3 big things from Packers' win over Cowboys: Defense stands tall, OL regresses
· Yahoo Sports
The overall performance certainly wasn't perfect, but the Green Bay Packers still rolled to a two-score win over the visiting Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football" from Lambeau Field in Week 6. Brian Schottenheimer's team was well-rested after playing on Thursday night in Week 5 and not lacking motivation after a humbling home defeat in primetime, but the Packers still raced out to a 17-0 lead and ended up leading the game by two scores for most of the night. Matt LaFleur's team has won three straight games and is 4-2 overall, an acceptable record given the ups and downs of the early season.
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Three big things from the Packers' win over the Cowboys:
1. Gannon's defense stands tall
Facing Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens without Micah Parsons, Edgerrin Cooper and Javon Hargrave provided a big test for Jonathan Gannon's defense, and the group passed it with flying colors. The Cowboys managed only 13 points, of which seven came in garbage time, and Gannon continually had Prescott under pressure and making rushed and confused decisions against the blitz or the pre-snap appearance of a blitz. Prescott averaged only 4.8 yards per attempt, and the Packers got a pair of interceptions inside their own 30-yard line and a pair of fourth down stops on pass attempts in the fourth quarter. More and more, the home opener disaster against the Atlanta Falcons is looking like a blip on the radar. The Packers have allowed fewer than 14 points in three straight games since.
2. Offensive line isn't fixed yet
The Packers offensive line took several steps forward in games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears, largely due to the settling of performances at both guard spots. But Sunday night represented a step in the wrong direction and provided evidence that the problems along the offensive line aren't solved quite yet. Jordan Love was under pressure on 45.5 percent of his pass attempts, his highest percentage since Week 1. And the run game accomplished next to nothing, averaging only 2.2 yards per attempt overall and 1.8 yards on runs by Pierre Strong Jr., MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson. The Packers got by because Love was excellent under pressure early, and the defense made enough stops so that the struggles moving the ball in the second half didn't matter. The inconsistency of the offensive line, drops in big spots and untimely penalties still look like the Packers' biggest hurdles.
3. Smack rebounds
Rookie kicker Trey Smack calmed fears of any prolonged struggles by making all five of his kicks, including all three field goals. Even on a breezy night inside Lambeau Field, Smack enjoyed a bounce-back performance -- even if only one of his five kicks was from over 40 yards (a 44-yard field goal). More importantly, Smack didn't let last week's issues bleed into a new opportunity. Against the Bears, his three misses cost the Packers seven points. On Sunday night, Smack's five converted kicks created 11 points in a 10-point win.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 3 big things from Packers' win over Cowboys: Defense stands tall, OL regresses