Cowboys’ first-half shutout and stalled attack doom them in 23-13 loss to Packers

Dallas couldn’t score in the first half for the second straight Sunday night stretch, falling 23-13 at Green Bay after an offense that struggled to sustain drives and a defense that improved only after the damage was done.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Cowboys entered Sunday night hoping for a spark after a Week 5 loss and a mini-bye, but they couldn’t carry momentum into a 23-13 defeat at Green Bay. Dallas managed only one touchdown in the final half and was shut out 17-0 in the first two quarters.

Dallas’ first-half scoring drought snapped a long run: the team hadn’t been blanked in the first half since Nov. 7, 2021, versus the Broncos. In this one, Green Bay took control early with sustained drives, including a third-and-6 touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Matthew Golden.

Offensively, quarterback Dak Prescott finished 25-of-39 for 258 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and his passer rating was 65.2. The Cowboys also leaned on the run but produced limited results, averaging 3.2 yards per carry for 48 rushing yards total.

Green Bay’s third-down issues coming in did not translate into trouble for the Packers early. Through the first two quarters, Dallas’ defense allowed nine conversions on 10 attempts, keeping long drives alive and setting up points, including a 17-play series that culminated in a field goal after Dallas kept Green Bay out of the end zone.

Dallas got a measure of improvement after halftime. The defense held the Packers to two third-down conversions on eight attempts and allowed only six points in the second half, but that improvement wasn’t enough to erase the first-half gap. The Cowboys’ comeback bid ended after a failed fourth-and-11 attempt and a late touchdown followed by an incomplete two-point conversion pass.

Why It Matters

A 17-point first-half deficit put immediate pressure on Dallas to win shootouts, and the Cowboys’ late scoring couldn’t overcome the early stretch.
The first-half shutout ended a multi-year run without being blanked in the opening half, highlighting how quickly Green Bay’s drives turned into points.
Green Bay’s efficiency on third downs early kept Dallas’ defense on the field and limited the offense’s opportunities to build rhythm.
The result extends the urgency for Dallas to improve red-zone and third-down execution, especially before halftime.

Sources

Key Facts

Dallas lost to Green Bay 23-13 after being shut out 17-0 in the first half.
Prescott went 25-of-39 for 258 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, with a 65.2 passer rating.
The Cowboys averaged 3.2 yards per carry for 48 rushing yards.
Green Bay converted 9 of 10 third downs through the first two quarters; Dallas limited them to 2 of 8 on third downs after halftime.
Matthew Golden had 104 receiving yards and a touchdown for Green Bay.
Dallas scored its only touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a 6-yard catch by Ryan Flournoy; the two-point conversion attempt failed.