SnoTapWI Packers Preview: Game 5 at Dallas
In the 1990s, Green Bay Packers could not win at Cowboys Stadium. The place was a house of horrors for Brett Favre and the crew. I still remember the Thanksgiving game when Troy Aikman could not play and Jason Garrett had to fill in. This felt like the year that Green Bay would finally win in Dallas… Nope. Those demons stayed at Cowboys Stadium though. AT&T Stadium has been a playground for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. They’ve never lost here. Rodgers won a Super Bowl here. Matt Flynn led an incredible and improbable comeback here. There have been many memorable moments for Green Bay.
Three Storylines I Care About
1. Which receiver will step up? – We already know that Davante Adams will miss this game. Therefore, who will be the guy on Sunday? If I had to make a pick, my guess is Geronimo Allison or Jake Kumerow. Allison has been playing out of position all season. He is not a slot receiver. With Adams injury, they’re going to kick him to the outside, and Matt LaFleur will realize what Allison can do on the outside. Don’t be surprised if Kumerow has some big moments in this one either. Rodgers and he had real chemistry in training camp. Kumerow coming up with a huge game would not shock me.
2. Will the pass rush come back to life? – After a rough game versus Philadelphia where Doug Pederson ate Mike Pettine’s lunch, it is on to Dallas and the boy wonder Kellan Moore. You’ll hear about him and what he’s done thus far. Can Green Bay’s pass rush get going against Dallas’ talented offensive line? They’ll be without Tyron Smith which is massive, but they still have many talented players protecting Dak Prescott. Packers need to get pressure on Prescott when Dallas is throwing the football.
3. Fixing the red zone problems – One of the sure things of Green Bay Packers with Rodgers is the team dominating in the red zone. That did not happen against Philadelphia. Green Bay scored six points on four trips to the red zone. As the Packers continue to develop this offense, I believe there are parts that are still undefined. With no Adams, Green Bay doesn’t have a go-to red zone player, and they need to find that guy quickly. Packers can ill-afford what happened against Philadelphia to carry over to Dallas.
Don’t Sleep on Em
Josh Jackson – If Kevin King cannot go in this game, we will see more of Josh Jackson. The same goes for if Will Redmond doesn’t play for Green Bay. We haven’t seen a breakout game from Jackson. It is not to say he cannot do it. He is talented and a ballhawk that fits in well with the takeaway nature of this defense. There would be no better game than this one to start shining bright and have your moment with the Packers.
Prediction
Packers and Cowboys is always a close game. These two never seem to blow out each other out. I’m not sure how good the Cowboys are. They beat Miami, Washington and New York with Eli, not Dimes. Those could be three of the five teams drafting first in 2020 NFL Draft. I expect Packers to fit their issues stopping the run, and they’ll slow down Ezekiel Elliott enough. Rodgers keeps things rolling from last week and helps Green Bay win their fourth of the season. Packers 24 Cowboys 20