This is the Turning Point Game of the 2021 Season

[CRA]

I think Dallas should be favored in this one….and if we lose?  it won’t mean anything.  We just lost CMC, Arnold, and Horn.   We will still be in great shape and should win the following week. 

[ericr0319]

a loss on the road game isn't bad for anything other than the media will doubt us. but who care. we will still be favored in our next 2 games and should win them. I would be happy if we end up 5-1.

[SBBlue]

6 minutes ago, ericr0319 said:

a loss on the road game isn't bad for anything other than the media will doubt us. but who care. we will still be favored in our next 2 games and should win them. I would be happy if we end up 5-1.

If we win, it will shake things up.  The media will go nuts, we'll be ranked top 10 (we are top 12ish now) and it will be a 2nd statement game, because this time we are missing key pieces on the road.

The excuses will be that we had longer to prep bs.

Huge opportunity, big hill to climb tho.

We can win this game.

[top dawg]

2 hours ago, Harbingers said:

Ummm I’m gonna go with a no on this. Even on the timelines they are. 22 has methodically been basically half of our offensive production and the only factor in the run game, which in turn has allowed the passing game to open up. Want to see what a season without CMC looks like on offense. Check last season. 

Last season, we had a chicken at QB, and less weapons on offense. Darnold is more gifted and more willing to learn and improve. He also has more legit targets all around. Moreover, Chuba settled down after a few carries, and sometimes that's what it takes to bring out an RB's best: touches!

CMC's replacement will be handled by a decidedly capable committee. I don't know if we can say the same for Horn, and that makes me uneasy going against Dakota, Lamb and Cooper. We'll find out what's what in short order.

 

[jfo89]

I dont think last nights game is a true reflection of the Cowboys.

The Eagles play calling on both sides of the ball was dogshit, their RBs had a total of 3 carries. 

The only team that has really tried to run on them(Chargers) has had success.

I think we will run the ball well, get Sam comfortable with quick throws and beat them with play action. 

On defense, if the Panthers can continue to stop the run, we should be fine. Dak will make some throws and Dallas will probably score between 17-24, but I think the Panthers will put up closer to 30.

[theinstrumental]

If we get an effective Darnold game then we'll know that this team is real. The whole idea was to improve his surrounding talent, and now with a reworked offensive line and no CMC, if he doesn't fall apart then we're chalking it up as a W, especially given how easy the schedule looks after this week. 

[Harbingers]

38 minutes ago, top dawg said:

Last season, we had a chicken at QB, and less weapons on offense. Darnold is more gifted and more willing to learn and improve. He also has more legit targets all around. Moreover, Chuba settled down after a few carries, and sometimes that's what it takes to bring out an RB's best: touches!

CMC's replacement will be handled by a decidedly capable committee. I don't know if we can say the same for Horn, and that makes me uneasy going against Dakota, Lamb and Cooper. We'll find out what's what in short order.

 

We have enough corners to somewhat replace a 3 game rookie who was doing real good but hadn’t faced any major challenges through 2.5 games. It’s not like Horn had faced Thomas or Evans, he essential was covering second and third string WR’s for his time played so far. This is not a knock on him just a fact. Bouye can go outside if needed and we just brought in another first rounder to replace him for the time being. 
 

On offense you are talking about nearly half our offensive production and a staunch pass blocker with the experience needed at that position. Chubba just isn’t up to par on that yet.
 

Now, instead of having to put a spy on CMC every play he’s in and game plan around that threat defensive coordinator can do a general game plan that will be much more getting to and frustrating Darnold. Offenses weren’t gameplanning around Horn and if CJ is as good as the coaches think and most people on here say he is that’s a non-issue. They are much more concerned about our pass rush getting there in 2.5 seconds, which they often do. 
 

Not to mention if, knock on wood, something was to happen to Chubba we’d have basically two third stringers to try and get any rushing yardage generated. Neither guy I’d love to have blocking 1st string DE/DL that will inevitably be slipping through the sieve that is our OL. Which means even with Chubba we are going to have to run a lot more shotgun or short play and keep Ian in the backfield instead of him being able to line up next to a tackle to help chip blocks and get out into the flat. Suddenly our already bad line is even worse. 
 

CMC is easily the worse loss in general. Anyone who says else wise is kidding themselves. The argument can be that Horn is worse due to the length of injury, especially missing that critical developmental time as a rookie and not being able to face some of the premiere receivers in the league that the NFCS is loaded with. Not to mention a 3 bone foot break is gonna slow him down and mess with his confidence when he returns, might not take breaks and switches as fast either cause he’s worried it’ll happen all over again. But overall as players on face value to the team as a whole right now CMC is by far the bigger loss. 

[KB_fan]

I listened to Greg Olsen's WFNZ segment a little while ago.  He kept emphasizing his concern at how young (and raw) our team is. Sounded a bit like he thinks this game in Jerryworld will be a bit big for them. Likened it a bit to a playoff game with the hype and Dallas's star power on offense.

I get his point and I respect it. Obviously this team IS super young..

But...! It made me very glad we're coming off the pressure of an away primetime game in which there was significant adversity. (Big injuries, BS penalties). I think the way the team played in 2nd half vs Houston shows me that Dallas may not be too big for them. I think they'll have some of the "BIG GAME" jitters out of their system. At least I hope so!!

[Smithers]

It’s big in the sense that’s it the next team in our way - against a conference opponent who happens to also be a common opponent of our division.  Winning would be huge - but not season defining.  
 

I do believe, however, that if we win this one, we carry a tremendous amount of momentum back to Charlotte the next week and begin the season 5-0, which would be huge . 

[Bartin]

30 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

I listened to Greg Olsen's WFNZ segment a little while ago.  He kept emphasizing his concern at how young (and raw) our team is. Sounded a bit like he thinks this game in Jerryworld will be a bit big for them. Likened it a bit to a playoff game with the hype and Dallas's star power on offense.

I get his point and I respect it. Obviously this team IS super young..

But...! It made me very glad we're coming off the pressure of an away primetime game in which there was significant adversity. (Big injuries, BS penalties). I think the way the team played in 2nd half vs Houston shows me that Dallas may not be too big for them. I think they'll have some of the "BIG GAME" jitters out of their system. At least I hope so!!

It’s a fair point. There is almost no big game in the spotlight with high expectations experience on our team even among the vets. Hell, even looking at their college careers there isn’t too much of that.

Although, I think they might just be too young, naive and cocky to even realize they’re supposed to be nervous.

[Move the Panthers to Raleigh]

I don't think the season would get derailed if we lost, but this is one the last teams that I want to lose to. I really don't want to listen to Stan Norfleet's annoying ass on WFNZ all week if we lose.

[TheMostInterestingMan]

The injuries suck but they will be without some key talent as well. That Oline is taking a loss without Collins and that is not someone you want to lose facing our team.

We also have a long week to prepare and they will be on a shortened week having played Monday. That gives us quite a lot of extra time to rest, recover and game plan for them.

Ultimately I could see this going either way, but I am certainly not going into this "scared" by any means. The extra time is a big advantage for getting the next man up acclimated and ready. I know I have oddly built a reputation for being a dumb homer here simply for supporting the Darnold trade (which how is that working out so far?) but I think we win this one. Mainly for our long week to their short week advantage. That's a pretty big deal. 

Either way it falls, I expect this game to be close. But this is definitely one we can win and I think the extra time gives us the advantage, even with having to travel to Dallas. We'll find out soon. 

Edited September 28, 2021 by TheMostInterestingMan

[bigdavis]

1 hour ago, TheMostInterestingMan said:

The injuries suck but they will be without some key talent as well. That Oline is taking a loss without Collins and that is not someone you want to lose facing our team.

We also have a long week to prepare and they will be on a shortened week having played Monday. That gives us quite a lot of extra time to rest, recover and game plan for them.

Ultimately I could see this going either way, but I am certainly not going into this "scared" by any means. The extra time is a big advantage for getting the next man up acclimated and ready. I know I have oddly built a reputation for being a dumb homer here simply for supporting the Darnold trade (which how is that working out so far?) but I think we win this one. Mainly for our long week to their short week advantage. That's a pretty big deal. 

Either way it falls, I expect this game to be close. But this is definitely one we can win and I think the extra time gives us the advantage, even with having to travel to Dallas. We'll find out soon. 

The extra rest and preparation time is a big advantage to us, as you said.  And there's maybe another thing -- they just played a (to them) big game against a division opponent, and dominated.  It's possible that there's a letdown in facing (what they undoubtedly believe to be) an underdog upstart team like the Panthers.

So hunger on our part may play a role in beating overconfidence.

[FreeCountryPanther]

7 hours ago, dave-o said:

Without #22 I am not confident this week....  Heart breaking loss this weekend... Just my .02....

We are not the McCaffrey Panthers we are the Carolina Panthers lots of talent on this roster!