The Carolina Panthers came into their Week 6 game as underdogs on home turf against the Dallas Cowboys. Their backs were against the wall despite coming from behind to beat the Miami Dolphins last time out, but that's just the way head coach Dave Canales and his squad like it.
They stayed in the fight. It wasn't perfect all the time, but the Panthers stood up to the challenge. They played to the team's strengths to give quarterback Bryce Young a fighting chance of coming through in the clutch once again. And not for the first time in his career, the signal-caller delivered.
Young, spearheaded by a phenomenal rushing attack, led the Panthers on yet another game-winning drive. Undrafted rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald got the chance to ice proceedings on the game's final play, and he duly delivered. The Panthers are now 3-3 in mid-October, which is an unusual feeling for fans who've been more used to doing mock drafts at this time of year.
People are starting to look at the Panthers differently. They are stacking good performances and look much more competitive. With a trip to the lowly New York Jets next up, this represents an exceptional opportunity to get back into the black after years of languishing among the league's bottom feeders.
That's for the not-too-distant future. For now, here are five winners and two losers from Carolina's memorable triumph over Dallas at Bank of America Stadium.
Winners and losers from the Carolina Panthers' statement win over the Cowboys
Winner No. 1
Carolina Panthers offensive line
It was hard to single anyone out, so we'll put them all together. The Carolina Panthers' offensive line, despite being without Robert Hunt and Taylor Moton, delivered another strong performance that was the catalyst for the team's overall offensive success.
They overwhelmed a subpar Cowboys front seven that is still reeling from the team's decision to trade Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. They created huge holes in the run game. Whether it was in the trenches or getting out on pulls, the unit executed wth flawless efficiency.
This was also evident in pass protection. Bryce Young got enough time in the pocket to go through his progressions and make things happen. The group of Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Cade Mays, Brady Christensen, and Yosh Nijman set the tone, and everyone followed suit.
It speaks volumes to the preparation, coaching, and professionalism of the players that they can keep dominating games, despite missing some established veterans with Pro Bowl-caliber credentials.