Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire

Sat, October 11, 2025 at 6:49 PM GMT+7·

3 min read

The Dallas Cowboys will be on the road for a second straight week, and this time it will be a matchup with the 2-3 Carolina Panthers. After a strong showing in victory last week, the Cowboys are looking to build a winning streak and get above .500 for the first time this season.

In this contest, it’s the Cowboys who are favored and if they have any aspirations of being a playoff team, they need to win this game. There are a lot of reasons to love Dallas in this matchup and it’s not hard to see the path to a victory. Here are three reasons to believe the Cowboys can leave the East Coast with back-to-back wins.

Panthers pass defense is struggling

It’s a Panthers defense that didn’t start off struggling against the pass, but the last two weeks have been rough. In the first three games of the season, their passing defense had only given up two scores through the air, while allowing just one quarterback to throw for over 200 yards.

However, in the last two weeks, Carolina’s passing defense has given up five touchdowns and both QBs have thrown for over 200 yards. And after four interceptions in the first three games, they have been shut out the last two weeks.

Fifth-year cornerback Jaycee Horn continues to rise as a top player at his position, but the rest of the defense can be thrown at successfully. With QB Dak Prescott playing some of his best football right now, the Cowboys’ offense should be able to attack a defense that struggles to defend the pass.

Don’t get after the QB

The Panthers have one of the worst pass rushing groups in the NFL, they are tied for last in the league in sacks with just five on the season. Unless they blitz or scheme up their pass rush, they rarely get to the QB with their front four.

No one on their defense has more than one sack and the Panthers don’t have an elite edge rusher that can scare an offense.

The Cowboys enter this game coming off one of the more impressive performances from their offensive line in years. Despite playing without four starters, Prescott was rarely pressured and wasn’t sacked in Week 5 against the Jets, and reinforcements could be on the way. The OL could be getting a starter or two back this week, with the left side of the line possibly returning. Both left tackle Tyler Guyton and left guard Tyler Smith wpracticed throughout the week, a sign they might be back in Week 6.

Giving Prescott time to throw could mean a big game from the Cowboys’ offense.

Special teams, not so special

It hasn’t been a banner year for the Panthers’ special teams, especially on punt returns. The unit ranks second to last in punt return yards allowed, has given up a return for a score, as well as a 61-yard return.

The Panthers also have a rookie field goal kicker who has missed an extra point this season.

The Cowboys have been good at getting those hidden yards this year, and that could continue against the Panthers. The club will be without All-Pro returner Kavontae Turpin, and the return duties have fallen to rookie RB Jaydon Blue as well as WR Jalen Cropper.