{"id":35276,"date":"2025-10-12T23:30:43","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T23:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=35276"},"modified":"2025-10-12T23:30:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T23:30:43","slug":"breaking-cowboys-32nd-ranked-defence-looking-for-answers-after-giving-up-30-points-for-fourth-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=35276","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Cowboys\u2019 32nd-ranked defence looking for answers after giving up 30 points for fourth time"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cowboys'<\/p>\n

CHARLOTTE (AP) \u2014 The Dallas Cowboys came into Sunday\u2019s game against the Carolina Panthers ranked last in the league in defense and in need of a big game.<\/p>\n

They showed no signs of improvement.<\/p>\n

The Cowboys allowed the Panthers to rack up 410 yards and 27 first downs in a 30-27 loss. They were unable to get off the field on Carolina\u2019s final drive, which took more than six minutes off the clock and set up Ryan Fitzgerald\u2019s 33-yard field goal as time expired.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve shown the ability to stop the run,\u201d Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. \u201cBut there\u2019s a consistency that\u2019s not showing up. We\u2019ve got to be better. And that starts me and that starts with the coaching staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adding insult to injury, the loss came largely at the hands of one of team owner Jerry Jones\u2019 former employees \u2014 castoff Rico Dowdle.<\/p>\n

Dowdle spent five seasons with the Cowboys and ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2024, but Jones decided against re-signing him.<\/p>\n

Dowdle turned in a career performance, amassing 239 yards from scrimmage \u2014 including 183 yards on the ground on 30 carries \u2014 as the Panthers whipped the Cowboys at the line of scrimmage despite missing three starting offensive linemen due to injuries.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a game where you\u2019ve got to win the line of scrimmage,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cAnd we didn\u2019t win the line of scrimmage today. It\u2019s disappointing. We have to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Javonte Williams, Dowdle\u2019s replacement, was held to 29 yards on 13 carries.<\/p>\n

Bryce Young threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns and picked apart Dallas\u2019 defense when he needed to, particular in the second half. The third-year quarterback was 3 of 4 for 25 yards on the final drive, including a 7-yard completion on fourth-and-4 to Hunter Renfrow to move the chains and reach the Dallas 33.<\/p>\n

Had the Cowboys stopped the Panthers on that play, they would\u2019ve taken over around their own 40 with 2 minutes to play.<\/p>\n

The Cowboys, who traded elite pass rusher Micah Parsons just before the season after being unable to reach a contract extension, managed just one sack of Young.<\/p>\n

And they\u2019ve now surrendered at least 30 points in four of six games.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very frustrating,\u201d defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. \u201cYou want to stop the run and get them in passing situations. When we did, we were able to get stops. But they were able to (make big plays) on first and second down most of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clark said the problems are \u201ca little bit of everything,\u201d ranging from miscommunication to missed tackles.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got to play more physical, set edges and be better at the line of scrimmage,\u201d Clark said.<\/p>\n

The Cowboys (2-3-1) were hoping to pick up some ground in the NFC East on the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles (4-2), who stumbled on Thursday night and lost to the hard-running Cam Skattebo and the last-place New York Giants.<\/p>\n

The loss to the Panthers doesn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing that\u2019s gotten away from us,\u201d Clark said. \u201cWe\u2019re still in the thick of everything, so we just got to get back to work, keep holding each other accountable and just get the best out of all of our guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schottenheimer knows if the Cowboys can just get a little better on defense they have a chance, especially with star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb expected back soon from an ankle injury. When Lamb returns, the Cowboys figure to have a dominating one-two punch at wide receiver along with George Pickens, who caught nine passes for 186 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers.<\/p>\n

Dak Prescott threw for 261 yards and three TDs despite missing Prescott and KaVontae Turpin.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to play more complementary defense,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cEarly in the season, we were getting hurt throwing the football. This game, we were hurt running the football. Almost 75 to 80% of their runs, the guy was four or five yards before we had contact on them. That\u2019s not good enough. And we know that. And we\u2019re going to address that.\u201d<\/p>\n

For now, the Cowboys are saddled with losing a game they easily could have won after leading 24-20 late in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat locker room\u2019s hurting. I\u2019m hurting,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cWhy? Because we let an opportunity slip to win. And it\u2019s frustrating as hell. You don\u2019t point fingers. You look at the film. It\u2019s going to jump off the film what we need to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Dallas Cowboys came into Sunday\u2019s game against the Carolina Panthers ranked last in the league in defence and in need of a big game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35277,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[138],"class_list":["post-35276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dallas-cowboys","tag-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nBREAKING : Cowboys\u2019 32nd-ranked defence looking for answers after giving up 30 points for fourth time - Breaking News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=35276\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING : Cowboys\u2019 32nd-ranked defence looking for answers after giving up 30 points for fourth time - 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