GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers continued to build momentum Sunday night, using a strong defensive performance and timely scoring to defeat the Dallas Cowboys 23-13 at Lambeau Field.
Quarterback Jordan Love threw a touchdown pass, added a rushing score and guided Green Bay to its third consecutive victory. The Packers improved to 4-2, while Dallas dropped to 2-4 after struggling to generate points during the first half.
Love completed 23 of 41 passes for 276 yards and one interception. Although several missed connections prevented Green Bay from producing an even larger margin of victory, the Packers quarterback remained focused on the team’s overall performance rather than the opportunities that slipped away.
“I want to make every throw,” Love said. “I want these guys to make every catch. That’s the expectation. Stuff happens. Drops happen. Obviously, I want those guys to make those plays, and we’re capable of making those plays. But for me, it’s got to be the next play mindset. You’ve got to move on.”
Love established the tone early, connecting with rookie receiver Matthew Golden on a 9-yard touchdown pass during Green Bay’s opening possession. The score gave the Packers a lead they would never surrender.
Green Bay has enjoyed considerable success against Dallas in recent years, winning 11 of its last 13 matchups against the Cowboys, with the remaining contests including a tie last season.
Packers defense controls the game
While Love and the offense produced enough points to secure the victory, Green Bay’s defense proved equally important.
The Packers limited Dallas to 13 points, marking the third consecutive game in which Green Bay’s defense surrendered no more than 14 points. The franchise had not accomplished that feat since 2016.
Safety Javon Bullard credited the team’s preparation, communication and confidence in the coaching staff for the defensive improvement.
“If we continue to work, continue to come in with the right mindset, continue to trust in each other, continue to trust in the coaches, continue to trust in this game plan, I think the sky’s the limit for us,” Bullard said.
He added that maintaining the same approach from week to week could help Green Bay develop into one of the league’s premier defensive units.
The Packers also capitalized on two interceptions thrown by Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott. Evan Williams and Brandon Cisse came away with interceptions on consecutive Cowboys possessions, both occurring when Dallas had advanced inside Green Bay’s 30-yard line.
Those turnovers prevented the Cowboys from converting promising drives into points and helped the Packers maintain control.
Dallas falls behind early
The Cowboys struggled to find an offensive rhythm throughout the opening half, entering the locker room trailing 17-0.
It marked the first time Dallas had been held scoreless in the first half since November 2021, when the Cowboys fell behind Denver 16-0.
Prescott completed 34 of 54 passes for 258 yards, but the two interceptions proved costly. His late 6-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Flournoy with 44 seconds remaining provided Dallas with a final scoring opportunity, but the ensuing two-point conversion attempt to CeeDee Lamb failed.
The Cowboys could not overcome the early deficit despite showing some improvement after halftime.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged that Dallas had created its own problems and needed to find solutions quickly.
“We’re in a hole,” Schottenheimer said. “(We) put ourselves there. There’s one way out of it. That’s what I told the guys, I said, ‘You know, got to work. Got to find solutions. Can’t repeat mistakes.’ They understand that.”
Prescott also emphasized the importance of ending the team’s losing slide and restoring confidence.
“We need some good momentum,” Prescott said. “And the only way to do it is to get a win.”
Missed opportunities prevent a bigger Packers victory
Green Bay had several chances to put the game away earlier, but dropped passes repeatedly stalled promising scoring opportunities.
Golden, who finished with six receptions for 104 yards, missed out on two potential touchdown catches in the second quarter. One would have covered 43 yards, while another represented a possible 23-yard score.
The second missed opportunity even prompted Lambeau Field’s fireworks to go off prematurely before officials confirmed the pass was incomplete.
Christian Watson also failed to secure a potential 26-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. That pass was deflected in the end zone by Dallas defensive lineman Malachi Lawrence.
Although the missed catches kept the score closer than it might otherwise have been, Green Bay managed to turn the drives into points, including field goals from Trey Smack.
Golden refused to let the mistakes overshadow his overall performance.
“Those are plays that you want back, especially just knowing the type of game – Sunday night, how important it was for us to come out with this win,” Golden said. “For me, I’m not going to be too down about it because I know 10 times out of 10 I’m going to make those plays.”
The game also featured 22 penalties, with each team flagged 11 times. Dallas was charged with 108 penalty yards, while Green Bay accumulated 96, making discipline another issue both teams will need to address.
Cowboys defense shows signs of progress
Despite the defeat, Dallas displayed some improvement defensively.
The Cowboys entered the matchup allowing a league-high 6.4 yards per play, but produced an early takeaway when Dee Winters intercepted a pass with a diving catch late in the first quarter.
Winters appeared to return the interception more than 40 yards for a touchdown, weaving through Green Bay defenders. However, a replay review determined that Golden had touched Winters while he was still on the ground, ending the return.
The defensive performance offered Dallas a positive development, even as its offense struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Josh Jacobs’ return approaches
Green Bay could soon receive another boost with the anticipated return of running back Josh Jacobs, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who has not played this season.
Jacobs was scheduled to come off the commissioner’s exempt list Monday. His availability and role will be important developments as the Packers attempt to sustain their recent success.
For now, Green Bay can take confidence from a three-game winning streak built on defensive consistency and the ability to produce points even when the offense leaves opportunities on the field.
Injury report
Dallas Cowboys: Wide receiver KaVontae Turpin left the game in the first quarter with a rib injury. Winters suffered an Achilles strain in the second quarter.
Green Bay Packers: Cornerback Brandon Cisse exited in the second half with a stinger.
What’s next?
The Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia on October 26, looking to regroup and reverse their recent slide against a division rival.
The Packers face another challenging test next Sunday when they visit the Detroit Lions. Green Bay will attempt to extend its winning streak and demonstrate that its defensive resurgence can continue against another strong opponent.
