Packers look to rediscover their D in Big D
The Green Bay Packers hit the road for the first time since their first game as they visit AT&T Stadium to take on the Dallas Cowboys.
Both teams are 3-1 but coming off losses. The Packers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 34-27 in their Thursday night game while the Cowboys didn’t allow a touchdown on the road to the New Orleans Saints but ended up losing 12-10 last Sunday night.
The Cowboys have one of the better offenses in the league when they are at their best. Dak Prescott had three great games in their wins but struggled in their loss to the Saints. Ezekiel Elliott got held in check by the Saints, so he is probably looking to have a monster game which he is more than capable of doing. Amari Cooper came to the Cowboys last year in a trade with the Oakland Raiders. Former Packer Randall Cobb still has the skills and although he says that this is just another game, we all know better. The key to slowing down this offense is to stop the run, something the Packers have struggled to do their last two games. Put the ball in Dak’s hands and force him to make plays. It will require all 11 Packer defenders to be on the same page at the same time in order to keep this offense in check.
Aaron Rodgers put up some decent passing numbers in their loss to the Eagles, but it was the plays he didn’t make that were talked about. They had a first-and-goal at the one-yard line and passed the ball all four times, failing all four times. They need to at least try to run the ball. Jamaal Williams might be out with a concussion so it means that Aaron Jones will likely get the bulk of the carries. Davante Adams probably will not play even though Rodgers is not ruling it out completely. It will take a group effort from guys like Jake Kumerow, Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jimmy Graham. It would help out a lot if Graham can break out and have a huge game. Rodgers has had monster performances in the past after the doubters came out in droves. I remember a Sunday night game at Houston in 2012. The Packers were 2-3 but Rodgers silenced the critics that night with six touchdown passes and a win. Perhaps we will see a similar performance. You never know with Rodgers.
Even though both teams are 3-1, it seems like the games each team lost exposed many weaknesses on their roster. Two of the Cowboys’ three wins came against teams that are still winless, the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins. Dak Prescott is looking for a huge contract extension and after three games, it seemed like he was going to get just that, and then the Saints’ defense held them down.
Meanwhile, the Packers were making headlines with their defense after the first three games, and then the Eagles ran all over them. Carson Wentz played mistake-free football and just like that, the defense now has to come out and prove that their first three games aren’t a fluke.
Both teams have a good history of winning championships and they have developed quite a rivalry over the years, but a lot of fans were not even born or don’t even remember the last time the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. The Packers have yet to lose at AT&T Stadium, winning there 4 times, including Super Bowl XLV. The Cowboys have a longer championship drought but both of these proud franchises desperately want to claim another Vince Lombardi Trophy sooner rather than later.
This game will not be easy for the Packers to win but they have overcome the odds before, especially at AT&T Stadium. All the Packers need to worry about is going out there on Sunday and dominating, especially at the line of scrimmage. It will be a battle out there but I think the Packers are ready to get back in the win column. I think the Packers will make enough plays to come out on top in this matchup. Wherever you are, let’s cheer the Packers to victory on Sunday. I am sure that there will be a large group of Packer fans at AT&T Stadium. Let’s give them all something to cheer about.
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
