Familiar faces in strange places as Cowboys face Packers

2 months ago
2 mins read

Roughly five weeks ago, Micah Parsons was on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster. Kenny Clark was on the Green Bay Packers roster.

Tonight, when the two teams meet for the first time since the Packers’ 48-32 win in the 2023 NFC Wild Card game at AT&T Stadium.

The Cowboys will be fighting a five-game losing streak overall and a five-game losing streak at home to Green Bay. As things stand, it looks like both streaks will be extended.

While all eyes will be on Parsons’ return and how miserable he’ll make life for Dak Prescott, there is something more urgent at stake for Dallas.

A loss drops the Cowboys to 1-3 on the season.

No matter how positive Jerry Jones thinks his roster is, this team is not built to climb out of deep holes. Especially ones they’ve dug for themselves.

  • Who: Green Bay Packers
  • Where: at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
  • When: Sept. 21st, 7:20 p.m. (CDT)
  • How (to watch): NBC

The key to winning this game will be the pass defense. So far, it has made Jalen Hurts, Russell Wilson, and Caleb Williams look like Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and Patrick Mahomes.

Recall the last time the Packers played Dallas and how Jordan Love carved up the defense? If Packers’ running back Josh Jacobs gets going too, it will be a very long night for Cowboys Nation.

And more close-ups of Jones’ sour-faced looks from the press box.

A man in a light blue blazer, reminiscent of Jerry Jones' favored style, gazes ahead with a neutral expression, embodying the stoic demeanor of a seasoned Cowboys head coach.

All-Time Marks

Dallas is 34-24 all time in Week 4 contests, losing one game to the 1982 strike and six games to the bye weeks. The team is a solid 17-9 when playing at home in the fourth week of the year.

They are also 2-0 against Green Bay when playing in Week 4.

The Cowboys downed the Packers, 28-7, in Green Bay in 1980 and beat them, 20-6, at Texas Stadium in 1984.

Despite that, however, Green Bay owns a 22-17 overall record against Dallas, having won the last five meetings. That includes playoff wins in Dallas in 2017 and 2023.

The Cowboys are 12-10 at home against the Packers. But Green Bay has won the last five games played in Texas, all at AT&T Stadium.

The last time Dallas beat the Packers at home dates all the way back to the 2007 season.

Tony Romo led the Cowboys to a 37-27 win in a Thursday night at Texas Stadium.

The Prediction

The Packers’ 16-point rout the last time these two teams played does not indicate just how badly Green Bay stomped Dallas that day.

Out of all the Cowboys still on the roster this year from that game, Dak Prescott has the most to prove. His two first-half interceptions gave the Packers 14 points and put Dallas in an early 27-0 hole.

No matter how well Prescott plays tonight though, letting Parsons go to Green Bay before this game was played is going to come back and bite Jones and the Cowboys hard.

Packers 37, Dallas 21.

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli is a sports journalist and author. In addition to his work at InsideTheStar.com, he has a Substack -- Dispatches From A SciFi Scribe – where he discusses numerous topics, including sports in general. He started his newspaper career in 1991 with the Gallup (NM) Independent before going to the Modesto (CA) Bee, Gustine (CA) Press-Standard, and Turlock (CA) Journal -- where he won the 2001 Best Sports Story, in the annual California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. He then moved to the Merced (CA) Sun-Star, Tracy (CA) Press, Patch and finished his career in 2011 with the San Francisco (CA) Examiner. He has written two Non-Fiction sports books, 11 novels, and has over 30 published short stories.

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Dallas Cowboys vs Green Bay Packers football game showing line of scrimmage with players in helmets and pads.
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