Green Bay will host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6 on Sunday Night Football.
Packers offense vs. Cowboys defense
Green Bay’s offense entered play on Sunday as a group that was more reputation than substance.
For all the fanfare coming into the season surrounding their quarterback and receiving corps, they’d never scored more than 22 points in a game during the season.
Like their defense, the offense got off to a fast start with a 91-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a 42-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Christian Watson to give them an early 7-0 lead.
After a Xavier McKinney interception, the Packers paid off that drive with a touchdown to make the score 14-0.
The fast start ended there. The Packers went three-and-out on two of their final three possessions. The third possession was a disaster where Love was sacked twice and the Packers were penalized once before going into the half.
A fast start was not fully wasted, but it was a met with a messy finish. The Packers led 14-7 at halftime with a chance to exorcise some demons.
Christian Watson did his part. A 53-yard touchdown gave the Packers a chance to open the scoring in the second half. Watson has been excellent this season, and proving worth the contract extension the Packers gave him in the offseason.
Green Bay’s offense passed the 22 point mark for the first time this season, tearing apart the Chicago secondary throughout the game, and exploding above the 30 point mark for the first time this season.
Dallas’ defense made a lot of changes after a season without Micah Parsons resulted in disaster.
They fired their defensive coordinator and hired Christian Parker from Philadelphia to run their defense. They added Ohio State safety Caleb Downs in the first round of April’s draft, and the buzz surrounding their defense was they were supposed to be better.
They have not been. Dallas’ defense is far and away the weak point of their team, and they struggled again Oct. 8 against Jalon Daniels.
Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham has given them a spark in the middle of their defense, but they’re still very limited on playmakers.
As a result, Dallas’ defense ranks 31 st in the NFL in total defense. If there were ever a week for the Packers offense to light up the scoreboard, this would be the one.
Packers defense vs. Cowboys offense
Green Bay’s defense has quite the challenge in front of them. They have to navigate the rest of the season without one of their best defensive players. Edgerrin Cooper missed Sunday’s game against Chicago after suffering a torn Achilles.
Micah Parsons is not going to be back this week. He is starting to ramp up, but his return to the field is still not solidified at this time.
Sunday against Chicago, they started fast, forcing the Bears into a quick punt on the strength of Devonte Wyatt’s first sack of the season.
The fast start did not stop there as Xavier McKinney intercepted Tyson Bagent on Chicago’s next possession.
Chicago found its rhythm after McKinney’s interception, pulling with 14-7 at halftime. Green Bay’s pass rush did not do a ton to affect Tyson Bagent, but ultimately facing a backup quarterback was enough of a balancing act for the lack of a pass rush.
That rhythm was short lived. McKinney was dominant, looking like his 2024 self with two interceptions, leading the Green Bay secondary against a backup quarterback. That gives McKinney three picks this season, which surpasses his total from the 2025 season.
The Dallas offense is powerful and capable of putting up points at any minute. Dak Prescott is surrounded by weapons with George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb forming one of the top wide receiver duos in the NFL.
Javonte Williams has given them a little bit of juice in the run game. Dallas did plenty against Green Bay’s defense last year when they had Parsons on the field. Prescott torched Green Bay’s defense for 40 points and nearly ran in for the go-ahead score in overtime.
Instead, Green Bay and Dallas settled for a tie. Prescott has had plenty of experience and success against Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Special teams
Dallas’ special teams has one of the top kickers in all of football with Brandon Aubrey, who is in scoring position as soon as the ball crosses the 50 yard line.
Their return game has KaVontae Turpin, who has some juice and is able to take the ball the distance. He did struggle last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a costly fumble that resulted in points for the Bucs.
Green Bay’s special teams has been solid if unspectacular this season. The emergence of Trey Smack as a weapon at kicker, and Skyy Moore providing competence in the return game has given them a baseline of at least average play.
Moore did leave Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, and Matthew Golden replaced him as a punt returner. That’s a situation worth monitoring this week. Smack also missed another PAT, which is the only type of kick he had missed that wasn’t blocked thus far as a rookie. He did miss his first field goal when a 43-yard attempt late in the game was pushed to the left.
Green Bay’s kick coverage was punishing Chicago’s return game with two big hits from Kamal Hadden but also gave up a 60-yard-return after the game was in hand, so there are still some things to work on.
Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson was brought back down to earth after a 31-7 loss to Green Bay. He needs quarterback Caleb Williams back on the field. (Greg Mellis | Green & Gold Express)
