A zero at halftime can make a week of conversation sound rather distant. Dallas had spent the buildup to Green Bay trying to repair its defense. At the break Sunday night, the Cowboys were looking at a 17-point deficit and an offense that had contributed nothing to the scoreboard.
The 23-13 defeat at Lambeau Field belongs to both units. Nine of Green Bay’s ten first-half third downs became conversions, an appalling return for a defense trying to give itself a fresh start. But the offense cannot use that performance as an excuse. It received opportunities that a competent attack should at least turn into a competitive argument.
Dee Winters supplied the clearest one. His interception gave Dallas possession at the Packers 42 late in the opening quarter. CeeDee Lamb subsequently converted a third-and-three with a catch gaining 16 yards, and Dallas reached the Green Bay 17 early in the next period. This was an opening to answer the Packers' first touchdown without needing to travel the length of the field.
It vanished on third-and-eight. Evan Williams intercepted Dak Prescott's pass intended for Lamb, catching the ball at the Packers 3 and returning it to the 20. Green Bay then used 8:17 to produce a field goal. Dallas had squandered useful field position and watched the opponent convert the next possession into a longer stay on the sideline.
The next Dallas drive showed why simply asking for more yards misses the problem. A Pickens reception took the Cowboys to the Packers 23. A holding penalty pushed them backward; Green Bay then gave some distance back with a neutral-zone infraction.
Prescott was throwing from the 28 when Brandon Cisse intercepted another pass intended for Lamb. Green Bay followed with a touchdown before the half ended.
Those were different situations, and the second was outside the red zone. Their common feature was an offense failing to preserve the value it had already created. Brian Schottenheimer's postgame emphasis on mistakes, protecting the football and improving the running game was appropriate. The difficult part is making those subjects describe the next performance rather than the next explanation.
Green Bay also earned its share of the outcome. The Packers mixed pressure looks and disguises, according to their team reporting, and Prescott took seven hits despite being sacked only once. Zaire Franklin's delayed rush hit him on the play before the Williams interception. Dallas faced an effective plan, not a passive opponent waiting to receive mistakes.
Still, the third quarter offered an achievable alternative. After the defense forced a Packers punt, Dallas covered 46 yards for its first touchdown. Lamb's fourth-and-two reception gained 17 yards and kept the drive alive. Javonte Williams contributed four carries totaling 15 yards, including the scoring plunge. Brevyn Spann-Ford added a six-yard reception between Williams runs.
There was nothing extravagant about it. Different players supplied useful gains, the offense survived a difficult down, and the possession ended with points. That is a reasonable standard for a team with Prescott, Lamb and George Pickens. It should not require a halftime deficit to become visible.
