FRISCO, Texas -- The Cowboys fell to the Carolina Panthers 30-27 on Sunday, with kicker Ryan Fitzgerald's 33-yard field goal as time expired being the final play of the game.
Dallas now sits at 2-3-1 through six games this year, with four of their games being decided by one possession. It's easy to say "what if" things had gone the other way, but as Dak Prescott said following the game yesterday, the Cowboys need to find a way to win in the fourth quarter and end of game scenarios.
Their next opportunity comes at home this coming Sunday in a division game against Washington Commanders, but there's plenty that needs to be fixed on both sides of the ball if the Cowboys want to come away with a win and get to a 2-1 record against divisional opponents.
Let's take a look at some of the telling numbers and stats from Sunday afternoon in Charlotte:
1
Over the course of his last three games, Dak Prescott has score 11 total offensive touchdowns and has not turned the ball over. Since 1950, he is the only quarterback to not have a winning record over a three-game span with those numbers, as the Cowboys have gone 1-1-1 in the last three weeks.
1.6
The Cowboys had a field day running the ball last week against the Jets, but it was tough-sledding against the Panthers. The Cowboys were held to a 1.6 yard average as a team. Javonte Williams was held to just 29 yards on 13 carries. His 6-yard run was the longest for the Cowboys. Meanwhile, Rico Dowdle had 30 carries for 183 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
6
Only two players in Cowboys history have caught six TDs in the first six games of the season. George Pickens found the end zone for the sixth time on Sunday, joining only Dez Bryant (2013) as the Cowboys who have scored through six games. Pickens is obviously the first Cowboys player to do so in his first six games with the team.
6.4
The Cowboys allowed 410 yards of offense to the Panthers on 64 offensive plays, good for an average of 6.4 yards per play. That was the third-highest total this season that the Cowboys have allowed per play, and the fourth-most this week across the NFL. The Panthers have only gone about five yards per play twice this season, both of which have come in the last two weeks.
11
Shemar James is first Cowboys rookie to post 11+ tackles in a game in consecutive weeks. James was credited with 17 total tackles last week and on Sunday, in his first start, he was listed on the stat sheet with 11. That number could change after the coaches review the game film.
18
Hunter Luepke becomes first Cowboys fullback in 18 years to catch a touchdown pass. Luepke's second-quarter touchdown was the first by a Cowboys fullback since Deon Anderson scored in 2008.
29
On six plays Sunday, the Cowboys defense sent five or mass pass rushers after Bryce Young. On those plays, the Cowboys recorded three pressures, a sack, and Young was able to complete three of his four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown. On the 21 drop backs where the Cowboys sent four or less rushers, they tallied eight pressures and Young went 14/21 for 170 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
38
The Cowboys have now played 38 games in franchise history in which they didn't allow a sack or have a turnover on offense. The Cowboys are now 33-5 in those games. Four of the losses have been by three points or less.
39
The Cowboys defense missed 11 tackles on Sunday, bringing their season total to 39 missed tackles over the course of six games. That's tied for the sixth-most missed tackles in the NFL this season, and have allowed 219 yards after missed tackles, the ninth-most in the NFL this year.
89
Going into Week 6, Panthers QB Bryce Young had three completions for 79 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions on deep passes in 2025. Against the Cowboys' defense, he surpassed his season total in one game with 89 yards on three deep pass completions and two touchdowns.
