Cowboys Try To Revive Season Against Undefeated Carolina Panthers
By Shawn S. Lealos
The Dallas Cowboys opened the season with two wins and then lost their starting quarterback Tony Romo for the season. After losing all seven games without him, Romo returned on Sunday and led the Cowboys to their third win of the season. The Cowboys now head into Thanksgiving to battle the undefeated Carolina Panthers, and strangely find themselves as one point favorites. Here is a look at the Panthers as they head into the big Thanksgiving Day game.
Season Record
There are only two undefeated teams left in the NFL, the New England Patriots in the AFC and the Carolina Panthers in the NFC. The Panthers are 10-0, the first team to reach 10 wins, Despite this, the Panthers are one point underdogs against the Cowboys, something that head coach Ron Rivera finds disrespectful. Carolina only have two wins over quality teams this season, a four point win over the Seattle Seahawks and an eight point win over the Green Bay Packers. Dallas has no real quality wins, their three wins over lesser quality teams.
Carolina Panthers on Offense
The Carolina Panthers offense is not what has them undefeated, but they have done enough to make sure they haven't lost yet this season. Cam Newton is playing safe this year and isn't making too many mistakes. He has a nice 90.1 quarterback rating, throwing 20 touchdowns through 10 games with only nine interceptions. He is only averaging 214 yards passing a game with a 7.5 yard average per completion. Because he is playing the game at a safe pace, he is doing just enough to win.
The rushing game is where the true power on the offense lies. Newton ranks second on the team in rushing with 382 yards and leads the team with six touchdown runs. Added to his 20 touchdowns through the air, his 26 touchdowns make up more than half of the Panthers total offensive production on the season. It also helps that Jonathan Stewart is back to full strength after a pair of injury plagued seasons. He leads Carolina with 764 rushing yards on the year, while Mike Tolbert added 109 of his own. Overall, the Panthers have run for 1,399 yards, fourth best in the NFL, and 11 touchdowns in 10 games.
Through the air, Newton has a list of no-names to play with. His biggest target is still tight end Greg Olsen, who has 48 receptions for 718 yards and six touchdowns. It is also important to remember that just because his receivers are no-name players, that doesn't mean they are not good. Rookie Devin Funchess got a late start before coaches started trusting him, but he has caught nine passes for 176 yards and two touchdown in the last three games and will start getting a lot more action. Ted Ginn Jr. ranks second on the team with 30 receptions for 445 yards and four touchdowns.
Carolina Panthers on Defense
The Carolina Panthers defense is why the team is undefeated after 10 games. They rank sixth in the NFL in total defense, only allowing 322.8 total yards a game. The 19.1 points a game ranks fifth in the NFL, almost four points fewer than the Dallas Cowboys allow at 14th in the league. They are most dominant against the run, giving up only 94.5 yards per game, meaning that they should be able to stop Darren McFadden on Thursday. Against the pass, they give up 228 yards a game, and Tony Romo will give them their toughest opponent since Aaron Rodgers was in town.
The biggest reason that the Panthers are winning so much is because they win the turnover battle every week. Even with nine interceptions thrown by Cam Newton, they still have taken the ball away from opponents 13 more times than they have lost it. They lead the NFL with 25 total takeaways, 15 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries. They are also tied for second in sacks with 31 in 10 games. If they pressure Tony Romo, they could have the advantage here.
Carolina Panthers' Players to Watch
Cam Newton - When it comes to the Carolina Panthers offense, Cam Newton is the only true superstar. He averages 214 yards a game through the air and 38 yards per game on the ground. He has 26 total touchdowns combined, so the biggest thing that the Cowboys have to do is keep him in the pocket. If they let him scramble, that is where Newton does most of his damage.
Thomas Davis - Linebacker Thomas Davis is becoming one of the biggest stars on this powerful defense. He leads the team with 69 tackles, and his 49 solo tackles are also a team lead. He has three sacks, which ranks fourth on the squad, and also has intercepted the ball three times, forced two fumbles, and recovered one. Add in his four passes defensed, and this is a player that can make a huge difference in any game.
Outlook
Ron Rivera called is disrespectful that the Carolina Panthers are underdogs in this game. He has a point. The Panthers are one of the best teams in the NFL with a completely dominating defense and a sturdy offense that runs out the clock. If Dallas wants to win this game, they have to beat this defense and put points on the board and challenge the Panthers to strike back. If the Panthers defense plays like they have this season, that won't happen and Carolina can win this game.
Shawn S. Lealos is a freelance writer who graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. He writes for a variety of national publications and has over 15 years of sports journalism experience. Follow Shawn on Twitter @sslealos. Examiner.com.
