The 2-1 Panthers sat idle during their Week 4 bye but in many respects still saw their season outlook improve. Here are five ways Carolina “won” their bye week: They signed Eric ReidThe Panthers clearly needed more than Colin Jones to replace injured starting safety http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-torrey-smith-jersey , Da’Norris Searcy. Reid should be a solid starter and shore up a position of need. The Falcons lostThe Atlanta Falcons dropped a soul-crushing game to the Cincinnati Bengals to fall to 1-3.In most years the Panthers, Falcons, and Saints are battling for the NFC South title and Wild Card playoff spots. Every Falcons loss helps the Panthers playoffs odds. Fitzmagic went “poof” Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Buccaneers were the toast of the NFL after a shocking 2-0 start. The last thing the Panthers needed was for the usually hapless Bucs to suddenly become competent. But after a Week 3 loss, the Bucs then got destroyed in Week 4 by the Chicago Bears, 48-10. It’s a relief to see the Bucs are still the Bucs. The Eagles lostWhile the defending Super Bowl champs are struggling a bit, they could still be in the mix to challenge the Panthers for a Wild Card spot. The Eagles Week 4 loss to AFC’s Tennessee Titans drops them to 2-2 and helps Carolina’s playoff aspirations. Turner and Samuel practicedAn early bye week is normally a bad thing http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-jarius-wright-jersey , but it worked out well this year for the banged-up Panthers. Trai Turner and Curtis Samuel have both returned to practice. Getting an extra week of rest was definitely helpful. Not a bad bye week, all things considered. With a winnable home game against the New York Giants coming up this week, the Panthers season is looking up.Panthers vs. Cowboys: Key Matchups As we roll into Week 1, the Panthers face a young Dallas Cowboys squad with a solid run game. The Panthers defense will have their work cut out for them stopping the run and the offense looks to succeed in its first action under freshman offensive coordinator Norv Turner. Here are the key matchups to watch.Luke Kuechly vs. Ezekiel ElliottOne of the top running backs in the NFL faces arguably the best defender in the league. Elliott is a threat whether he is taking handoffs in the backfield or catching passes. Kuechly is a top tier run and pass defender. This is one of the premier matchups of Week 1 no matter how you slice it, and could impact the game more than any other one-on-one matchup. Kuechly can patrol sideline to sideline against the best of them, however Elliott lead the league in rushing his rookie year for a reason. Elliott figures to be heavily involved in all aspects of their offense as the consensus best weapon for the Cowboys.Mario Addison vs. Tyron SmithIn regards to the line Cheap Ian Thomas Jersey , the rushing game will be a big factor. However, rushing Dak Prescott will be key as well. Kawann Short and Dontari Poe will make their debut as a unit, but ol’ reliable Mario Addison needs to show up as well. He has worked his way into a 3 down role with the Panthers, and will see Pro Bowler tackle Tyron Smith most of the night. Addison’s one of the better speed rushers in the NFL, but Smith is no stranger to top tier players. If Addison can get consistent pressure then Carolina’s secondary can make plays.Panthers tackles vs. Demarcus LawrenceThe Cowboys best pass rusher will face off against Taylor Moton and whatever the team has planned at right tackle. This could be problematic for a team that is attempting to be a more high powered passing offense. No, scratch that Mike Adams Jersey , it WILL be a problem. So far, Moton has held his own in the preseason. But playing 4 quarters against starting defensive lineman is a different animal. I also imagine the Cowboys will have a plan to attack the right side of the line, seeing as it will either be a plan C or a guy who is still recovering from injury. Pray for Cam Newton, please.Devin Funchess vs. Byron JonesThe Cowboys sport an underrated group of athletes at linebacker. Between Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith, they should have a plan for Greg Olsen. I don’t expect them to completely shut him down, but it should provide some 1 on 1 opportunities for the Panthers de facto number 1 wide receiver. Funchess is coming off a breakout year http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-greg-van-roten-jersey , showing he can be the number one target and succeed. However, I want to see it more consistently when he isn’t the best option among a series of bad ones. Funchess should be in for a workload of moving the chains. In a contract year, this is the perfect game to start building a case for his payday.What players are you watching, Panthers fans?