This week the 3-0 Panthers travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys, but will it be their toughest defensive assignment yet? That’s hard to say. Ahead of their week-two matchup against the Saints the narrative was that Sean Payton and Jameis Winston, who scored five touchdowns against the Packers in week-one, would show just how legit Carolina’s defense was. The Panthers held Payton and Winston to career lows on their way to a 26-7 victory.
This week the same questions loom. How will the Panthers’ defense respond to Dak Prescott and a potent Cowboys offense that is ranked top-five in total yards per game, rushing yards per game and third down efficiency?
“There’s no question,” Panthers’ defensive coordinator Phil Snow said when asked if the matchup against the Cowboys will show him exactly where his defense is. “These guys are really fun to play against and we know our mechanics on defense and all the things that allow you to play great defense, we’ll see in this ball game based on this offense. For me this will be a real telling test of how far we’ve come on defense.”
The key defensively will be slowing down Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott, who in last week’s win against the Eagles completed 21 of 26 passes for 238 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 143.3 rating.
“He’s getting rid of the ball most of the time in under 2.4 seconds in his passing game. It’s hard to sack a guy like that. He’s only been sacked twice. You’re just not going to sack him very often, but what you can do it try to get him off rhythm a little bit.”
“We’ve got to be really effective in our coverages and if we can take away the easy access throws and make him hold the ball a little longer, then possibly you play him better.”
Like they have is previous games this season, Carolina will have to set the tone on defense early. Let Dak know from his first possession that he’s playing a top defense in the league and it will be a long day at the office.
Will Sunday be a tough test? Yes. But every week is a tough test when you’re playing in the NFL.