Game Overview ::
By mike johnson >>
- What an opening weekend matchup as the Packers come into town as a somewhat surprising playoff team in Jordan Love’s first season as a starter and hoping to put an end to former head coach Mike McCarthy’s magical season in Dallas.
- The Packers offense is filled with playmakers and will likely need to be aggressive to keep up in this one.
- The Dallas offense has been elite this season, particularly since shifting to a more aggressive offensive mindset after their bye week.
- The Cowboys have been held under 30 points at home only once all season (Week 17 against the Lions).
- Green Bay has won six of their last eight games to sneak into the playoffs.
- This game features two quarterbacks who finished the season ranked first and second in the NFL in passing touchdowns.
How green bay Will Try To Win ::
The Packers rank 11th in pass rate over expectation (PROE) but have progressed to a more aggressive offense over the course of the season. Jordan Love has been rolling and finished the season ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in several key passing statistics, including yards, touchdowns, QB rating, and adjusted yards per attempt. Love also ranks 5th in average intended air yards per attempt, as he has been cutting it loose downfield all season and trusting his young receivers to make plays on the ball. The Packers have also been pushed to a more pass heavy attack in recent weeks due to injuries in their backfield as star running back Aaron Jones missed several games and AJ Dillon has missed time and has been battling multiple injuries for several weeks now.
The Packers should enter Dallas on Sunday feeling confident in their ability to be competitive but they must be realistic about their defensive limitations and the firepower of their opponent. It is important that the Packers get out to a good start offensively, as the Dallas defense has devoured teams when they are able to build a big lead this year. Love’s biggest weakness may be his struggle against teams who are able to create pressure while leaving a lot of defenders in coverage. Love does rank 6th in PFF passing grade when under pressure, but that is in large part due to him doing well against some weaker defenses that were blitzing him when the game was close or Green Bay had a lead. This Dallas defense has great pass rushers and when they get a lead where they can pin their ears back and get after the quarterback, they are able to generate a ton of pressure without giving easy reads to the quarterback. Several weeks ago the Bills showed how vulnerable the Cowboys defense can be to a solid rushing attack and also how much less potent their defense is when they are not in control of the game’s tempo.
Early offensive success will be critical for Green Bay and we should expect Aaron Jones to be heavily involved in the game plan as the Packers look to keep the chains moving, neutralizing the Dallas pass rush, and putting Love in favorable down and distance situations. Green Bay will likely find creative ways to get the ball to explosive rookie Jayden Reed, who has emerged as the most explosive offensive player on the team. Green Bay also has several other wide receivers who have each had their moments this season and are used in various roles all over the field. Love has tremendous arm talent and extends plays with his legs, and his ability to not just lock onto one receiver makes the Packers much more difficult to defend. As noted earlier, the Packers have let Love air it out downfield this season and it would not be surprising for them to dial up a couple of long shots early in this one. A notable turning point for the Packers season came in their Thanksgiving upset win over the Lions, which was sparked by a 50-yard bomb on the opening drive from Love to Christian Watson. This feels like a similar spot with the Packers coming in as an underdog with their backs against the wall. While the running game will be critical over the course of the game, I expect the Packers to take a couple of haymaker swings early to try and get this Dallas team off-balance and on the ropes.
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