The Dallas Cowboys fell 23-13 to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, dropping a road matchup that left the offense scoreless through the first two quarters and extended a sluggish start to the 2026 NFL season. The 13 points represented a disappointing result for a team that arrived in seventh place in the NFL with an average of 27.6 points per game.
Dak Prescott under pressure as Dallas offense stalls
The Cowboys arrived in Green Bay searching for a spark following a Week 5 loss, a Thursday night bye, a defensive coaching addition, and a high-profile player meeting. Instead, the unit produced just 13 points against a Packers team that entered the night surrendering points at a different clip. Dak Prescott finished the evening completing 63 percent of his passes for 258 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and a 65.2 passer rating, marking his second game with a rating below 70. His 54 passing attempts equaled the fourth-highest total of his career. He absorbed intense pressure behind a sputtering ground game that managed only 48 total yards on 3.2 yards per carry. Javonte Williams also contributed 15 yards on four carries, culminating the series with a one-yard touchdown run up the middle. However, the momentum did not last. Prescott attempted to connect with CeeDee Lamb in the end zone, but safety Evan Williams jumped to intercept the pass at the 3-yard line and returned the ball to the Green Bay 20-yard line. Later, when Lamb slipped out of his route, a pass intended for him turned into an easy interception for cornerback Brandon Cisse, and the home side still had time to add more points before the half.
First-half shutout breaks long NFL streak
A disastrous first half put the visitors in a 17-0 hole by intermission. According to NBC Sports, it marked the first time the Cowboys failed to score in the opening half of a game since November 7, 2021, against the Denver Broncos—snapping an 86-game streak that ranked as the fourth-longest in league history. Green Bay dominated early possession, using a 90-yard opening drive that chewed up 6:30 of game clock. Packers quarterback Jordan Love converted four third downs on that initial march, capping it with a touchdown pass to Matthew Golden.
Green Bay defense holds firm despite late push
Green Bay entered the contest ranking last in the NFL on third-down conversions at 27.6 percent, yet converted nine of 10 opportunities in the first half against Dallas. Though the Cowboys defense tightened after halftime—limiting the hosts to two conversions on eight third-down tries and just six points—the damage was already done. Jordan Love completed 56.1 percent of his passes for 276 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a 74.8 passer rating, while Matthew Golden hauled in 104 receiving yards and a score. Dallas managed a late touchdown with 52 seconds remaining when Ryan Flournoy caught a six-yard scoring pass, but a failed two-point conversion ended any hopes of a comeback.
Match Statistics
The final box score reflected a game where Green Bay controlled the margins despite a relatively close yardage count of 318 to 303 in favor of the Packers. Time of possession also favored the home side at 30 minutes and 51 seconds to 29 minutes and 9 seconds, sealing the 23-13 final margin.
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