Overview
The Green Bay Packers went into Dallas Sunday afternoon and dismantled the Cowboys for 60 minutes. They are the first seven-seed to win a playoff game.
From the opening kickoff, Green Bay was in control. They began their game on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive and never looked back. In the first half, they even led by as much as 27 points before taking a 27-7 lead into halftime.
PACKERS PICK-SIX ON DAK 🤯
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 14, 2024
WHAT IS HAPPENING?!
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/pH8gFzlHgT
In the second half, the offensive domination continued. Out of halftime, the Packers scored touchdowns on three straight drives and took a 32-point lead with just over 10 minutes left. The Cowboys tried to crawl back into the game, but it was too little too late for Dallas.
Packers Top Performers
For Green Bay, this is a great win and shows they have a very bright future. This is Jordan Love’s first season as an NFL starter, and he played well all game, leading them to victory. He threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns. He also completed 76% of his passes, which is very impressive. Second-year player Romeo Doubs led the way receiving, hauling in six catches for 151 yards and a touchdown.
Aaron Jones returned to form exploding for 118 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry and wore down Dallas’ defense all night. The Packers' dominant rushing attack played a huge part in the victory and will cause problems for San Francisco next week.
Dallas Looking Ahead
For Dallas, it is yet another disappointing postseason exit. Fans and players were both expecting to make a run for a title, but once again it will not be done. The Cowboys have not been in the Super Bowl since 1996.
Nobody knows what is next for the Dallas Cowboys. Although Mike McCarthy has led them to three straight 12-5 seasons, his playoff failure may end his tenure at Dallas. He has only won a single playoff game in four attempts, which is not acceptable for the Cowboys brand.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he has not yet thought about head coach Mike McCarthy’s future for even one second.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) January 15, 2024
On being eliminated at home to the Packers, Jones said, “This seems like the most painful. … This is beyond my comprehension.” pic.twitter.com/aLxvaQzQqq
Dak Prescott put up decent numbers but did not play his best game. His 400 yards and three touchdowns look very good on paper, but he threw two of those late when the game was all but over. He also threw for two interceptions, one of which was a pick-six. The other gave the Packers a short field for a touchdown. These two mistakes put the Cowboys out of the game before halftime and they were never able to recover.
Prescott’s time as a Cowboy is likely far from over, but he may also be part of the problem for the lack of success in the playoffs. There have been talks he would be getting a very large extension over the offseason, but yet another playoff meltdown may halt these conversations.
What Comes Next For Green Bay
In all, the Packers deserved this hard-fought victory. Even though they are the lowest-seeded team, they are a problem both offensively and defensively. San Francisco will have to grind to beat this team, and the Packers will have to find a way to once again overcome their youth and inexperience and beat the highest-seeded 49ers on the road.
.@Packers vs. @49ers.
— NFL (@NFL) January 15, 2024
First Divisional Round matchup is locked in. ✅ #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/6pUYhiGhhG