The Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1) and Carolina Panthers (2-3) will meet in Week 6 of the NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game will broadcast live on FOX.
The Cowboys are 3-point favorites over the Jets on the spread (Cowboys -3), with the over/under set at 47.5 total points. Dallas is a -160 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Carolina is +135 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Cowboys vs Panthers predictions and my NFL picks for Sunday, October 12.
Cowboys vs Panthers Prediction, Picks
- Cowboys vs Panthers pick: Panthers +3 (-115)
My Panthers vs. Cowboys best bet is on Carolina to cover the spread, with the best price currently available at bet365. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Cowboys vs Panthers Odds for NFL Week 6
| Cowboys Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3 -105 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | -160 |
| Panthers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3 -115 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | +135 |
Dallas Cowboys vs Carolina Panthers NFL Preview
Last week started ugly for Carolina with early turnovers from Bryce Young. But underneath the surface, there were some important changes happening for the the Panthers.
For one, the Panthers tweaked their offensive approach, whether Chuba Hubbard played or not. They also made some defensive adjustments that ultimately paid off.
Last week, the Panthers fell behind by a score of 17-0 early in the game after giving the Dolphins a few short fields off turnovers.
But after spotting them a three-score lead, Carolina's defense completely shut down the Dolphins, forcing five straight punts and allowing only one explosive play. Aside from that one play, the Panthers held them to 25 yards over the next 20 plays.
That’s been the story for the Panthers defense this season — inconsistent but capable of showing real flashes. They’ve been noticeably stronger at home, which makes sense: crowd noise, better communication, and more disruption for the opposing offense.
Offensively, the Panthers’ biggest issue has been speed – or the lack of it.
However, that should change this week. Jalen Coker is back, but more importantly, both Xavier Legette and Jimmy Horn Jr. should also be good to go, which adds a much-needed element of unpredictability to Carolina's offense.
On the other side of the script, the Cowboys defense is not what it’s made out to be.
Dallas gave up 450+ yards to Russell Wilson, who was benched a week later. Then, the Cowboys gave up 22 points on 378 total yards to the Jets. The Cowboys defense isn't good now just because they forced a fumble against Breece Hall last week.
Also, the Cowboys' offense hasn't looked nearly as good on the road. Their offensive numbers appear inflated, but when you dig in, you notice that they have been pretty opportunistic.
The Jets gifted them 14 points before halftime last week. The Cowboys also should have lost to the Giants at home. The Cowboys' only two wins of the season have come against the Jets and Giants.
On top of that, we should consider the fact that the injuries are piling up for the Cowboys' offensive line, and with CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin both questionable, this unit is trending down in general.
Cowboys vs Panthers Betting Predictions, Analysis
I think regression is looming for the Cowboys on both sides of the ball.
The Panthers, while far from perfect, are quietly improving.
Their defense has stabilized at home, the offense is adding speed, and the market is still treating them like a bottom-tier team.
This is a matchup between two flawed teams, but one of them is undervalued. So, I'll take the points with Carolina.
Cowboys vs Panthers Best Bet
- Panthers +3 (-115)
Cowboys vs Panthers Betting Trends
For the latest on NFL injuries, be sure to check out our NFL Injury Report page.
