It seems like the Dallas Cowboys are struggling to get on the same page defensively. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers have seen much-needed improvement with the offensive line. These teams will meet on Sunday Night Football, and here are odds, predictions, and a pick for the Week 6 contest.
The Cowboys have gotten off to a disappointing 2-3 start. They handled the Commanders and Texans, but fell to the Giants, Ravens, and Buccaneers. The latter was a shocking upset at home.
As for the Packers, they looked like a mess after a 1-2 start. They lost to the Vikings and Falcons, and barely beat the Jets. However, they’ve bounced back with wins over the Buccaneers and last week’s surprising blowout of the Bears.
Cowboys vs. Packers Odds
Cowboys: +3
Packers: -3
Over: 51.5
Under: 51.5
The spread doesn’t give a lot of information here. Being at home, the Packers get the traditional three points. But this game is a true toss-up. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see it go either way.
One good pick is likely the Over. These teams should repeatedly find their way into the end zone. Neither defense has shown enough on defense to suggest they can come up with consistent stops.
Cowboys vs. Packers key injuries
There are several things that stood out about injuries this week. Of course, the biggest one came in the form of edge rusher Micah Parsons still not being able to give it a go. Parsons said he’s getting close, according to a post on X by Matt Schneidman.
“The biggest thing that people worried about with me, they're like, ‘Man, why ain't he back yet?' If the Super Bowl was this week, I'm playing in the Super Bowl,” Parsons said. “But it's just about me making sure I have all the small things fixed first.
‘What a lot of people don't figure out is it's not just the ACL. It's like, why did the ACL happen? What was weak? Because it all works together. It's a chain. And throughout the history of ACL, they notice if you come back early, there tends to be an overcompensation injury on the other side. We just gon' make sure everything is right before.”
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said there won’t be hesitation when Parsons is ready, according to PackersWire.com.
“As soon as they give us the green light, he'll be out there,” LaFleur said. “That hasn't happened yet, but I think we're getting closer.”
Another key for the Packers is the injury to Keisan Nixon. He wound up as a DNP on Wednesday with a groin issue. If for some reason he couldn’t go against the Cowboys, the Packers’ defense would be in deep trouble. Cornerback Benjamin St. Juste also didn’t get to practice Wednesday.
With CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens coming to town, this isn’t a good week to have cornerback injury problems. How big would the absence of Nixon be? Consider this, according to Pro Football Focus.
Nixon has allowed 21 catches on 29 targets for 197 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception over 189 coverage snaps through five games. He is the Packers’ highest-rated cornerback.
Defensive tackle Jonathan Ford also drew a mid-week DNP. His absence from the defensive line could create a critical depth issue.
As for the Cowboys, Lamb practiced in full on Wednesday. He should be good to go for the matchup. However, three key players didn’t practice on Wednesday. Cornerback Cobie Durant, edge Von Miller, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown couldn’t get on the practice field.
Overshown said he hopes to play against the Packers, according to dallascowboys.com.
“I feel better than when I felt when the injury happened,” Overshown said. “I'm running around, I'm doing everything you can as a football player. These [hamstring injuries] are tricky. You can have six good days in a row, and then out of nowhere, something happens. Right now I'm feeling great. I'm feeling like I can run around and do everything I could before the injury.”
Cowboys vs. Packers betting trends
This season, the Cowboys are 3-2 against the spread while the Packers are 2-3. Interestingly, the Cowboys are 2-0 against the spread when they are the underdog. That’s the case in this game.
In four of their five games, the Cowboys have raced past the Over. However, the Under is 3-2 for the Packers.
Keys to Cowboys vs. Packers matchup
Article Continues BelowIt’s pretty simple for the Cowboys. They must keep the Packers from doing what they did against the Bears. The Cowboys must stop big plays through the air. That means they need to commit to it, and not worry about the ground game.
That makes the presence of Overshown very important. If he can play, the Cowboys can trust him and Jaishawn Barham to make plays when the Packers run the ball.
“(Barham is) a dog,” Overshown said. “I feel like I've been saying that since camp, and we've been saying it since camp. He's a dog. He's getting better every week. (And) he’s learning. He's definitely took the green dot role and treated it as a sign of respect.”
As for the Packers, it’s a matter of their offense getting enough points on the board. Twenty-seven points won’t do it. The Packers need to get into the 30s.
And that means Jordan Love must have another big game. He has thrown for over 300 yards three times this season. That’s a must for this week. And he needs TD strikes. The Packers won’t be able to run the football into the end zone against the Cowboys.
Cowboys vs. Packers prediction and pick
The outcome will likely depend on which team gets off to a quick start. If either team builds a double-digit lead, that will make a difference. Both teams will be putting points on the board.
This game will likely be decided in the final minute. It’s a coin flip.