World’s Best Preview: Packers-Cowboys Sunday sprint

While the Green Bay Packers will be without star receiver Davante Adams, the Dallas Cowboys also will be without one of their premier offensive players in left tackle Tyron Smith.

Smith is a superior player. A six-time Pro Bowler, he hasn’t allowed a sack since 2017, according to STATS. This season, according to Pro Football Focus, Smith has allowed zero sacks, one quarterback hit and five total pressures.

“He’s a secure lockdown for the quarterback’s blindside,” said Packers outside linebacker Preston Smith, who faced Smith regularly while with Washington the previous four seasons. “He’s a guy you know you don’t have to worry about giving too much help. He can execute and protect the quarterback’s backside. When you’ve got him in the game, the quarterback knows you don’t have to worry about his blindside getting attacked too much.”

Dallas’ offensive line of Smith, left guard Connor Williams, center Travis Frederick, right guard Zack Martin and right tackle La’el Collins is a fortress. The Cowboys have allowed only three sacks this season. Green Bay’s defense, on the other hand, is seventh in the league with 12 sacks but a lofty second with 49 total pressures, according to Sportradar via the Packers’ “Dope Sheet” preview.

The Cowboys figure to use Cameron Fleming at left tackle. In 65 games (23 starts) with New England and Dallas, he’s allowed nine sacks, according to STATS. He allowed 1.5 while replacing Smith for three games last year.

“Cam has played a lot of snaps for us and did a very good job last year when called upon,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said in a conference call. “He’s a veteran player. He’s a smart football player and he has a good feel for what we’re asking him to do both in the running game and the passing game. So, he’s played a lot of snaps and we have a tremendous amount of confidence in him.”

More trenches: On the other side of the line, Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga figures to be ready after missing the second half last week’s game against Philadelphia with a shoulder injury. He’ll have another tall order this week against Dallas’ DeMarcus Lawrence, who has 27.5 sacks since the start of the 2017 season.

In four games against the likes of Chicago’s Khalil Mack, Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter, Denver’s Von Miller and Philadelphia’s Brandon Graham, Bulaga has allowed zero sacks, zero quarterback hits and six total pressures. Of 50 offensive tackles with at least 50 percent playing time, Bulaga ranks 13th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per snap. Up next is Lawrence, who rushes from the defense’s left side 87.6 percent of the time, according to PFF.

“I remember back to when he tore his ACL on Family Night (in 2014) and finished the last 20 plays of practice,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “That’s the kind of toughness you can’t teach; you’ve either got it or you don’t, and he’s had it for years and dealt with some tough injuries over the years. But it’s nice seeing 75 out there. I think his grumpy nature sometimes is also what makes him so tough. He has such high expectations for himself to be on the field and play and play through pain, and he’s backed that up his entire career of doing that year after year. I give him a lot of credit for that.”

To the test: Officially, Dallas has returned two kickoffs for just 11 yards. Both of those are by receiver Randall Cobb. However, look for the Cowboys to use rookie running back Tony Pollard and hope Packers kicker Mason Crosby gives him a chance. Pollard returned seven kickoffs for touchdowns at Memphis. Meanwhile, the Packers have given up long kickoff returns each of the past two weeks.

“We tell the guys, ‘If something bad happens, you get three or four weeks (when) they’re going to continue to attack you and you’ve got to get it fixed because teams are going to continue to try and expose what you put out there on film,” Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga said. “Obviously, I’ve got to do a better job of getting guys in positions and we’ve got to do a better job of seeing the returns and getting off blocks and going to make tackles. Teams are going to continue to test you until you can show you can get it fixed.”

Challenge for Rodgers: The Cowboys don’t have any marquee names in the secondary and they’ve intercepted only one pass. Still, this is a superb defense that will test Rodgers and his depleted receiver corps.

Dallas is 10th vs. the pass but only fifth in yards per passing play (5.69). The Cowboys have allowed an opponent passer rating of 86.1, which ranks 10th. It will take a patient approach for Rodgers. Dallas has allowed 10 passing plays of 20-plus yards – only three teams have allowed fewer – and are one of three teams to not allow a 20-yard touchdown pass.

“It’s a very athletic, sideline-to-sideline defense,” Rodgers said. “You’ve got speed all over the field. They have three fantastic linebackers with Sean (Lee) and the two young guys (Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch), who are playing so well. The front is very active, two great pass rushers. Inside they’re doing what (defensive coordinator Rod) Marinelli has taught for years – a lot of line stunts and line movement to combat not having 340-pound guys inside, and the back end is playing really well. S,o it’s a sound defense. It’s not extravagant, but they play their defense really well. Their coverage has been tight.”

Pick parade: While Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has a sizzling 113.7 passer rating and 72.4 percent completion rate, he has thrown three interceptions. According to STATS, the Packers are 7-1-1 when intercepting at least one pass since Mike Pettine took over as defensive coordinator in 2018.

Hotter than hot: Speaking of Prescott, he is an incredible 28-of-28 passing for 457 yards, three touchdowns and a 154.5 passer rating in the third quarter. By comparison, Rodgers is 14-of-29 (48.3 percent) for 165 yards, one touchdown and a 77.5 rating.

More Dak attack: The fourth quarter also is Prescott’s time. Since entering the league in 2016, he is responsible for 17 touchdowns (14 passing, three rushing) when the game is within seven points in the fourth quarter or overtime. Only Russell Wilson (19) and Drew Brees (18) have more. With that, Prescott, Brees and Detroit’s Matthew Stafford lead the league with 14 game-winning drives. Since 1970, that’s the most for any quarterback in his first three seasons.

Stopping Dak: The Packers might be thin at cornerback. Starter Kevin King was upgraded from doubtful to questionable but he didn’t practice all week with a groin injury that he sustained in the second half against Philadelphia. And backup cornerback Tony Brown is out. That leaves Jaire Alexander, veteran Tramon Williams, rarely used Josh Jackson and Chandon Sullivan, and rookie Ka’Dar Hollman, who hasn’t played.

“They’ve gotten a lot of quality reps” on the practice field, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said of Sullivan and Hollman. “That’s one of the reasons I’ve talked about in here before, just the value of cross-training guys and getting those repetitions. You have a guy like Tramon that doesn’t need a lot of reps that we were able to rest him at times and get those young guys in there just for this occasion. Both those guys, whether it’s Ka’dar or Sully, Sully has played quality minutes in this league before, and Ka’dar has shown when he’s been in there in the preseason it hasn’t been too big. We’ll see how much they end up getting out there, but we’re all confident that they’ll step up.”

Fast start: With three consecutive opening-drive touchdowns, the Packers are second in the league with 21 points on their first possession of the game. Overall, the Packers have outscored their foes 28-3 in the first quarter. Only New England’s plus-40 is better.

Mini-bye equals mini-benefits: The Packers are coming off a Thursday game so had a few more days of rest. That should be a plus. And sure enough, teams coming off a Thursday game are 5-1 this season. However, those teams were merely 13-19 last year.

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