4 bold Carolina Panthers predictions against the Cowboys in Week 15
By Luke Gray
Despite a third straight defeat in Week 13, spirits remain high around the Carolina Panthers organization.
Eventually, the idea of moral victories will become tiresome. As things stand, Carolina can take solace in the fact this team is no longer the league's bottom feeder and laughingstock.
For the first time in two years, the Panthers are favored in a game, which is probably more indicative of the state of the Dallas Cowboys. Despite close losses to the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Philadelphia Eagles, we’ve witnessed a competitiveness from this team not seen since the Steve Wilks era.
If the Panthers can start to turn these close losses into wins, they may turn a corner.
As the Panthers head into the final four-game stretch of the season, they have a chance to triple the two wins they accumulated under Frank Reich and Chris Tabor. More important for the Panthers has been the continued development of quarterback Bryce Young following his reinsertion into the starting lineup.
Had it not been for the hands of Xavier Legette, Young would have led the Panthers on a 98-yard touchdown drive to potentially beat the red-hot Eagles. The signal-caller's incredible play in the endzone on 3rd-and-long has quickly gone viral around the league.
Young’s resurgence has been well-received around NFL circles. Many are happy to see the Heisman Trophy winner playing with a smile on his face again. This weekend's clash with the Cowboys represents a real opportunity to notch his fifth win as a starter.
Without further ado, let’s break down four bold predictions for the Panthers' game against the Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium.
Bold predictions for the Carolina Panthers in Week 15 vs. Cowboys
Carolina Panthers secure 5+ sacks
One thing that has gone under the radar over the past three games is the complete resurgence of the Carolina Panthers pass rush. They have 25 sacks on the season — 13 of those coming during this stretch.
A’Shawn Robinson leads the Panthers with 4.5 sacks, which is a career-high for the player with four games to go. Josey Jewell also has 3.5 quarterback takedowns in the past three games as defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has schemed up the blitz very well.
Up against a patchwork Cowboys offensive line, this represents another opportunity for the Panthers to make an impact. Dallas gave up three sacks in its Monday Night Football loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. If Evero is smart in his blitzing scheme as he has been in recent weeks, this could be a big day.
Expect a potentially prolific performance from D.J. Wonnum. It’s no coincidence that the Panthers' pass rush has come to life since the former Minnesota Vikings star made his debut in the win over the New York Giants.
Wonnum has already notched up three sacks since his return to health. One can only speculate the season the player could have had if he'd been available for the entire campaign.