If I told you Davante Adams was out of the lineup with an injury, Aaron Rodgers wouldn't throw a touchdown pass and the Dallas Cowboys would pile up 563 yards of offense, there'd be no way the Green Bay Packers would leave Texas with a victory, right?
Wrong.
With a stirring performance, the Packers beat another 2018 Division champion on the road, staying perfect at AT&T Stadium with a 34-24 victory,
In need of a playmaker, the Packers found one in running back Aaron Jones who did something no one ever has against a Dallas defense, rush for four touchdowns in a single game. Jones scored from 18 yards and three yards out in the first quarter, he had a five yarder in the third and finished with a one yard stretch that stretched the Packers lead to 31-3. The former Texas-El Paso star finished with 107 yards on 19 carries and he also was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 75 more. Jones had family and friends in the stands and even tossed a scoring ball to his brother after what he called "a dream come true" game.
The other Aaron, MVP quarterback Rodgers, passed for 238 yards, endured three sacks and did not fire a touchdown pass, but he also didn't make any mistakes, saying he thought it was his best game of the season
His counterpart, Dak Prescott, did make mistakes, three interceptions that spoiled a career best 463 yards passing and a lightning strike comeback attempt.
The Cowboys put up 21 points on drives that lasted 1:30, 1:27 and just 21 seconds on two plays covering 75 yards that closed the gap to the final 10 point margin. A 38 yard pass to Michael Gallup, a 2 yard Ezekiel Elliott touchdown and then a 53 yard bomb to Amari Cooper made for a tighter than desired finish. Cooper had a monster game, 11 receptions for 226 yards, most coming against brash Jaire Alexander,
It was the second year pro who got the first laugh however, intercepting a Prescott pass that glanced off Cooper's back stretching hand in the first quarter. Chandon Sullivan made a leaping interception in the second and Kevin King picked off a ball in the final period to set up Mason Crosby's second field goal in as many tries giving Green Bay a 34-17 advantage.
Crosby's counterpart, Brett Maher, missed from 54 yards out late in the second quarter as the Green Bay defense pitched a first half shutout. He finally got Dallas on the board with a 36 yard kick in the third quarter, but missed a 33 yard attempt with 1:41 to play that could have pulled the Cowboys within 7 and with a chance for an onside kick miracle finish.
The first half defense stifled Elliott and harrassed Prescott, the Smith's combining for three sacks on the day. Elliott finished with 62 yards rushing and 29 receiving, half as many total yards than Jones.
Dallas was able to hit big plays in the second half because the attrition rate was getting out of hand. Darnell Savage left with an ankle injury, Za'Darius Smith had to be helped off the field three different times. Reserves like Sullivan and Will Redmond were asked to log a lot of snaps.
Center Corey Linsley also left early with a concussion and Lucas Patrick finished at center. He had an unusual day launching a pair of shotgun snaps into the hands of Jones, instead of Rodgers but the running back didn't mind the extra touches in Green Bay's first four rushing touchdown game since Dorsey Levens in January of 2002.
Rodgers is now 4-0 at Jerry Jones' palace, the Super Bowl 45 victory over Pittsburgh and three straight against the Cowboys.
Next up for the 4-1 Pack, a Monday night date against the idle 2-1-1 Detroit Lions back at Lambeau Field.
