Two teams that jetted out to 3-0 starts only to stumble in week four get together Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys welcome the Green Bay Packers in a contest of 3-1 teams looking to keep pace in the National Football Conference behind the 3-0 San Francisco 49ers coming off a bye and the Seattle Seahawks who improved to 4-1 with a nail biting 30-29 victory over the Los Angeles Rams Thursday night.
This game might be more about who doesn’t play than who does as both teams are dealing with injuries at key positions.
The Packers are likely to be without two skill position players on offense. Davante Adams pulled down 10 catches for a career high 180 yards last week against Philadelphia. On his 10th catch, he came down awkwardly on his foot and suffered a turf toe injury. He hasn’t practiced all week. Running back Jamaal Williams suffered a concussion on the first offensive snap of the game and spent last Thursday night in the hospital. He was released the next day but hasn’t come out of the NFL’s concussion protocol.
If both do sit out, the Packers will need the wide receiver depth to deliver a collective effort to match Adams production. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison will become the top two targets outside with perhaps Jake Kumerow and youngsters Darrius Shepherd and Allen Lazard being asked to step up. Watch for Jimmy Graham to become a feature piece of the passing game too. At running back, Williams’ early exit left Aaron Jones to carry the load with fullback Danny Vitale the only other dressed back, but the Packers all but abandoned the running game in the Philly shootout. Rookie Dexter Williams has been inactive the first four games of the season but the Notre Dame draft choice will almost certainly make his pro debut in Dallas.
For the Cowboys, both offensive tackles haven’t practiced this week. Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith suffered a high ankle sprain against New Orleans last Sunday and is not expected to be back. La’el Collins, the right tackle has been battling a back injury all week and his status is in doubt. Head Coach Jason Garrett said this week he has a lot of confidence in backup tackle Cameron Fleming but he would only fill one of the spots leaving the Cowboys protection plan severely weakened.
Now to the guys who will be suiting up. From the media auditorium to the locker room at Lambeau Field, I caught up with some of the principals to get their thoughts on the Sunday showdown in Dallas.
(Audio: Packers Players)
Here are my quick keys to the game.
See (blank) run. Run, run, run.
The Pack’s run defense has been infected with bad gap integrity and bad tackling the last three weeks. That will be a deadly combination against the reigning NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott. He’s just now hitting his stride after holding out for his contract extension in the pre-season. All week the defensive players talked about being one of eleven. Take care of my job first so the other ten can do theirs and better results will come. The Saints front seven neutralized Elliott last Sunday night and the Packers should watch and re-watch that game tape on the trip to Texas.
Aaron Jones had one of the best per carry averages in the league last year and was among the leaders in explosive runs of ten yards or more. Not so this year. His longest rush is just 15 in four games and last week against Philly, six of his 13 carries went for no gain or lost yardage. It’s imperative the Packers find more consistent success on the ground.
Speed bumps.
The Dallas defense is not very complex under coordinator Rod Marinelli but all eleven are very fast and they close down plays and chase to the sideline as well as anyone. The challenge for LaFleur will be to try and call plays that find open space to force the Cowboy defenders to at least run a long ways to converge on the ball. That’s why tight ends and running backs in pass patterns might become more frequent.
Inhospitable guests.
Aaron Rodgers has not lost in this building. The Super Bowl XLV Most Valuable Player against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a pair of riveting last second rallies against the Cowboys. The 2015 playoff victory where Rodgers rolled left and found Jared Cook literally kneeling out of bounds that set up Mason Crosby’s walk off field goal and two years ago, the back to back fade routes to Davante Adams in the final minute. The first one was knocked away but Rodgers went right back to it on the suggestion of Adams and they connected for another dramatic win. We might see some more theatrics Sunday.
The Packers have had 10 days to get ready for this matchup while the Cowboys will take the field a few hours shy of one full week which should give Green Bay a slight advantage. I’m not convinced the Cowboys are an NFC powerhouse just yet after beating the likes of the Giants, Redskins (worse) and Dolphins (even worse) to start the season. But they are back home and the Packers without Adams might not have enough firepower this time. I like the Cowboys in a tight one, 27-24.