The Dallas Cowboys fell back under .500 on Sunday as they lost to the Carolina Panthers 30-27 on a Ryan Fitzgerald 33 yard FG as time expired. The trend of terrible defense continued for the Cowboys as they are now 2-3-1 and will host Washington this Sunday.
Cat got your tongue? pic.twitter.com/DUDqbsRceZ
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 13, 2025
This defense is atrocious. At the beginning of the season, it appeared that the run defense was improved a little and the pass defense was the achilles heel. Lately, it’s been both the defense against the run and the pass. Former Cowboy RB Rico Dowdle carried 30 times for 183 yards and caught four passes for 56 yards and a TD, leading Carolina in both rushing and receiving yards. Dowdle made a lot of history on Sunday:
*239 yards from scrimmage, breaking Christian McCaffrey’s Panthers record of 237
*473 yards from scrimmage over the last two games, breaking McCaffrey’s Panthers record of 416 yards in consecutive games
*One of seven players in NFL history to have more than 230 yards from scrimmage in consecutive games (Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Marshall Faulk, Deuce McAllister, Josh Gordon, and Le’Veon Bell were the others)
*One of two players since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970 to have 200 or more yards of scrimmage in his first two starts for a team (Billy Sims was the other)
Rico Sharod Dowdle pic.twitter.com/pQFBQGf6iv
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) October 12, 2025
I understand that there’s a new system in place with Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator. I understand that Dallas traded away a Hall of Fame pass rusher in Micah Parsons just before the season began. Despite those excuses, the Cowboys must find answers on defense quickly, because they haven’t reached the most difficult part of their schedule yet.
Offensively, it was another good day for the Cowboys overall, though the running game never got going. Javonte Williams was held to 29 yards on 13 carries. Dak Prescott played very well, throwing for 261 yards and 3 scores. George Pickens had 168 of those yards and a TD. However, when Dallas needed their offense the most with the game tied at 27 with 8:18 left, the Cowboys threw a pass for a loss of 5, then threw a pass for a loss of 7, and had to punt after not converting a 3rd and 22. Highly perplexing play calling on 1st and 2nd down. Carolina got the ball back and marched 71 yards in 15 plays, using the remaining 6:07 to set up the game winning FG.
George. Pickens.
📺: #DALvsCAR on FOX
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/RmDxAeCG4M pic.twitter.com/6ACWJTWeNa— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) October 12, 2025
Up next, the 3-3 Washington Commanders visit AT&T Stadium this Sunday at 3:25 on FOX. Washington comes in after a loss to Chicago on Monday night. QB Jayden Daniels’ completion percentage is down from his rookie season last year, but he’s only thrown 1 interception in 124 attempts. The Commanders are tied for the second best rushing yards per game, so I’d expect to see a lot of Daniels and Jacory Croskey-Merritt running the ball. LB Bobby Wagner is 2nd in the league in tackles with 65, and former Cowboy Dorance Armstrong is 5th in the league in sacks with 5 1/2. Washington is 26th in yards allowed but 13th in points allowed, so there’s been some bend but not break in their defense. There should be a lot of points scored in this game. I don’t have enough faith in the Cowboys’ defense right now to pick them to beat decent or better teams.
Washington 34 Dallas 27
Matt Meyer
@Bluto51
Join HC Brian Schottenheimer’s press conference from @thestarinfrisco presented by @pepsi.
📺: #WASvsDAL 10/19 on FOX https://t.co/2jGhQlY2fu
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) October 13, 2025
