ClutchPoints
It has been a tough start to the season for the Dallas Cowboys’ defense. And injuries don’t help matters. But it is the other side of the football where the Cowboys must find a way to exploit the Packers to beat them in the return of Micah Parsons on Sunday Night Football.
The Packers have one of the best defensive units in football. And the Cowboys have one of the worst. So Dallas needs to flip the script and keep its offense on the field.
And the best way to do that is by using heavy doses of Javonte Williams in the ground game. Also, the Cowboys will need a few key plays from backup running back Miles Sanders.
If the Cowboys are successful in moving the football on the ground, it will give them a small window to make big plays in the passing game.
It’s the opposite approach from what the Cowboys planned coming into the season. They wanted to get the ball to CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, which would allow for chunk plays on the ground when defenses got light in the box.
However, Lamb won’t be available because of an injury. And Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott won’t have time to sit in the pocket and wait for receivers to get open. When he does throw, it may have to be to a covered Pickens from time to time. The hope would be that Pickens wins the 50-50 encounters.
There is hope for the Cowboys running the football. They’ve been surprisingly good at it this year. The Cowboys rank No. 11 in the NFL with 125 yards rushing per game. And they’ve been very physical, according to a post on X by DLLS Cowboys.
“Cowboys RBs are averaging 4.41 yards after contact per carry, the highest in the league, per NFL Pro.”
Brian Schottenheimer is a coach who likes to run the football. And this is the Cowboys’ path to success.
Not only are the Cowboys without CeeDee Lamb, they also don’t have injured center Cooper Beebe or injured right guard Tyler Booker.
The offensive line will have to play very well against the Packers’ interior defensive front of Colby Wooden and Devonte Wyatt.
Wooden ranks No. 28 in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. Wyatt, who is questionable for Sunday’s game, stands at No. 30. That’s a stout one-two punch. But both are better against the pass than the run game with Wooden at No. 44 and Wyatt at No. 82. This is the Cowboys’ path to success. Hard, tough yards between the tackles.
Even on the edges, it’s the same. Parsons ranks No. 3 in pass rush and No. 54 against the run. Rashan Gary is actually better against the run (No. 38) than as a rusher (No. 60).
However, the Packers make up for the run deficiencies up front with a terrific linebacker group. Edgerrin Cooper (No. 39),...
