The Green Bay Packers moved on to the NFL Playoffs divisional round after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 48–32. After their victory, they will play the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers in the NFC the following weekend.
Packers Updates
Dallas scored 32 points, but the game was far from close. Jordan Love finished with a passer rating of 157.2, 272 yards of completion, and three touchdown throws to different receivers (Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, and Luke Musgrave). Aaron Jones has 118 yards and three touchdowns in his ongoing domination over the Cowboys.
The defense, except from garbage time, played admirably, too. Darnell Savage returned a second interception for a score after Jaire Alexander had an interception before to leaving the game due to an ankle injury. Additionally, four players on the defense—De’Vondre Campbell, Lukas Van Ness, Keisean Nixon, and Preston Smith—acquired four sacks.
In every way, it was an entirely dominant victory. Let’s look at ten entertaining statistics from their amazing performance to celebrate.
10. Ten offensive touchdowns were combined by the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.
Tight end with the Green Bay Packers A touchdown is scored by Luke Musgrave against the Dallas Cowboys.
Tight end with the Green Bay Packers On Sunday, January 14, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, during the third quarter of the wild card playoff game, Luke Musgrave (88) scores a touchdown in spite of Dallas Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse (1)’s best attempts.
In the NFL regular season of 2023, the Dallas Cowboys scored the most average of any team in the league with 29.9 points per game. It should come as no surprise that they scored more than 30 points against the Packers.
However, many were taken aback by how strong the Packers’ offensive was. Jordan Love and Aaron Jones freely moved the ball. Ten touchdowns were scored in the game when their six touchdowns were added to Dallas’ four (three passing and one running).
Darnell Savage of the Packers scored a pick-six, the game’s only non-offensive touchdown, which brings us to…
9.Pick-Six by Darnell Savage was the ninth in the history of the Green Bay Packers Playoffs (since 1960).
Safety of the Green Bay Packers Darnell Savage scores a touchdown after Dak Prescott intercepts him.
On Sunday, January 14, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, during the second quarter of the Green Bay Packers’ wild card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, safety Darnell Savage (26), returns an interception for a touchdown.
Savage’s pick-six, according to Statmuse, was the Packers’ sixth interception returned for a touchdown in team history (their single-game stats go all the way back to 1960).
Since the 2012 postseason, it was their first pick-six in a playoff game. Early in the first quarter of their divisional round clash, Sam Shields intercepted Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. But Green Bay fell short in that match, 41–31.
8. Jordan Love Became the Eighth Quarterback to Win a Playoff Game for the Green Bay Packers
Jan. 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA: In the second half of the 2024 NFC wild card game at AT&T Stadium, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) celebrates a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Tim Heitman
Jan. 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA: In the second half of the 2024 NFC wild card game at AT&T Stadium, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) celebrates a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Tim Heitman
Herber, Arnie
Irv Comp. Cecil Isbell
Bart Starr
Dickey, Lynn
Favre
Aaron Butler
Jordan Charm
7. The Green Bay Packers Made History by Being the First NFL Playoff 7th Seed to Win a Game
Dontayvion Wicks, a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers
The wild card playoff game on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, saw Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (13) catch a touchdown pass while being covered by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore (21), during the second quarter.
Four years ago, the NFL added a seventh seed from each conference to the playoffs. No seventh seed had ever prevailed in a playoff meeting before Friday night.
The Packers were the pioneers.
6. For his career, Aaron Jones averages 6.0 yards per carry against the Dallas Cowboys.
On Sunday, January 14, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, following a score during the first quarter of the Wild Card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33), tosses the ball into the fans.
On Sunday, January 14, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, following a score during the first quarter of the Wild Card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33), tosses the ball into the fans.
On Sunday afternoon, Jones ran the ball 21 times for 118 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and three touchdowns against the Cowboys. In addition, he had one reception for thirteen yards.
It should not have been shocking that Jones ruled Dallas. Over his career, Jones has averaged 6.0 yards per run in three games during the regular season versus them. Since Jones is from El Paso, Texas, his most well-known game against his childhood favorite team was his 107-yard, four-touchdown effort against them in 2019.
Jones has now scored nine touchdowns versus the Cowboys in four career games (including playoffs) after his three touchdowns on Sunday.
5. It was the fifth victory in the Green Bay Packers’ playoff history over the Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott gets sacked by Green Bay Packers rookie Lukas Van Ness.
Jan 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Lukas Van Ness (90) sacks Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during the second half during the 2024 NFC wild card game at AT&T Stadium. Credit Required: Kevin Jairaj, USA NOW Sports
For many years, the Packers and Cowboys have acted as semi-rivals. The two teams met in the NFL Playoffs for the eighth time on Sunday in the wild card game. With this win, Green Bay now leads Dallas 5–4 in their all-time postseason meeting.
4. Under Mike McCarthy, the Green Bay Packers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 1-3 in four playoff games.
Green Bay Packers January 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA: Following the 2024 NFC wild card game at AT&T Stadium, head coaches Matt LaFleur and Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys get together. Credit Required: Kevin Jairaj, USA NOW Sports
Mike McCarthy, the former head coach of the Packers, led the team to a 2010 Super Bowl triumph and a 10-8 postseason record with Green Bay. Apart from that incredible run, though, he was 6-8 in the postseason and managed a number of heartbreaking defeats in his time there.
McCarthy has led the Cowboys to three consecutive seasons with twelve wins after taking over as head coach in 2020. McCarthy has led the Cowboys to just three wins in four postseason contests. Going forward, things do not appear favorable for him in Dallas; however, more on that later.
3. The victory was the Green Bay Packers’ third straight playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Keisean Nixon, cornerback for the Green Bay Packers
Jan 14, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) makes a tackle on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during the first half for the 2024 NFC wild card game at AT&T Stadium. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Tim Heitman
The Packers had defeated the Cowboys in the playoffs three times in a row after Dallas had defeated Green Bay in the 1995 NFC Championship Game. The Packers beat the Cowboys in the 2014 and 2016 divisional rounds.
2. It Could Have Been The Green Bay Packers A Second Fire of Mike McCarthy
Aaron Butler Packers in Green Bay Sharpe Shannon
October 12, 2008, Seattle, WA, USA: Head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) of the Green Bay Packers wait for the replay review of a touchdown run that Rodgers made late in the first half at Qwest Field versus the Seattle Seahawks to be finished. The Seahawks were defeated by the Packers, 27-17. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Joe Nicholson
As previously established, since taking over as the Cowboys head coach, McCarthy is just 1-3 in the NFL Playoffs. His inability to even get them to the NFC Championship Game, despite the team winning 36 regular season games in the previous three seasons combined, might be enough to make him the latest casualty of Jerry Jones.
1. In his first NFL Playoff game, Jordan Love triumphs.
Jordan Love, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers
On Sunday, January 14, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, during the second quarter of the Green Bay Packers’ wild card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, quarterback Jordan Love (10) of the Packers delivers a pass.
Jordan Love will undoubtedly claim the top slot after his historic first-round NFL playoff victory. With the greatest passing rating (157.2) of any quarterback making his first playoff start, he became the first quarterback from Green Bay to win in his postseason debut.
In addition, Love’s 99.8 QBR throughout the game is the greatest of any quarterback in NFL postseason history.
