After starting the season off to an incredible 3-0 start, the Carolina Panthers finally lost in Week 4, as the Dallas Cowboys beat them 36-28. Even still, this Carolina squad has far exceeded expectations heading into the year, and kept it competitive against arguably the league's most dynamic offense.

The Panthers still own an absolutely dominant +31 point differential, and head into a stretch of games that could see them emerge on the other side with one of the best records in the NFL. Their next 5 opponents are: Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, and New England Patriots. After a difficult date with the Arizona Cardinals, they get back to some good matchups with the Washington Football Team, Miami Dolphins, and Falcons again.

That being said, this could be a huge year for Carolina, as long as they stay vigilant about keeping the good things going and fixing any of their shortcomings along the way. Here are 3 of those key takeaways they'll need to help them, all based on their recent performance against the Cowboys.

1. DJ Moore is a bonafide star

It's been a weird year so far for receiving leaders, as Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams find themselves among Deebo Samuel, DJ Moore, and Cooper Kupp as the top 5 in yardage. Make no mistake, though – all 5 of these receivers have always had the talent to thrive. It seems it's just now, though, that for Moore in particular, he's finally found the right situation to make the jump from a very good receiver into the NFL's elite. He's caught at least 8 balls in 3 games so far, and has not gone under 79 yard receiving either. And now, with consecutive 100-yard performances, he's especially hot and doesn't show any signs of slowing down as he continues to familiarize himself with new quarterback Sam Darnold. He's here to stay.

2. Sam Darnold was never the problem in NY

Darnold made a couple ill-advised throws that turned into interceptions on Sunday, but with the way Dallas CB Trevon Diggs has been playing, it almost seemed inevitable. Diggs has 5 interceptions through the first 4 games, with at least one in each.

Despite those mistakes, Darnold played with ferocity and grit, showing that the Panthers offense is capable of kicking into high gear at any moment. He threw TDs and ran for 2 as well – his league-leading 4th and 5th rushing touchdowns. Darnold is not only an above average passer, but he's also an incredible goal-line weapon whose skillset is made for turning good drives into touchdown drives. It's rare to find those types of players, and, once Christian McCaffrey returns, the Panthers will be a headache to try to stop.

3. The defense still has work to do

Though there was plenty of good to see in a game where the Panthers were without their best player, they still gave up 36 points. The Cowboys cut through them easily, both on the ground and through the air, and showed that the same Carolina D that allowed an average of exactly 10 points through 3 games can certainly be exposed against the upper echelon of NFL offenses. The Panthers need to generate more pressure and get more push at the point of attack. If that can happen, this team could be a real contender.