The Dallas Cowboys dropped to 2-3 after a disappointing loss to Tampa Bay, and things don’t get any easier with a trip to Lambeau Field. But Green Bay isn’t unbeatable. The Packers are 3-2, but have major injuries on defense, and some of their weaknesses match up well with what Dallas needs most.
One reason to stay optimistic is the fact Green Bay’s biggest defensive weapons may still be unavailable. Former Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons has not yet been medically cleared to practice as he continues
recovering from knee surgery. Matt LaFleur said Monday that Parsons is getting closer, but he will still need time to get back into football shape once cleared.
Missing Parsoms is obviously a huge boost for a Dallas offensive line that struggled badly with Tampa Bay’s pressure.
But the injuries don’t end there. The Packers have already lost linebacker Edgerrin Cooper for the season with an Achilles injury. Now defensive tackle Javon Hargrave has suffered the same fate and will also miss the rest of the year. Green Bay is already thin at defensive tackle, with Warren Brinson still on injured reserve.
That gives Dallas an opportunity to attack the middle of the defense with Javonte Williams.
And sticking with Williams, he’s having a hot scoring start to the season having already scored six rushing touchdowns in five games, including five over the last three weeks.
Green Bay has allowed 638 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns this season. Only the New Orleans Saints have allowed more rushing touchdowns so far this year and Green Bay ranks 26th in rushing yards allowed. Dallas needs to get back to running the football consistently rather than putting everything on Dak Prescott. This looks like a good week to do it.
Conversely, on the other side, Dallas has also struggled badly against the run. But Green Bay enters the game with only 302 rushing yards through five games, the lowest total in the NFL and are averaging just 3.1 yards per carry. They only scored its first two rushing touchdowns of the season against Chicago last Sunday, making them one of the most ineffective rushing teams in the league right now. Dallas desperately needs an opponent that doesn’t dominate on the ground and the Packers provide exactly that.
As for the passing game, we saw CeeDee Lamb leaving the Tampa Bay game early, but George Pickens stepped right up.
Pickens caught nine passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, his first 100-yard performance of the season. He has now produced 287 receiving yards over the last three games. That gives Prescott another weapon regardless of how much Lamb can do coming off his quad injury. Green Bay cannot simply focus all of its coverage on Lamb.
There is finally some encouraging news regarding the team getting stronger. It is possible we could see DeMarvion Overshown make an appearance soon.
Overshown returned to individual work this week and said he feels capable of running and moving normally again. His status remains uncertain, but he is hopeful of returning against Green Bay after missing four games with a hamstring injury.
Dallas added veteran coach Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant which is extremely important for this week’s game. Pettine previously served as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, meaning he knows Matt LaFleur and the Packers organization extremely well. That familiarity certainly doesn’t hurt when Dallas is desperately searching for defensive answers.
The Cowboys ahve a chance this week, they jsut need to seize it.
