3 reasons the Cowboys don’t have to worry about the Packers

It feels like an eternity since the Dallas Cowboys won their third straight game, putting up nearly 50 points on the Chicago Bears in Week 8. Now, two weeks later, Dallas will travel north to face a rival in the slumping Green Bay Packers.

The Packers have won three consecutive division titles, have the back-to-back reigning MVP, and one of the most talented defenses in the NFC. When you consider all of these things, it is simply hard to believe Green Bay is sitting at 3-6.

The Packers enter their matchup with the Cowboys on a five-game losing streak, the longest active streak in the NFL. The most recent defeat, a 15-9 loss to the Lions, also included a collection of injuries and mishaps by Aaron Rodgers.

All of these facts are good news for Dallas. The bad news, however? Their history with the Packers, especially in recent years, has been rocky. From the playoff losses to the last-second defeats, Cowboys fans will never take the Packers lightly, no matter their record.

Despite being the betting favorite, many are skeptical if this Dallas team can really pull it off. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three key reasons the Cowboys don’t have to worry about the Packers in Week 10.

3 reasons the Cowboys don’t have to worry about the Packers

3. Well Rested vs Beat Up

To say the Packers are struggling with injuries would be the understatement of the century, and last week just added to their ridiculous injury report. From stars to depth pieces, almost every Packer is injured to some degree.

On the flip side, the Cowboys are coming off a full week of much-needed rest and healing from previous injuries. They are poised to get players like Sam Williams and Malik Hooker back, while potentially getting Ezekiel Elliott back on the field as well.

These two teams are on opposite sides of the health spectrum, to put it bluntly. The Packers have a staggering 17 players on the injury report as of Wednesday, and they have officially lost star pass-rusher, Rashan Gary, for the rest of the season from a torn ACL.

Not only is the injury difference a major player here, but the Cowboys are also fresh off their bye week, while Green Bay plays their 10th consecutive game. In fact, the Packers don’t get a break until Week 14, while facing tough teams like the Titans and Eagles in the process.

The health of both teams, or lack thereof in the case of the Packers, will play a huge role on Sunday. If both teams play their best, it is hard to see a world where the Cowboys lose simply because of the talent missing for Green Bay this week.

2. The Rodgers Regression.

While it may seem crazy to say the back-to-back NFL MVP has regressed or is “over the hill”, both the statistics and on-field performance of Rodgers are showing a very different quarterback than in years past.

The 38-year-old QB is coming off his worst game in years and has been in a kind of accuracy slump we have rarely seen from him. Last week in Detroit, Rodgers threw three interceptions, completed just 23/43 passes, and finished with a QBR of 53.5, while facing perhaps the worst defense in the entire league.

Now, we can’t be naive. It is very easy to imagine a scenario where Rodgers dials back in right as the Cowboys come to town and he delivers a classic performance that ends in a Packers victory.

That said, right now the fact remains he is not playing at his usual standard, and with a lack of receivers and a deadly Dallas defense coming in hungry, there could be trouble on the horizon for the veteran quarterback.

If the Cowboys want to walk away with a tough road victory this week, they need to do their best to keep Rodgers in check, and maybe force a few extra turnovers while they are at it…

1. Dallas Is The Better Team.

The old saying of any team can win on any given Sunday is true, and that certainly remains true for Green Bay this week. But we cannot ignore the stark differences between the talent level and the recent performance of both teams. In both of those categories, the Cowboys win without debate.

Dallas stands at 6-2, even after missing their quarterback for five weeks. Green Bay is a 3-6 team that hasn’t played well even when healthy, and now they are far from that.

With over a week to prepare, injuries clearing up, and the Packers on the decline there is no question which team has the momentum and advantage heading into this week. The Cowboys have more pure talent and able bodies as they head up north.

The energy Dallas is bringing into games is contagious, and you could sense that all the way back to August during the preseason. Green Bay on the other hand is simply a different story. Morale seems low, intensity is down, mistakes are frequent and the offense looks out of wack.

As I said, you can’t count the Packers out solely because of these things, but when you really break things down there are very few reasons to be seriously concerned about this matchup.

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