Packers look like NFC’s top contender after beating Cowboys

The Green Bay Packers made last week’s loss in Philadelphia a distant memory, beating up the Cowboys in Dallas to stake their claim as the NFC’s best team.

Ten days can make a lot of difference in the National Football League. Back on Thursday Night Football in Week 4, the Green Bay Packers couldn’t get out of their own way against a banged-up Philadelphia Eagles team and lost at home in the final seconds.

With their first road trip since Week 1, the Packers faced a tall order against a Dallas Cowboys’ squad that looked like one of the best in football for the early part of the season. Green Bay was more than up to the challenge, walking into Jerry World and beating up the Cowboys to stake their claim as the NFC’s top team.

The star of this game for the Packers was running back Aaron Jones, who ran all over the Cowboys for 107 yards and four touchdowns. With a strong running game, the Packers didn’t need Aaron Rodgers to do it all, but he still chipped in plenty by throwing for 238 yards on 22 completions in 34 attempts.

The Green Bay defense also stepped up huge after a disappointing showing in Week 4, harassing Dak Prescott into three interceptions. The Cowboys clearly missed left tackle Tyron Smith, with Prescott getting sacked three times and Ezekiel Elliott finding running lanes that were smaller than usual.

The win wasn’t going to be completely easy, even with the Packers building a 31-3 lead, as Dallas began fighting back to bring the game within ten, but the Packers held on to secure the victory when Brett Maher missed a field goal in the final two minutes that would have cut the deficit to seven.

The Packers improve to 4-1 on the year, and outside of the Eagles’ game, they have looked like the NFC’s most consistent powerhouse. The New Orleans Saints can also stake a claim to the top spot, especially given their success without Drew Brees, but for now, the road to NFC supremacy runs through Lambeau Field.