This is supposed to be the season when the 2023 first overall draft pick finally pans out.
Bryce Young, quarterback for the Carolina Panthers and the first overall pick in the 2023 draft, led a 17-point comeback against the Dolphins, a sign that he may be ready for bigger things.
On Sunday, Young will try to guide the Panthers to their third win of the season when they host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6 of the NFL season.
Here are five things to know about the Cowboys’ upcoming opponent, the Carolina Panthers:
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Young and learning
Young faced uncertain times last season, and his inconsistency led to him being benched. But the 24-year-old quarterback’s learning curve is starting to rise, and his teammates are beginning to buy into his leadership.
“He’s definitely the kind of guy you want at the helm of a team,” said Panthers tight end Mitchell Evans after their 27–24 win over the Dolphins.
Although he’s shown flashes of brilliance, Young still has a lot to improve.
Young has thrown four interceptions, tied with Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) and Justin Herbert (Chargers). Geno Smith (Raiders) leads the league with nine interceptions.
Young ranks 17th in the league in passing yards with 951, and his 5.5 yards per completion is among the lowest among starting quarterbacks.
He averages 190 passing yards per game, third-worst among QBs with five games played, and has thrown seven touchdowns (tied for 15th in the league).
“Bryce knows how to persevere,” right tackle Taylor Moton said after the Dolphins game. “He’s a tremendous leader, and I’m just very happy he’s in this locker room with me, and I get to work with him. He’s the kind of guy that just leads us all in the right direction with that attacking mentality.”
Defense under pressure
The Panthers’ defense isn’t one of the most respected in the league. Not yet, at least.
They rank 12th in the NFL in yards allowed per game (311) and have given up 11 touchdowns — tied with five other teams for 11th most in the league.
Linebacker Christian Rozeboom leads Carolina’s defense with 37 total tackles, while five different players share the team’s five total sacks.
One of the Panthers’ strengths is defending third-down conversions, allowing just 4.2 per game, which ranks as the seventh-best mark in the league.
However, Carolina’s defense is prone to giving up big plays, allowing 5.6 yards per play (22nd in the league).
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero joined is in his second year in the role.
Head coach Dave Canales chose to retain Evero for the 2025 season, despite the team allowing a record number of points in 2024.
Evero’s defense held only one of its 17 opponents under 100 rushing yards last season.
Canales defended his decision to keep Evero, calling it a work in progress.
“It’s about developing the players we brought in. It’s about evaluating our scheme, so we have to be able to look at our schemes and be really critical of all those things as well. It’s about seeing who’s out there to help us get this defense to the place that we know we can.”
Rico’s revenge
Rico Dowdle is savoring the chance for a revenge game against the Cowboys and is motivated to show Jerry Jones that letting him go wasn’t a great idea.
Dowdle rushed for a career-high 206 yards to help the Carolina Panthers overcome a 17–0 deficit in their victory over the Dolphins.
He seized his chance to shine after Carolina’s starting running back, Chuba Hubbard, was sidelined with a calf injury.
“I think they know for sure. They didn’t keep me there for five years for no reason,” Dowdle said of the Cowboys after Sunday’s game.
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Dowdle wanted to stay in Dallas after rushing for a career-best 1,079 yards in 2024, but couldn’t get the contract he wanted, so he signed with Carolina in the offseason.
The 27-year-old running back leads the Panthers’ ground game with 297 yards on 51 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns.
Canales praised Dowdle’s performance after the win over Miami.
“It’s the attitude he ran with, the violence that he ran with, finishing through arm tackles, something that we’ve been challenging our guys on,” Canales said.
Looking ahead to the matchup with Dallas, Dowdle warned the Cowboys to be ready.
“They know I’m a violent runner,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting to the second level on them. They’ve just got to buckle up.”
Odds favor Dallas
The Cowboys are favored to win Sunday’s game at Bank of America Stadium.
Oddsmakers expect Dallas to win by more than 3.5 points.
According to 10,000 simulations run by Dimers’ NFL model, the Cowboys have a 58% chance of winning, with a projected final score of 23–21.
Fantasy Football Perspective: If Hubbard’s calf issue persists, Dowdle could become a must-have across all fantasy rosters. The Panthers’ running back has already been picked up in nearly every league with decent depth.
Dowdle’s projected stats vs. the Cowboys: 14 carries for 51 yards, two receptions for 17 yards, one touchdown.
The Panthers are 5–11 all-time against the Cowboys. Carolina holds a 3–6 record at home and 2–5 on the road, with a 2–0 record in the playoffs and a 0–1 mark in overtime against Dallas.
Their most recent matchup came in the 2024 season, when Dallas won 30–14 at Carolina’s home stadium.
Canales needs to improve
Canales is in his second season as head coach of the Carolina Panthers, and while he has generally received positive reviews, many believe he needs to adjust his overly conservative play-calling style.
Those close to Canales describe him as a leader who brings positive energy and has the full support of his players to fight through every game, even when the odds are against them.
Criticism of the Mexican-American coach centers on his cautious approach to calling plays, as he rarely opts for explosive or high-risk plays.
Canales has made the Panthers one of the most disciplined teams in the league, averaging six penalties per game, the fifth-best mark in the NFL.
In his rookie season as head coach, Canales led the Panthers to a 5–12 record.
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