The Cowboys and Packers didn’t wait for kickoff to bring a little edge to Week 6.
Before Sunday night’s game in Green Bay, the two teams got into a heated exchange in one of the end zones, with several players on both sides getting involved. Video from the scene showed the teams meeting up before kickoff and plenty of words being exchanged, though no punches appeared to be thrown.
ESPN’s Todd Archer reported that Cowboys players including cornerback Joey Porter Jr., linebacker Jaishawn Barham, offensive tackle Broderick Jones and tight end Jake Ferguson were among those caught up in the pregame dust-up.
“A little dust up between the Cowboys and Packers at the end of pregame," Archer wrote. "Saw Joey Porter Jr. getting into it.
Maybe some Jaishawn Barham, Broderick Jones and Jake Ferguson too. Didn’t see any punches thrown.
Referees were able to break things up.”
Archer added that the confrontation happened about 26 minutes before kickoff.
Dallas comes into the matchup with some frustration of its own after a rough Week 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game in which the Cowboys stumbled badly against one of the NFL’s worst teams and an undrafted rookie quarterback. It has been 10 days since that defeat, and the Cowboys are eager to get back on the field.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said changes were coming in Week 6.
"I’m not going to get to a bunch of them. Obviously, there’s a competitive advantage.
But there’ll be some roster adjustments you guys will see. Some will be more noticeable than others, and some will be subtle as you look at it," Schottenheimer said, per Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com.
One of those moves is rookie edge rusher Malachi Lawrence moving into the starting lineup over Donovan Ezeiruaku. Schottenheimer had already indicated Lawrence could see more action this week, and that shift is now official.
Dallas also brought in former Packers coach Mike Pettine, who is working as a consultant alongside another former Packers coach, Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
The Cowboys are hoping those adjustments, plus whatever else they unveil, can help stabilize a defense that has been one of the league’s worst through five games.
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