Next up... Carolina

Broaddus: In Looking At Panthers, It All Starts With Newton
Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout

The Cowboys have to put the disappointment of the Baltimore game behind them and move forward to a new and different challenge that awaits them in Charlotte this week.

The Carolina Panthers, offensively, are a very interesting squad on a couple of different fronts. When you break them down, you find yourself totally focused on what quarterback Cam Newton is doing with the football. Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski is clearly playing to the strengths of Newton: deceptive ball handling, reads and physical ability.

For lack of a better term, the Panthers run a college offense, one that is full of read options, straight options and crack tosses. It’s when the Panthers get behind that Newton becomes more about working the ball down the field to wide receivers Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell, and tight end Greg Olsen.

When Newton has the ball in his hands, good and bad things can happen. You just really don’t know. Against the Giants, I saw him rip the ball to Smith from the right hash all the way across the field to the left sideline on a rope. He has complete and total faith in the strength of his arm. The ball really comes out of his hand well. Of course, there are times when he is deadly accurate, but then there are others when he struggles. In that same Giants game, he had LaFell open on a crossing route, the defender trailing, and the pass was too hard and high, falling incomplete.

The Panthers coaches not only put a great deal of faith in his ability to make the right reads, but also to make smart decisions. There were times when he made some questionable pitches on option plays where the ball was dangerously close to being fumbled.

What Chudzinski is really trying to do with this offense is make you defend the entire field, and with Newton, he can do just that. When the Panthers do throw the ball, his main weapon is the veteran Smith. I have always enjoyed watching Smith play because there isn’t a catch that he can’t make, and it doesn’t matter where he is on the field. Newton likes to get him the ball on the move and allow him to make plays one-on-one.

Smith is a quarterback’s best friend because he understands coming back to the ball and sideline awareness. For a shorter receiver, he is outstanding in the air, adjusting to throws, and he is not afraid to push off when you play him tight. He truly is a game breaker in his ability to take short passes and make them large gains.

Newton also likes to throw the ball to Olsen when he needs a sure catch. The tight end is extremely consistent with his route-running and has great hands as well. He’ll line up all over the formation, much like Dennis Pitta did last week for the Ravens. Last time that Olsen faced the Cowboys, while with the Bears, he had a huge game.

On the offensive line, Jordan Gross has been a longtime starter at left tackle. He’s not going to be one of those guys that hammers you in the running game, but will use his hands and feet to hold off his man. If he does have problems, it’s when rushers go hard inside on him. But, Gross is an outstanding athlete, and in this offense, you’ll see him have to adjust his blocks to allow his man to be optioned off. He just does a really nice job of playing on his feet.

At left guard, rookie Amini Silatolu is the starter, and I have to admit that I am not one bit surprised he is playing well. I studied him during the 2012 NFL Draft out of Midwestern State, where he played left tackle. All I heard was that he struggled mentally with the game, but I haven’t seen any of those issues in the film I’ve watched. A physical, stay-after-you type, I think he plays with awareness. Silatolu has also shown the ability to adjust on the move, which was something that he was also able to do in college.

Where the Panthers have had some issues is at center. The normal starter, Ryan Kalil, is on injured reverse with a foot injury and Jeff Byers has taken over. This is a huge loss for the Panthers because Kalil was one of the most consistent performers in the league at his position.

If Carolina has another weakness, it’s at right tackle with Byron Bell, who is a long-armed guy that doesn’t move all that well. Where rushers have had some success against him is when they don’t allow him to get his hands on them. If a rusher can get his shoulder past him up the field, Bell isn’t quick enough to adjust. Watch how he handles the edge rushers for the Cowboys.

The numbers don’t suggest that the Panthers are having any success in their running game, but every time I saw Newton hand or pitch the ball to DeAngelo Williams, it looked like positive things were happening. I really don’t think you can sleep on this Panthers group of running backs, and that includes Jonathan Stewart.

The Panthers like to use Williams in many different ways. He is the Wildcat quarterback, he catches screens, he’ll get the ball on the goal line, and he runs the crack toss. Where the majority of his touches come is on the inside handoff out of the shotgun. Williams can run the ball inside or out, it doesn’t matter. Being physical is not his problem at all. He is a slippery back in the sense that you think you have a good shot at him, and then he is through you. This is a player that coordinator Rob Ryan and his defense are going to have to be ready for, going sideline to sideline, all day.

Defensively, the Panthers don’t have big-name players like the Giants, Bears, or Ravens but there still is talent at some key spots. I really like the two starting linebackers, Jon Beason and Luke Kuechly. These two were all over the field in games I studied.

Beason’s movement is outstanding, but he can also take you on when it comes to filling the hole. One of the problems that we have seen with this Cowboys offensive line when it comes to run blocking is having to chase linebackers to block in the running game. Where Dallas had a great deal of success against Baltimore was handling the down linemen but also getting hats on the Ravens linebackers. This week will be more of a challenge, like it was against the Bucs and Bears, because Beason and Kuechly both have a nose for the ball.

One of my favorite defensive players in this 2012 NFL Draft was Kuechly, out of Boston College. I never saw him come off the field in any games I watched. He is a true three-down player. When it comes to his ability to read quickly and get into position to make a play, Kuechly has some Sean Lee in him. Kuechly is a hard guy to fool, run or pass. Against the Giants, quarterback Eli Manning tried to run a play-action screen and Kuechly read it all the way, tackling the back for no gain. Against the Saints, they tried to run the ball right at him, but again, he used his hands, got off the block and made the tackle in the hole. Phil Costa, Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau did an outstanding job last week in handling the inside three for the Ravens. The challenge this week is not allowing Beason and Kuechly to make every tackle.

The Panthers really don’t rush the passer all that well, but ends Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy are not bad players, along with rookie Frank Alexander coming off the bench. Johnson has some ability to get pressure, but you just don’t see it all the time. He will rush from the left side, which means the majority of the time he will be matched up against Cowboys right tackle Doug Free.

Hardy is the more explosive of the two, but he also looks the lightest on tape. Playing with solid technique and very active with his hands, Hardy has great athletic ability. The Saints tried to block him low and he showed really good balance.

In the secondary, Chris Gamble and Josh Norman are the corners with Charles Godfrey and Haruki Nakamura playing safety. These corners give receivers a lot of room to operate partly because they are scared to give up big gains. Former starter Captain Munnerlyn is the nickel back, and he is the more aggressive of the corners.

If the Panthers try to cover Cowboys tight end Jason Witten with Godfrey, they are going to have huge problems. In the Giants game, he really struggled with Martellus Bennett because his reaction skills are not that good, plus he has trouble moving with his man and adjusting.

Nakamura is a tough guy that plays with a physical nature and is always around the ball. He is the one guy on the backend that actually wants to hit someone. Norman goes low way too much. It’s the type of secondary where opportunities for good plays will be there. The key will be making sure they are executed.

We should have a field day against that secondary.

yeah remember what we did to Tampa

Supposedly... Blue Jerseys on Sunday.

Felix Jones will have to carry the running load, something he hasn't done a lot in his career



In the 12 games DeMarco Murray has played start to finish since breaking out against St. Louis last Oct. 23, he has averaged 17.4 carries and 20.6 touches per game. He has six games with at least 20 carries.

But Murray will miss at least this week's game with a foot injury, leaving Felix Jones to carry the load. That is something Jones has not shown he can do on a consistent basis.

In his 17 starts, Jones has averaged 13.2 carries per game and 15.7 touches from scrimmage. He has carried the ball at least 20 times in only two games in his career. He had 18 carries last week against Baltimore.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, though, said he trusts that Jones can shoulder the load.

"When DeMarco got hurt last year, we handed the ball to Felix, and Felix has shown that he can run inside and run outside," Garrett said. "And I think we also saw a guy like [Phillip] Tanner the other day going into the ball game and getting his carries against that defense and having some positive success as well. You have to go next-man up. We feel really good about Felix Jones, been a really good football player for us for the last four years."

Tanner, who has 31 career carries for 107 yards and a touchdown, will get more carries as the second back. Lance Dunbar, who made his NFL debut last week with one carry for 11 yards, will play mostly on special teams, including as the kick returner in Jones' place.

"I think more likely you want to be able to have two guys as you’re rotating through, and then you spot the third guy," Garrett said. "You want to make sure those guys maintain their sweat, their rhythm, their adrenalin, all that stuff, and if you’re consciously trying to rotate three guys through there, I think it’s more difficult for those guys to get that. The third guy has got to be a pinch hitter like the third guys mostly are. I thought Dunbar did a good job of that the other day when the other guys to be spelled a little bit. Went in there and just did his job. I think those guys understand that. You want to keep those guys in rhythm as much as you can. You want to get them some carries and get them feeling a little bit in the ball game. So that will be the approach."

Jones, who failed the team's conditioning test before training camp because of a shoulder injury that kept him out of the off-season, had 50 plays on offense and 20 on special teams in the first four games. With Murray out most of Sunday's game at Baltimore, Jones played 49 plays on offense and five on special teams.

"I think the biggest issue with Felix was the injury that he had and missed the entire off-season," Garrett said. "It was difficult for him to run and get himself in the condition that he needs to get into to play running back in the National Football League. But that was a long time ago. He’s played a lot of football since then. He worked his way back through training camp and got some opportunities the other day in the game and showed us what he can do."

Read more here: http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.co...t-done-a-lot-in-his-career.html#storylink=cpy

Carolina, get ready to solve your blues Sunday. The cowboys can fix whatever you are failing at!

I watched some vids on the Panthers site today, and Cam seems a little... Different. I can see why there were some concerns about his personality before that draft.

Is he a homo?

Panthers coach Ron Rivera on Jerry Jones: ‘Believe me, he wants the Cowboys to be great’
By Jon Machota / Special Contributor
4:06 pm on October 17, 2012

IRVING — Before hiring Wade Phillips as head coach in 2007, Jerry Jones interviewed Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera for the job.

Rivera was the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears at the time. While Jones didn’t give Rivera his first head coaching position, he did give the former Bears linebacker a long interview.

“It went from the time I got there to the time it was time to leave,” Rivera said Wednesday during a conference call. “We almost forgot to eat. It was great. It was great discussion. His insights into how he runs the team and what he is expecting I thought were outstanding. I really enjoyed it. He and his son Stephen, the two of them really make a dynamic pair as far as what they’re trying to do and what they want to accomplish.

“Believe me, he wants the Cowboys to be great. He really does. That’s one of the things I took away from my interview with him.”

Rivera, who became the Panthers head coach last season, said his meeting with Jones was one of the longest interviews he’s had.

“It was great,” he added. “When you get an opportunity to sit down and visit with people and you really get to express yourself, I think that’s a really good thing.”

Key matchup: Panthers WR Steve Smith vs. Cowboys CB Brandon Carr
By Brandon George / Reporter
11:12 pm on October 16, 2012

Steve Smith is still going strong in his 12th NFL season. Smith (5-9, 185) started every game last season for Carolina and finished with 79 catches for 1,394 yards and seven touchdowns. It was Smith’s sixth 1,000-yard receiving season and he eclipsed 10,000 receiving yards for his career. Smith is still a big-play threat even at the age of 33. Among players who have reached double digits in receptions this season, Smith is tied for fifth in the NFL with a per-catch average of 18.5 yards. Smith is tied for ninth in the NFL with seven catches for 20 or more yards.

Brandon Carr hasn’t looked like a $50 million cornerback the last two games. He has struggled in losses to Chicago and Baltimore. Bears receiver Brandon Marshall caught seven passes for 138 yards and a touchdown at Cowboys Stadium, and Baltimore receiver Anquan Boldin had five catches for 98 yards Sunday. Boldin had two key catches in the Ravens’ final touchdown drive against Carr. The two catches came on back-to-back plays. Boldin had a 13-yard catch on a slant route and then made a 31-yard reception after Carr slipped and fell while in press coverage that set the Ravens up first-and-goal at the 4.

DeMarcus Ware: Cam Newton 'a different breed'
October, 17, 2012
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys have faced quarterbacks over the years that can run the football. Michael Vick comes to mind first, but Cam Newton is different, according to DeMarcus Ware.

“He’s a whole different breed,” Ware said. “He’s a running back, a guy that can play quarterback. The thing is he doesn’t make a lot of decisions. They’re one of the least penalized teams in the league, so they’re fundamentally sound and they run the ball well. I don’t know the ratings, but they’ve got three running backs in (Jonathan) Stewart, (DeAngelo) Williams and then you got Cam Newton. It’s a three-headed (monster). They’ll stick all three of them in there.”

Newton leads the Panthers with 209 yards on 40 carries. Williams has the most carries, but he's averaging just 3.6 yards a run. Stewart has 107 yards on 25 carries.

The Panthers will use the read-option that Newton perfected in leading Auburn to a national championship.

“He can read all he wants to,” Ware said. “Just got to figure out who’s got the ball and make the tackle. This game here is going to come down to what team can handle that circus offense, but secondly, can we tackle? Can we come down and tackle; the basic fundamentals of defense and that’s making plays and getting turnovers?”

Newton’s size (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) makes him one of the bigger quarterbacks, but he is also elusive. Ware, who leads the Cowboys with six sacks, said the pass rush has to take a different approach.

“You sorta got to know what you’re getting into,” Ware said. “You’re not just going to rush him unfundamentally. You’re going to have to cage him up because he’s going to look around. If nobody’s there he’s going to beat you with his feet. You’ve got to sort of corral him a little bit and get a lot of picket push up the middle, and then the outside guys got to not let him get out and run because he’ll do that and beat you for 30 yards, 20 yards, get big chunks.”

Can Cowboys Rebound From Slow Start And Shine vs Panthers On Sunday?
by One.Cool.Customer

Many Cowboys fans are looking forward to Sunday’s game against the 1-4 Carolina Panthers and expect the Cowboys to finally hit their stride both offensively and defensively against what looks like an overmatched opponent.

Other Cowboys fans are worried that the game against the Panthers is a classical trap game: After losing to the now 5-1 Baltimore Ravens and with the 6-0 Atlanta Falcons looming next week, the Cowboys could look at the 1-4 Panthers as an easy win and take the game for granted. Even the most die-hard fan will concede that with the Cowboys, this is always a possibility.

Interestingly though, the Cowboys are also a trap game for the Panthers. The 2-3 Cowboys are sandwiched between the 4-2 Seahawks and the 4-1 Bears. Do the two traps cancel each other or will this turn out to be the Mother Of All Trap Games? And for which team?

Whether you believe in trap games or not, and there is ample evidence to suggest that there is no such thing as a trap game, the fact is that the Cowboys’ first five games have been against some very tough opponents: Through Week 6, the Cowboys have had the toughest schedule of any team in the league. The Cowboys’ opponents so far have combined for a .679 winning percentage (19-9 record) and a +221 points differential. Both values rank as tops in the league.

And if you’re concerned that these numbers may be artificially inflated because those teams played the Cowboys, don’t be. Excluding their games against the Cowboys, those five teams combine for a .696 winning percentage (16-7 record) and a +196 points differential. Both values would still be tops in the league.

Historically, the Cowboys have done quite well against NFC South teams, compiling a 52-23 all-time record for a winning percentage of .693, the best percentage the Cowboys have against any NFL division. Versus the Panthers, they are 8-3 all-time and have won four straight. The last time the two teams met, the Cowboys celebrated their first win in Cowboys Stadium in a 21-7 win in Week 3, 2009.

Both teams are currently on small losing streaks. The Panthers lost their last three while the Cowboys have dropped two in a row. Will the Cowboys end their mini-skid and climb to a .500 record?

The game will be broadcast on Fox where Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston will be the commentators while Tony Siragusa will roam the sidelines and make me feel a lot better about not exercising. In other inconsequential trivia, the Cowboys will wear blue on Sunday for only the second time in three years, and Romo could replace Garrett in the Cowboys’ record books if he passes for more than 287 yards, the most the Cowboys have achieved versus the Panthers (in 1998).

Of course, none of the above will matter when the Cowboys take to the field in Charlotte at 1:00 pm ET on Sunday. If the Cowboys want to remain in contention for a postseason berth, they’ll have to start winning some games soon. Carolina would be a good place to start. So here's the question: Do you think the Cowboys can shine against the Panthers?

Cowboys @ Carolina Preview: Q&A With Cat Scratch Reader
by KD Drummond

The Carolina Panthers are next up for the Dallas Cowboys; a road date that pretty much holds the keys to the rest of the schedule. Win, and Dallas still has reasonable post-season aspirations. Lose and although it would be more improbable than impossible, it might be time to re-focus.

This week, we stay on the road (second set of back-to-back road contests in six games, with @ Atlanta @ Philly coming up soon, what the hell, Goodell?) as we travel to Carolina Panthers territory.

Before they were awarded an expansion franchise in the '90s, the Carolina's were primarily home to Washington Redskins fans. There seems to be a bit of disdain towards our organization that the fans who've switched their allegiances to continue to embrace. Just ask Tarheel Paul.

For insight into our next opponent, I looked to SB Nation's Panthers blog, Cat Scratch Reader and their Managing Editor, James Dator.

Blogging The Boys: One of the biggest problems I have with NFL coverage by a lot of national and even local media is how quarterbacks are treated/scapegoated, however you want to term it. With a focus on his decision-making as well as defensively scheming against him, give me the educated Panthers fan's assessment of where Cam Newton is right now?

Cat Scratch Reader: Cam Newton is a 23-year-old kid who's being asked to not only lead a football team, but be the savior of a franchise. He wants to be that guy, and it's not too big for him-- but there's still so much he needs to learn about being a quarterback and a leader before he can get there. I don't know how clear I need to be: He is not Vince Young. However, the majority of football fans want to see him fail for a variety of reasons, so they'll nit pick every bad game in a way other QBs aren't over-analyzed.

BTB: What's your take on the Panther's organization's strategy to monetarily invest so heavily in the run game, while the NFL is turning into more and more of a passing league?

CSR: NFL-wide it is becoming more of a passing league, but look at the teams at the top: Baltimore, San Fran, Minnesota, NYG, Houston-- all lean on their running games as a way to set up the pass, and so too the Panthers have that as their backbone. The front office in Carolina has always admired Pittsburgh, and build their organization that way (albeit less successfully). Provided the running backs are used effectively it's a non-issue, but right now they're not being used correctly. It's also important to note that the way the Williams/Stewart contracts are structured they end paying the two backs roughly what Tampa Bay is paying Vincent Jackson each year.

BTB: Ron Rivera seemed to take some flack for his end-of-game strategy against Atlanta when he punted instead of going for it on fourth down. We in Dallas are no strangers to strategic second-guessing of our head coach. What's the word on the Reign of Ron?

CSR: Rivera is getting a lot of flack because fans want to see him screaming on the sideline, and admonishing his team when things aren't going well. Most don't understand that it isn't his style. In the locker room he's very vocal with this team, but on the field he comes off looking passive-- that doesn't work wonders for fan-confidence. Ultimately he's an inexperienced coach making inexperienced coaching mistakes, but he has to reign in his coordinators if the Panthers are going to win. Right now they have too much rope, and it's hanging the team.

BTB: Let's talk the Panthers' linebacking corps. From the name recognition of Keuchly, Beason, Davis and Anderson one would expect some nice production. How are things on that front?

CSR: Jon Beason hasn't looked himself in 2012, which has been a problem. Meanwhile Luke Kuechly has been as good as advertised, and turned in the best game of his season against the Seahawks when asked to play in the middle. Carolina now have a dilemma: Go with the hot hand and announce Kuechly as your MLB, or stick with the All-Pro who is under-performing in Beason? We don't know the answer to that yet. James Anderson is a solid outside linebacker, but he's not a game changer. Meanwhile Thomas Davis is coming back from his third ACL tear, and doing the impossible. He's used sparingly, and on third down-- but every time he's on the field he makes a difference.

BTB: If you were a Panthers' opponent; give me an area to focus on, both offensively and defensively.

CSR: On offense the key to beating the Panthers is pretty simple: Go three-wide and throw. The secondary isn't good enough to account for multiple receivers, and a pass catching TE like Jason Witten. Run just enough to keep the defense honest, but other than that all Dallas need to do is keep testing the DBs.

On defense it's all about getting inside pressure on Cam Newton. He has shown a knack for escaping outside blitzes, but if someone is in his face he tends to struggle. Rob Ryan should stunt DeMarcus Ware inside to rush through the B-gap and catch Newton off guard. Do this and he tends to make bad reads.

BTB: Bonus Question: What's your final score prediction for the game?

CSR: The Panthers are as desperate and hungry as I've seen them, and with a bye-week to make adjustments I think they'll play much more sensibly and stop over-complicating things. Carolina sneaks over the line against a Dallas team minus DeMarco Murray, and I think the score will be 23-17.

How Do The Dallas Cowboys Stop Cam Newton?
by Archie Barberio

Cam Newton is one of the more polarizing players in the NFL. Even before Newton entered the league, there was a lot of buzz generated by the media circus who amplified anything Newton did. There were doubts about Newton becoming a good quarterback in the NFL primarily because of the character concerns that came with him. Newton was immensely talented, but there were some red flags that came with him.

Newton didn't have any trouble grasping an NFL offense and had a breakout year in his rookie season. The Panthers now have a franchise quarterback who can change they dynamic of their team. With the rest of the NFL witnessing what Newton did for the Panthers as a rookie, the Redskins made their move to get themselves a similar quarterback with athletic ability. Robert Griffin III may be the next big thing in the NFL, so it's going to be a bummer knowing we have to play that guy twice a year for the next decade.

Moving back to Newton, the Cowboys will be in for an interesting and difficult test this Sunday. The Cowboys have a good defense, but they haven't played a quarterback like Newton yet. When you can throw and run the football equally, then you have a dynamic weapon that changes the game. That is what the Panthers have in quarterback Cam Newton.

DeMarcus Ware was asked about Newton's talent, and Ware believes that Newton is a very rare and unique talent.

"He’s a whole different breed," Ware said. "He’s a running back, a guy that can play quarterback. The thing is he doesn’t make a lot of decisions. They’re one of the least penalized teams in the league, so they’re fundamentally sound and they run the ball well. I don’t know the ratings, but they’ve got three running backs in(Jonathan) Stewart (DeAngelo) Williams and then you got Cam Newton. It’s a three-headed (monster). They’ll stick all three of them in there."

Newton presents the biggest challenge for the Cowboys when he gets out of the pocket. Newton is a big and strong (6'5", 245) quarterback who has the speed to make things happen with his feet. The Panthers are basically running a college offense now. Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski is allowing Newton run his patented read-option offense, very similar to what Newton ran while he was at Auburn.

The Cowboys cannot afford to make mistakes on their defensive assignments. Beating this type of offense requires your defensive players to be in the right spots and keep their contain. Freelancing and roaming away from your assignment will allow Newton to get the big play in the running game. If Newton can do this on third down and keep the Panthers on the field, then it could become a long day for the Dallas defense.

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin had a lot of success against Newton when they met back in Week 3. Coughlin emphasized that you must stay disciplined when you play a quarterback like Cam.

"You have to be disciplined. You have to have people in the right spots or [Newton] will take full advantage of it. He scares the heck out of you when he does have time.’’

Coughlin is a pretty good football coach, so I would take his advice on anything related to football.

Gil Brandt wrote a very interesting article about Newton on NFL.com. Brandt states his case as to why Newton isn't replicating the success he had last year. It's a very good article, so be sure to go and read it when you get the chance. But in a nutshell, Brandt believes that teams are adjusting to Newton and the read-option offense. NFL players are just stronger and faster than what Newton was seeing in college.

While Newton remains a serious threat running the football, he is also dangerous when throwing the football. Newton has the arm strength to make any throw on the field, but his accuracy is much better than what people believed it would be when he entered the league.

Newton hasn't had a lot of success throwing the football yet this year and he is struggling in nearly every statistical category.

58.8 completion percentage (25th in the NFL)
4 passing touchdowns (29th in the NFL)
80.9 passer rating (23rd in the NFL)

It's clear that Newton doesn't have too many weapons on offense. Wide receiver Steve Smith is the best offensive weapon Newton has, but the two have lost the chemistry that they developed in Newton's rookie season. Other than Smith, Newton's best weapon would be tight end Greg Olsen.

The Cowboys need to put their best cornerback (which is up for debate right now) on Smith and attempt to eliminate him from the game. The New York Giants probably had the perfect game plan when they met Newton a few weeks ago in Carolina. Their defensive line created a lot of pressure and got after Newton early in that game.

Justin Tuck talked about why hitting Newton early on set a "tone" and gave the Giants a lot of momentum.

"We hit him early and it set a huge tone,’’ Tuck said of Newton. "We wanted to take away at least one of his options. He knew he was going to get hit all night — and on a short week. You have to be disciplined with him because if you’re not against him he can embarrass you.’’

The Giants have a lot of speed on their defensive line, and that allowed them to keep up with Newton all game long. Newton beat pressure a lot during his rookie season, but this year he has been having more difficulty with it. Newton is taking more hits and being sacked more, and he doesn't hide his frustration on the field. Smith recently accused his quarterback of "sulking".

Cam also had a rough outing against the Seattle Seahawks because they pressured and hit him. While Newton is very talented, it's becoming clear that you can beat him by overwhelming him with a swarming blitz. Until the Panthers get the offensive weapons, Newton will have to do too much by himself.

Cam Newton is a dangerous player who can unleash a big play at any given time in a football game, but his emotions can get the best of him. The Cowboys need to get after him early and hit him. Even if the Cowboys just manage to keep Newton under control from running wild and don't allow him to shred us in the passing game, Newton could become frustrated and make some costly mistakes.

It's time for Rob Ryan to scheme accordingly and bring the heat again. You don't beat Cam Newton by sitting back and not pressuring him, you attack him, but you do it smart. If the Cowboys smother him and play their assignments correctly, then Dallas can dominate this game.

Cowboys vs Panthers: 4 Key Matchups for Dallas
By Jonathan Bales
Thursday, Oct 18, 2012

The outcome of these four matchups could go a long way in determining the Cowboys’ fate against the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. . .

RT Doug Free vs DE Charles Johnson
Doug Free has been in a battle with right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau to be the Cowboys’ worst offensive lineman on the season. As I mentioned in my “What To Watch” post, Charles Johnson has lined up on the left side of the Panthers’ defense on 88.4 percent of his snaps this season, meaning he’ll be rushing against Free more often than not. If Free is consistently left alone to block Carolina’s top pass-rusher, the Panthers will win that battle.

WR Miles Austin vs CB Josh Norman
Panthers cornerback Chris Gamble has been targeted at a rate lower than every cornerback in the NFL—once every 12.6 coverage snaps. That’s particular amazing because Gamble has shadowed No. 1 wide receivers. My hunch is that he’ll play primarily on Dez Bryant this Sunday.

That leaves Norman to cover Miles Austin. Norman hasn’t been poor in 2012 by any means, allowing 8.23 YPA on 31 targets. Still, he’s not playing at the level of Gamble, and I think the ‘Boys will be able to get some things going through the air this week. Look for Austin to utilize his quickness to beat Norman fairly regularly.

OLB DeMarcus Ware vs LT Jordan Gross
Gross has allowed a pressure rate of just 2.99 percent this year. In comparison, I’ve tracked Doug Free and Tyron Smith as yielding pressure rates of 7.83 percent and 4.61 percent, respectively. I still think the Panthers will double-team Ware when Cam Newton drops back to pass, but perhaps they think Gross’s outstanding level of play means they can get away with leaving him on an island with Ware from time to time. That would be a mistake.

Cowboys’ Blitz vs QB Cam Newton
Newton, who has thrown five interceptions on the season, has a 38.7 completion percentage when pressured. The Cowboys probably aren’t going to be able to get much pressure without blitzing, so I really think you’ll see a more aggressive game plan from Rob Ryan than in the past few weeks. Newton loves to hang onto the ball to make things happen with his legs or arm; that gives him big-play potential like the Cowboys haven’t seen this season, but it also makes him susceptible to turning over the ball. If there was ever a game that the Cowboys’ defense could give the offense a short field, this is it.

Running the Numbers: Interesting Stats on Carolina Panthers
Posted 8 hours ago
By Jonathan Bales

The Carolina Panthers are obviously a running football team, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t efficient when they air it out. On defense, the Cowboys will have to manage the difficult task of halting Carolina’s rushing offense without becoming vulnerable to the big play. On offense, the ’Boys will face a defense that has been equally mediocre against the run and the pass.

Offense
4.5: Yards per carry by all Panthers’ players in 2012.
The Panthers own the seventh-most efficient rushing game in the NFL right now, highlighted by quarterback Cam Newton. The sophomore signal-caller is on pace for almost 700 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground this season. He’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry (YPC), primarily on designed read-option plays.

7.3: Net yards per attempt by the Panthers’ passing offense.
As much as everyone wants to praise the Panthers’ rushing attack, their passing game has also been sensational this season. One of the reasons for that is that defenses often load eight men in the box in anticipation of a run, and rightfully so; the Panthers have attempted only 140 passes all season, the fewest of any team in the NFL.

Nonetheless, only two offenses in the entire league have been more efficient than Carolina through the air. Thus, although the Cowboys need to make stopping the run a priority, they also need to be on the lookout for “surprise” passes that can allow the Panthers to get down the field in a hurry.

5: Interceptions thrown by Cam Newton.
Even though Newton is a dynamic dual-threat player, he’s still susceptible to turning over the ball. He’s on pace for 16 interceptions, just one less than he threw in his rookie season. Plus, his interception rate of 3.7 percent is one of the worst in the league. The picks are really the only knock on an offense that is widely underrated because they run the ball so frequently (and thus don’t accrue the total yards of many pass-first offenses).

8.5: Percentage of dropbacks on which Newton has been sacked.
Newton has been sacked at the sixth-highest rate in the NFL, primarily because he tries to extend plays well after other quarterbacks would have gotten rid of the football. The same style of play that leads to occasional sacks also allows Newton to gash defenses with his legs or scramble behind the line and hit open receivers downfield. It’s imperative for the Cowboys to bring Newton down once he’s in their grasp.

14.5: Yards per completion for Carolina in 2012.
Need more evidence that the Panthers like to get the ball downfield in the passing game? The average length of their completions is 14.5 yards, or 3.4 yards more than the average completion for the Cowboys. On the season, 14.0 percent of Newton’s passes have traveled at least 20 yards in the air, the fourth-highest mark in the NFL. The primary mission for safety Gerald Sensabaugh this week is to make sure the Panthers can’t parlay their rushing success into big chunks of yardage in the passing game.

38.7: Newton’s completion percentage when pressured.
Newton can get overwhelmed when he has defenders in his face, particularly if he has nowhere to run. When throwing under pressure, Newton has compiled a 55.2 passer rating and he’s completed only 38.7 percent of his passes, third worst in the NFL. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has dialed back a lot of his blitzes thus far in 2012, but I expect him to send five or more rushers after Newton early and often on Sunday.

Defense
6.6: Net yards per attempt allowed by the Panthers’ pass defense.
The Panthers have been mediocre in most aspects of their defense in 2012. They’re currently ranked 20th in pass defense (in terms of efficiency) and 23rd in rush defense. In regards to game-planning for Carolina, I don’t think the Cowboys need to emphasize one aspect of their offense over another; simply roll with what is working.

68.0: Completion percentage allowed by Carolina.
Only two defenses have yielded a higher rate of completions than the Panthers. Carolina does a really good job of keeping things in front of them, however. Despite the high completion percentage, the Panthers have given up only 11.3 yards per completion.

88.4: Percentage of snaps on which defensive end Charles Johnson has lined up on the left side.
Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson is one of the more underrated pass-rushers in the game. The explosive, physical defensive end leads the team in pressures, hits and sacks. Johnson almost always lines up on the left side of the Panthers’ defense, meaning he’ll be matched up primarily with right tackle Doug Free. That’s a battle that favors the Panthers, so look for head coach Jason Garrett to give Free some help throughout the night.

13: Number of times cornerback Chris Gamble has been targeted.
Although Gamble missed the Panthers’ last game with a shoulder injury, he has been targeted at a lower rate than any cornerback in the NFL this year. Gamble, who has shadowed the opposition’s No. 1 receiver, has been thrown at just once for every 12.6 snaps he’s been in coverage. Champ Bailey is second with a target every 9.7 snaps.

Meanwhile, fellow starting cornerback Josh Norman has been targeted 31 times, allowing a 67.7 percent completion rate and 8.23 yards per attempt. Overall, both cornerbacks have exceeded expectations thus far this season.

Breaking down the ‘Boys: What to expect from Felix Jones in DeMarco Murray’s absence
By Jonathan Bales
4:16 pm on October 17, 2012

Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones (28) rushes for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012. (Gail Burton/AP)

It doesn’t take a lot to change the perception of an NFL player. In his rookie season, Felix Jones averaged 8.9 YPC—the highest mark for any rookie running back with at least 15 carries in the history of the NFL. Jones followed up his magnificent inaugural campaign with 5.9 YPC on 116 carries in 2009. Heading into 2010 as the feature back, expectations for Jones were through the roof.

Since then, Jones has totaled a pedestrian 4.4 YPC and, in the minds of many Cowboys fans, should have been cut in the preseason. Yup, Jones lost a step, they said.

Until last Sunday, that is. Out of nowhere, the Felix Jones of old was back, dodging Baltimore defenders on his way to 105 total yards. More importantly, Jones showed the same sort of burst we became accustomed to seeing in his first two seasons in the league. A lot of people are wondering if Sunday was a mirage or if Jones is really back. I think the better question might be, did Jones ever really leave us?

In my opinion, Felix began his NFL career at such a blistering pace that there was no way for him to keep it up. He averaged 6.5 YPC on 146 carries through his first two seasons—efficiency that not even the game’s greatest running backs could come close to sustaining. The precipitous drop in production that we witnessed in Jones’ third season was more likely due to simple regression toward the mean than anything inherent to his game.

And since that “mediocre” 2010 year –one in which he totaled 1,250 total yards and 5.4 yards per touch while catching 48 of his 52 targets (92.3 percent)—the running back has been more efficient than you might think. On 148 carries since the start of last season, Jones has rushed for 4.6 YPC—well above the league average of 4.2.

So while Jones struggled mightily in the preseason, I’d argue that his career body of work is more telling of his game than what he put on film in a few meaningless exhibitions. Jones isn’t a workhorse running back who can continually touch the ball 20 times a game, but the player who is again hauling the rock for 5.0 YPC just might surprise you in DeMarco Murray’s absence.