Cowboys vs. Panthers bold predictions for Week 6 of 2025 NFL season
There will be some dominant performances in the Panthers-Cowboys contest, but it won’t be from the stars people expect.
The Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers enter Week 6 looking to win their second straight game. Dak Prescott led Dallas to a dominant win against the New York Jets last Sunday. Carolina, on the other hand, used a second half comeback to take down the Miami Dolphins. George Pickens and Rico Dowdle will look to keep their momentum rolling into what could be an exciting game.
Pickens has stepped up for the Cowboys, who have been without Ceedee Lamb because of injury. Dallas’ season hinges on the next couple of weeks. Some fans believe that the team should give up on the season and try to secure one of the top draft picks next year. However, the organization appears committed to making the most of another good season from Prescott and the offense.
The Panthers are a much different stories. A 30-0 drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons is a bright spot on the team’s record, but Bryce Young has struggled mightily in his third NFL season. Because of that, the Carolina offense has yet to find any momentum through the first five weeks of the season. An injury to Chuba Hubbard robbed the Panthers of their most dangerous weapon.
Sunday’s game is not one that will draw many eyes, but there are some big storylines in it. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones earned a fine last week after a negative interaction with a fan, adding to the drama that has surrounded him for months. His reaction to the game could help determine the path the Cowboys go down moving forward. A win would be huge for both sides of the matchup.
Regardless of who ends up playing, both teams want players on hot streaks to keep playing well. Here are two predictions for who will step up.
George Pickens will score two touchdowns
Pickens said he was ready to step into the WR1 role in the Cowboys’ offense after Lamb’s injury. Through two games without him, the star receiver has 191 yards and two touchdowns on just ten catches. Many experts thought Dallas’ offense would suffer without Lamb on the field. However, Prescott has had no issues honing in on Pickens as his primary target with his co-star off the field.
There is no reason to think that the Cowboys’ offensive game plan against the Panthers will be any different. Carolina has given up 100 yards to a wide receiver in each of the last two weeks. Jaycee Horn, the Panthers’ top corner, got a big contract extension this offseason. However, he has not lived up to his new deal, giving up big plays to opposing wideouts all season.
Pickens got the best of Sauce Gardner last week. Now, he will get a chance to do it again against one of the top young corners in the NFL. He has all the momentum in the world heading into the matchup. If Prescott commits to feeding him targets throughout the game, he could have a big day. If that happens, the Cowboys could leave the game with a dominant win.
Rico Dowdle will rush for 200 yards again in a Panthers win
Dowdle stepped up in a big way against the Dolphins in Hubbard’s absence. His 200 yards on the ground were a career-high as he helped the Panthers fight back and get their second win of the season. Now, he sets his sights on his former team in a matchup that means a lot to him and Carolina. He has no shortage of motivation heading into the game and has a chance to show out.
Dowdle said that he is ready to take on the Cowboys and prove they made a mistake when they traded him. Dallas moved on from him in favor of Javonte Williams during the offseason. While the Cowboys have gotten a surprisingly effective season out of the former Bronco, Dowdle feels scorned by his former team. A big game against them would give him some much-needed revenge.
Dallas traded for Kenny Clark in the offseason because Jones wanted his team to stop the run. Through the first five games of the season, that has not worked out too well. Now, the Cowboys face a team that leans on the run and just had its best game of the year on the ground. This game will be decided in the trenches, and the Panthers hold an edge in that aspect of the matchup.
Despite entering the game as the underdog, the Panthers will walk away with another home win. Dowdle will lead the offense to victory in a shootout that features a battle between him and Pickens all afternoon.
