The Dallas Cowboys’ Week 6 loss to the Carolina Panthers followed the same script as the first five weeks of the season. The offense played well and gave the team a chance, but the defense couldn’t pull their weight.

Even with the shoddy play on one side of the ball, the Cowboys were in position to sneak away with the win until a few late drives sealed the team’s fate. In the biggest moments of the game, the offense shrunk and left the defense to save the day. To no one’s surprise, that didn’t turn out in the Cowboys‘ favor. It was the Panthers to who made the best plays in the key moments, while the Cowboys wilted away.

Dallas’ demise began with the contest tied at 27-27 with 8:18 remaining in the fourth quarter. That’s all it took, just over eight minutes and two possessions for the Cowboys to lose the game.

Matt Eberflus’ defense had finally forced a punt and presented the offense the ball at their own 46-yard line. With great field position, a quarterback who was sharp and a field goal kicker who was practically already in range, the game was there for the Cowboys to seize.

Instead, an offense that was the best in the league heading into the game and had been close to unstoppable in this one, crapped the bed.

The Cowboys went backwards with two quick passes that both went for negative yards, before a short gain on a third-down completion forced them to punt. A three and out that consisted of a throwback screen to running back Javonte Williams, a delayed screen to Williams and a dump off to fullback Hunter Luepke was what Brian Schottenheimer dialed up with the game on the line.

3 STRAIGHT THROWS BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE

HOLY SHIT TRASH PLAY CALLING

— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) October 12, 2025

Schottenheimer’s done a lot right since taking over as the Cowboys’ coach and play caller on offense; this was his worst moment at the helm.

With 6:07 left in the game, it was now Dallas’ defense who needed to get a stop if the team was going to get a win. Once again, when they needed to make a play, the defense failed.

The Panthers went on a 15-play, 71-yard drive to set up the game winning field goal, and the Cowboys’ offense never saw the field again. On the drive, the defense had three opportunities to get a stop and failed each time.

Facing a 3rd-and-7 at their own 17-yard line, QB Bryce Young threw a pass to wide receiver Xavier Legette that fell incomplete. But Cowboys cornerback Kaiir Elam was called for pass interference, and the Panthers kept the ball.

On the next set of downs, the Panthers had a 3rd-and-1 conversion, moving the ball into Cowboys’ territory with a play-action pass to the flat that went for 16 yards.

However, the gut punch came when the Panthers went for it on 4th-and-4 with the ball on the Dallas 40-yard line and 2:31 left. This was the play of the game; if the Cowboys could get a stop, they would get the ball back and possibly get the win. Allow the Panthers to convert and a loss was staring them in the face.

In a defensive playcall that will be questioned for ad nauseum, the Cowboys allowed Young to easily complete his pass to slot WR Hunter Renfrow for seven yards to continue the drive. CB DaRon Bland was playing off coverage when the Panthers needed just four yards, while linebacker Kenneth Murray couldn’t get into the path of the ball to stop it from being completed.

Look at this Bland cushion on 4th pic.twitter.com/MMDBSJ98HJ

— Shan Shariff (@1053SS) October 12, 2025

Why Bland was playing so far off when the Panthers needed just four yards is anyone’s guess. That’s an easy pitch and catch for the offense, it resulted in a first down and cost the Cowboys the game.

The Panthers would run out the clock and win on a 33-yard field goal as time expired.

Everything unraveled in the last 8:18 of the game. The offense and Schottenheimer couldn’t get it done when the team needed them most, while the defense did what they have done all season, fail.

In the biggest moments, with the game on the line multiple times, it was the Panthers who executed as the Cowboys blew their chances.

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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys offense stalled, defense bullied by Panthers in big W6 moment