The undefeated Carolina Panthers travel back to Texas for a Week 4 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. This marks the second-consecutive game for the Panthers in the state of Texas, after defeating the Houston Texans 24-9 in a Week 3 Thursday Night game. Carolina will enter Week 4 without a loss on the season for the first time since 2015. Dallas is 2-1 after defeating Philadelphia on Monday Night by a score of 41-21. Both the Panthers (NFC South) and Cowboys (NFC East) sit atop their respective divisions.
The Numbers
About the Panthers
- Carolina tallied four sacks at Houston, bringing its season total to a league-high 14.0 sacks, the most in franchise history through the first three games of any season.
- Carolina’s defense held Houston to 1-of-9 (11%) on third downs. This season, Carolina’s defense leads the league with a 21.2% third-down efficiency. The Texans recorded just 193 total net yards, the second-straight game Carolina held its opponent under 200 yards (128 yards by New Orleans in Week 2). The Panthers are allowing a league-low 191.0 average yards per game in 2021.
- Carolina is one-of-five teams this season to average at least 100 rushing yards and 280 passing yards per game. Of the Panthers 206 total plays, 113 have been passing plays while 93 have been rushing. The Panthers, Cowboys and Titans are the only clubs with at least 90 rushing plays and 100 passing plays this season.
- Through three games this season, the Panthers are averaging a 35:12 time of possession per game, the 2nd highest in the NFL. Carolina has totaled 74 first downs, tied for 4th in the NFL.
- The Panthers have gotten off to fast starts in each of their three games this season, holding a +34 point dif- ferential at halftime, the 2nd highest margin in the NFL. Carolina has tallied 41 first downs in the first-half this season, tied for 3rd in the NFL. The Panthers offense has totaled 16 first-half explo- sive plays (12+ yard rush or 16+ yard reception), tied for the 4th most by any team this season.
- OLB Haason Reddick led the team with 1.5 sacks, bringing his season total to a team-high 4.5 sacks. Since the start of the 2020 season, Reddick has recorded 17.0 sacks, the second-most in the league. He joins Julius Peppers (2004) as the only players in franchise history with at least 1.5 sacks in three consecutive games in the same season. DE Brian Burns added a sack, bringing his season total to 3.0. LB Frankie Luvu tallied his first as a Panther, bringing Texans QB Davis Mills down for a nine-yard loss forcing a fourth down and a punt.
- QB Sam Darnold scored two rushing touchdowns at Houston, his first career game with multiple scores on the ground. He brought his season total to three rushing touchdowns, a new single-season career high. Darnold threw for 304 yards while completing 23-of-34 pass- es (67.6%). He finished with a 95.7 passer rating. Darnold has thrown for at least 275 yards in each game this season. His 888 passing yards since Week 1 are the most in any three-game stretch in his career.
- Panthers WR DJ Moore led the team with 8 receptions and 126 receiving yards (15.8 avg). Moore racked up 100 yards on 6 catches in the first half. It marked the most first-half receiving yards in Moore’s career, and the most by any Panther player since Week 5 of 2017 (Ed Dickson at Detroit, 10/8/21). Moore’s 285 receiving yards this year are the 4th most by a Panthers player through the first three games in franchise history. Since the start of the 2019 season, Moore has amassed 2,653 receiving yards, 5th most in the NFL.
About the Cowboys
- Dallas has notched multiple takeaways in seven consecutive games, dating back to Week 14 of 2020, the longest active streak in the NFL and tied for the sixth-longest streak in team history since the NFL merger.
- The Cowboys offense leads the NFL with 82 first downs through three games, trailing only the 2020 Cowboys for the most first downs through two contests (85) in franchise history.
- With teams trying to slow down the Cowboys weapons on the outside, Dallas has relied on its run game the past two weeks. The Cowboys are fourth in the NFL in rushing yards-per-game (179.0) and tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns (four) through the last two weeks.
- Dallas scored five touchdowns in Week 3 at AT&T Stadium against Philadelphia and now has 130 touchdowns in its home stadium since the start of 2016 – fourth-most by any team over that span.
- Dak Prescott has won 25 games at AT&T Sta- dium since the start of 2016, fifth-most by any quarterback in his home venue. He has thrown for 64 touchdowns against 22 interceptions at home since the start of 2016.
- Second-year cornerback Trevon Diggs has six interceptions in just 15 career games. Trevon Diggs has been targeted 20 times through the first three games, allowing 10 catches. His 50% coverage rate is tied for eighth among NFL defensive backs (min. 100 coverage snaps), according to Pro Football Focus.
- Due to injuries, rookie linebacker Micah Parsons has primarily lined up as a pass rusher the last two weeks. Through three games in 2021, Pro Football Focus has Parsons at the 10th-highest pass rush win rate – highest among any linebacker – at 23.5%. He also leads the Cowboys with six pressures in 2021.
- After rushing for two touchdowns last week, Elliott moved into third place in team history for the most multi-rushing touchdown games (11). This week, Elliott has the chance to post back-to-back games with at least two rushing touchdowns for the first time since 2019 (@Chicago 12/5/19 – vs. LA Rams 12/15/19).
- CeeDee Lamb has reeled in five passes of 20-plus yards in the first three games of the 2021 season, tied for Lamb, who sits at 92 career receptions, can become the fastest player in Cowboys history to reach 100 career receptions if he records eight catches by Week 6 at New England.
Connections
- Cowboys S Jayron Kearse (2013-15) and DE Carlos Watkins (2012-16) played their college years at Clemson…Watkins is a native of Forest City, NC.
- Cowboys rookie S Israel Mukuamu is a native of Moncks Corner, SC and played collegiately at South Carolina (2018-20).
- Panthers LB Clay Johnston is a native of Abilene, Texas and played his college years at Baylor.
- Panthers DT Bravvion Roy is a native of Spring, Texas and played collegiately at Baylor.
- Panthers TE Tommy Tremble’s father, Greg Tremble, was on the Dallas Cowboys roster in 1995 when the club won Super Bowl XXX.
- Panthers LT Cameron Erving played for the Cowboys in 2020.
- Cowboys QB Will Grier was drafted with the 100th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2019 NFL Draft. Grier spent two full seasons in a Panthers uniform prior to joining the Cowboys.
Panthers vs Cowboys
- All-Time Series (Regular & Post Season): 14 total matchups | Dallas leads the series 9-5
- Last Regular Season Game: 9/9/18 | Dallas 8 @ Carolina 16
- Current Streak: Carolina has won the last two matchups
- Series Record In Games at Dallas: Carolina is 2-4 in games at Dallas
How to Watch
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET FOX: Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver
Live Stream: Panthers.com
Radio: WBT-AM 1110 AM in Charlotte market; On The Call: Mick Mixon, Jake Delhomme, Jim Szoke, Kristen Balboni
UNC Continues to Shine into the Final Stretch