CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 15: On December 15, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina, Cooper Rush #10 of the Dallas Cowboys passes the ball during the second half of a football game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. (Image by David J.
AP/Charlotte, North Carolina Before Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, CeeDee Lamb learned that the Carolina Panthers were listed as the favorite by the bookmakers for the first time in almost two full years.
However, Lamb and the Cowboys ultimately had the last laugh.
“It was brought up,” remarked Lamb, grinning broadly. “What is being said about your squad is not lost on you… Whoever predicted the Panthers would win deserves a shoutout because they were mistaken.
Did they ever?
The Cowboys defeated the Panthers 30-14 for their third victory in the last four games. Cooper Rush threw for 214 yards and a career-high three touchdown touchdowns, and Dallas forced four turnovers from Bryce Young and sacked the second-year quarterback six times.
Rico Dowdle ran for a career-high 149 yards on 25 carries to become the first undrafted running back to surpass 100 yards rushing in three consecutive games since Houston’s Arian Foster, and Lamb overcame shoulder pain to record nine catches for 116 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown reception.
The Panthers were outscored 410-235 by the Cowboys.
Young, who had been getting better in the last few weeks, ran for a touchdown and finished 19 of 28 for 219 yards, including a career-long 83-yard touchdown pass to youngster Jalen Coker. However, the second-year quarterback’s record as an NFL starter dropped to 4-21 when he threw two interceptions and fumbled twice.
Despite suffering a devastating loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night and losing cornerback Trevon Diggs to a season-ending knee injury this past week, the Cowboys played outstanding defense, limiting the Panthers to just one yard in the third quarter.
“It says that we are not going to give up,” Micah Parsons, an edge rusher with two sacks, stated. “As long as we have faith in one another and I am a member of this unit. Right now, we are battling for each other. When you can stand up for each other, it’s a unique experience, but the record is the record.
According to Parsons, the Cowboys’ game strategy was to stop Chuba Hubbard, and they succeeded in doing so, limiting Carolina’s 1,000-yard rusher to 32 yards on 10 rushes.
The Panthers gave up the most sacks this season with six.
“When they put us in this mode where we have to play behind, where we have to throw the ball and flip the field to score some points, we were playing into their hands,” Dave Canales, the Panthers coach, said. “Certainly put us in a brand of football that we don t really want to play.”
Rush, who had to step in when Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, has seen the Dallas offense continue to progress.
With the exception of Rush’s turnover deep in Carolina territory and Brandon Aubrey’s missed 70-yard field goal try at the end of the first half, the Cowboys scored on six of their next eight drives after punting on their opening two.
In the first half, Dallas led 10-0 thanks to eight receptions for 104 yards from Lamb.
Late in the second quarter, the Cowboys were poised to extend their lead, but Rush fumbled at the Carolina 17 after mishandling a snap. The Panthers (3-11) were within three with 31 seconds remaining after Young’s career-long 83-yard touchdown pass to Coker along the right sideline on the following play from scrimmage.
However, the Panthers would only get that close.
The Cowboys capitalized with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rush to Jalen Tolbert, who went free across the back of the end zone for a 17-7 lead, then Osa Odighizuwa stripped Young of the football on Carolina’s first possession of the second half. The third quarter was all Dallas.
Later, Rush added his first career touchdown pass to Jalen Brooks, which was 17 yards long.
“Cooper, I thought his touchdown throws were huge,” coach Mike McCarthy remarked. “He extended the one play and hit JT in the corner of the end zone and that was a huge, huge play.”
Canales stated that he didn’t see his rookie quarterback’s confidence decrease and that rookie will continue to start for Carolina next week.
Canales remarked, “He had a good look in his eyes,” “I was looking forward to continue being aggressive and find those opportunities down the field.”
Injuries
Cowboys: overtime Guard T.J. Bass departed the game in the fourth quarter due to a lower leg injury, and Chuma Edoga hurt his ankle in the second quarter.
Panthers: Due to a groin injury, wide receiver Xavier Legette departed the game in the third quarter.
Up next
Next Sunday, the Cowboys will host Tampa Bay.
Panthers: Their season-ending home game is against Arizona on Sunday.
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