Packers vs. Cowboys: Full Report Card Grades for Green Bay
The problems in the Green Bay Packers offense have been present all season. But when the team still manages to win a game, as it has three times so far this year, those issues seem less dire.
But when the Packers lose ugly, as they did 30-16 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the problems loom large over the entire season.
Against Dallas, the Packers managed just one offensive touchdown, and the offense committed three turnovers, from Aaron Rodgers' interception to Jordy Nelson and Ty Montgomery's lost fumbles.
And this time, against Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott and with injuries mounting, the Packers defense couldn't bail the offense out.
Fair warning: This week's grades are not pretty. But you knew that was coming.
Quarterback
1 of 10
The good news was that Aaron Rodgers finally threw a touchdown in the second half of a game for the first time this season.
The bad news was that it was the only time Rodgers found the end zone all day.
To make matters worse, Rodgers had one interception to match his one touchdown, and he lost a fumble inside the 5-yard line. He fumbled again in the fourth quarter, but Jason Spriggs recovered.
Though Rodgers has looked "off" for quite some time, the problems were compounded on Sunday against the Cowboys. Rodgers was not scanning the field, was missing wide-open targets and didn't seem to have his usual composure in the pocket.
There was the one scoring drive in fourth quarter, during which Rodgers and the offense looked more like their usual selves. The Packers marched down the field for 75 yards in nine plays in three minutes, 33 seconds operating primarily out of the no-huddle.
Rodgers does appear to play better when the offense is working quickly. But it seems the fundamental problem at the core of this unit lies with him.
Grade: D-
Running Back
2 of 10
With James Starks out after having knee surgery Sunday morning, as Jay Glazer reported on Fox, it was the Eddie Lacy show Sunday at Lambeau.
And Lacy put on a show, hurdling over defenders on three separate occasions as if to demonstrate that his ankle (and his body weight) were doing just fine, thank you very much.
Though Lacy was the feature back on Sunday, he didn't generate enough offense to be a major difference-maker for the Packers, rushing 17 times for 65 yards and failing to find the end zone for the fifth game this season.
Due to the exigency at the position, the Packers also ran Montgomery out of the backfield, but he only totaled six yards on three carries.
The Packers might want to consider adding another halfback to the roster in Week 7.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Though Montgomery didn't generate much for the Packers on the plays he ran out of the backfield, in the passing game, he was the team's most productive receiver.
Montgomery had 10 receptions for 98 yards on 12 targets Sunday. Most of his usage came in the third quarter as the Packers fell behind and tried to get the passing game going in order to catch up.
Speaking of getting going late, Nelson finally became a factor in the game in the fourth quarter on the Packers' lone touchdown-scoring drive. Rodgers connected with Nelson three times for gains of nine, 12 and 25 yards before finding Randall Cobb in the end zone for a six-yard scoring connection.
Davante Adams had a Jekyll-and-Hyde kind of day, bringing in a big gain of 22 yards but also dropping a pass. It seems he still has a ways to go in working on trust with his quarterback.
As for the tight end situation, Richard Rodgers and Justin Perillo were non-factors in the game.
Cobb's touchdown and Montgomery's yardage couldn't save this group's grade this week, however. Both Nelson and Montgomery lost fumbles. Montgomery also had a fumble that, luckily, happened when he was already out of bounds.
Aaron Rodgers didn't do much to help this group Sunday, but nor did they make his life easier.
Grade: D+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
A week after earning Offensive Line of the Week honors, Green Bay's unit continued to look like the best one on this side of the ball Sunday against the Cowboys.
Aaron Rodgers only took one sack and one hit on Sunday. Though he often looked jumpy in the pocket, overall his line did another great job keeping him upright.
Spriggs also had a clutch moment recovering Rodgers' fumble in the fourth quarter. Talk about making your quarterback look good.
Rodgers may have only only gone 31-of-42 on passing Sunday, but it would have been a lot worse had the line not played so well.
Grade: A-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
In the first four games this season, the Packers had allowed 171 rushing yards total.
On Sunday against the Cowboys, the Packers allowed 191 rushing yards, 157 to Elliott alone.
Something had to give in this matchup between the NFL's No. 1 run defense and No. 1 rushing offense, and as the dust settles, it's clear to see which side won out.
Green Bay's defensive front allowed Elliott to escape into the second level of the defense too often Sunday, and once there, the Packers' banged-up secondary was no match for his speed.
Newly activated defensive lineman Mike Pennel did have two tackles for loss, and Letroy Guion got one quarterback hit on Prescott. But that was just about all that stood out for the line in a game they'd sooner rather forget.
Grade: C-
Linebacker
6 of 10
The Packers linebackers had a slightly better day up front than their friends along the defensive line—but not by much.
Veteran Julius Peppers, who had the best day of all the linebackers, had the lone sack on Prescott. Blake Martinez had the second-most tackles on the team, with eight. Joe Thomas recovered a Prescott fumble forced by Peppers.
Early in the game, the Packers attempted to use Clay Matthews at inside linebacker to help contain Elliott, and he dropped into coverage on him a couple of times. Ultimately, however, neither Matthews nor true inside 'backers Martinez and Jake Ryan had much of an answer for Elliott.
Off the edge, the Packers just couldn't bring much pressure on Prescott.
Grade: C
Secondary
7 of 10
The Packers secondary was the team's most banged-up unit on the field Sunday, but it certainly deserves its fair share of criticism for the game's outcome.
The highlight of the day was by far safety Morgan Burnett, who will go down in history as being the defensive back who gave Prescott the first interception of his rookie career after a stunningly long streak without committing such an error.
Burnett also had two passes defended.
The Packers lost Damarious Randall to a re-aggravation of his groin injury on Sunday, as the Packers reported on Twitter, and the resulting performance of the cornerbacks was not pretty. Quinten Rollins was inactive, so it was up to LaDarius Gunter and Demetri Goodson to contain Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley and Jason Witten.
Spoiler alert: They didn't. Prescott threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns.
The Cowboys' game plan appeared to hinge on exploiting Gunter, who gave up a 16-yard gain to Beasley just a few plays before Beasley would find the end zone for the Cowboys' first touchdown.
Secondary health, or lack thereof, is crippling the Packers defense as the season reaches its midpoint.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
Mason Crosby was the Packers' biggest source of points on Sunday, using his leg to put nine of the team's 16 points on the board.
Montgomery was a high point on the day in kick returns; he totaled 64 yards on two returns, including one for 40 yards that gave the Packers great field position late in the fourth. However, Montgomery then fumbled the ball away on that same drive.
It was also a better day for punter Jake Schum, who only had to boot the ball once all day and did so to the tune of 47 yards, pinning it inside the 20-yard line.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
Head coach Mike McCarthy may not be feeling chatty in press conference when reporters ask him what's wrong with the Packers offense, but his true feelings have a way of coming out in the game plan.
For instance, on two occasions against Dallas, the Packers could have gone for it on 4th-and-1 and 4th-and-2, the former instance in the red zone when the Packers were down by four points in the first quarter.
But McCarthy, who has a front-row seat to the mediocrity of this squad this season, elected to take the points from the field goal both times.
Perhaps McCarthy's most puzzling decision was a series in the fourth quarter in which the Packers were down 27-9 and McCarthy elected to run the injured Lacy twice. The results were a two-yard gain and no gain. Finally, when Aaron Rodgers started targeting Nelson downfield, the Packers were able to build momentum and march into the end zone.
McCarthy's timeout management was also questionable, including when he called one on 3rd-and-1 as the Packers were trying to score.
Perhaps the head coach will be more willing to answer questions about his offense this week.
On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Dom Capers was missing many of his most important playmakers, but it was the performance of the run defense that marred his record the most Sunday.
Grade: C-
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Quarterback | D- |
| Running Back | B |
| Wide Receiver and Tight End | D+ |
| Offensive Line | A- |
| Defensive Line | C- |
| Linebackers | C |
| Secondary | D |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | C- |
| Final Grade | D |
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