The Packers are about to get their biggest test yet in this stretch, and Sunday night should tell us plenty about how real this run is.
Green Bay has spent the last two weeks taking care of backup quarterbacks, but Dak Prescott and the Cowboys bring a different kind of problem to Lambeau. Dallas is coming off a rough home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so there’s no question they’ll show up with something to prove. Even so, the oddsmakers have Green Bay laying only 1.5 points, which tells you this one is being treated as a true coin flip.
If these three bold calls land, that number will look way too small.
Lukas Van Ness is due to make some noise off the edge, and this feels like the spot for it. He hasn’t recorded a sack over the last three games, but the Packers’ pass rush was lively last week against Tyson Bagent, piling up four sacks and 10 quarterback hits.
Prescott is a much tougher assignment, though even he has been unusually hard to sack this season, giving up just six sacks on 192 pass attempts. Still, this is the kind of statement game Van Ness needs.
With Micah Parsons not back yet, Green Bay needs someone else to keep applying pressure, and Van Ness has the chance to be that guy. Three sacks is the swing-for-the-fences prediction here.
Tucker Kraft is another player who looks positioned for a breakout night. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden both topped 100 receiving yards against the Chicago Bears, and the passing game looked sharp across the board.
Now the Packers draw a Cowboys defense that has been vulnerable through the air, especially against tight ends, having allowed the sixth-most yards per target to the position. Kraft is coming off a strong showing of his own, with five catches for 64 yards, and this feels like the game where he grabs the spotlight.
A 100-yard outing is in play.
The last prediction goes to the ground game, where Green Bay badly needs a spark. The Packers’ season high in rushing yards is only 86, which came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers two weeks ago.
That’s not enough, and this matchup gives them a shot to fix it. If there’s ever been a chance for the backs to find some rhythm, this is it, and MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson have the chance to be part of a much better showing.
Green Bay hitting 130 rushing yards as a team would be the kind of step forward this offense has been waiting for.
In Other News...
Packers Defense Suddenly Looks Thin At The Worst Possible Time
The injury report landed at a tricky time for Green Bay, which is trying to get through Week 6 with its defense already under pressure. Nose tackle Jonathan Ford and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste are among the players ruled out, and receiver Skyy Moore will also miss the game, leaving the Packers to sort through some real depth concerns before facing the Cowboys.
The problems are most pronounced in the secondary, where the Packers can least afford to be stretched thin. Keisean Nixon is expected to play, but Brandon Cisse remains questionable, along with defensive tackle Anthony Campbell and wide receiver Savion Williams, so Green Bay is still waiting on a few key decisions before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Face A Risky WR Trade Debate As Injuries Keep Mounting
The Packers have steadied themselves lately, but the injury pileup at wide receiver has still left the roster with a familiar question: whether to stand pat or look for help. With the group thinned out, any trade chatter around a receiver feels more relevant than it might have a few weeks ago, especially for a team trying to keep its recent momentum intact while protecting its depth.
One name floating around is a young pass catcher whose NFL start has been uneven, which is exactly why this kind of discussion is tricky. Green Bay can use the conversation as a reminder of how thin the margin is at receiver, but it also has reason to be careful about paying meaningful draft capital for a player who has not yet put it all together. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Tough O-Line Decision To Make
Laken Tomlinson has given the Packers something they did not necessarily expect when the left guard spot opened up: steady play and a cleaner pocket for the offense. Through two starts at the position, he has fit in well enough to help stabilize the line, and Green Bay has noticed the difference as it continues to sort out its best five up front.
Now Aaron Banks is back on the practice field, and the timing creates a real decision for the Packers as they get ready for Sunday night against the Cowboys. Banks had been the starter at left guard before the injury, but with Tomlinson holding his own, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich called the choice upon Banks' return an interesting one, which is exactly the kind of competition a team wants even if it leaves a difficult call to make. [Read more 🡒]