown favorite.
By the end of that day, Dallas had been properly humbled. The Cowboys surrendered five Darnold passes of 24 yards or more, including the sudden change 92-yard bomb to Robby Anderson before halftime that left Kris Richard’s defense looking clueless. It was another example of running to stand still.
Our projection of Carolina in 11 personnel on 3rd downs vs the Cowboys nickel defense.
Dallas will be short-handed on defense again Sunday. They got away with it on Monday and in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean the reinforcements have arrived. Fortunately for the Cowboys, Carolina is short-handed, too. Christian McCaffrey is out for a bit and that substantially changes things. The Panthers will have rookie Chuba Hubbard and veteran Royce Freeman in a job-share, but neither will make you forget one of the best in the game.
The Panthers have DJ Moore as their biggest weapon — albeit not in stature. They use Anderson and Terrace Marshall Jr. well to spread a coverage thin and look for opportunities with offensive coordinator Joe Brady pulling the strings. The Panthers have been decent in the red zone, but they continue looking for red zone answers. This explains their interest in getting rookie Tommy Tremble going at tight end. He was lightly used at Notre Dame, but the Panthers think he will be an all-purpose tight end who will fill a spot vacated by Greg Olsen years ago. Olsen left the Panthers after 2019, but his last injury-free season was 2016. They have been searching for decent tight end play since.
Defensively, Dallas is excited about the pressure they have been able to apply, but we should still understand that they are far from getting enough sacks and are still giving up a number of big plays. The Cowboys won’t be their best defense until they have their players and that might not happen until the bye week.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Randy Gregory vs. Cam Erving
Gregory was impressive against the Eagles and was able to draw three holding penalties. Now, he is playing against left tackle Cam Erving, who was Dallas’ swing tackle in 2020. The Cowboys need him to get sacks and combined with Micah Parsons, there should be the basis for plenty of pressure.
Getting Darnold uncomfortable early will help the Cowboys limit the danger that Brady and those weapons could produce.
THE PICK: Cowboys 27, Panthers 23
I don’t expect this to be easy by any stretch, but over the course of the afternoon, Dallas should be able to get this in the win column. Noon starts never get out of the gate quickly in this stadium and the Panthers are not to be taken lightly. I like Dallas to get to 3-1.
This will be a very good test of the character of this team.
By Bob Sturm Oct 1, 2021
Seventy-three days since the Dallas Cowboys training camp held its first full practice in Oxnard, Calif.; 134 days until Super Bowl 56 in Inglewood, Calif.; and just two more days until the noon CT Sunday start at AT&T Stadium against the undefeated Carolina Panthers …
You certainly are aware that the Dallas Cowboys have lived two lives. The first life would be from the birth in 1960 until the victory in Super Bowl 30 at the end of 1995. That marks the proudest era for the proudest franchise in the sport with championships and near championships at a level the rest of the league could only dream.
The second era in Cowboys’ history started in 1996 and still goes to this very moment. It is defined with zero trips to the Super Bowl and zero trips to the NFC Championship Game. It is a trip through the wilderness that teases a fairy tale conclusion, only to rip the carpet out from under the operation at the last moment. It is a playoff record spanning 25 seasons that totals four wins (all wild-card round) and 10 losses. Averaging one wild-card round win every six years is certainly not what this franchise believes it deserves.
It is possible that you are unaware, however, of the significant role the Carolina Panthers have played in this second era. They were unable to play a role in the first era since they didn’t exist until 1995, but since then they have been to two Super Bowls and four NFC Championship games.
The first one was in 1996 and that was the first time these two franchises crossed paths in the playoffs. That day (technically in January of 1997), Kerry Collins survived Troy Aikman and the dynasty Cowboys in Charlotte, 26-17, in the Divisional Round. It seemed impossible that a franchise in its second year would beat a team coming off its third Super Bowl win in four years. But alas, it happened.
There was also a game in November of 2003 at Texas Stadium that resulted in a Cowboys’ win and a famous Bill Parcells quote when the first-year Cowboys coach said, “You can’t call them losers anymore!” This was true as they were 8-3. It was also true that the Cowboys would go to Carolina again six weeks later and get steamrolled badly in the wild-card round, 29-10.
You could also impress your friends with this little piece of trivia — assuming your friends like useless pieces of trivia. The first start of Tony Romo’s career was in Charlotte against the Panthers in an unforgettable Sunday night performance when the wild young Romo, who resembled a Brett Favre cover band, could do no wrong. He had a remarkable debut in a 35-14 win. That’s not the trivia. The trivia is that not only was his first career start against the Panthers, but so was his last career start. As part of a season where he broke his collarbone twice in the same year, Romo spent his 2015 Thanksgiving with the very last start in a regular-season game.
They have only played one time since — a forgettable 2018 season opener after the Cowboys had dismissed Dez Bryant and convinced themselves they would be fine with no lead wide receiver. They were wrong and traded for Amari Cooper within two months.
Overall, Dallas is 9-3 vs. the Panthers in the regular season, but 0-2 in the postseason. They meet Sunday with both teams feeling like they are on a tremendous roll, with second-year coaches and optimism in the air. But only one team will feel that way by Sunday dinner.
Let’s take a look at this interesting battle.
When the Cowboys have the ball
The Cowboys have a distinct disadvantage on Sunday in that they will be coming off a Monday Night Football short week, while playing a team that has not played since Thursday. When one team is getting a six-day week and another is getting 10 days, there will be some issues to contend with regarding recovery, energy and overall ability to go toe to toe. Also, adding a noon start to the mix will be another challenge for Mike McCarthy’s staff as they attempt to build a resilient side and that means no letdowns after a couple of nationally televised wins. McCarthy’s predecessor was famous for following up big wins with inexcusable defeats.
The true test everyone is waiting to see if the blitzing packages the Panthers will deploy. Blitzing packages against the Cowboys’ offense are becoming somewhat famous around the league. I think the first real question is whether Carolina’s defensive brain trust of Matt Rhule and DC Phil Snow believe their blitzing will hold up on the road against Dallas.
This won’t resemble Jets rookie RB Zach Wilson making his first NFL start when the Panthers blitzed him 12 times. It won’t be similar to going into Houston and rocking rookie Davis Mills — a backup QB making his first NFL start — 13 times. Carolina did not let those young men get comfortable.
But, blitzing Dak Prescott is a different animal. He has handled extra pressure better and better in his career and while it still might be the best way to deal with Dallas’ many weapons, it comes with massive risk. Prescott’s 104 passer rating against blitzes is not the NFL’s best over his time with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, but at 111.2, it ranks fifth (seventh if you include two retired passers, Philip Rivers and Drew Brees) and that is comfortably ahead of Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Tom Brady.
Our projection of Dallas in 11 personnel vs Carolina in nickel
With Jaycee Horn and the trade for C.J. Henderson, the Panthers are surely thinking they will be able to play more man coverage than before, but Horn isn’t playing (foot injury) and Henderson is trying to sort through the playbook quickly after arriving from Jacksonville last weekend. We’d be guessing to know how much the Panthers trust Henderson at this point. Regardless, Carolina will be short-handed in the back.
However, the Panthers’ front will be a real challenge. All four of the players up front can win and two of them were unrestricted free agents last spring brought in on good prices. Haason Reddick (from Arizona) and one of the many Temple Owls from Rhule’s stay there joined Carolina and causes issues over the right tackle and Morgan Fox (Rams) wins inside. Adding those two to Brian Burns and Derrick Brown has made Carolina a team that can apply pressure without a blitz.
NFL Team Rankings (1-32) for 2021
We have been riffing a long time and I can tell you that I have never seen a defense with six No. 1 ranks of my 10 categories for analysis until now. Again, Carolina has a very good defense, but I also think it is important to remember the teams they have played (Jets, Saints, Texans). When the best QB you have faced is Jameis Winston … we must consider the reality that this is the first contender they’ve had to fight.
Always respect your opponent, but the Panthers haven’t had to deal with a team that has answers like the Cowboys yet. Dallas has been played two defenses — Tampa Bay and and the Los Angeles Chargers — that most would rank ahead of the Panthers, regardless of these current rankings with just three weeks of data.
It’s fair to suggest that Carolina will not sit back and allow the slow bleed, so the obvious counter for Dallas is to hurt them over the top and to look for explosives.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Dak Prescott vs. Phil Snow
Carolina is doing stuff that is very creative and stressful. The Panthers are using players who are hybrids and blurred position designations. Is this guy a safety or a linebacker? Is this guy an edge or a secondary player? They have many combo players and this means you better expect players to do many things to try to cross you up. Expect Prescott to get the team to the line and to sort it all out there with tempo, composure and audibles that result from shifting and motion.
In other words, this will be a great chess match between coordinators and quarterbacks.
When the Panthers have the ball
Earlier, we referenced losing a game you shouldn’t lose habitually with the last regime and that we have seen this all before. It was Oct. 13, 2019, when Dallas headed to MetLife Stadium to take on a New York Jets team that seemed ill-equipped to deal with Dallas. The Cowboys were near the top of the league and the Jets hadn’t seen Sam Darnold in weeks because of his bout with mononucleosis. The game was seen as easy money for Dallas to rebound and get to 4-2. Dallas was a touchdown favorite.
By the end of that day, Dallas had been properly humbled. The Cowboys surrendered five Darnold passes of 24 yards or more, including the sudden change 92-yard bomb to Robby Anderson before halftime that left Kris Richard’s defense looking clueless. It was another example of running to stand still.
Our projection of Carolina in 11 personnel on 3rd downs vs the Cowboys nickel defense.
Dallas will be short-handed on defense again Sunday. They got away with it on Monday and in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean the reinforcements have arrived. Fortunately for the Cowboys, Carolina is short-handed, too. Christian McCaffrey is out for a bit and that substantially changes things. The Panthers will have rookie Chuba Hubbard and veteran Royce Freeman in a job-share, but neither will make you forget one of the best in the game.
The Panthers have DJ Moore as their biggest weapon — albeit not in stature. They use Anderson and Terrace Marshall Jr. well to spread a coverage thin and look for opportunities with offensive coordinator Joe Brady pulling the strings. The Panthers have been decent in the red zone, but they continue looking for red zone answers. This explains their interest in getting rookie Tommy Tremble going at tight end. He was lightly used at Notre Dame, but the Panthers think he will be an all-purpose tight end who will fill a spot vacated by Greg Olsen years ago. Olsen left the Panthers after 2019, but his last injury-free season was 2016. They have been searching for decent tight end play since.
Defensively, Dallas is excited about the pressure they have been able to apply, but we should still understand that they are far from getting enough sacks and are still giving up a number of big plays. The Cowboys won’t be their best defense until they have their players and that might not happen until the bye week.
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Randy Gregory vs. Cam Erving
Gregory was impressive against the Eagles and was able to draw three holding penalties. Now, he is playing against left tackle Cam Erving, who was Dallas’ swing tackle in 2020. The Cowboys need him to get sacks and combined with Micah Parsons, there should be the basis for plenty of pressure.
Getting Darnold uncomfortable early will help the Cowboys limit the danger that Brady and those weapons could produce.
THE PICK: Cowboys 27, Panthers 23
I don’t expect this to be easy by any stretch, but over the course of the afternoon, Dallas should be able to get this in the win column. Noon starts never get out of the gate quickly in this stadium and the Panthers are not to be taken lightly. I like Dallas to get to 3-1.
This will be a very good test of the character of this team.