Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys received stellar play from most of their roster during Sunday’s win. The Dallas Cowboys took care of business on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and did so with relative ease. It was a day in which 95% of things went right for America’s Team with the Cooper Rush fumble and big-time slip on defense at the end of the first half clearly in the remaining 5% of activity. You can’t be perfect for an entire day so we will offer a level of forgiveness. Ultimately it was an impressive outing from a Cowboys team who seemed dazed and confused following last week’s heartbreaker of a loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. Credit to the Cowboys though, they rallied, fought and acted like the better team despite the Panthers being favorites in a game for the first time in two years. As noted just about everything went right which means that just about all of the stocks we are handing out are in the up direction. Here is our stock report following Sunday’s win at Carolina. Stock Up: CeeDee Lamb Once upon a time we used to lament how the Cowboys would not force feed the top receiving option on their team the way that other teams seemed to. Sunday seemed to be the kind of day we all wanted as CeeDee Lamb was targeted 13 times. Notably, Lamb received a ton of work early in the game where the Cowboys were experiencing all sorts of success (even if the end of the first half went sideways). Lamb finished the first half with 105 receiving yards and a touchdown on amazing adjustment. CEEDEE TD (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/KPXS8SbBXe — Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) December 15, 2024 This was a game where Lamb put on the cape and took over to be the hero that the offense needed. You want to see that from the players who you devote serious money to and he lived up to that and then some. Stock Up: Marist Liufau Back during the days of the 2024 NFL Draft we wondered whether or not Marist Liufau would always be the player who the Cowboys took instead of a running back. That will not be the case. Marist will be Marist and he is turning into a linebacker to be very excited about. Liufau jumped in for DeMarvion Overshown on Monday night and shined in that spot. Early on against the Panthers, Liufau popped the ball loose and really changed the game’s momentum. MARIST!!! (via @dallascowboys) pic.twitter.com/WKeQjUQ84g — Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) December 15, 2024 The Cowboys are going to be without Overshown for all of 2025 in all likelihood, but appear to have someone who they can rely on in Marist. He has been a really bright spot on a defense full of them as of late. Shout out to Mike Zimmer for trusting him and putting him in spots to thrive. Stock Up: Jourdan Lewis We have said for years how Jourdan Lewis is one of the toughest players on the Cowboys. He shows up time and time again and always gives his all. That was the case once again on Sunday against the Panthers. LEWIS. KENDRICKS. INT. (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/lP0ZZkUWGE — Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) December 15, 2024 Aside from the deflection here, Lewis was continually in position to make plays against Carolina. He is as reliable as veterans get and his time with the Cowboys is among the most impressive. Stock Up: Eric Kendricks Kendricks benefited from the tip that Lewis had, but more than that he was a monster all over the field. We have seen Kendricks exemplify a clear understanding of Mike Zimmer’s defense throughout his season with this team and justify why the Cowboys wanted to bring him in to run it. There is no question that Kendricks can play at a high level and on Sunday he was operating at peak capacity. What made it more impressive was that his status for the game was somewhat in doubt. Stock Up: Marshawn Kneeland The Cowboys have had to lean on Marshawn Kneeland in the absence of DeMarcus Lawrence and Sunday may have been his best hour. Kneeland blew up an end around early in the game that unfortunately still went for positive yardage for the Panthers. But we are seeing the signs of a legitimate player and someone who will hopefully anchor the defensive line for years to come. He also recovered a fumble on the day. Stock Up: Osa Odighizuwa This may give some pause, but that does not change how true it is: Osa Odighizuwa has been one of the best players on the Cowboys this season. Game in and game out Odighizuwa has shown up and wreaked havoc along the middle of the defensive line. He took over this game on the first play of the second half. OSA!!!! (via @dallascowboys) pic.twitter.com/61bo8Y3ZVm — Blogging The Boys (@BloggingTheBoys) December 15, 2024 It is extremely likely that we are watching the final days of Odighizuwa in a Cowboys uniform as he is slated to become a free agent in the offseason. He was drafted in the same class as Micah Parsons so it is difficult for him to be the best defensive player in it, but if not for an all-world player that he shared that group with, he would have received far more praise over the last few years. Stock Up: Cooper Rush Early on I was tempted to place Rush in the static stock category because the fumble at the end of the first half was so bad. But he played his way out of it. All told Rush threw three touchdowns, a career high for him. They all traveled more than 10 air yards which proves that he is understanding as he moves along here that he has to push past the line of comfort for himself in terms of aggression. This was a thing of beauty. RUSH HOUR
Good, Bad, Ugly: Carolina Cowboys show out in homecoming, Parsons makes statement
In the immortal words of Han Solo, “never tell me the odds, kid.” Despite being road underdogs to a Panthers squad who hadn’t been favored in two calendar years, the Cowboys came to Carolina and handled their business, putting up 30 points for just the third time this season and leaving with a dominant ,30-14 win. The Dallas pass rush got after quarterback Bryce Young all day long, CeeDee Lamb put up monster numbers, and a trio of native Carolinians who now wear the star made the absolute most of their homecomings. But it wasn’t easy. Penalties continue to be a real issue, and the injury bug is still working its way through the Cowboys roster. Red-zone turnovers reared their ugly head once again and almost turned the game on its head, and Cooper Rush remains both the team’s best chance to win… and the offense’s biggest liability, all in one maddening package. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Cowboys’ Week 15 win in Charlotte. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Good: Lamb’s monster 1st half History has shown that getting CeeDee Lamb involved early and often is good for the Cowboys offense. It sure worked on Sunday, with Lamb racking up 105 receiving yards and a touchdown on eight catches Bad: Consistent inconsistency from Rush The final statline will show Cooper Rush had a productive day, completing 62% of his throws and notching a passer rating of 119.0 while tossing three touchdowns for the first time in his career and earning his eighth win in 12 tries as a starter. But anyone who watched the game- and especially the first half- was likely struck by Rush’s inaccuracy. He missed his receivers with regularity, often forcing them to come back for bad balls or leading them right into big hits with questionable pass placement. On the upside, he’s responsible for just three interceptions since taking over for Dak Prescott. Then again, he’s had eight fumbles. When Rush is good, he looks like the best backup QB in the league. But he also has a habit of making every snap a dicey proposition. Ugly: Penalties costing more than yards Dallas entered the Week 15 contest as the NFC’s most penalized team. They’ll likely end up the NFC’s most penalized team, too. The Cowboys had a staggering 14 flags walked off against them, their most in a game in over three years. Eight of those were of the inexcusable pre-snap kind: illegal formation, defensive offside, false start, neutral zone, too many men on the field. But all those infractions cost the Cowboys more than just 99 generic yards of real estate; several flags either stalled promising offensive drives, extended Carolina possessions, or put Rush & Co. behind the chains (which usually forced overly aggressive play calls and ended in field goals instead of touchdowns). Good: Carolina Cowboys show out in homecoming Sunday’s game in Charlotte was quite a homecoming for several Cowboys players who are Carolina natives. Rico Dowdle, Jalen Brooks, and Israel Mukuamu were all born in North Carolina, and all played their college ball 90 miles away from the Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium, at South Carolina. Each played a huge role in the Week 15 win. Dowdle turned in a career-high 149 rushing yards, Brooks caught his first NFL touchdown, and Mukuamu thwarted the final comeback bid by intercepting a late fourth-quarter pass. All that was missing for the trio of former Gamecocks was “Sandstorm” blasting over the public-address system. Bad: Red-zone turnover leads to huge point swing The Cowboys lead the league in red-zone turnovers, with eight. Rush is personally responsible for four of them. The latest instance played out in horrifying fashion for Dallas and nearly turned the game on its head. Ahead 10-0, the Cowboys had driven into the red zone and looked to extend their lead at the break. But a Rush fumble gave the ball to Bryce Young, who immediately torched the Cowboys with an 83-yard strike to receiver Jalen Coker. What seemed like it was sure to be a healthy 17-0 halftime lead was suddenly a 10-7 barnburner, with Carolina set to open the third quarter with a chance at a go-ahead score. It didn’t go that way, as the Cowboys took the ball back on the Panthers’ first play of the second half. But ball security is sure to be a continued point of emphasis for Rush and the Cowboys… especially once they cross the 20. Ugly: More injury concerns Arguably, no one at The Star is working harder this season than the medical training staff. Entering Week 15 with a slew of starters already out for the remainder of the season, the Cowboys saw several more key players go down on Sunday. Left tackle Chuma Edoga left in the second quarter but had to return when right guard T.J. Bass was hurt later, not to return. More concerning is the condition of cornerback Jourdan Lewis. The veteran was shaken up in the fourth quarter and was then seen after the game wearing an elbow wrap. The Dallas secondary was thin to begin with thanks to to the loss of Trevon Diggs; they can ill afford to lose Lewis with games against Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Washington still to come. Tests are slated for Monday. Good: Pass rush makes statement The Cowboys defense came into Week 15 tops in the NFL in per-dropback pressure rate, third in QB knockdowns per pass attempt, and ninth in sacks. That may have gotten lost amid the team’s poor record and the popular narrative that Mike Zimmer’s return as defensive coordinator has been a total bust. Dallas sent a loud-and-clear reminder to the league on Sunday, recording six sacks on Bryce Young, hitting him 10 times, defending four passes, and notching 10 tackles for loss. Micah Parsons had his third two-sack game of the season, raising his season total to 8.5 in just 10 games played.
10 thoughts on the Cowboys expected, but still satisfying 30-14 win over the Panthers
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys won with relative ease on Sunday and we have some thoughts on it all. The Dallas Cowboys won another football game. Yes, it was against the lowly three-win Carolina Panthers, but it still counts. This isn’t good news if you were holding out for a great draft pick, but if you like watching your team win, today was a good day for you. It took a bit, but the Cowboys started getting things going on offense and defense. Here are 10 thoughts on the Cowboys 30-14 win over the Panthers. 1. NORTH AND SOUTH RICO For the third-straight game, Rico Dowdle set a new career-high for rushing yards. Against the Panthers, Dowdle had 25 carries for 149 yards (6.0 ypc). He is averaging over 130 yards per game in that span. Every week he looks better. Dowdle is running with more energy, showing great shiftiness, and has become a hard north-and-south runner. He’s been the team’s grinder and it’s worked well. 2. ANOTHER SHUFFLE FOR THE OLINE What makes Dowdle’s resurgence even more impressive is how the Cowboys are pulling this off with a banged-up offensive line. Every week they are dealing with a new injury. They started the day down two starters, Zack Martin (out for the year) and Cooper Beebe (concussion). This week, backup guard T.J. Bass got hurt forcing the team to shuffle once again. Left tackle Chuma Edoga moved to right guard and rookie Tyler Guyton took his spot at left tackle. Surprisingly, the offensive line held things together well with Dowdle running and Cooper Rush only getting sacked once. Not too shabby. 3. LAMB IS SPECIAL Even without Dak Prescott throwing him the ball, CeeDee Lamb is a star. He finished the game with nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. It was his first 100-yard performance since Rush took over at quarterback. On the Cowboys’ first scoring drive, it was all Lamb as he accounted for 62 of the team’s 77 yards. He only had three catches, but he had to work for them as a couple of passes were underthrown. It didn’t matter though as Lamb made the necessary adjustments and came away with the catch. The Cowboys were finally in business. 4. COSTLY SWING With the first half winding down, it looked like the Cowboys were on the cusp of scoring a touchdown and going up 17-0 in the game. But just before we could get excited, things took a bad turn when Rush fumbled the ball. The Panthers jumped on it ending the Cowboys’ possession. Then, on their very next play, Bryce Young found Jalen Coker wide-open for an 83-yard touchdown. Instead of 17-0, it was a 10-7 game. 5. RETURNING THE FAVOR Just as quickly as the Panthers shifted the momentum at the end of the first half, they immediately gave it back when they fumbled on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Osa Odighizuwa got to Young causing the ball to come loose. Chauncey Golston was quick to pounce on it. Five plays later, the Rush found Jalen Tolbert in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Just like that, the Cowboys were back up by 10. 6. THE TWO JALENS That’s right. You heard correctly. Tolbert scored a touchdown. It’s been an underwhelming season for the team’s third-year wide receiver. He hasn’t had a game with more than three catches since October and his biggest play came on the game-winning catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But now he has another big play as he hauled in a nice touchdown catch while keeping both feet in bounds. It was his only catch of the game, but it was a big one. Speaking of his only catch, his teammate Jalen Brooks also had a catch, and it too went for a touchdown, the first of his career. It was nice to see either of these two do something meaningful as these plays have been few and far between from the Cowboys’ depth receivers. 7. THE 70-YARD ATTEMPT Mike McCarthy had chances to allow Cowboys’ kicker Brandon Aubrey to attempt a record-breaking field against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving inside a warm, turfed stadium such as AT&T, but he chose not to each time. Against Carolina, one of those opportunities showed up as he had a chance to kick a 70-yarder right before the end of the first half. Sadly, the kick never had a chance. It was wide left and considerably short. The Panthers tried to return it, but it didn’t turn into anything. Oh well, it was still fun to watch. 8. MICAH AND FRIENDS Bryce Young had a rough game. He was sacked six times. The Cowboys pass rush gave him all sorts of fits as five different players recorded a sack. But most of the damage came from the Cowboys defensive linemen from their 2021 draft class – Micah Parsons, Osa Odighizuwa, and Chauncy Goltson. They each had four tackles in this game and at least one sack (Parsons had two). They were stripping the ball, pouncing on fumbles, and just creating all types of problems for Young. These three defensive linemen were drafted by the Cowboys in 2021.They each had at least one sack today.All three are still in their rookie contract, but that will change this offseason. pic.twitter.com/mQ62tlzlVG — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) December 15, 2024 9. A GOOD GAME FROM LIUFAU The injury to DeMarvion Overshown was devastating news last week as it will sideline one of the team’s top young defenders for quite some time. With Overshown out of action, it meant more snaps for rookie linebacker Marist Liufau, and he took full advantage. Liufau finished the game tied for the team lead in tackles and had a couple of splash plays. He had a tackle for a loss as well as a forced fumble when he punched the ball out of Young’s hands. We miss Overshown deeply, but it
Cowboys news: Dallas beats Carolina 30-14 behind dominant defensive performance
Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Notable headlines surrounding America’s team. Cowboys defense dominates in 30-14 win over Panthers – Shane Taylor, Inside The Star Dallas is back in the win column. This football game took place just as I thought it would, a gross low scoring sloppy game. Although the Panthers have been playing better, they still have plenty of flaws, and the Cowboys are playing with nothing but backups. It was scoreless after the first quarter of play, and stayed that way until Cooper Rush found CeeDee Lamb for a 14 yard touchdown on a back shoulder. The drive was filled with Lamb who had over 60 yards on the scoring drive alone. CeeDee makin' it look easy 👀#ProBowlVote | @_CeeDeeThree 📺: #DALvsCAR on FOX📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/QPef8ny03a — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 15, 2024 The Cowboys defense with the lead is just different, even with injuries, after the touchdown, the defense was able to force another turnover on a Bryce Young inspection. Dallas settled for three by Brandon Aubrey when a false start killed the drive, they are still finding a way to hurt themselves, and it is so annoying. Right when everything was setting up for Dallas to go up 17-0, Cooper Rush fumbled the football on 3rd and goal, and then the next play the Panthers scored on an 80 yard pass on a blown coverage. Typical Cowboys game for ya right here, you can’t continue to make this type of stuff up. Game Recap: Cowboys take away win, 30-14 – Kurt Daniels, DallasCowboys.com A brief summary of how Sunday’s action went down. The second frame, though, got off to a different start for the Cowboys offense, thanks in large part to Lamb, who caught three passes for 62 yards in a 10-play, 77-yard drive. All three receptions came on third down, the last being a 14-yard catch corralled in the end zone to give the visitors a 7-0 lead. With that, Lamb also surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth straight season. Linebacker Eric Kendricks then reached a milestone of sorts himself. When cornerback Jourdan Lewis broke up a pass on Carolina’s ensuing position, the ball deflected right into the waiting hands of Kendricks. That marked his third takeaway of the season (two interceptions, one fumble recovery), equaling his career high. Starting at the Panthers’ 48-yard line after the gift, Dallas managed to reach the 39, but there the drive stalled. Out came Brandon Aubrey, who continued his stellar 2024 campaign with a 52-yard field goal right down the middle for another three points. And then within just back-to-back plays, a pair of self-inflicted mistakes by the Cowboys gave the Panthers all the momentum going into the half. Dallas was on the doorstep of adding points when they reached the Carolina 14-yard line with 45 seconds left. But that’s when Rush fumbled trying to pull the ball away from Rico Dowdle on an RPO play, which was recovered by the Panthers. Even worse, on Carolina’s first snap, a breakdown in coverage left receiver Jalen Coker streaking down the right sideline all alone. The result was an 83-yard touchdown and the Cowboys’ advantage narrowed to 10-7 at the break. 5 winners & 2 losers from Cowboys Week 15 win over Panthers – Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated It is a good week when there are more of the former. Winner: Osa Odighizuwa, DT Dallas was up by just three points in the first half, thanks in large part to a fumble from Cooper Rush. Needing a spark to get the momentum back, Osa Odighizuwa delivered. The underrated pass rusher broke past his blocker to record a strip sack on the first drive of the third quarter. The fumble by Bryce Young was recovered by Chauncey Golston, leading to a Dallas touchdown and 17-7 lead. Odighizuwa wasn’t done there either as he continued to generate pressure on Young, finishing with one sack and four QB hits. Team discipline and value of star power among Cowboys Week 15 takeaways – Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire What did you take away from Dallas’ win? Value of star power CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons and Rico Dowdle ruled the day. In case anyone has been wondering if superstars are worth it, Week 15 served as Exhibit A in the affirmative. On a day where virtually every ball Cooper Rush threw was late and behind, Lamb managed to pull in nine receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. He put on a clinic by catching everything in sight. Parsons made his case as one of the NFL’s biggest superstars. He logged four tackles, two sacks and two hits. Official pressures haven’t been tallied but he was a menace rushing from all over the field. Dowdle may not be at superstar status yet, but he sure played like it. He rushed for 149 yards on 25 carries for a 6.0 yards/carry average. Some of that is a product of Carolina’s soft defensive line but most of it was Dowdle’s ability to win at the second level. CeeDee Lamb made all sorts of history in Cowboys win over Panthers – Luke Norris, The Landry Hat CeeDee continues to fight. Entering Sunday’s game with 973 receiving yards for the season, Lamb needed just 27 to reach the 1,000-yard mark. It looked as if it was going to happen early as he caught a 25-yard pass from Cooper Rush on the Cowboys’ opening drive, only to see it negated by a penalty. He caught an eight-yard pass on the following play, but the drive quickly came to an end. It was the second quarter in which Lamb did much of his damage for the day. After the Dallas defense forced a three-and-out, the offense embarked on a 10-play, 77-yard drive, during which Lamb caught three passes for 62 yards. The first went for 20 yards, putting him over the 1,000-yard mark, the second went for 28, and the third went for a 14-yard touchdown. Rush spread the
30 best pics from Cowboys 30-14 victory over Panthers
30 best pics from Cowboys 30-14 victory over Panthers K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys inched back closer to .500 with their resurgent second half of the season on Sunday. Thanks to their 30-14 dismantling of Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers offense, the club’s record now sits at 6-8 on the disappointing season. Dallas combined a strong running game with an attacking defense to dominate the game after a slow start. Rico Dowdle turned in his third consecutive 100-yard rushing performance, and his dominance allowed a shaky Cooper Rush to have a statistically great passing game. The defense was led by Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa as Mike Zimmer’s unit harassed the young Panthers QB to the tune of four sacks and four turnovers split evenly between fumbles and interceptions. Despite this being a lost season featuring gut-punch injury after gut-punch injury, the Cowboys are routinely finding ways to win when away from AT&T Stadium. Thanks to the great photography of USA Today and Getty Images, here are several of the best moments from the game. Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Israel Mukuamu #24 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates with fans… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Israel Mukuamu #24 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates with fans after making an interception against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jourdan Lewis #2 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a sack… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jourdan Lewis #2 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a sack against the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) more image gallery NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks (83) catches a… Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Brooks (83) catches a touchdown pass as Carolina Panthers safety Xavier Woods (25) and cornerback Michael Jackson (2) defend in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Dak Prescott #4 and head coach Mike McCarthy of the… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Dak Prescott #4 and head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys talk before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) more image gallery NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) scores a… Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) scores a touchdown as Carolina Panthers safety Jordan Fuller (20) defends in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images more image gallery NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) fumbles in the… Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) fumbles in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Marist Liufau #35 of the Dallas Cowboys tackles Chuba Hubbard… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Marist Liufau #35 of the Dallas Cowboys tackles Chuba Hubbard #30 of the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jalen Tolbert #1 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jalen Tolbert #1 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown pass against Xavier Woods #25 of the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jalen Brooks #83 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jalen Brooks #83 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown pass against Xavier Woods #25 and Michael Jackson #2 during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jordan Fuller #20 and Demani Richardson #36 of the Carolina… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jordan Fuller #20 and Demani Richardson #36 of the Carolina Panthers tackle CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jalen Brooks #83 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Jalen Brooks #83 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown pass against the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: KaVontae Turpin #9 of the Dallas Cowboys breaks out of… CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: KaVontae Turpin #9 of the Dallas Cowboys breaks out of a tackle during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) more image gallery Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: Israel Mukuamu
Cowboys underdogs again this week when they host the Buccaneers
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys are some pretty big home underdogs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Dallas Cowboys are coming off what is likely their most complete game this season. In beating the Carolina Panthers 30-14, the Cowboys got contributions from all parts of the roster. They ran the ball with Rico Dowdle, CeeDee Lamb was dominant, the defense, led by Micah Parsons, were creating sacks and getting turnovers. And Cooper Rush had a very good day. All of that, though, came at the expense of a poor Panthers defense. Context is everything. It’s true that both the Cowboys and the Panthers have been playing better lately, but there is a reason Carolina is now 3-11. It seems the oddsmakers agree. They have made the Cowboys substantial underdogs for a home team next week even after the dismantling of the Panthers. They are 3.5-point underdogs to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are a team still in the fight for the NFC playoffs and they are currently leading a bad NFC South division with an 8-6 record. They went on the road on Sunday and annihilated the Los Angeles Chargers 40-17. That’s impressive. Would you take the Cowboys to win or cover this week?
Vegas doesn’t think the Cowboys will beat the Buccaneers in Week 16
Vegas doesn’t think the Cowboys will beat the Buccaneers in Week 16 K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys find themselves two games under .500 yet again. It’s been a tale of two seasons for America’s Team this season. In recent years, the club is used to being dominant at home and average on the road, leading to 12-win seasons. In 2024 they’re now used to being dominated at home and are surprisingly good on the road. Sunday’s victory in Carolina improved their travel record to 5-2 on the season. Unfortunately the club is just 1-6 at AT&T Stadium and until recently they weren’t very competitive in those contests. Mix it all together and there aren’t many reasons for the Vegas sharps to have much confidence in the Cowboys earning their second home win since December 2023. The Cowboys open as 45-point underdogs in Week 16 when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to BetMGM. Any fan feeling super comfortable about things can wager on the money line, which sits at +165 for a Dallas home win, and -200 to bet on Baker Mayfield’s Bucs winning outright. The over/under is set to 48.5. Dallas could be eliminated from playoff contention by the time they take the field on Sunday night. If the Washington Commanders win their noon kickoff against the NFC East leading Philadelphia Eagles, then Dallas’ hopes are dashed. That win would give the Eagles the NFC East title. Related Links Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
CeeDee Lamb becomes first Cowboys WR with four 1,000-yard seasons in first five years
Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images CeeDee Lamb has had an incredible start to his NFL career. The Dallas Cowboys have done one thing well this season, and that’s win on the road. They improved to 5-2 away from AT&T Stadium and 6-8 overall with a 30-14 win against the Carolina Panthers. One of the stars of the game was wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who had his second game of the season over the century mark with 116 yards on nine receptions and a touchdown. He also put his name in the Cowboys record books. Lamb went over 1,000 yards for the season on Sunday. With that, he became the first Cowboys receiver to go over 1,000 yards four times in their first five years in Dallas. He gets to share a little history after his performance as well. Lamb joined Michael Irvin as the only receivers in Cowboys history with four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Irvin did it five straight times from 1991 to 1995. WHAT A CATCH CEEDEE FOX pic.twitter.com/RE0j6SxBLI — FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 15, 2024 Lamb also moved past a former five-time Pro Bowler on a specific list. He replaced former second-round pick Jarvis Landry as the receiver with the second-most receptions in NFL in history in their first five seasons (489). The record is 510 by Michael Thomas. Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals has stolen the headlines at receiver this season in the NFL. However, Lamb is once again producing at an elite level. He’s up to 94 receptions for 1,089 yards and six touchdowns on the year. Once he gets six more receptions, it will be his third straight campaign with 100 or more in that category. It’s fair to point out that quarterback Dak Prescott hasn’t played since early November and won’t again this season due to a torn hamstring. It’s a testament to Lamb that he can still perform at a high level with a guy as limited as Cooper Rush throwing him the football. The former first-round pick was given his long-term financial security before the season, and he’s proving that the Cowboys were smart for doing so.
Cowboys dominate Panthers, score 30-14 win as road underdogs
Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images The Cowboys controlled just about the entire game against Carolina The Dallas Cowboys were just a hair away from beating the Cincinnati Bengals last week and pulling off their third straight win, but it was not meant to be. Between that and the loss of DeMarvion Overshown to a devastating injury, many wondered if the Cowboys may implode the rest of the year. Rumors of the team’s demise were greatly exaggerated, as it turns out. Despite coming into this game on a short week and the Panthers being favored by 2.5 points, Dallas dominated this game from start to finish. The 30-14 final score doesn’t even reflect how far apart these teams were, either. It started out slow for both teams. The Cowboys punted on their opening drive after a penalty on Chuma Edoga wiped out a 25-yard reception for CeeDee Lamb. The Panthers, whose offense has looked much better in recent weeks, started moving the ball down the field. They reached the tip of the red zone before Marist Liufau forced the first of a handful of takeaways for the defense. @marist_09 : #DALvsCAR on FOX : Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbZgQM pic.twitter.com/6rYuZqkRQD — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 15, 2024 The Cowboys couldn’t do much with it, punting after a three-and-out. The Panthers copied them on their next drive to take us to the end of the first quarter with everything knotted up at 0-0. Apparently, the Cowboys were just waiting for the second quarter to start. Cooper Rush started feeding Lamb, who accounted for 62 of the Cowboys’ 77 yards on the drive. Two of his caches went for 20+ yards and moved the chains on big third downs. The third catch was an incredible diving effort for a touchdown to put Dallas up 7-0. CeeDee Lamb so far today: 4 targets, 4 catches, 70 yards, TD pic.twitter.com/7pgVcVEx8V — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 15, 2024 Following the touchdown, the Dallas defense came up with another big play. As Bryce Young tried to fit the ball in on a slant route, Jourdan Lewis broke up the pass, inadvertently batting it right to Eric Kendricks for an interception. The Cowboys settled for a field goal, but it still put them up 10-0. The defense forced a three-and-out following the score, giving Rush and the offense a chance to take a commanding lead. For a while, it looked like they’d take advantage of the opportunity too. A big catch-and-run from Jake Ferguson turned a second and 20 into third and one. Dallas ran a read-option, with Rush pulling the ball with options to run or pass for the first. But Rush fumbled the ball and a Carolina defender fell on it. The Panthers took just one play to take advantage of the takeaway. Young hit Jalen Coker, who had gotten behind the defense on a busted coverage, for a huge 83-yard touchdown with just 31 seconds left in the half. Dallas got in range for a 70-yard field goal try, but Brandon Aubrey shanked the attempt to keep things at 10-7 going into halftime. Still, that score wasn’t representative of how dominant the Cowboys had been, and that remained the same in the second half. The Dallas defense forced a fumble on the very first play of the third quarter and the offense capped it off with a toe-tapping touchdown to Jalen Tolbert. Mike Zimmer’s unit would force a three-and-out on each of the Panthers’ next two drives, and Rush found Jalen Brooks for an impressive touchdown in between. That gave them a 24-7 lead, which they took into the fourth quarter. From there, the Cowboys were basically in clock-killing mode the rest of the way, while the Panthers were running an extended two-minute drill. Young scampered in for a touchdown halfway through the quarter, and Aubrey hit two field goals to bring about the final score, but this game was over well before then. Two consecutive mistakes right before halftime kept things closer than they really were, but the Cowboys came out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter to widen the gap. The defense was playing lights out, forcing four takeaways and sacking Young six times. The offense was still uneven, but they managed to move the ball well. Lamb became the second Cowboys receiver ever (after Michael Irvin, of course) to post four straight 1,000+ yard receiving seasons, and Rico Dowdle made it three consecutive games with over 100 rushing yards. Both players paced an offense that had little trouble against the Panthers and their beleaguered defense. This win won’t make many believers of the Cowboys, but the Panthers had been playing good football as of late. In their last three games, they lost to the Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Eagles by a combined 12 points. Beating this team by 16 with a backup quarterback and a constantly rotating offensive line that has its fair share of injuries is nothing to sneeze at.
Team discipline and value of star power among Cowboys Week 15 takeaways
CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons and Rico Dowdle ruled the day. In case anyone has been wondering if superstars are worth it, Week 15 served as Exhibit A in the affirmative. On a day where virtually every ball Cooper Rush threw was late and behind, Lamb managed to pull in nine receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. He put on a clinic by catching everything in sight. Parsons made his case as one of the NFL’s biggest superstars. He logged four tackles, two sacks and two hits. Official pressures haven’t been tallied but he was a menace rushing from all over the field. Dowdle may not be at superstar status yet, but he sure played like it. He rushed for 149 yards on 25 carries for a 6.0 yards/carry average. Some of that is a product of Carolina’s soft defensive line but most of it was Dowdle’s ability to win at the second level.
