Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers: 5 Key players has Brutal Injury & Inactives

The Dallas Cowboys face the Carolina Panthers in what could be considered a “trap game” for Dallas as its away record is wobbly (5-8 in its last 13!), but against a team considered “less than,” the Cowboys should be winning this Week 11 tilt. Panthers head coach Frank Reich stated this week that the team was practicing on a silent count to prepare for the Cowboys crowd inside their OWN stadium. Meaning? Everything is trending to another resounding Cowboys win. But what does Mike McCarthy’s team have to do to avoid slipping on this potentially embarrassing banana skin? But doing these five things.

But first, the inactives list, which looks like this: Noah Igbinoghene, Eric Scott, Duece Vaughn, Asim Richards and Trey Lance as the third quarterback. The Vaughn move makes it obvious that Rico Dowdle (ankle) is active and expected to play.

The only thing offensively over the last four games that has underwhelmed has been the Cowboys running game. Well, if there ever was a “get-well game,” this could be it. The Panthers allow 131.8 rushing yards per game (ranks seventh) and have given up 100+ yards in eight of nine games. Just twice have opposing teams had under 30 rushing attempts vs. Carolina, so once the weakness is seen, teams attack it.

Dowdle’s got the ankle issue, but our focus is nevertheless elsewhere: If the healthy offensive line can create running lanes, then perhaps Tony Pollard’s second 100-yard rushing game will come in Carolina, along with a boatload of carries. Coach Mike McCarthy has talked about “running on all cylinders,” and it’s been close to that, but for one thing. We believe the Cowboys are planning to get “TP” going here.