Fresh off a bye week, the Panthers had the perfect opportunity to turn around a disappointing start to their season. Outside of an embarrassment in Week 3 against the Giants, they’ve played every team close and without much improvement in prior games could be sitting on a better record. But their inability to pull through in the clutch would rear its ugly head again as Carolina found itself unable to hold a fourth-quarter lead. This is now their fourth loss by six points or less. It’s quickly getting to the point in the season where they can ill afford to drop any farther if they are to keep hold of their playoff aspirations. With only four home games left, the Panthers have a tough road ahead of them.
Dallas went quietly about its business in Charlotte. The Cowboys didn’t dominate in any one facet of play, but a solid team performance saw them keep pace with the division-leading Giants. A win here was crucial for Dallas heading into a stretch of four divisional matchups over the next six weeks. If the Cowboys can limit the penalties, as they did against the Panthers, and continue to get a strong showing from their defense, there’s no reason to think they can’t compete for some crucial victories in the next two months.
Dallas – Three Performances of Note
A Pristine Pocket
The defensive front of Carolina certainly wasn’t the Cowboys’ toughest challenge this season, and they made that apparent in pass protection. They didn’t let a single defender lay a hand on Tony Romo, giving up only nine hurries. Even when Phil Costa went down in the second quarter, backup center Ryan Cook (+1.5) filled in seamlessly. The interior of the line provided ample space for Romo to step up, only surrendering two pressures. Nate Livings (+3.9) in particular did well for himself in the run game as well, getting the better of Carolina’s defensive line rotation. Even the backs and tight ends held up well, not allowing any pressure on the few snaps they spent in pass protection.
Mixed Results in the Air
Under pressure on only six of his drop-backs, Romo (+2.8) was set up to have a huge day. He disappointed a bit in this regard, but did enough to ensure a win. And though 227 yards and one touchdown don’t exactly blow you away, he was betrayed by four drops from his receiving corps. With less than four minutes to play, Dez Bryant dropped a sure touchdown that would have made the finish far more comfortable for the Cowboys. There was some contact before the ball arrived, but Bryant really has to shrug off the smaller Josh Thomas and haul in the pass. Even Miles Austin, who has yet to drop a pass this year, lost a fumble trying to pick up yardage after a catch. Outside of a dropped interception by James Anderson (the Panthers had trouble with Romo’s passes too) that could have been run back for a score, Romo was very efficient and made plays when it counted. His touchdown pass to take the lead in the third was exceptional, dropped perfectly over Austin’s outside shoulder where only he could catch it.
Sum of the Parts
With such a well-rounded performance, it’s hard to focus on any one unit in Dallas’ defense. In the secondary, Morris Claiborne (+2.2) took sure points off the board by intercepting an errant throw by Cam Newton in the end zone. He wasn’t the usual pass rushing menace, but DeMarcus Ware led the team with five stops and a +1.8 run defense grade as he controlled the Panthers’ read option on the edge. In just his second week back from injury, nose tackle Jay Ratliff led the defense with four quarterback disruptions. And with the Panthers driving for the game-winning touchdown, Anthony Spencer came through with a sack, walking Gary Williams straight into Newton before shedding the block and taking down the QB in one swift motion.
Carolina – Three Performances of Note
Where’s the Pressure?
It’s hard to throw an established passer of his game without getting in his face at the line of scrimmage. But the Panthers learned this the hard way. Carolina’s defense didn’t record a sack or a hit, and all nine hurries came from defensive linemen. Dallas’ offensive line was able to identify and contain blitzing linebackers with ease. On the 10 occasions the Panthers chose to blitz, Romo completed 8 of 10 for 88 yards. Charles Johnson, easily their most dangerous pass rusher, recorded only three hurries, marking the fifth time this year he was held without a sack. Carolina’s defensive line had trouble getting much push, allowing Romo a clean pocket from which to operate for most of the afternoon.
Sweeping Up at the Second Level
With the defensive line doing so little, it was up to Carolina’s linebackers to clean up. And that they did. The linebacker trio of James Anderson, Luke Kuechly, and Thomas Davis combined for over half of the team's tackles and defensive stops. Unfortunately, they also accounted for four of the defense’s eight missed tackles. Davis did well in forcing a fumble from Austin that Kuechly then recovered. The group held strong against the pass though (+3.6 pass coverage combined). Of the 13 balls thrown their way, 11 were completed, but only two of those went for more than 8 yards. While it did result in an incompletion, Anderson missed a golden opportunity to swing the game’s momentum by dropping an interception that hit him in the hands. In a close one, a missed chance like that may have cost Carolina the game.
Beaten Up Front
It never helps your offensive productivity when four of your offensive linemen grade below -1.0. Such was the case for the Panthers. Their reshuffled offensive line wasn’t gelling, and it hindered the offense’s efficiency. The four penalties committed by the line put the Panthers in some longer down-and-distances, really limiting Carolina’s play-calling options. Still, with dynamic runners like Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams on the roster, the Panthers should be able to manage more than the 48 yards they got from running backs (Newton ran for 64 more). And while it’s not much consolation to Carolina fans, Jordan Gross (+1.5) received his 11th straight positive grade, dating back to Week 12 of last season.
Game Notes
— Between both teams, four different rookies saw more than 60 snaps.
— After averaging nearly six missed tackles per game in their previous five games, the Cowboys’ defense missed just one.
— After playing at least 20 snaps in every game this season, DeAngelo Williams was in on just five. In his place, Jonathan Stewart more than doubled his highest snap count of the season (28) with 58 snaps against Dallas.
PFF Game Ball
In a game lacking a standout player, Tony Romo earns it by making plays and keeping the offense rolling despite the best efforts of his receivers — with an honorable mention going to the offensive line that kept him upright for all 60 minutes.
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