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          CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert give Cowboys big lead over Panthers

          • Todd Archer, ESPN Staff WriterDec 15, 2024, 01:59 PM ET
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              Todd Archer is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Dallas Cowboys. Archer has covered the NFL since 1997 and Dallas since 2003. He joined ESPN in 2010. You can follow him on Twitter at @toddarcher.
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          CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After a 14-yard touchdown grab by CeeDee Lamb helped the Dallas Cowboys jump out to an early lead, an end-of-half meltdown turned a potential three-score lead into a 10-7 advantage against the Carolina Panthers. The Cowboys regained control quickly in the third quarter, as Cooper Rush threw touchdown passes on back-to-back drives.

          Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa sacked Bryce Young on Carolina's first drive of the second half, forcing a fumble that Chauncey Golston recovered at the Panthers' 29-yard-line. Five plays later, Rush found wide receiver Jalen Tolbert in the back of the end zone to up Dallas' lead to 17-7 less than three minutes into the second half.

          For Rush, it helped make up for his fourth fumble lost of the season, which came when he attempted to pull the ball free from Rico Dowdle came with 42 seconds left in the first half. The Panthers' Jalen Coker scored from 83 yards out on the ensuing play.

          After locating Tolbert for his fifth touchdown catch of the season, Rush led a six-play, 78-yard drive the next time around. He finished the drive by rolling out to his right and throwing to Jalen Brooks in the back right corner of the end zone.

          Brooks dove to make the first touchdown catch of his career. It also marked Rush's first three-touchdown game, giving the Cowboys a 24-7 lead.

          In the first half, the Cowboys found a matchup they liked with Lamb against Panthers safety Jordan Fuller.

          On the Cowboys' 10-play, 77-yard drive in the second quarter, Lamb tied Fuller in knots twice in the slot. He ran a slot fade for a touchdown, diving to adjust to Rush's pass near the front pylon.

          Earlier in the first quarter, Lamb became the first Cowboys player with four 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his first five years in the league. He also passed Jarvis Landry (481) for the second-most receptions in a player's first five seasons. Former Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has the NFL record with 510.