Week 12: Panthers 33, Cowboys 14

The details

A week after the Panthers leaned on Cam Newton for five passing touchdowns, they used the defense to get the job done on Thanksgiving.

The Carolina Panthers’ defense turned Tony Romo over three times, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns, and they topped the Dallas Cowboys 33-14 in AT&T Stadium.

First it was safety Kurt Coleman with a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown. Then linebacker Luke Kuechly got in on the action with a 32-yard pick-six. Kuechly came back on the next Cowboys’ offensive possession and picked off Romo again.

Carolina’s Thanksgiving halftime lead swelled to 20, and the rest was gravy.

It was enough to draw the praise of Panthers coach Ron Rivera.

“I really like the way we are playing on the defensive side of the football,“ he said, “sans the last few minutes of this one.” Jonathan Jones

They said it

“It wasn’t about stopping one guy but I thought our guys did a nice job.” – Rivera, on how well his team contained former teammate Greg Hardy (no sacks, no tackles).

“Very disrespectful.” – Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis, on talk of the Panthers being underdogs against Dallas.

“They’re a really good football team. You have to give them credit. The best thing they do is take the ball away. ... It’s a big part of the formula for the one that they have.” – Cowboys coach Jason Garrett

The weirdness

Cam Newton danced again, but instead of a new-school “dab” he went with the old-school, Chubby Checker “twist.” The quarterback explained later he has “diverse dance ability” and this time decided to use some of the ones he breaks out when he wants to get his grandmother up to dance with him.

“Her name is Hattie by the way, “ Newton said to the cameras. “Hey, Hattie.” Scott Fowler

Hot takes

Joseph Person: The Panthers, who improved to 11-0 with their handling of the Cowboys, have stuck with the one-game-at-a-time mantra that Ron Rivera – and every other coach – preaches.

But as they creep closer to Week 17 without a loss, the Panthers will face more and more questions about the prospects of joining New England and the 1972 Dolphins as the only teams in the Super Bowl era to run through the regular season undefeated.

Dwan Edwards, an 11-year veteran in his fourth season with Carolina, likes the Panthers’ chances to run the table.

“The way our team’s playing it’s going to take us to not play well on Sunday for a team to beat us,” he said.

Scott Fowler: So is an undefeated season really possible for Carolina?

It’s not too early to talk about it anymore, although I believe it remains unlikely. The Panthers have jumped every obstacle in their path, though, including this “three-games-in-12-days” grouping. They completed the third straight undefeated month of the season, as they won’t play again now until facing New Orleans on the road Dec. 6. They have won 15 straight regular-season games.

As for Dallas, the Cowboys were no road block and really not much of a speed bump.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Week 12: Panthers 33, Cowboys 14."