4 Reasons the Dallas Cowboys Can Light Up the Carolina Panthers

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On Sunday, October 21, the Carolina Panthers will face the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 7 matchup. 

It will be interesting to see which team can prevail in a game that is extremely important to both teams. 

Dallas will be looking to gain footing in the NFC East and go to 3-3 while the Panthers will be looking to gain another win after going 1-4 on the season so far. 

Looking at it closely, the Panthers do not match up well with the Cowboys, and there is a great possibility Dallas will be playing with a mean vengeance. 

Tony Romo

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Romo, with all of the criticism he receives, is putting up respectable numbers this season, especially when compared to Cam Newton. 

In 2012, Romo is 126-of-187 with seven touchdowns and 1,409 yards, which are solid numbers. Against a Carolina defense which has allowed 377.0 total yards per game, Romo is due to have a big game coming off of another loss against Baltimore.

Dez Bryant

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The ongoing debate about Dez Bryant and his worth to the Dallas Cowboys may be a distraction to the Dallas Cowboys, but Bryant's talent cannot be denied. 

In five games, Bryant already has 34 receptions totaling 364 yards and recording two touchdowns. 

Against the Carolina secondary, Bryant can hush critics for a little while if he chooses to focus and grab passes from Romo for big gains and points on the board. 

Bryant's recent off-field antics have left the Cowboys and their fan base uneasy, and they are beginning to question if his positives outweigh his negatives. 

It all can begin with this game. Should Bryant begin a streak of strong play and reliability in big yardage and red-zone situations, he can quell the chatter. 

Cam Newton

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There is no denying the sheer talent Cam Newton possesses. He can run the ball well and can throw with the best of them. 

That being said, Newton is only in his second year, and the mistakes he makes are still rookie-esque. 

The big thing to watch is if and how many times Newton will turn the ball over. 

Recording five interceptions through five games in 2012, Newton must have better poise, concentration and patience in the pocket. 

Playing against a Cowboys secondary that features Gerald Sensabaugh and Mike Jenkins, Newton cannot turn the ball over in Panthers territory. 

If that happens, there is no doubt Dallas will capitalize on the field position. 

Newton is sometimes his own worst enemy. While he knows he can throw the ball far and with accuracy, he sometimes doesn't recognize coverage, which leads him to throw straight to safeties. 

Newton will get better with more playing time, but against a hungry Dallas team, the margin for error is small.

Carolina Defense

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The Carolina Panther defense is the biggest culprit in the equation. 

Matched up against the Cowboys, the Panthers defense gives up more yardage and points in every category. 

Along with giving up more yardage, the Panther defense allowed a 45.6 percent conversion rate on third-down attempts this season. 

The Panthers cannot give up yardage to the Romo-Bryant connection and must stop the run by DeMarco Murray in order for this game to be in close proximity. 

If they do otherwise, the Cowboys can run away with this game and leave Cam Newton to try to pick up the pieces.