As the Dallas Cowboys take on the Green Bay Packers this weekend, the NFL world will be salivating at the thought of Micah Parsons putting his definitive stamp on one of the biggest trades in league history, leaving Jerry Jones looking foolish and Cowboys fans wallowing in misery.
That absolutely may happen. The Packers' defensive front is giving offensive coordinators around the NFL nightmares at the moment, and the addition of Parsons has been a major part of that.
But while Parsons will grab the headlines and attention on Sunday night, a different player could be set to swing the game. If receiver George Pickens is at his best, the Cowboys could pull off one of the biggest upsets of the young season.
George Pickens is key to a Cowboys upset over Packers in Week 4
The Cowboys are the underdogs in this game, as they should be. ESPN currently has the Packers as 6.5-point favorites. But, as the Cleveland Browns showed last week, Green Bay is beatable.
The Browns beat the Packers in shocking fashion, dropping one of the NFL's best squads to 2-1. They gave the rest of the league a blueprint for taking down the juggernaut, playing sound defense and limiting explosive plays.
The only problem is that the Cowboys don't have the players necessary to follow that blueprint. With one of the least talented defenses in professional football, they'll have to resort to other methods if they hope to keep this game interesting. It may turn into a shootout, with Dak Prescott having to will Dallas to the unlikely victory.
That brings up yet another problem. Superstar receiver CeeDee Lamb is set to miss this game with an ankle injury suffered last week against the Chicago Bears. Pickens is set to step into a crucial role on Sunday, potentially deciding the outcome of the game with his performance.
If the Packers have one clear weakness on their roster, it's their cornerback position. Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and Nate Hobbs aren't necessarily names that instill confidence. They've played well so far this season, but they've been helped by the consistent pressure Green Bay's defensive line has been able to bring. If opposing offenses can get the ball out quickly, these cornerbacks can be beaten.
Pickens will need to thrive in one-on-one situations, making contested catches and creating big plays after the catch. Prescott hasn't been shy about targeting his new receiver so far this year, but he'll have to rely on him even more in this game. There's a very real chance Pickens gets healthy double-digit passes thrown his way on Sunday. If he can win the majority of those plays, the Cowboys could be set to steal a win over Micah Parsons' new squad.