CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Cowboys’ run defense, which gave up more than 200 yards, and their pass defense, which allowed too many open receivers, are to blame for what happened Sunday afternoon.
The Carolina Panthers knocked off the Cowboys 30-27 at Bank of America Stadium, the game ending with rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald making a 33-yard field goal as time expired.
Dallas’ three-game win streak over Carolina ended, along with any momentum going into next week’s game against Washington. Dallas also wasted an opportunity to move above .500 for the first time this season.
“I think what frustrates me is just I know we can execute and we can beat anybody,” guard Tyler Smith said. “It’s just a matter of doing that. I think that’s the most important thing.”
Here are five takeaways from Panthers-Cowboys:
Out of reach: See photos as Cowboys’ loss to Panthers goes down to the wire
What does this loss mean?
The stunning loss moved the Cowboys to 2-3-1 on the season, slightly ahead of the New York Giants for last place in the NFC East. This loss also pushed the Cowboys to 1-3 on the road. The Cowboys have five road games remaining this season, with difficult contests at Denver (Oct. 26) and Detroit (Dec. 4) before the stretch run. But first, this Cowboys team enters a division game against Washington at AT&T Stadium reeling from a tough loss against what was thought to be an inferior Carolina team.
The final drives on both sides
The Cowboys lost this game on the final drives for their offense and their defense. The Panthers went 71 yards in 15 plays, taking 6:07 off the clock to get the game-winning score. A pass interference penalty called on reserve corner Kaiir Elam and a questionable coverage decision by DaRon Bland — playing off coverage on a key third down — were some of the issues. Of course, running backs Rico Dowdle and Trevor Etienne had something to say as this game ended with the Panthers celebrating and the Cowboys heading home wondering about themselves.
Elam was penalized for pass interference on a third-and-7 while covering Tet McMillan.
“I didn’t touch him with [any] hands, and I played the ball and my eyes were on the back of the football,” Elam said. “I can’t get no tighter coverage than that. You just got to continue to keep playing. It’s a tough pill to swallow.”
The Cowboys’ final possession of the day was a three-and-out as Javonte Williams was dropped for a 5-yard loss on a screen pass on first down. The next two plays ended with quarterback Dak Prescott dumping passes off to Williams and fullback Hunter Luepke. Of the Cowboys’ nine possessions, the first and last ones were three-and-outs.
The Cowboys didn’t buckle up
Dowdle, a former Cowboys running back, twice sent notice last week when he said his former team would need to “buckle up.” Dowdle responded with 9 yards on his first run, then 12 more on his second run, then a 13-yard reception. He finished the first half with 80 rushing yards, and when his day was over, well, he had produced 183 rushing yards on 30 carries. He added 56 yards receiving and a touchdown.
The Cowboys’ run defense, one of the few positives this season, struggled to stop the run. They gave up 216 rushing yards. On the season, the Cowboys are allowing 142.2 yards per game and 4.7 yards per attempt. In the last three weeks, the run defense has given up 524 yards.
After the game, Dowdle said the Cowboys didn’t buckle up. Prescott said, “He told us to buckle up. He got the last laugh.”
George Pickens shows off
With CeeDee Lamb out with an ankle injury, it’s allowed receiver George Pickens to become the No. 1 target in the passing game. Pickens finished with a career-high nine catches for 168 yards and a touchdown. Pickens has caught a touchdown pass in his last five games.
One of the big plays of the game came on a third-and-2 when Pickens, running from the slot, caught a slant and took it 34 yards for the touchdown. When Pickens got into the end zone, he blew a kiss to the Carolina fans, then took a mock nap. The score gave the Cowboys a 24-20 lead with 2:38 left in the third quarter and some momentum.
Pickens made some nifty catches, including a one-handed grab in the first half in which he jumped over a defender on the way to a 31-yard gain. Pickens also made a catch after falling down after he was held by a defender who forced him to the ground.
When Lamb returns, possibly next week against Washington, it’s clear the Cowboys will go into the heart of their schedule with two talented receivers.
Too many open receivers
Cowboys defenders and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus have talked about fixing the pass coverage. Dallas plays a heavy zone scheme that leaves too many open spaces for plays to be made. Carolina took advantage of the open spots in the zone in the middle of the field and in the back of the end zone.
Too many times, receivers were just wide-open. Dowdle was unguarded off a play-action pass for a 36-yard touchdown catch to give Carolina a 20-17 lead in the third quarter. The Panthers tied the score in the second quarter when McMillan, a Cowboys draft target, got behind the defense for a 19-yard reception with 11:29 to go in the half.
You can even go back to the second play of the game, when quarterback Bryce Young found a wide-open rookie tight end Mitchell Evans for a 21-yard reception.
The Cowboys’ lack of communication continues to give them problems in the passing game. It’s either the scheme, the players, how the defense is called, or maybe the opponent that is part of the equation.
“That is an in-house thing,” safety Juanyeh Thomas said. “I’m going to let [Eberflus] and all of them do that. That is not my job to say who’s wrong or right, so I’m going to let him handle that.”
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