The Dallas Cowboys travel to Charlotte on Sunday to face Cam Newton and the Panthers, as both teams try to get their seasons off on the right foot. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott will attempt to get a bitter 2017 taste out of their mouths, but the offensive line may not be quite as fearsome with Travis Frederick out indefinitely with an autoimmune disease. The Panthers have some injuries on the offensive line of their own, with Daryl Williams and Amini Silatolu dealing with injuries and Matt Kalil being out for the season.
The Cowboys went 9-7 last season while dealing with an incredible amount of drama surrounding the suspension of Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott is now back, but Cowboys fans have a few other adjustments to make. Dez Bryant was released this offseason, while former Jaguars standout Allen Hurns was added to the fold. On defense, Leighton Vander Esch looks like a promising draft pick, while Jaylon Smith should look more like the player he was at Notre Dame (although that process is ongoing). Byron Jones is also playing cornerback again, which is something to look out for against the Panthers’ receivers.
The Panthers made the playoffs last season, but they were dismissed in the wild-card round by the Saints. Now, in an increasingly difficult-looking NFC South, the Panthers need to try and put their pieces together. Christian McCaffrey looks to be the focal point of the offense while Newton will have to try to survive behind a patchwork line. D.J. Moore is an exciting-looking weapon for Newton, something that he’s had precious few of since joining the Panthers. Defensively, it’s all about Luke Kuechly. Arguably the best middle linebacker in the NFL, he’ll have to be excellent against a potent Cowboys running attack, even without Frederick.
So who should you back in Week 1 of the NFL season? Visit SportsLine now to see which teams are winning more than 50 percent of simulations, all from the model that has outperformed 98 percent of experts tracked by NFLPickWatch.com the past two seasons.
Here’s how to catch Sundays Panthers vs. Raiders showdown.
How to watch, stream
- Kickoff: Sunday, Sep. 9 — 4:25 p.m.
- TV: FOX (check local listings)
- Streaming: fuboTV (try for free)
Who will win?
Our experts almost have a consensus on this game, with everyone except for John Breech picking the Panthers. Ultimately, the Cowboys’ question marks outweigh the ones the Panthers have, even though offensive line is a huge concern. If Breech turns out to be right, it will be because the Cowboys kept Newton very uncomfortable. Pete Prisco thinks that the Panthers are the better team, and calling this one a toss-up is generous. He favors the Panthers in what may be a defensive standoff.
You can catch all of CBS’s expert NFL picks right here.
So who should you back in Week 1 of the NFL season? Visit SportsLine now to see which teams are winning more than 50 percent of simulations, all from the model that has outperformed 98 percent of experts tracked by NFLPickWatch.com the past two seasons.
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