Cowboys vs. Packers: How Dallas Can Slow Jordan Love and Green Bay's Explosive Offense | Scout's Eye
Green Bay is a much more dangerous passing team than running team right now. The challenge for Dallas is preventing Jordan Love from getting comfortable while protecting against the explosive plays the Packers can generate outside.
Love is coming off an outstanding performance against Chicago, completing 25 of 31 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns. That was easily one of his most efficient performances of the season, and it showed what this offense can do when he gets into a rhythm.
For Dallas, the objective is straightforward: disrupt that rhythm, protect against the deep ball and make Green Bay prove it can consistently move the football on the ground.
Jordan Love Is the Key to Green Bay's Offense
Love is at his best when he can operate with rhythm, attack intermediate windows and take calculated shots downfield.
What stands out to me is his ability to make difficult throws without needing a perfectly clean pocket. He has enough arm strength to drive the ball outside the numbers and attack the middle of the field.
What I would study on tape is how he responds when defenses take away his first read and force him to reset. There have been inconsistencies in his play, but his ability to generate explosive passing plays makes him dangerous.
Dallas needs to make him work through his progressions.
Disrupt the timing of the routes. Change the coverage picture. Make him hold the football a little longer than he wants to.
If Love can stand in the pocket and deliver the ball on schedule, Green Bay has the receivers to make the Cowboys pay.
Can Green Bay Establish the Running Game?
The running game is a legitimate concern for the Packers.
Through five games, Green Bay has rushed for just 302 yards, averaging 3.1 yards per attempt. With Josh Jacobs unavailable, the Packers haven't established the consistent rushing attack they need to complement Love.
From a scouting standpoint, I would focus on the offensive line's ability to create movement at the point of attack. Green Bay hasn't consistently generated the type of push that allows Matt LaFleur to stay ahead of the chains.
I'd also pay attention to where the Packers want to run the football. Their more successful runs have tended to come behind the left side of the offensive line.
Dallas should make Green Bay prove it can run the ball before committing additional defenders to the box.
The Cowboys have struggled to stop the run in recent weeks, so this is an important opportunity to establish some discipline up front. They can't become so concerned with Love's passing ability that they allow the running game to dictate the matchup.
Christian Watson and Matthew Golden Can Change the Game
Christian Watson and Matthew Golden are the biggest problems for Dallas.
Watson is the vertical threat. His speed forces cornerbacks to respect the deep ball, and he can win on posts, go routes and deep crossers. His ability to get behind the secondary makes him a dangerous target even when he's not heavily involved in the short passing game.
Golden brings speed, separation and another downfield option.
Together, the two receivers have accounted for 871 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Golden has also led the team in targets, keeping him heavily involved in the passing attack.
That's where Dallas has to be careful.
Green Bay's receivers have the ability to turn a single coverage mistake into a touchdown. If the Cowboys lose leverage, miscommunicate an assignment or allow Watson to get behind them, Love has the arm to take advantage.
The Cowboys have to keep a lid on the coverage.
Don't give Watson or Golden easy opportunities to run past the secondary. Make Green Bay complete shorter throws and sustain drives rather than allowing the Packers to score on a couple of explosive plays.
Don't Overlook Tucker Kraft
Tucker Kraft presents a different challenge for Dallas, particularly on play-action, crossing routes and throws between the linebackers and safeties.
Kraft is back on the field after the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season, and Green Bay has been getting him more involved. He's still working toward his previous form, but his combination of size, movement and receiving ability makes him an important part of this offense.
I would pay particular attention to Kraft when Green Bay uses condensed formations.
He can become a difficult matchup when the defense is worried about Watson and Golden stretching the field. If the safeties have to respect the deep ball and the linebackers are concerned about play-action, Kraft can find space in the middle of the defense.
This might be an opportunity for Christian Parker to use Caleb Downs against him in certain situations.
I would be careful about matching Kraft against the Cowboys' linebackers consistently. That matchup could create problems for Dallas, particularly if Kraft gets a clean release and can build momentum through the middle of the field.
Make him work to get into his routes. Don't give him free access to the areas where Love wants to throw.
Green Bay's Offensive Line Is Worth Attacking
This is the most interesting matchup for the Cowboys' defensive front.
Through Green Bay's first three games, the Packers allowed 51 quarterback pressures, according to PFF, and Love faced pressure on 44.4% of his dropbacks.
Since then, Green Bay has made changes at guard, and the protection looked better against Chicago.
That improvement matters. Dallas can't simply assume the same problems will show up, but it needs to test whether the Packers' offensive line can consistently handle pressure from the interior.
I would study how the guards handle defensive line movement.
Can they protect Love when defenses bring pressure through the A and B gaps? Can they pass off stunts and twists without creating a free path to the quarterback?
These are the areas Dallas should test.
Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and the New York Jets have all found ways to pressure this offensive line. Dallas needs to find its own answers rather than allowing Love to sit comfortably and attack downfield.
How I Would Defend Green Bay
The Bears played a considerable amount of single-high safety coverage against Green Bay and paid for it with explosive passes. Watson and Golden combined for 266 receiving yards against Chicago.
Dallas needs to learn from that.
My approach would be to keep a lid on the coverage and make Green Bay work for its yards. Don't give Watson or Golden easy opportunities to get behind the secondary, and make sure Kraft doesn't have free access to the middle of the field.
At the same time, challenge the running game.
Make Green Bay prove it can move the ball consistently on the ground before committing extra defenders to stop it. The Packers have struggled to generate explosive rushing plays, so Dallas needs to maintain its discipline and avoid allowing the run game to become an unexpected source of big gains.
Then attack the guards.
Disrupt Love's rhythm. Mix coverage looks and force him to hold the football.
The goal is to make Green Bay sustain drives rather than allowing an inconsistent running game to be rescued by explosive completions.
THE SCOUT'S EYE
Green Bay is coming off an impressive performance against Chicago, but I want to see whether the Packers can maintain that level of execution against a defense that makes them work for every yard.
For Dallas, it starts with the defensive front.
Attack the guards. Keep Love from getting comfortable. Make sure the coverage takes away the deep ball, and don't allow Tucker Kraft to find easy space between the linebackers and safeties.
The Cowboys have to be disciplined in how they approach this matchup. If they devote too many resources to the passing game, Green Bay can use the run to keep the offense on schedule. If they commit too heavily to the run, Love has the ability to exploit the secondary.
Chicago struggled with its defensive execution and allowed Green Bay to take advantage of its mistakes. Dallas cannot afford to follow that same blueprint.
The Cowboys have to take away the explosive plays, challenge Green Bay's offensive line and make the Packers prove they can win consistently on the ground.
That's how I'd approach this matchup.
— Bryan Broaddus
Comments