4 bold Carolina Panthers predictions against the Cowboys in Week 15
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers hold the Cowboys under 100 yards rushing
The Carolina Panthers struggled immensely in the run game as they have done all season long against the Philadelphia Eagles. This wasn't exactly a surprising development when one looks at their performance levels throughout the campaign and the standard of rushing attack Nick Sirianni has at his disposal.
Spearheaded by quarterback Jalen Hurts and NFL MVP candidate Saquon Barkley, the Eagles gained 209 rushing yards in Week 14. This further cemented Carolina’s position as the league's worst defense containing the run.
For a large portion of the season, the Dallas Cowboys run game was probably the worst league-wide. To the surprise of very few, veteran Ezekiel Elliott couldn’t perform like he was in 2016 again and head coach Mike McCarthy let Rico Dowdle take over RB1 duties. This decision was vindicated quickly.
Dowdle had a career day in defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The former South Carolina Gamecock rushed for 131 yards on 18 carries at over seven yards per carry. The fifth-year running back will fancy his chances against a Carolina rush defense that gives up 170 rushing yards per contest.
This is somewhat of a homecoming for Dowdle. He hails from Asheville, North Carolina, and was a star quarterback at A.C Reynolds High School in Asheville. He'll have a lot of family and friends in attendance, which always provides additional momentum to put on a show.
This could be a real opportunity for the Panthers to hold a team under 100 rushing yards for the first time since the Week 3 win at the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys average just 91.2 rushing yards per game — 28th best in the league.
Winning in the trenches is crucial. The likes of Shy Tuttle and LaBryan Ray must enhance their ability to shed blocks and make plays at the contact point to achieve this objective.