The Green Bay Packers were able to overcome another performance featuring drops and penalties, using a fast start and a dominant effort defensively to take down the visiting Dallas Cowboys by a 23-13 final score on Sunday night at Lambeau Field.
Five stats that tell the story of the Packers' primetime win over the Cowboys:
1. Packers keep Lamb and Pickens under wraps
Dak Prescott dropped back to pass 54 times, and he targeted his dynamic receiver duo -- CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens -- 29 times. While Lamb and Pickens finished with 15 catches and 143 receiving yards, the Packers defense won the battle. Prescott averaged only 4.9 yards per attempt, threw both of his interceptions and had a 37.0 passer rating when targeting Lamb and Pickens on Sunday night.
2. Three first half drives were enough
The Packers had four first half
possessions, and three ended in scores after long, sustained drives. In creating a 17-0 lead across the three drives, the Packers offense ran 38 plays, drove 240 yards and held the ball for over 16 minutes of game time. Green Bay converted nine third downs during the first half, and Jordan Love completed 14 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. The Packers offense sputtered in the second half, but the three drives early were more than enough considering how well the defense played throughout.
3. Big stops
The Cowboys had six drives advancing to at least midfield but managed only two scores and 13 points. The Packers intercepted Dak Prescott twice inside their own 30-yard line and twice stopped the Cowboys on fourth down, including a 4th-and-11 stop from the 14-yard line. Evan Williams' first half interception of Prescott came after Jordan Love was intercepted, preventing what could have been a big momentum change, and Brandon Cisse was the beneficiary of CeeDee Lamb slipping down on the first play after the two-minute warning with the Packers leading 10-0. Dallas had chances but the Packers defense was up to the task when playing on their side of the field.
4. Big drops
The Packers dropped 92 yards of would-be touchdown passes from Jordan Love, creating missed opportunities that allowed the Cowboys to hang around. Matthew Golden dropped what should have been 43-yard and 23-yard touchdown passes, while Christian Watson dropped what should have been a 26-yard touchdown pass. After two of the drops, the Packers had to settle for field goals. The Packers could have easily finished with 31 or more points and created another blowout win had they held onto the football better in the passing game.
5. So many penalties
The contest featured 22 accepted penalties -- 11 for each team -- and over 200 yards worth of penalties. The Packers were the beneficiary of a 37-yard defensive pass interference penalty that helped set up a touchdown in the first half. But the offense's first drive of the second half short-circuited immediately after a holding penalty on 1st-and-10, and the Packers defense committed five different penalties on two fourth quarter drives, including two negating stops, although both penalties were questionable. Sunday night was a sloppy game on both sides. But the Cowboys were mostly unable to take advantage when the Packers didn't play clean.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers beat Cowboys: 5 stats that tell the story of 23-13 win
