Packers Destroy Cowboys in NFC Wild Card Game
Going into this Cowboys Packers NFC wild card matchup there is no doubt the Dallas Cowboys were the favorites. The Cowboys are coming fresh off a really good season, where they complied a record of 12-5 and won their NFC East Division. On the other hand, the Packers are coming off an average season, where they finished with a 9-8 record and were able to snag the last wild card spot in the NFC last weekend. However, when these two teams matched up earlier today it was shocking to believe the Packers were the lower seed. Green Bay outplayed Dallas in every aspect of this game from the beginning, starting the game out with an insane 27-0 lead, and will now move on to the NFC Divisional Round next weekend. Let’s take a look at how Green Bay got this win.
The Packers would start this game strong as running back Aaron Jones ran in the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown and after kicker Anders Carlson made the extra point the score of the game was 7-0 Green Bay early. Later in the first quarter Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott would throw an interception, a pass intended for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, into the hands of Green Bay cornerback Jaire Alexander. The Packers would be able to turn this great play into seven points on the offensive end as Jones ran into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown and his second touchdown of the day to make the score of the game 14-0 Packers early in the second quarter. The Packers would score once again when they got the ball back as quarterback Jordan Love connected with wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks for a 20-yard touchdown to make the score of the game 20-0 after Carlson missed the extra point.
When Dallas got the ball back their offense would turnover the ball once again as Prescott threw an interception, a pass intended for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, into the hands of Green Bay safety Darnell Savage, and Savage returned the interception for a 64-yard pick-six to make the score of the game 20-7 Packers with nearly two minutes left in the first half. The Cowboys offense used their last drive of the first half to score their first points of the game as Prescott connected with tight end Jake Ferguson for a 1-yard touchdown and after kicker Brandon Aubrey made the extra point, the Cowboys headed into the locker room down 27-7.
The Cowboys' offense would score for the second time in this game on their first drive of the second half as Aubrey knocked down a 34-yard field goal to give Dallas 10 points in the game. The Packers would also score on the first drive of the second half as Jones ran into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown and his third touchdown of the game to put Green Bay up 34-10 with nearly 7 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Dallas would score their second touchdown of the game when they got the ball back as running back Tony Pollard ran into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to make the score of the game 34-16 after Aubrey missed the extra point.
While some Cowboys fans would have a slight glimpse of hope for a comeback, that hope would soon be diminished as the Packers scored touchdowns on both of their next two drives. The first touchdown was scored as Love connected with tight end Luke Musgrave for a 38-yard touchdown and the second touchdown was scored as wide receiver Romeo Doubs caught a 3-yard pass from Love to make the score of the game a blowout score of 48-16 with nearly 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter. The Cowboys offense would score two more touchdowns with two successful two-point conversions later in the quarter to make the final score of the game 48-32, but it was too late for a comeback and the Packers held on to beat Dallas 48-32 in the first NFC Wild Card Game of the playoffs.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love only missed five of his pass attempts in the game going 16-21 and throwing for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns. Running back Aaron Jones had 21 carries in the game for 118 yards and 3 touchdowns. Wide receiver Romeo Doubs had 6 receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown, and tight end Luke Musgrave and wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks also both had receiving touchdowns in the game. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott went 41-60 on his pass attempts in the game, finishing having thrown for 403 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Running back Tony Pollard had fifteen carries for 56 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had 9 receptions for 110 yards and wide receiver Michael Gallup had 6 receptions for 103 yards, meanwhile, tight end Jake Ferguson had all three of the Cowboys receiving touchdowns in the game.
