Some, or maybe many, would argue that the Carolina Panthers put their offense on a platter for the Dallas Cowboys defense in Week 15. In fact, the very best member of that Dallas Cowboys defense stated exactly that on Sunday.
All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons broke down his unit’s dominance from yesterday’s 30-14 win over the Panthers—one where they held their opposition to just 235 total yards while recording six sacks and four takeaways. He told reporters after the game that Carolina’s pass-heavy approach allowed him and his teammates to tee off.
“They felt like they had to put some points on the board and had to get after it and get way from the run, because it wasn’t hitting early on,” Parsons said. “It allowed us to be able to get after the quarterback. That’s what complimentary football does. With our offensive playing that well and putting together consistent drives puts pressure on them and they had to get away from their game plan.”
The six sacks stood as a season-worst for the Panthers offense, as did the four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles) from quarterback Bryce Young. Sunday’s second half, which started with the team down 10-7, saw head coach and offensive play-caller Dave Canales dial up 26 designed passes to just three runs.
Canales was asked about his choice to abandon the run on Monday.
“I wrestled with it,” he replied. “And I just felt the whole flow of it. I felt the success that the Cowboys were having, too, on the other side. And I felt like the accumulation of the last couple of weeks and our ability to find success in the pass game. So I felt that we would have a chance to be balanced that way and to try to get a few more first downs.
“But with the turnovers and then the points and then all of a sudden, we come out in the second half, we take a sack and fumble right off the bat and it was like the score put us in a situation where—I’m always for competing and I think you would ask any of our players, they want us to go, they wanna be aggressive and say, ‘Okay, well let’s just get after it and try to attack these guys to work ourselves back into the game.’ So I don’t regret that at all.”
Running back Chuba Hubbard, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career last week, recorded just 10 carries for 32 yards in the defeat.
The Cowboys entered Week 15 with the third-worst run defense in the NFL.
