GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Dallas Cowboys entered Sunday night’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers hoping to turn their season around.
Instead, familiar problems resurfaced as costly turnovers, an ineffective rushing attack and defensive breakdowns contributed to a 23-13 loss at Lambeau Field.
The defeat marked Dallas’ second consecutive loss, dropping the Cowboys to 2-4 and raising further concerns about the team’s ability to execute consistently on both sides of the ball.
Dallas Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 34 of 54 passes for 258 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Both turnovers occurred in Green Bay territory during the first half, eliminating any scoring opportunities for the Cowboys and allowing the Packers to maintain control of the game.
Packers safety Evan Williams intercepted Prescott in the second quarter on a pass intended for CeeDee Lamb.
Rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse added another interception later in the period after Lamb slipped while running his route.
Green Bay capitalized on Dallas’ offensive struggles, building a 17-0 halftime lead behind quarterback Jordan Love.
The Cowboys also struggled to establish a consistent running game, finishing with just 48 rushing yards on 15 attempts.
Running back Javonte Williams led Dallas with 41 yards on 11 carries and scored the team’s first touchdown on a 1-yard run in the third quarter.
However, the Cowboys’ problems extended beyond their offense.
Dallas entered Sunday’s game with a new addition to its defensive coaching staff after hiring veteran NFL coach Mike Pettine as senior defensive assistant Oct. 12.
Pettine, a former Cleveland Browns head coach and defensive coordinator for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Packers, joined the organization to provide additional experience and support for first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
The Cowboys had previously explored bringing Pettine onto the staff.
The additional coaching experience did not produce an immediate turnaround.
Green Bay exploited Dallas’ defense all game and in the first half, converted nine of 10 third-down opportunities and extending drives that kept the Cowboys’ offense off the field.
Love completed 23 of 41 passes for 276 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Wide receiver Matthew Golden finished with six receptions for 104 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter.
Dallas linebacker Dee Winters provided one of the Cowboys’ few first-half defensive highlights, intercepting Love in the opening quarter. However, the Cowboys failed to turn the takeaway into points.
Williams briefly gave the Cowboys momentum with his third-quarter touchdown, cutting the Packers’ lead to 17-7.
But Green Bay responded with a 44-yard field goal from Trey Smack and added another from 29 yards in the fourth quarter.
Prescott connected with Ryan Flournoy on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds remaining but failed on the ensuing two-point conversion.
Despite finishing with 303 total yards and 24 first downs, Dallas managed to score only 13 points. The Cowboys converted five of 13 third-down opportunities, while Green Bay converted 11 of 18.
The loss followed Dallas’ 24-16 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 8, extending a difficult stretch for head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s team.
Green Bay improved to 4-2 with the victory.
For Dallas, Pettine’s addition provides another experienced voice on the coaching staff, but Sunday’s performance demonstrated that the team’s problems extend beyond coaching adjustments.
With turnovers continuing to stall drives, an inconsistent rushing attack and a defense struggling to make critical stops, the Cowboys face increasing pressure to find solutions.
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