Five weeks into the NFL season and the complete picture playoff races and true contenders is just beginning to take shape.
This week, two teams with hopes of remaining in that picture meet in Week 6 as the Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1) take on the Carolina Panthers (2-3). Dallas has won the last three meetings with the Panthers, including a 30-14 win in 2024 and a 33-10 win in 2023, both played in Carolina.
The Panthers are coming off a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins last week, while the Cowboys aim to continue their momentum from a 37-22 win over the Jets.
Here are 10 more notable 'big facts' to remember ahead of Sunday's Noon CT kickoff on FOX.
You're Saying There's a Chance?
The Cowboys currently lead the NFL in total offense but rank last in total defense through the first five games of the season. They are the sixth team to do this since 1970, and four of the five have made the playoffs. The last two teams to achieve this were the 2017 and 2011 Patriots, both of which made it to the Super Bowl and lost.
Dominating the Clutch Moments
Dallas has scored 13 points in the final two minutes of the first half against the Jets, and 14 points in the final two minutes of their Week 4 matchup with the Packers. Combined this season, the Cowboys have scored 47 points in the final two minutes of either half, by far the most in the NFL.
Give Dak Some Help
Dak Prescott currently leads the NFL in passing yards (1,356) and is tied for third in passing touchdowns (10). The last player to rank inside the top three in both categories for a team that ranked last in total defense was Drew Brees in 2012 with the Saints. New Orleans finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs that season.
Playing Off Play Action
Prescott has been widely regarded as one of the best play action quarterbacks in the NFL. This season, he leads the NFL with five passing touchdowns off play action and has compiled a 86.8 completion percentage and 463 passing yards on those snaps. Dallas has called play action on 29.3 percent of Prescott's dropbacks, good enough for sixth in the league (minimum 100 attempts).
More Motion Please
On the day of his introductory press conference, Brian Schottenheimer mentioned that he believed in motion and movement pre-snap on offense. He's implemented that ideology in his scheme by running motion on 67.7 percent of snaps, which ranks 10th in the NFL. This is up from just 58.8 percent of snaps in 2024 and is a full five percentage points above the league average.
Piecing Together the Pressure
In their Week 5 win over the Jets, the Dallas defense registered a 50.9 percent pressure rate, their highest mark of the 2025 season according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Out of the 14 Cowboys defenders who rushed the passer in the game, 12 registered at least one pressure. All led by Dante Fowler Jr. who recorded a season high eight pressures on 26 rushes, his second-highest total since 2018.
McMillian Adjusting out East
Rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillian is making an impact with the Panthers with 19 first down receptions this season, fifth-most in the NFL. He trails only Puka Nakua (31), Amon-Ra St. Brown (25), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (24), and George Pickens (21) in the category. Additionally, he ranks second in receptions (24) and receiving yards (351) among rookies, trailing only Tampa Bay's Emeka Egbuka.
Jake, Jason, and Zach Ertz
Jake Ferguson has tallied at least five receptions in each of the first five games this season, matching Jason Witten's franchise-best streak to begin a season by a Cowboys tight end. Ferguson also tied the mark for most receptions (41) by a tight end through the first five games of a season. He can continue that pace with seven receptions against Carolina to tie Zach Ertz six-game mark with 48 in 2018. Ertz broke the record for most receptions by a tight end (116) that season.
Dowdle's Dominance in Week 6
Former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle set a new career high with 206 rushing yards in the Panthers' Week 5 win over the Dolphins. It was the fifth most rushing yards by a player over the last five seasons and only four yards from matching DeAngelo Williams' franchise record of 210 set in 2012. Only Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, and Jonathan Taylor have more yards in a game over the last five seasons.
Movable Object vs. Stoppable Force
The Cowboys defense still leads the NFL in most passing yards allowed per attempt (7.9) this season but faces quarterback Bryce Young who has averaged the third-fewest passing yards per attempt (5.5). Young has a 48.6 passer rating on downfield passes in 2025, the fourth lowest in the NFL and has compiled an 8-25 overall record as a starter since taking over in 2023.
