The Carolina Panthers remembered they were a running team, but a mistake in the red zone cost them.
After running well (it hasn’t been a given, despite their personnel), Cam Newton threw an interception to Morris Claiborne in the end zone to ruin a scoring chance, allowing the Cowboys to hang onto a 3-0 lead in the second quarter. Newton was getting drilled as he threw, and his pass was well behind Louis Murphy, allowing Claiborne an easy pick.
The Cowboys owned the first quarter, but didn’t get much out of it.
An 18-play, 91-yard drive stalled in the red zone, with the Panthers limiting them to a short field goal.
Tony Romo was fairly clinical, completing his first eight passes and 10-of-12 for 73 yards on the scoring drive.
The Panthers might be willing to play bend-don’t-break, but they don’t have the horses on defense to do it all day long.