Dallas Cowboys: 3 Big takeaways from loss vs. Panthers in Week 1

The Dallas Cowboys lost their 2018 season opener to the Carolina Panthers following four quarters of uninspired play as they achieved very little to start the regular season.

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t do much of anything but have very little success in the first half, and that followed them into the second half in their 16-8 loss to the Carolina Panthers to begin the 2018 regular season.

During the preseason, the Cowboys never had their full starting lineup on the field at the same time due to injuries or just not playing their top players in games that didn’t matter. On Sunday in the season opener, the full lineup for the players who are healthy didn’t fare well in the first half with the offense being shut out and being held to under 100 yards in those first two quarters.

In fact, the Cowboys didn’t get into Carolina territory in the entire first half. Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott was held to 46 yards passing (6-of-10) in the first quarter, while running back Ezekiel Elliott had seven carries for 18 yards in the first half. When that happens, not much success will come for “America’s Team.”

For the game, the Cowboys totaled 232 yards offensively in the eight-point loss to the Panthers. Prescott wrapped up the start to his third season in the NFL by going 19-of-29 for 170 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

The defense can’t be let off the hook either with the Panthers having 293 yards on 61 plays in their win vs. the Cowboys. Carolina saw Cam Newton finish the season opener 17-of-26 for 161 yards passing. He also had 13 rushes for 58 yards and a touchdown.

This type of performance could be seen happening from miles away when looking back at how the preseason went for the Cowboys. Not much has changed with this franchise in terms of how things are run and how the plays are called for all four quarters.

Listed are three big takeaways from the loss vs. the Panthers in Week 1.