Frank Schwab Senior writer Updated Mon, October 19, 2026 at 5:14 AM UTC About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this story The Dallas Cowboys might be in trouble. If the offense is going to be a problem, it's going to be a very long season in Dallas.
After five games, it was clear the Cowboys' defense was an issue; it ranked near or at the bottom of the league in many key statistics. But the thought was the Cowboys could outscore enough opponents to remain afloat in a bad NFC East.
The Cowboys' defense showed improvement Sunday night at the Green Bay Packers, but the offense was horrible, and the Cowboys lost their second straight game. Dak Prescott took plenty of punishment from a blitz-heavy game plan by Green Bay, and the offense was stuck most of the night. There were no big plays and very few points for Dallas as Green Bay breezed its way to a 23-13 win. The Cowboys were stuck on seven points until scoring a touchdown with 44 seconds left.
Green Bay Packers' Evan Williams stops Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott during Sunday night's game. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
The Packers have looked much better the last two weeks after a lukewarm start to the season. Their defense has played better, and Jordan Love is on a hot streak. Love had a tremendous night, navigating regular pressure to generate big plays. The Packers are 4-2, which is a great start for them considering some of the early-season struggles.
The Cowboys can't be as optimistic. They're 2-4, and after two straight troubling performances by the offense, their hole is becoming bigger.
It had been a long time since the Cowboys had a first half as bad as Sunday night.
Dallas hadn't been shut out in the first half since Week 9 of the 2021 season, but that streak ended Sunday night. It was the fourth-longest streak of not being shut out in the first half, at 86 games, according to NBC.
Two interceptions contributed to the Cowboys getting shut out before halftime. One came a play after Dak Prescott took a huge hit and stayed down for a few moments. The other was after CeeDee Lamb slipped, planting his foot on a slant, and rookie Brandon Cisse had an easy pick.
The Packers led 17-0, and it could have been worse. Matthew Golden, who caught the first touchdown of the game, had two more would-be touchdowns that he couldn't haul in. One was a particularly bad drop on a perfect deep pass by Love that went through his hands. In the third quarter, Christian Watson also had a dropped pass in the end zone on a nice throw from Love.
The Packers left points on the board, but they still led by 17 points at the half because the Cowboys' offense was uncharacteristically quiet. And Dallas wasn't much better in the second half.
The Cowboys' defense wasn't bad on Sunday night, by its standard from the first five games. The Packers couldn't run the ball, though that's not unusual this season. There was a good amount of pressure on Love. After giving up 17 points in the first half, the Cowboys kept the Packers out of the end zone in the second half. The Cowboys expect to win when the defense plays at that level.
On Sunday night, it didn't matter because the offense was poor. There was constant pressure on Prescott. The Packers blitzed often, and Dallas couldn't generate any big plays against it. Dallas didn't have a pass play longer than 17 yards until a 21-yard gain by George Pickens in the final two minutes, when Dallas trailed by 16. The Cowboys didn't have a single run longer than eight yards, either.
The Packers deserve credit for Dallas' issues; it seems Green Bay has figured some things out. It has looked like a different team the past two weeks. And star defensive end Micah Parsons will soon make his season debut after tearing his ACL late last season.
Dallas needs to figure out both sides of the ball now. The defense showed some good signs for the first time this season, but it will still be a work in progress. The offense wasn't expected to be an issue, but it followed up a middling performance with a much worse game at Green Bay.
A couple of weeks ago, the Packers looked like the team whose season might surprisingly go south early. They've made adjustments. Now, it's the Cowboys who might be worried about where their season is headed.
The Packers have closed the 10-point win out, and they have now won three in a row.
They're at 4-2 on the year. The Cowboys, on the other hand, have lost two straight and sit at just 2-4.
It's way too late to matter, but the Cowboys have found the end zone again. After scrambling, Dak Prescott found Ryan Flournoy.
But the 2-point conversion failed. So the Packers lead 23-13 with 44 seconds left.
Dallas forced a quick punt, but it'll get the ball back down 23-7 without any timeouts and just 3:01 left on the clock. We're still done here.
And that should just about do it. The Packers forced a wild throw from Dak Prescott out of the back of the end zone there on fourth down, and they'll take over with about five minutes left.
The Cowboys converted on fourth down, and then Tyler Booker got called for a penalty that sparked a bit of a brawl.
The Dallas drive is still alive, but they had to back it up. Tensions are so high tonight at Lambeau all around.
Dak Prescott just got bailed out of what would've been his third interception of the night. Instead, a light roughing the passer penalty on Van Ness gave the Cowboys the first down.
They were stopped short of the end zone again, but a 29-yard field goal works just fine at this point.
Dallas nearly picked off Jordan Love there, and officials actually flipped the call twice, but DaRon Bland was not in bounds.
It's an incomplete pass, even after the confusing officiating.
Dak Prescott tried to fire it to CeeDee Lamb twice there, and they were off the mark both times. A brutal turnover on downs for the Cowboys, and the Packers will take over near midfield.
Dak Prescott found George Pickens there for a first down to end the quarter. The Cowboys still trail by 13, and could really use a touchdown here on this drive to stay in it.
Dallas has done it again. Kenny Clark just sacked Jordan Love there on third down to complete the three-and-out.
The Cowboys will get the ball back now with great field position.
The Cowboys picked up a first down early there, but that was it. They'll have to punt here with about 3:30 left in the third quarter, and will now need a stop here to stay alive.
Christian Watson dropped a sure touchdown there, and Dallas got the stop on third down again. That was at least the third dropped touchdown by a Green Bay wide receiver tonight.
So the Packers ended up drilling a 44-yard field goal, and their lead is 13 now with 5:02 left in the third.
Joey Porter has been great tonight, and just came up with a huge pass deflection to stop another deep ball intended for Golden on third down.
But the Packers converted on fourth down anyways, so their drive continues.
Finally, the Cowboys have found the end zone. Javonte Williams punched it in after a very productive drive, and it's now just a 10-point game early in the third quarter.
That was Williams' seventh rushing touchdown of the season.
The Cowboys just converted on fourth down to keep their drive alive, thanks to a 17-yard toss to CeeDee Lamb. They're moving again here, and are almost to the red zone.
That was the perfect start for the Cowboys defense. After an early holding call backed the Packers up, Dallas forced a quick three-and-out in less than a minute and will get the ball back.
Now we'll see if they can get points on the board.
The Packers have dominated so far tonight in Green Bay, and they're going to get the ball back to start the third quarter, too. A touchdown there would break this thing wide open.
Jordan Love kept it himself there, and the Packers are now going to take a 17-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. What a start in Green Bay.
Source: Sports
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