Aaron Jones, Jordan Love Help Packers Rout Cowboys in Playoffs Shocker
The Green Bay Packers didn’t just beat the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s NFL wild-card playoff weekend. It destroyed the Cowboys. It bullied the Cowboys. It outclassed the Cowboys.
Jordan Love was magnificent. Aaron Jones was dominant. And Joe Barry’s frequently criticized defense demolished the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the NFL as the Packers delivered an emphatic statement with a 48-32 victory at AT&T Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The future is now for the NFL’s youngest team, who have won four in a row thanks to the young superstar quarterback and the unstoppable veteran running back. They will play at the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers (12-5) in the divisional round on Saturday.
“Here we go,” to quote Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
“It feels fun,” Love said. “Just being in the locker room right there, it’s a great environment to be in. I just can't say enough how proud I am of everybody in the locker room. It’s been a long season. We’ve been counted out a lot of the season, so, just the way everybody keeps battling, keeps competing, getting better and obviously outing on great performances like tonight. So, it's a great feeling.”
It was an epic smackdown of former Packers coach Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys, who had won 16 in a row at home. The final numbers – neither on the scoreboard nor on the stats sheet, with the Cowboys outgaining the Packers by almost 100 yards – didn’t reflect the thorough dismantling of the Cowboys, who have nothing to show for three consecutive seasons of 12 wins.
When Love threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs with about 10 minutes remaining:
- Love was 16-of-20 passing for 272 yards with three touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 rating.
“Man, Jordan Love, wow. That’s about all I can say is ‘wow,’” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It just shows the growth that he’s had from his first start vs. K.C. to now. Just so proud and happy for him. He’s a dude. He is a real dude.”
- Jones had 19 carries for 115 yards and three touchdowns. Through 14 games, the Packers hadn’t had a 100-yard rusher. Jones has four in a row.
- Doubs had six receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown; he had zero 100-yard games in his two-year career. Through 15 games, the Packers hadn’t had a 100-yard receiver. Bo Melton, Jayden Reed and Doubs each have one the past three games.
And what can you say about Barry? With calls to fire him after horrendous performances in back-to-back games against Tampa Bay and Carolina, his defense delivered two game-changing interceptions – one by Jaire Alexander to set up an easy touchdown and a pick-six by Darnell Savage as the Packers led 27-0 in the second quarter.
The Cowboys ended the first half with a touchdown and started the second half with a field goal to cut the margin to 27-10.
How would the Packers, with the NFL’s youngest playoff team in 50 years, respond?
With a touchdown. Highlighted by a 46-yard completion to Doubs, with Love taking a big hit from Micah Parsons and Doubs making an excellent catch on the underthrown ball, the Packers extended their lead to 34-10 when Jones cut back behind Zach Tom for a 9-yard touchdown.
How would the Packers respond when the Cowboys scored again? With another touchdown. Back-to-back explosive runs by Jones set up a 38-yard touchdown to wide-open Luke Musgrave off a play-action fake to Jones.
Moments later, the game was over. On fourth-and-5 on the final play of the third quarter, defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s six-man pressure forced an incompletion. The Doubs touchdown made it 48-16.
The Cowboys scored a couple late touchdowns, LaFleur kicking himself for pulling the starters too soon.
In 1995, the Packers upset the Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round before suffering a crushing loss to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship Game.
The first half of this game was just as stunning.
The Packers won the toss and, not surprisingly, took the ball to start the game in hopes of seizing early momentum. The momentum was seized, and the Packers wouldn’t let go.
A 22-yard completion to Doubs set the stage for Jones’ opening touchdown run. Late in the first quarter, Alexander made a brilliant interception to set up the offense at the Cowboys’ 19. On the second play of the second quarter, Jones scored again to make it 14-0. Stuffed at the line, Jones somehow found a crease to his left and stumbled into the end zone.
The Packers didn’t need a short field the next time they had the ball. Love punctuated a 93-yard touchdown drive with a 20-yard scoring pass to Dontayvion Wicks, who ran a big-time corner-post route to beat veteran Stephon Gilmore. Anders Carlson missed the extra point.
Moments later, it was 27-0. Prescott tried to hit NFL receptions leader CeeDee Lamb on a slant. Instead, Savage sprinted under the route for a 64-yard pick-six. Savage had only one pass defensed all season.
“I saw Dak. I knew where 88 was. I knew he likes to go to 88,” Savage said. “I was just reading his eyes and ended up making a big play for the team. It was definitely a momentum swing in the game. Anytime you score on defense is a big thing.”
Dallas scored on the final play of the half. If only De’Vondre Campbell hadn’t dropped a goal-line interception or the officials hadn’t missed a false start on left guard Tyler Smith on the touchdown.
Ultimately, it didn’t matter. Green Bay has won four in a row. Up next, it’s the 49ers – who knocked the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers out of the playoffs in 2012, 2013, 2019 and 2021.
“They’re a very talented team,” Love said. “Got to get our bodies back and get back to it.”
