The Cheeseheads will be out en masse when the Dallas Cowboys head north to play the Green Bay Packers at storied Lambeau Field in primetime Sunday night on NBC.
The team is coming off a horrific loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Thursday, who came to AT&T Stadium with a 0-4 record. Kansas rookie Jalon Daniels was making just his second NFL start, as Baker Mayfield is still dealing with a thumb injury.
Bucky Irving and company gashed a porous Cowboys defense, gaining 241 yards on the ground and 420 total yards. Now, the team will look to rebound in one of the most difficult places to play in the league.
Here are some fairly obvious things that the well-rested Cowboys need to improve upon to avoid dropping to 2-4, with ex-star rusher Micah Parsons looking on from the sideline as he rehabs an ACL tear.
3 big keys for the Cowboys to beat the Packers and getting back to 3-3 on the season
1. The front seven on defense have got to tackle better
The Cowboys' run defense ranks near or at the bottom seven in several metrics, including yards per rush (4.6), rate of zero/negative rush yard attempts (13%), rate of carries of five-plus yards (37%), yards after contact per rush (3.64), and missed tackles on rushes (29).
Obviously, all those numbers are concerning, but the 29 missed tackles is absolutely insane. This is an indictment on all 11defenders, but it points directly at guys like Dee Winters, Jaishawn Barham, Rashan Gary, and Quinnen Williams up front.
The linebackers have to wrap up in open space, and the interior of the line has to get the ball carrier to the ground at first contact. The 3-yard runs that are becoming 6-yard runs are devastating not only for getting off the field on 3rd down, but also for ball control. Against Tampa, they held the ball for just over 20 minutes while the Bucs had possession for close to 40 minutes.
Mike Pettine has been brought in as a senior advisor to Christian Parker, so we'll see if the defense looks any different on Sunday. If things don't get better soon, Parker will be squarely on the hot seat.
2. Get the run game going early and often against a vulnerable Packers front
With corners Keisean Nixon and Brandon Cisse alongside nickel back Javon Bullard and safeties Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams, the Packers are stout against the pass and will make chunk plays difficult.
Highly scrutinized playcaller and head coach Brian Schottenheimer has to feed Javonte Williams and company early and make the Packers prove that they can stop the Cowboys' rushing attack. Green Bay ranks 24th against the run, giving up 127 yards per game. If they can soften up the Packers' front, that will help Dak Prescott get the ball downfield to CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Jake Ferguson.
3. Get pressure on Jordan Love
This is applicable to almost every game every Sunday, but making Love uncomfortable in the pocket makes him a far less accurate and dangerous passer to the trio of Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Tucker Kraft. If he has time, he will carve up the Dallas secondary. Last week in a 31-7 bludgeoning of the Bears, a virtually untouched Love completed 25-of-31 passes for a staggering 367 yards.
He is deadly on point when he is allowed to scan the field and make his way through his progressions. The 6th-year pro out of Utah State is third in the NFL with 1,408 passing yards and 10 TDs against just 3 picks. But if you get him off schedule, his QBR drops to 95.5, which ranks 20th in the league.
The Packers have reshuffled their offensive line recently, inserting former Cowboys practice squad left guard Laken Tomlinson in week 3 and 2024 sixth-round draft pick Travis Glover at right guard in week 4. They have been decent in pass protection so far, but they are inexperienced and can be taken advantage of. Quinnen Williams, Otito Ogbonnia, and Kenny Clark must impose their will and wear down the young interior of the Pack's O-Line.
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