The Packers elevated CB David Long from the PS, but when it was determined that Jaire Alexander would be able to play, they made Long inactive.  [Long still gets the extra money.]  The inactive players were Long, Caleb Jones, Malik Heath, Benny Sapp, Brenton Cox, and the injured AJ Dillon.

The offensive line won another game in the trenches, though this time it was not a dominant effort.  The pass protection was excellent.  Jordan Love was only hit 3 times and sacked just once.  While there was some pressure at times, the line and Love were usually able to buy enough time for long-developing routes to materialize, even if it meant some throws off the back foot.  

The run blocking warmed up as the game progressed.  The Packers gained 143 yards on 33 carries for a 4.3-yard average for the game.  The run blocking was hit or miss in the first half.  The Packers gained just 32 yards on 15 carries in the first half to average 2.1-yards per carry.  Of the 15 carries, which were all by running backs, 6 would be deemed successful runs. 

The line started opening wide running lanes in the second half with some regularity.  The Packers’ running backs ran the ball 8 times in the second half and gained 89 yards (Love had a kneel down for the ninth carry).  The Cowboys only had one tackle for loss (on Aaron Jones).

Aaron Jones finished with 118 yards on 21 carries, a 5.6-yard average with 2 touchdowns.  He caught his only  target for 13 yards.  Jones has excellent vision and processes quickly.  His play speed to the hole (or crease) is very fast.  He picks up the blitz very well and can run an expanded route tree as a receiver.  Trying to replace him with a second round pick is a risky proposition.  He won’t turn 30 until next December.  Let us hope the Packers can find a way to retain him in 2024, though giving third contracts to running backs is also risky.

Emanuel Wilson gained 2 yards on 3 carries in the first half.  I thought he did very well to get back to the line of scrimmage on one of those carries and to gain a yard on another carry.  Wilson added 18 more yards on 5 carries in the second half.  Patrick Taylor gained 6 yards on 3 carries.

Tucker Kraft caught both his targets in the first half for 15 yards, and dropped his only other target in the second half.  He also had a holding call.  Still, his blocking has improved significantly in the latter part of this season.   Ben Sims threw a couple of nice blocks but had no statistics. Deguara played.

Luke Musgrave caught all 3 of his targets for 52 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown.  The touchdown in the second half was the dagger, and it was a great play call.  Musgrave started in the slot to Love’s left and ran a deep crosser, catching Love’s pass well downfield near the numbers on the right side.  The offensive line and Love, who threw the pass while falling backwards, bought the time to make the long-developing play work.

Jordan Love completed 16 of 21 passes (76.19%) for 272 yards (12.95 yards/attempt) for 3 touchdowns and no interceptions.  His passer rating was 157.2.  There was a dropped pass.  Love did not have a turnover-worthy pass. He threw a dime for a touchdown to Doubs in the end zone.  Love did a lot of damage in the first half (13/16 for 195 yards with 2 TDs), but he puts points up in the second half by completing 3 of his 5 passes for 87 yards (17.4yards/att) with a touchdown.  

Moreover, Love appeared to change protections and/or the play altogether with very successful results.  He looks like a franchise quarterback, an expensive one.

This was the Romeo Doubs show.  Doubs exploded for 152 yards on 6 receptions (6 targets), good for a 25.2-yard average, with a touchdown.  Doubs had 102 yards on 4 receptions in the first half.  In the first half, Wicks contributed 25 yards and a touchdown, Watson had 9 yards and Melton 7.  Only Doubs (2 for 49 yards and a TD) and Musgrave (1 for a 38-yard touchdown) caught a pass in the second half.   Reed had 3 targets but no receptions. Perhaps next year the staff can figure out how to play 2 TEs without taking Reed out.

Clark, Slaton, and Brooks each had 2 tackles with Clark and Brooks having a QB hit.  Clark had a tackle for loss and several pressures.  Wooden had 3 tackles (2 solo).  Wyatt had 1 assisted tackle and a couple of pressures.  OC Tyler Biadasz was the weakest link.  The Cowboys gained 123 yards on 25 carries for a 4.9-yard average.  The average was 5.0 in the first half.  The Cowboys’ running backs gained 67 yards on 17 carries for a 3.7-yard average.  It was a reasonably good effort against an offensive line with 3 All-Pros.  Prescott escaped 6 times for 45 yards. The Cowboys ran 95 offensive plays and still lost. Think about that! 

Wyatt getting the most snaps is interesting.  I thought he was up and down against the run.  Wooden and Brooks getting more snaps than Slaton is a little surprising.  Getting a big lead perhaps meant valuing pass rush ovre run defense. 

Van Ness had 3 tackles (2 solo) with a sack and a tackle for loss.  The sack was a bull rush which benefited from excellent coverage.  Preston Smith had one tackle.  He was credited with a sack which also benefited greatly from coverage) and a pass defensed.  Enagbare had 1 tackle and 2 QB hits.  Rashan Gary had 1 tackle and a QB hit.  They all had multiple pressures.  Gary failed to dominate RT Terrence Steele.  Gary and Smith both rushed too far up-field allowing Prescott to scramble for good gains. Gary coming last in snaps is surprising.  

Quay Walker had 11 tackles (8 solo) and Campbell added 8 (6 solo) plus a QB hit and a pass defensed.  Eric Wilson had no statistics.  I thought the coverage was pretty good, especially in the first half when the RBs combined for just 7 receiving yards.  Anyone who was responsible for covering TE Jake Ferguson had headaches.  The Packers did okay in the first half, limiting Ferguson to 4 receptions on 5 targets for 31 yards and a TD.  Ferguson added 6 receptions on 7 targets for 63 more yards and 2 more TDs in the second half.

Keisean Nixon had 11 tackles (7 solo) with a sack and 2 passes defensed.  The sack was a good defensive call that he executed well.  Nixon was very active.  He did miss a tackle at the line of scrimmage and another after a catch that led to sizable gains.  Valentine had 8 tackles (6 solo) and Alexander had 7 (3 solo) and a huge interception at the Dallas 19-yard line which subsequently led to a TD.  Alexander left the game early with an ankle injury and did not return, which was a shame because he was looking like one of the best CBs in the NFL.   Ballentine had 5 tackles (4 solo) and Savage had 4 tackles and a Pick 6.  

The coverage was very good in the first half.  Prescott only threw for 87 yards and a 47 passer rating in the first half.  It seemed like the defensive scheme confused the Cowboys and Prescott.  Unfortunately, Prescott threw for 316 yards in the second half.  Either the Packers really missed Alexander, figured out the defense, or Barry changed it in the second half.  Perhaps it was a little of all three.

I find it interesting that the Packers went for the touchdown on 4th and 2 while up with 10:23 left in the game up 41-16.  I also think playing Love and Jones when there was only 2:33 left in the game while up 48-32.  I think it means that Barry’s job is not safe though I am not certain about it.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Whelan punted 3 times for a 37.7-yard average, but all three were inside the 20, and indeed, inside the 10 if I recall correctly.  Carlson made 6 of 7 extra points.  There were a couple of high snaps, including the one he missed, but I thought Whelan did a good enough job getting it down.  The coverage teams were okay.  

RB:  1.02

TE: 1.48  ( a high number)

WR: 2.51

DL:  2.10  ( a low number)

ILB:  1.87

OLB: 1.94

DBs: 5.08

Stats courtesy of NFLgsis