Blogging The Boys
Well, the Cowboys didn’t lose, but they didn’t win either. It’s tough to feel any certain way following a tie, but the Cowboys’ performance against the Packers felt encouraging. Still, there were several missed opportunities that prevented Dallas from emerging victorious in this one. These five plays were especially impactful in retrospect.
The Cowboys made a statement by opting to keep Trevon Diggs on the bench to start the game. They eventually rotated the cornerback in to start the third drive of the game, and Diggs was understandably eager to make a play. Just a few plays into his first drive, it looked like he did.
Diggs flew in front of an out route from Jordan Love to pick him off, going out of bounds as he made the catch and looking like his old self. Alas, a flag was on the field, as the Cowboys had been rushing to sub players out as Green Bay went no-huddle. The call was an easy one: too many men on the field.
That wiped out Diggs’ pick, which would have set Dallas up at their own 28-yard line. Instead, it gifted the Packers a first down on top of retaining possession. Seven plays later, they scored their second touchdown, though it did also result in two points for Dallas.
By some inexplicable miracle, the Cowboys found themselves leading the Packers at halftime. The offense had figured things out right at the same time the defense forced a turnover that actually stood, and they got the ball to start the second half. They had a golden opportunity to take a two-score lead.
Things started off well, too. Javonte Williams ripped off two straight 5+ yard runs, moving the chains easily. Then, Tyler Smith was flagged for a false start. That backed them up an additional five yards, and it proved to be too much for the offense to overcome as they punted three plays later.
That drive started off with promise, and looked as if the Cowboys still had their mojo from the end of the second quarter. But the false start killed the drive, and it proved to be big. The Cowboys and Packers would trade touchdowns, and the lead, on the next six drives, only taking a break for Green Bay’s tying field goal. If the Cowboys had managed to score on the opening drive of the third quarter, it changes a lot of things in this game.
As mentioned above, the Cowboys’ punt on the first drive of the third quarter was a turning point in the game. In fact, it proved to be the final drive to not end in a score that night. But that nearly wasn’t the case.
Green Bay faced an early third down, needing just one yard, and Love dropped back to pass. The Dallas pass rush broke through quickly, and Sam Williams...
