Micah Parsons is nearing a return as the Green Bay Packers prepare for a major test against the Dallas Cowboys, coming off a dominant performance against Chicago that put Jordan Love and the defense in top form.
What changed for the franchise
Green Bay delivered its strongest showing of the 2026 season last week, dismantling the Bears behind a suffocating defensive effort and an offense that capitalized on nearly every opportunity.
Love completed 25 of 31 throws for 367 yards and two touchdowns, his best statistical performance of the season. The Packers took a 23-7 advantage into halftime and extended it to 31-7 early in the fourth quarter.
The defense helped create that separation by forcing five turnovers. Safety Xavier McKinney recorded two interceptions as Green Bay repeatedly handed the ball back to Love and the offense.
That formula will be tested against Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, whom Packers safety Evan Williams described as one of the league’s most dangerous passers.
“He can make every throw, and he knows he can,” Williams said. “He has a live arm, and with the players around him, he has confidence in them on every chance.”
Williams said Prescott is particularly dangerous when Dallas identifies favorable matchups outside, making pre-snap disguise and coverage variation critical for Green Bay’s secondary.
“When they get one-on-one coverage, Dak will give his guy a chance to make a play,” Williams said. “That makes disguise more important, trying to show something different so he does not know he has that matchup before the snap.”
Dallas enters the matchup after a Week 5 loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McKinney expects the Cowboys to respond with urgency, particularly given their position in the division race.
“Their backs are against the wall a little bit, especially in their division,” McKinney said. “Coming off the way they lost last week, I know they will be motivated. But they are not the only motivated team. We are motivated too.”
The Packers have their own pressure in the NFC North, where the 5-0 Minnesota Vikings have created early separation. Green Bay will need to stay close to Minnesota while facing a Dallas offense built to generate points in a hurry.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said the Cowboys have repeatedly shown they can overwhelm opponents offensively.
“They show it again and again: they are extremely high-powered,” LaFleur said. “They can score a bunch of points and pile up a lot of yards.”
Recent history suggests another high-scoring game could be possible. In each of the past five Packers-Cowboys meetings, the winning team has reached at least 31 points. The clubs played to a 40-40 tie last season.
For Green Bay, the challenge is clear: Love must carry over his Week 5 production, while a defense coming off five takeaways must find a way to slow Prescott before Dallas turns the game into another shootout.
