The Green Bay Packers walk into Week 6 with a clear opening, and it doesn’t involve trying to rescue their ground game.
Dallas has been a mess against the run all season. The Cowboys enter the matchup having allowed the most rushing yards per game in the league, and whatever hope Jerry Jones had for a turnaround hasn’t materialized. Trading Micah Parsons didn’t exactly cure the problem, and adding defensive linemen Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams hasn’t changed the picture.
That would normally suggest an easy lane for an opponent to lean on the run. But the Packers are not built for that kind of plan right now. They come in as the league’s worst rushing offense by nearly 20 yards per game, and there’s little reason to think this is the week it suddenly comes alive.
Matt LaFleur already has a better answer: keep the ball in Jordan Love’s hands.
Love threw for 367 yards on 31 attempts in Week 5, and the Packers didn’t need to push the passing game even harder because they held a three-score lead for most of the fourth quarter. That performance showed exactly where Green Bay can hurt Dallas, and it’s not by grinding out carries from a backfield that hasn’t been productive.
The Packers’ running backs have offered very little. Against Chicago, the group totaled 64 rushing yards on 22 carries.
For the season, Green Bay is averaging 59 rushing yards per game at 3.4 yards per carry. Even against this Cowboys defense, that profile doesn’t suddenly scream breakout.
Josh Jacobs is coming off the Commissioner’s Exempt List, but he won’t be eligible until next week. MarShawn Lloyd flashed with a pair of rushing touchdowns in Week 5, and those runs were impressive enough to make you pause.
Then the rest of the stat line hits you: 10 carries for 31 yards. On the year, he’s averaging under three yards a rush.
Kaleb Johnson avoided a fumble last week, which counts for something. He also didn’t get his first touch until the second half, which tells you plenty about where he stands.
Pierre Strong is in the mix too, with Chris Brooks on injured reserve, but his first carry went for five yards and the next four netted only two. He was on the practice squad less than two weeks ago, and his Week 5 showing didn’t move the needle.
So the real leverage for Green Bay is obvious. Let Love attack.
When he’s hitting deep balls, the Packers’ passing game can look dangerous in a hurry. Christian Watson and Matthew Golden have both emerged as real 1A and 1B options, and there’s no reason to shy away from that strength against a Dallas defense that is vulnerable through the air as well as on the ground.
The Cowboys will be without starting cornerback Cobie Durant, who remains out with a hamstring injury. Joey Porter Jr. is questionable with an ankle issue.
DaRon Bland can only handle one of Watson or Golden, and even then he’s not playing at his old level; Pro Football Focus has him 92nd out of 104 qualified corners. Caleb Downs has been solid as a rookie safety, but that’s still a matchup Green Bay can like, especially if Watson lines up in the slot.
And the wider numbers aren’t doing Dallas any favors either. The Cowboys have allowed the 12th-most passing yards, along with the highest EPA per pass and the highest success rate, according to Sumer Sports.
That’s the blueprint for LaFleur. Keep some balance if you want, but don’t get stubborn about the run. The Packers already have the better matchup in the air, and that’s where they should press their advantage.
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 Face A Sunday Night Test With Plenty To Prove Against Dallas
Sunday night brings a familiar kind of spotlight to Lambeau Field, with the Packers set to host Dallas in a game that ought to say plenty about where this team stands. It is the kind of matchup that invites big-picture questions, and the discussion around it has already turned to how Green Bay can make a statement against a Cowboys team that will demand a clean, physical performance.
The projections for the game lean into that idea, with Green Bays edge rush and ground game viewed as the clearest paths to control. A breakout night from one young pass rusher would go a long way toward changing the feel of the matchup, and the same can be said for a tight end who has already become a steady part of the offense. If the Packers are going to come out on top, they may need both of those elements to show up in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]