Leading up to Panthers-Cowboys, no one gave the 10-0 Panthers a whole lot of respect. One Las Vegas sportsbook even opened its betting with the Cowboys favored. Josh Norman vehemently disagrees with anyone who bet against Carolina. 

And after putting Dez Bryant on lockdown (eight targets, two catches, 26 yards, no impact on the game) he let the world know, including telling the Cowboys they should "get Dez' 70 mil back." 

According to Norman, Bryant showed up to the Panthers pregame huddle, started asking for Norman and sent the defensive back to a "dark place." 

"They came back, told me, I put my thinking cap on and I went to work," Norman said. "I went to a dark place. I went to the bat cave. I went Dark Knight on him. The thing is, the crazy thing about all that is, he started from the first play and after that, it was nothing. There's no pact between lions and men between the white lines. None. And if my intensity is all out four quarters and the other opponent is not, that's not my fault."

Norman was FAR from done, going off on Bryant and throwing up Dez' signature "X" to the Cowboys crowd at one point in time.

"I guess that was the fans, they were picking him in the fantasy league," Norman said. "I mean I guess that they thought he was going to have a big day and it didn't happen. It is what it is.

"I didn't plan it, it was just something that happened. I've seen him on TV do it. I've seen him do it to DBs, people that obviously he was bullying. But when he got a dog in his face, obviously we saw what that looked like and what happened today."

You could say Norman's trash talk is too aggressive, except he's kind of earned whatever he does because he's been outstanding this season in terms of locking down defenders.

Unfortunately this isn't likely a rivalry we're going to see continued into the postseason.

Norman is not a fan of Bryant. (USATSI)