3 winners and 3 losers from Panthers loss at the Cowboys in Week 4
By Jason Huber
Carolina Panthers run defense
The Carolina Panthers entered the game with outstanding numbers as a run defense. They hadn’t allowed a running back to rush for more than 25 yards in a game this season and led the NFL in rushing defense.
Well, that wasn’t the case against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Panthers allowed the sixth-most (245) rushing yards to an opponent in team history and looked a shell of itself from the first three weeks.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for 143 yards, the fifth-most allowed by Carolina to a single player in the last decade, and his rushing touchdown was the first conceded to an opposing running back this season.
Backup Tony Pollard had 10 carries for 67 yards including a long of 18 and Dak Prescott had a 21-yard run himself. Carolina was bullied in the trenches from start to finish – thanks in no small part to the production of All-Pro Zack Martin, which was unexpected, to say the least.
When there was a slim chance to get the ball back to try and tie the game late in the fourth quarter, Dallas had no issues running the ball to drain out the clock.
Hopefully, this was just a one-week fluke and normal service can resume in Week 5.