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The Green Bay Packers claimed their third straight win on Sunday Night Football, topping the Dallas Cowboys 23-13 at Lambeau Field to move to 4-2 on the season.
Defense Makes a Statement
Jonathan Gannon's defensive unit turned in a masterful performance, leaving Dak Prescott guessing all night. In a game many expected to be a high-scoring affair, Gannon's scheme—reminiscent of Brian Flores's aggressive style—kept the Cowboys quarterback off balance. The Packers' defenders consistently pressured Prescott, and the secondary held its own against CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and then some. This matchup was viewed as a litmus test for whether Green Bay's defense is truly postseason-caliber, and the answer appears to be a resounding yes.
Love and LaFleur Deliver Again
While the offense was far from flawless, Jordan Love commanded the huddle and made plays when needed, and Matt LaFleur's play-calling kept the chains moving. The offensive line remains a concern and regressed from recent showings; it may be time for Kevin Zeitler to step into the lineup next week in Detroit. The run game was again absent, largely due to the line's struggles, but Love's performance made those issues moot, and his stat line could have been even more impressive.
Drops Remain an Issue
Love's numbers were dampened by several key drops. Matthew Golden let two potential touchdowns slip through his hands—though the Packers scored on one of those drives anyway—and Christian Watson also dropped a pass. The mistakes didn't prove costly on this night, as the offense's explosiveness has often compensated for such errors this season, but they remain a problem that needs cleaning up.
Trey Smack Rights the Ship
After a shaky outing at Lambeau Field a week earlier, and with windy conditions again in play, Trey Smack delivered a crucial rebound, converting every kick. The rookie is likely to experience ups and downs, but the Packers showed confidence in him, and he rewarded that faith on Sunday night. The hope is that he builds on this performance moving forward.
Referees Are Bad
For the second time this season, the officiating crew threatened to overshadow a strong defensive effort. Craig Wrolstad's crew extended multiple Cowboys drives with questionable roughing-the-passer calls and other nebulous penalties. They also negated what would have been a highlight-reel interception by Carrington Valentine, flagging Lukas Van Ness for a light push on Prescott—a play that occurs routinely in an average NFL game. The officiating league-wide has become egregiously poor, with referees inserting themselves into the action at every turn rather than letting obvious penalties stand, especially on third and fourth down. This epidemic must be addressed, as the refs nearly spoiled the Packers' victory celebration.
Originally reported by yahoo.