Cowboys vs. Packers: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 Regular Season

The Green Bay Packers offense isn't all the way back, but it was good enough on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdowns, and Eddie Lacy rushed for 124 yards as the Packers moved into the NFC North's driver's seat with a 28-7 victory at Lambeau Field.   

The Packers now hold a one-game lead over the Minnesota Vikings, who lost their second straight game Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals. Green Bay appears well on its way to setting a franchise record for its fifth straight division championship.

The Packers got their second straight victory by controlling the pacing throughout. Dallas had possession for only 22 minutes and had nine possessions that went for five or fewer plays (one was a touchdown). Quarterback Matt Cassel, struggling again in his fifth start for the Cowboys, was limited to 114 yards on 13-of-29 passing. The 33-year-old turned the ball over once, throwing his first interception since Nov. 15 in the first quarter.

ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon has seen enough:   

The Cowboys are 3-1 in games started by Tony Romo this season and 1-8 in all others. Their dreams of an NFC East championship, which seemed surprisingly viable after Week 13's win over Washington, are almost certainly shattered. Washington and Philadelphia are now two full games clear of Dallas in the standings, and the New York Giants can get there against the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

Perhaps the only positive for Dallas was its running game, which gained 171 yards and found consistent success. Darren McFadden rushed for 111 yards, his fourth triple-digit game of the season, and Robert Turbin added 51 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys averaged a robust 8.6 yards per carry, which made their passing-game issues all the more glaring.

Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram highlighted McFadden's success:

On the other sideline, the Packers found quite a bit of success on the ground themselves. Lacy, coming off two 100-yard performances in his last three games, toted the rock 24 times for 124 yards. While it was unseasonably warm in Green Bay for Sunday's game, the former Alabama star continues to heat up as the temperature typically drops. 

It was promising to see Lacy get so much work after being held to 19 snaps last week due to missing curfew, per AL.com's Mark Inabinett. 

"We had a conversation internally," Lacy said, per Inabinett, "and they know that whenever I'm out on the field, I'm going to do exactly what I have to do. I'm not a guy that makes a lot of mistakes or bad things off the field either. So that's something they know they don't have to worry about. We put it behind us, and we're moving forward. I think we both got things out in that conversation, and we're both moving forward from that incident."

Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders is pleased that Lacy is back to performing at a high level:

James Starks also added 71 yards and had a 30-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was the first time since Oct. 18 that Starks topped 50 yards on the ground.

Rodgers threw for 218 yards and his two scores, but the Packers' aerial attack remains a bit grounded.

Only one pass went for more than 20 yards, and that was a 24-yarder to Lacy. Rodgers is averaging more than a yard-and-a-half per attempt less than last season, and the lack of downfield plays is where receiver Jordy Nelson's absence is most obvious. The reigning MVP hasn't so much as averaged eight yards per attempt in nearly two months.

Gil Brandt of NFL Network highlighted the problems before the game:

Randall Cobb was the Packers' leading receiver with eight receptions for 81 yards. While not a breakout game, Cobb's eight grabs tied a season high, and his yardage total was his most since a Nov. 8 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Overall, the Packers can't complain much about a three-touchdown win, but they still have some inherent problems that need fixing. Green Bay's offense lacks dynamism in ways that could become a problem once it needs a big play in the postseason. For now, though, Rodgers and Co. will have to settle for merely being a game clear in the NFC North.

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Postgame Reaction

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and Rodgers offered insight into play-calling:

"

McCarthy on play-calling: It's an adjustment in our process & this is the way we'll go forward. #DALvsGB

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 14, 2015"

The pair also complimented Lacy:

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