1. They're one of the very few
The Panthers are 10-0 on the season, making them the third NFC team since 1992 to achieve that mark. The other two: the 2009 Saints and 2011 Packers. Both of those teams started 13-0 before losing.
2. They've already dispatched half of the NFC East
Carolina beat Philadelphia in Week 7, 27-16, and then blew out Washington last Sunday, 44-16, behind five touchdown passes from Cam Newton and five turnovers from their defense. After their Thanksgiving matchup against the Cowboys, they'll finish their tour of the NFC East in Week 15 in New York.
3. They opened the week as undefeated underdogs.
When betting lines opened on Monday, the 10-0 Panthers were labeled as one-point underdogs to the 3-7 Cowboys.
It was only the second time a team in Carolina's position has opened as an underdog. The 1985 Bears were two-point underdogs to the Cowboys. Chicago won the game 44-0.
"We don't give a you know what," Panthers cornerback Josh Norman told reporters. "At the end of the day we 10-0."
4. One of their top receivers has a case of the drops
Panthers receiver Ted Ginn Jr. is second on the team in yards and touchdown receptions, but don't assume just because the ball is coming his way a big play is going to happen. Ginn entered Monday tied for No. 1 in the league with eight dropped passes. He has dropped 11 percent of his passes and some of those have come at inopportune times, like in overtime of Carolina's Week 8 game against the Colts.
Oh wow. #INDvsCAR #MNF pic.twitter.com/spR9ZnuyHj
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2015
Carolina eventually got a field goal to tie the game and then hit another field goal to earn the win.
5. They're getting one defensive end back and losing another one
The Panthers are expected to activate defensive end Charles Johnson on Tuesday, giving them back a player they expected to be a starter at the beginning of the season. Johnson hasn't played since Week 3 due to strained hamstring. It's unclear if he'll play against the Cowboys, but he's trending upwards. On the other side, backup defensive end Wes Horton has been suspended four games for PED use. Horton was inactive against last Sunday against the Redskins.
6. Expect to see the 'Dab'
No sports figure has popularized the 'Dab' dance move more than Cam Newton. The Panthers quarterback caused a stir in Week 10 when some Titans players took exception to his dance moves in the end zone.
TALK TO THEM CAM, IF THAT DONT WORK, DAB. pic.twitter.com/Mc0860Crhh
— Steph Cory For 3 (@CoryTownes) November 15, 2015
The 'Dab' (which came at the end of Newton's first series of dance moves in the video), has spread throughout the NFL and beyond, but is mostly linked to the Panthers and Newton.
Newton did the dance again last week against Washington, and after the game Panthers coach Ron Rivera pulled it off, much to the delight to his players.
#DabOnThemCoach! ðŸ¥: Redirecting... pic.twitter.com/eLWxfnHt64
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 23, 2015
Newton even held the a dabbing contest at his annual Thanksgiving Jam.
Cam Newton is putting on a dab contest at his annual Thanksgiving Jam feeding 900 CLT kids pic.twitter.com/VQDgpZD29I
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) November 23, 2015
7. Carolina might have the best cornerback in the league right now
Josh Norman has four interceptions on the season, tied for fourth in the league and just one off the NFL lead. Norman has also forced two fumbles and recovered one. He's taken two of his interceptions back for touchdowns. He's expected to follow Dez Bryant around on Thursday, making that a premier matchup to watch.
8. Greg Hardy knows his old team well
On Thursday, Hardy will play the team he spent his first five years in the NFL with. He's familiar with most of the team, but nobody more than Panthers left tackle Michael Oher. He and Oher played high school basketball together in Memphis and would play one-on-one games that got so heated their high school coach eventually had to call them off, according to the Charlotte Observer. Oher and Hardy will likely have plenty of opportunities to go one-on-one on Thursday.
9. They're making their first Thanksgiving appearance ever
The Panthers have never played on Thanksgiving before. Before this year they were one of only two franchises to have never played on Thanksgiving. After Carolina's appearance on the Thursday, the only franchise to never have played on Thanksgiving is the Jacksonville Jaguars.
10. Expect both teams to run similar game plans
The Panthers rank third in the NFL in points per game, but just 28th in pass yards. Carolina relies primarily on the run, ranking fifth in the NFL with 139.9 rushing yards per game. The difference between the Panthers' run game and the Cowboys' run game? Quarterback rushing. Newton leads the team with six rushing touchdowns and ranks second on the team with 382 yards (4.4 yards per carry).
The Panthers are 10-0 on the season, making them the third NFC team since 1992 to achieve that mark. The other two: the 2009 Saints and 2011 Packers. Both of those teams started 13-0 before losing.
2. They've already dispatched half of the NFC East
Carolina beat Philadelphia in Week 7, 27-16, and then blew out Washington last Sunday, 44-16, behind five touchdown passes from Cam Newton and five turnovers from their defense. After their Thanksgiving matchup against the Cowboys, they'll finish their tour of the NFC East in Week 15 in New York.
3. They opened the week as undefeated underdogs.
When betting lines opened on Monday, the 10-0 Panthers were labeled as one-point underdogs to the 3-7 Cowboys.
It was only the second time a team in Carolina's position has opened as an underdog. The 1985 Bears were two-point underdogs to the Cowboys. Chicago won the game 44-0.
"We don't give a you know what," Panthers cornerback Josh Norman told reporters. "At the end of the day we 10-0."
4. One of their top receivers has a case of the drops
Panthers receiver Ted Ginn Jr. is second on the team in yards and touchdown receptions, but don't assume just because the ball is coming his way a big play is going to happen. Ginn entered Monday tied for No. 1 in the league with eight dropped passes. He has dropped 11 percent of his passes and some of those have come at inopportune times, like in overtime of Carolina's Week 8 game against the Colts.
Oh wow. #INDvsCAR #MNF pic.twitter.com/spR9ZnuyHj
— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2015
Carolina eventually got a field goal to tie the game and then hit another field goal to earn the win.
5. They're getting one defensive end back and losing another one
The Panthers are expected to activate defensive end Charles Johnson on Tuesday, giving them back a player they expected to be a starter at the beginning of the season. Johnson hasn't played since Week 3 due to strained hamstring. It's unclear if he'll play against the Cowboys, but he's trending upwards. On the other side, backup defensive end Wes Horton has been suspended four games for PED use. Horton was inactive against last Sunday against the Redskins.
6. Expect to see the 'Dab'
No sports figure has popularized the 'Dab' dance move more than Cam Newton. The Panthers quarterback caused a stir in Week 10 when some Titans players took exception to his dance moves in the end zone.
TALK TO THEM CAM, IF THAT DONT WORK, DAB. pic.twitter.com/Mc0860Crhh
— Steph Cory For 3 (@CoryTownes) November 15, 2015
The 'Dab' (which came at the end of Newton's first series of dance moves in the video), has spread throughout the NFL and beyond, but is mostly linked to the Panthers and Newton.
Newton did the dance again last week against Washington, and after the game Panthers coach Ron Rivera pulled it off, much to the delight to his players.
#DabOnThemCoach! ðŸ¥: Redirecting... pic.twitter.com/eLWxfnHt64
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 23, 2015
Newton even held the a dabbing contest at his annual Thanksgiving Jam.
Cam Newton is putting on a dab contest at his annual Thanksgiving Jam feeding 900 CLT kids pic.twitter.com/VQDgpZD29I
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) November 23, 2015
7. Carolina might have the best cornerback in the league right now
Josh Norman has four interceptions on the season, tied for fourth in the league and just one off the NFL lead. Norman has also forced two fumbles and recovered one. He's taken two of his interceptions back for touchdowns. He's expected to follow Dez Bryant around on Thursday, making that a premier matchup to watch.
8. Greg Hardy knows his old team well
On Thursday, Hardy will play the team he spent his first five years in the NFL with. He's familiar with most of the team, but nobody more than Panthers left tackle Michael Oher. He and Oher played high school basketball together in Memphis and would play one-on-one games that got so heated their high school coach eventually had to call them off, according to the Charlotte Observer. Oher and Hardy will likely have plenty of opportunities to go one-on-one on Thursday.
9. They're making their first Thanksgiving appearance ever
The Panthers have never played on Thanksgiving before. Before this year they were one of only two franchises to have never played on Thanksgiving. After Carolina's appearance on the Thursday, the only franchise to never have played on Thanksgiving is the Jacksonville Jaguars.
10. Expect both teams to run similar game plans
The Panthers rank third in the NFL in points per game, but just 28th in pass yards. Carolina relies primarily on the run, ranking fifth in the NFL with 139.9 rushing yards per game. The difference between the Panthers' run game and the Cowboys' run game? Quarterback rushing. Newton leads the team with six rushing touchdowns and ranks second on the team with 382 yards (4.4 yards per carry).