The Green Bay Packers are still basking in the light of a 31-7 win over the rival Chicago Bears on Sunday at Lambeau Field. Wearing their "Rivalries" alternate uniform for the first time, Matt LaFleur's team raced out to a 14-0 lead and then slammed the door shut on the Bears with a 17-0 finish in the second half. No comebacks. No drama. Just domination, really from start to finish.
But life in the NFL moves at hyper speed, and another big matchup looms for the Packers in Week 6. Coming to Green Bay for "Sunday Night Football" will be the Dallas Cowboys, and with them comes a bunch of tasty storylines.
Five early storylines to watch for Packers-Cowboys:
1. Can Packers avoid a letdown game?
The Packers just poured their hearts and souls into beating the Bears in what was likely an emotional
and taxing week for both players and coaches. And winning an important game over a divisional rival always makes it hard to turn the page to the next week, but the NFL stops for no one. Will the Packers suffer from any letdown symptoms? Playing the Cowboys in primetime at Lambeau Field should prevent some of the typical intangible factors from plaguing the Packers, but it's worth considering after a big win over the Bears.
2. Will rested Cowboys rebound?
Speaking of intangible factors, the Cowboys will not only be well rested after playing on Thursday night in Week 4, but they will be extra motivated after suffering a stunning home loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys come to Green Bay angry and motivated to play their best ball after a shocking loss. Nothing motivates better than embarrassment. Expect the Cowboys to play a lot better on Sunday night, at least on offense. The Micah Parson-less defense might be a lost cause.
3. No Parsons, but former Packers in the spotlight
Micah Parsons isn't ready to start practicing and won't play against his former team on Sunday night, but former Packers Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary will be in the spotlight for Dallas. Gary leads the Cowboys in pressures with 15 but has been typically inconsistent, while Clark, who is now 31, is starting to show real signs of decline. It will be interesting to see the level of effort the Cowboys get from Gary, who was traded to Dallas in the offseason. He did get his first sack since Week 8 of last season when he took down C.J. Stroud in Week 4.
4. Dynamic WR duos
One could argue, based on the first five weeks, that the two most dynamic wide receivers duos in football reside in Green Bay and Dallas. In primetime, it'll be Christian Watson (26 catches, 474 yards) and Matthew Golden (24 catches for 397 yards) versus CeeDee Lamb (39 catches for 507 yards) and George Pickens (27 catches for 355 yards). In a game that could feature a lot of points and passing, the better receiver duo might end up being the difference. Lamb is coming off an injury and a two-catch dud in Week 5. Also, Watson caught three touchdown passes from Aaron Rodgers in a 2022 overtime win over the Cowboys at Lambeau Field.
5. Rematch of thrilling tie
These two teams met in primetime last season and produced one of the most thrilling ties in NFL history. The two teams went back and forth, lighting up the scoreboard and eventually finishing in a 37-37 tie at the end of regulation and a 40-40 tie to end overtime. Brandon McManus made a field goal as time expired in overtime just one play after a frantic end-of-game sequence from Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love ended with one second left on the clock. Can the two teams provide a fitting encore on Sunday night at Lambeau Field? Points and drama are welcomed, but a winner would be preferred.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 5 early storylines to watch for Packers-Cowboys on 'SNF' in Week 6
