Mike McCarn/Associated Press The Carolina Panthers took the first step toward their fifth playoff appearance in six years Sunday with a 16-8 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. It was the season opener for the two NFC hopefuls, and Cam Newton (17-of-26, 161 yards, 58 rushing yards, 1 TD) outplayed Dak Prescott (19-of-29, 170 yards, 0 TDs) throughout the game. Dallas had an opportunity in the final two minutes, but Mario Addison sacked Prescott and forced a fumble, which Carolina recovered to clinch the win. Cam Newton's Legs Are Panthers' Best Hope at Super Bowl Run Running with the quarterback is always a dangerous proposition because of the risk of injury, but Newton's ability to do so represents Carolina's best chance to build on last year's playoff appearance and challenge for the Super Bowl. Newton's early read-option keepers were unstoppable, as he powered through arm tackles and utilized his speed to get to the edge. The first touchdown of the game came when DeMarcus Lawrence and Sean Lee bit on an inside fake to Christian McCaffrey, which allowed the quarterback to stroll into the end zone. Video Play Button Videos you might like It was a welcome change for the Panthers after Newton directed them down the field on their first drive before McCaffrey fumbled at Dallas' 5-yard line. Newton's ability to run reverberates throughout the offense, as it leads to an extra blocker in the box, creates passing lanes by forcing additional defenders toward the line of scrimmage and gives McCaffrey a split-second head start when the defense watches the quarterback. Carolina will need those passing lanes because its group of wide receivers isn't exactly a laundry list of Hall of Famers. Torrey Smith hasn't gone over 500 yards since 2015, Devin Funchess is still looking for his first 900-yard season and Jarius Wright had just 198 receiving yards last year. What's more, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reported reliable tight end Greg Olsen was ruled out in the first half with a foot injury. Carolina's early success with the quarterback runs forced Dallas to adjust, which opened the door for a more balanced attack as McCaffrey (50 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards) became more involved. That is a replicable formula and the Panthers' best chance at overcoming Olsen's injury and lackluster receiver production. Cowboys Offense in Line for Nightmare Season Prescott was exposed in six games without Ezekiel Elliott last season when he threw for less than 200 yards four times and had five touchdown passes and seven interceptions. It was more of the same Sunday even with Elliott in the backfield. Dallas released wide receiver Dez Bryant and saw tight end Jason Witten retire this offseason, and it was in dire need of a playmaker against the Panthers. Prescott underthrew open receivers multiple times, struggled when the pocket broke down and was sacked six times, per ESPN.com. The result was a disjointed Dallas offense that was 2-of-11 on third downs and didn't even have a single snap in Panthers' territory in the entire first half. It wasn't only Prescott, as Brett Maher missed a critical field goal that would have pulled the Cowboys within seven in the third quarter and Elliott (15 rushes for 69 yards and a score) and the offensive line failed to generate much momentum on the ground until the final quarter. A fan even begged Bryant to return only to be told he prefers to go somewhere that can better utilize his skills: Dallas needs the offensive line and Elliott to set the tone, especially with a lack of playmakers on the outside, and it finally cracked the end zone in the fourth by riding the Ohio State product on a speed option to the outside. However, it fell behind by double digits in the first half and was forced to throw more in comeback mode. That is the recipe for a nightmare season given the personnel group, as the running game can only do so much when the clock is a serious concern. Quick Start Puts Panthers in NFC South Driver's Seat The Panthers couldn't have asked for a better opening week in terms of the standings. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stunned the reigning division champion New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay's win is less important than New Orleans' loss considering the Buccaneers pose less of a threat since they were 5-11 last season and haven't made playoffs since 2007 campaign. What's more, the Falcons lost Thursday to the Philadelphia Eagles and looked ugly on the offensive side. Carolina is officially in the early driver's seat, and the defense looked ready to compete throughout the season. The result could be another playoff season for Newton and Co. out of the NFC South. What's Next? Both teams will face divisional foes in Week 2, as the Cowboys open their home slate against the New York Giants while the Panthers hit the road to face the Atlanta Falcons.<doc-sep>Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images The silence of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan spoke volumes as the team opened the 2018 NFL regular season with a 16-8 defeat to the Carolina Panthers. Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson reported Jones made a quick exit from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, without speaking to reporters. The Dallas Morning News' Brandon George reported Linehan also declined to speak with the media as he left the team's locker room. The numbers speak to how badly Dallas' offense performed Sunday. The Cowboys finished with 232 total yards. Dak Prescott was 19-of-29 for 170 yards, while Ezekiel Elliott ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. "We got to start faster," Elliott said after the game, per the Dallas Morning News' Jon Machota. "That's not Dallas Cowboys football. That's not how we've ever played. If we want to succeed, if we want to win ball games, we can't come out there and lay an egg in the first half." As the Morning News' David Moore noted, Sunday wasn't an aberration either: Video Play Button Videos you might like Granted, there was a notable departure from last year's team, and signing Allen Hurns wasn't a like-for-like replacement for Dez Bryant. After the game, Bryant agreed with the opinion he and former Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey would've changed the game in Dallas' favor: One could throw Jason Witten into the mix as well. Witten had been declining prior to his retirement, but going to Geoff Swaim and Blake Jarwin at tight end is a clear downgrade. The Cowboys may try to brush this off as a bad day at the office to open the season. Moore highlighted, however, how these problems date back to last season. Dallas was 10th in offensive efficiency in 2017, down from third the year before, per Football Outsiders, and the team failed to properly address a pair of notable personnel losses. Firing Linehan is probably out of the question after just one game, and Prescott is the unquestioned starting quarterback. Because of those two factors, the team may have to get creative in how it turns its offense around.<doc-sep>Cowboys @ Panthers: Dallas just wasn’t ready for this game, falls 16-8 - Tom Ryle, BTB Tom recaps the Cowboys’ opening-season loss to the Panthers on Sunday afternoon. The season opened with a thud for the Dallas Cowboys as they dropped their opener 16-8 to the Carolina Panthers in a mistake ridden effort. They could get nothing going until the second half and were outplayed on both sides of the ball. Despite that, they managed to get it to a one possession game in the fourth quarter as the offense began to show a modicum of life, but the last hope was snuffed out on a strip sack of Dak Prescott. A lot of games this first week of the NFL schedule have raised the question of just how much NFL teams really need preseason games, and this one was certainly evidence that keeping your starters in bubble wrap can lead to really bad football. The Cowboys looked confused for much of the game, and ineptitude on the part of the offense left the Dallas defense looking definitely worn down as the second half progressed. The loss of Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Dan Bailey are going to be talked about a lot this week, as the offense sputtered for so much of the game and Brett Maher missed his first field goal attempt as a Cowboy. Game Recap: Cowboys Fall To Panthers, 16-8 - Kurt Daniels, The Mothership Daniels writes his take. It was a case of too little, too late for the Dallas Cowboys in their season-opening loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Cowboys offense struggled badly in the first half and then couldn’t quite do enough in the second in a 16-8 loss to the host team. Overall, the stats weren’t remarkably different … at least on paper. Carolina outgained the Cowboys, 293 to 232, had more first downs, 20-17, and held a narrow time of possession, 30:36 to 29:24. But that doesn’t tell the true tale of the tape. The Panthers largely dominated through the first two quarters as Dallas punted on all five of its first half possessions and managed only 60 yards of offense. That included 18 yards on seven carries for Ezekiel Elliott and 6-of-10 passing for 46 yards by Dak Prescott. This is what went wrong for the Cowboys in a season-opening loss to the Panthers - Clarence Hill, The Star-Telegram What went wrong on Sunday? Hill breaks it down. 3. The Cowboys receivers and tight ends will be a focal point because of the retirement of Jason Witten and the release of Dez Bryant. The wide outs caught just three passes in the first half. Two went to Cole Beasley for 19 yards and one to Michael Gallup. Tight end Geoff Swaim led the Cowboys in receptions with three catches for 18 yards. But there were rarely any attempts down field and Prescott missed a wide open Blake Jarwin with an unconscionable under throw. The receivers picked things up in the fourth quarter, especially Beasley, who led the Cowboys with seven catches for 73 yards. But the lack of a true go-to threat hurt the offense late. Deonte Thompson dropped a potential catch on fourth down that would have kept a game-tying drive alive. Would Dez Bryant have made the play? ‘Jerry Garrett’ make season-opening Cowboys loss to Panthers a reality - Mac Engel, The Star-Telegram Engel calls out the brain trust for the Cowboys’ performance. The Dallas Cowboys’ season-opening loss was made possible by their brain (dead) trust who made this 0-1 dream a reality. A brain (dead) trust that decided kicker Dan Bailey wasn’t as good as CFL guy Brett Maher. When you decide not to play your starters for training camp, and put them in a nice warm blanket to keep them away from other football players, Sunday happens. When you decide three points from an unreliable toe of Maher are just as likely as Bailey’s, Sunday happens. The 2018 Dallas Cowboys are a .500 team praying to win 10; they now have 15 games remaining to lose five. 5 thoughts from Cowboys’ season-opening loss at Carolina: 3 brutal quarters for Dak Prescott; O-line play has to be better - Jon Machota, SportsDay Machota is back with his post-game five thoughts. 1. The rust was obviously there in the first half and much of the third quarter. Many will point to how little this offensive unit played together in the preseason. A very good Carolina defense deserves some credit, too. Although the Cowboys’ defense is expected to be much improved this season, I can’t imagine Dallas winning many games if its offense isn’t scoring points in the first three quarters. Not one area could be blamed, either. It was everything. The running game wasn’t working. The underneath passing game wasn’t working. The downfield passing game was nonexistent. The biggest problem, though, came on third down as Dallas went 0 for 5 in the first half. Plenty of areas for Jason Garrett, Scott Linehan and the rest of the offensive coaching staff to clean up before facing the Giants next Sunday night. Cowboys’ offense has no answers in first true test - Todd Archer, ESPN The offense was certainly very concerning against the Panthers’ talented defense, and Dak has to be better moving forward. If the Cowboys can’t make plays in the passing game, then life for Elliott will be extremely difficult. In his first two seasons, they have been able to run him effectively, but that wasn’t the case Sunday. Elliott finished with 69 yards on 15 carries, with 33 of those yards coming on two runs in the second half. Of Prescott’s six completions in the first half, none were deeper than 9 yards, and three were completed behind the line of scrimmage, according to ESPN Stats and Information data. With a chance to hit wide-open tight end Blake Jarwin on third-and-7 in the second quarter, Prescott was woefully short on his throw, caught between whether he should run for a first down or hit Jarwin. National reaction: ‘Another Cowboys nightmare’; NY Giants will beat Dallas next week; Dak Prescott just isn’t good - SportsDay If the national narrative means anything, the Cowboys are already 0-2. Cowboys lack of impact skill players in the passing game is gonna make life miserable for Dak — Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 9, 2018 Clock is officially ticking on Dak, at least from a fanbase perspective (as far as I can tell by a quick Twitter search). Brett Maher miss was bad but it did not cost the Cowboys this game even in the slightest bit. Even if he makes that, Cowboys likely lose by 6. — Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) September 9, 2018 Carolina Panthers defense (six sacks) whips Dallas in season opener, 16-8 - Scott Fowler, The Charlotte Observer Six times — that is how many times that the Panthers got to Dak Prescott. Carolina’s 16-8 season-opening win over Dallas Sunday was paced by a defense that stifled the Cowboys at almost every opportunity. Linebacker Luke Kuechly was ridiculously good — and returned quickly after apparently getting injured in the fourth quarter — as was defensive tackle Kawann Short (two sacks). The run defense was strong as usual, led by a Panthers front four that mostly gobbled up the Dallas offensive line. The secondary — the big question mark — never allowed Dallas a huge game-changing play. And defensive end Mario Addison ultimately made the game-winning play when Dallas still had a chance, sacking Dak Prescott (Carolina’s sixth sack of the game) on the Cowboys’ last possession and forcing a fumble that Carolina recovered. Is it time for Jason Garrett to be fired? How one oddsmaker ranks him among NFL peers - Peter Dawson, The Star-Telegram Then there is this ... Calls for Cowboys owner and general manager to fire head coach Jason Garrett likely got a good deal louder on Sunday, after the team lost to the Panthers in Carolina, 16-8, on Sunday. The offense that features the talented backfield duo of quarterback Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott didn’t get going until late in the second half.<doc-sep>
CHARLOTTE — The struggle had been real enough for Dak Prescott that by the second quarter, any opening to give the Dallas Cowboys even as much as a first down would be a welcome reprieve. Constantly behind the chains, besieged by the Carolina Panthers’ pass rush, Prescott finally had what he so desperately needed: A clean pocket and several options. The best one presented itself at the very last moment, just as Prescott thought about running for a first down. Spotting tight end Blake Jarwin running free down the left sideline, it looked like a certain touchdown as Prescott’s pass traveled 35 yards in the air. Instead, as Jarwin turned back to catch it, Prescott’s pass was too short, too slow. “Got to make that throw,” Prescott said. Too bad. The Cowboys kicked off Year 3 of a rebuild centered around Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott with a 16-8 loss at Bank of America Stadium that didn’t at all resemble the team they led to a 13-3 record as rookies two years ago. And while it was only one game on the road against a high-level defense, every week that the Cowboys struggle to move the ball this season will add ambiguity to the fundamental question of their franchise. Was their rookie success the baseline for future playoff and perhaps even Super Bowl runs, or has the league caught up to the Prescott-Elliott pairing before it ever accomplished anything meaningful? MORE NFL: Though the Cowboys took some solace, and they hope some positive momentum, out of a single second-half touchdown drive that gave them a chance to come back, the final numbers were ugly. A team that finished fifth in the NFL in total offense two years ago with Prescott and Elliott leading the way mustered just 232 on 57 plays against the Panthers. Take away their sole touchdown drive, which went for 75 yards on 10 plays after they got behind 16-0, and you won’t find another occasion during the entire game in which they put stress on Carolina’s defense. No explosive passes, no threatening runs, barely any drives that sustained beyond a single first down. “We get paid every week to come out and win football games and execute at a high level,” said Elliott, who was limited to 69 yards on 15 carries. “We didn’t have a lot of plays. We got behind. We have to start faster. That’s not Dallas Cowboys football. We can’t come out like that and lay an egg in the first half.” In the Cowboys’ locker room, the talking points were focused on getting behind the sticks early; lots of second-and-long, third-and-impossible. Prescott’s final numbers weren’t damning — 19-for-29, 170 yards, no interceptions — but too many of those completions were dump-offs well short of the first down marker that Carolina was all too happy to yield. On the rare occasions Prescott could take shots deep, like the ball in the second quarter he underthrew, he missed badly. “I was off, and I have to see on film if I was rushing or if I was under pressure,” he said. But the Cowboys have a fundamental problem that they must solve before deciding whether to give Prescott — a fourth-round draft pick who makes just $630,000 — a contract befitting a star quarterback this coming offseason when he’s eligible for an extension. Need fantasy football help? The Huddle answers! Teams have adjusted since 2016, when Prescott was one of the league’s most effective quarterbacks with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions. Since then, the plan has been to keep him in the pocket and make him throw like a conventional quarterback, not the guy who can move around and pick you apart with the field spread. “We know he’s a scrambling quarterback, and we know he likes to get out of the pocket,” Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson said. “We did a really good job. There were some times he got out and escaped, but overall I think the D-line did a phenomenal job keeping him in the pocket, rewarding us with some sacks, some overthrown balls, some incomplete passes.” Last season, it was easy to write off Dallas’ offensive regression from No. 5 to No. 14. Add up Prescott coming back to earth a bit, the supporting players getting older and Elliot missing six games due to an NFL suspension, and it all made sense.