ARLINGTON, Texas — The Green Bay Packers outlasted the Dallas Cowboys 34-24 in Sunday night’s NFC matchup. The Cowboys are now 3-2 after losing two-straight games.
Dallas played uninspired in the first half and could not get into a rhythm. The Cowboys’ offense had two successful drives nullified by interceptions and a missed field goal attempt to end the second quarter with 0 points on the scoreboard.
Dallas’ defense could not stop the run and the Packers’ dynamic back Aaron Jones scored back-to-back rushing touchdowns on consecutive drives. New Green Bay head coach and play caller Matt LaFleur used Jones in a similar way he weaponized Todd Gurley with the L.A. Rams. Jones finished with four touchdowns and totaled 19 receptions for 107 yards against the Cowboys’ defense.
The Cowboys got into a rhythm in the second half. Dak Prescott connected with Michael Gallup on a 40-yard pass and catch that shifted the momentum and spired the fight. The team totaled 10 points in the third and 14 in the fourth to come within a 10-point margin, but overall the Cowboys beat themselves with penalties. They amassed 11 for 124 yards and were 2-8 in third down efficiency.
Prescott finished the game completing 27 of 44 attempts for 463 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Amari Cooper led the team in receiving yards with 11 receptions for 226 yards, a 20.5 average after the catch, and a touchdown. Jaire Alexander was persistent in coverage but Cooper outsmarted him on several plays gaining separation. A prime example, Cooper’s spin move; he left Alexander behind him to complete the 53-yard pass from Prescott for the touchdown.
Following the game Cooper stated, “ It’s humbling. It’s a good thing that it’s kind of early in the season and we can go back to the drawing board, go back to practice this week and really refocus and do the things we have to do so that this won’t happen to us again, because anytime you fall back early in the game it’s just difficult to overcome.”
The Cowboys were resilient in the second half and if the team had started the first quarter playing the way they ended the ballgame, they would have come out on top.
