5 bold predictions for Cowboys against Panthers

3. Dak Prescott won’t attempt 30 passes

Prescott only threw the ball 26 times against Philadelphia last week and he’s set up for another light day against the Panthers. This week he won’t hit the 30-pass plateau despite Carolina’s questionable secondary talent.

Instead, the Cowboys are going to run the ball at Carolina’s front seven early and often. That’s a particularly good strategy when it comes to neutralizing the Panthers’ edge rushers. Guys like Brian Burns and Haason Reddick are great getting up the field while rushing the passer, but neither is anything more than a below-average run defender.

Before Horn’s injury, the Panthers’ defensive staff might have felt comfortable crowding the box to force Prescott to throw to beat them. The Panthers won’t feel comfortable being that aggressive in the first week without their first-round pick. Dallas will see lots of seven-man fronts to work against in this one.

Prescott will still throw the ball with excellent efficiency this week, but the raw numbers won’t need to be great to secure a Dallas victory. More will be required of Prescott later in the season, but this will be his second consecutive week of light work in the passing game.