Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy admits the Green Bay Packers thoroughly outplayed them in their Wild Card showdown on Sunday night. And for the veteran tactician, there were two specific areas that really helped the visitors take the win.
The Packers edged the Cowboys 48-32, with the game never really close. Jordan Love propelled Green Bay to a hot start, pulling off a 12-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by an epic Aaron Jones rushing touchdown.
It opened the floodgates for the Packers, as they jumped to a 27-0 lead in the second half before the Cowboys were able to record their first TD of the game as the second quarter clock expired. A Darnell Savage pick-six was one of the key highlights of the game, though Jones’ dominance with three touchdown also particularly stood out.
Love, for his part, finished with a perfect passer rating as he tallied 272 yards and three passing TDs on 16-of-21 pass completion. It was simply a complete night for the Packers, who also saw their defense step up and prevent Dak Prescott and Co. from gaining any momentum offensively.
In his postgame presser, McCarthy noted that the Packers’ ability to dominate the deep play action game, as well as their protection on Love made a ton of difference.
“Clearly the best thing they did in my opinion coming in was the deep play action game. And then, you know, obviously the protection was there. He (Jordan Love) was able to buy time, extend plays, and we just gave up too many of them,” McCarthy said, per the Forth Worth Star-Telegram.
The Dallas Cowboys head coach also rejected the idea that his team was flat and lacked energy, emphasizing that the Green Bay Packers just really outplayed them.
“No, I wouldn’t say we were we flat. There was energy. They made more plays than we did. The big play production; we were minus-three at halftime. We just didn’t get the stops. Didn’t get it to a two-score game quick enough. So, you know the turnovers and all the things…like I said, we did not play to our capabilities. The way we’ve been playing – particularly at home – we’re disappointed,” Mike McCarthy furthered.
McCarthy certainly couldn’t have said it any better. While the Cowboys tried hard to fight back, it just looked like the Packers have an answer to whatever they throw at them.
In the end, it resulted to one of the biggest losses in Cowboys playoff history.
Green Bay Packers Make History vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Green Bay Packers definitely deserve a ton of credit for the way they played on Sunday night. They showed more hunger and proved they wanted it more.
Making things more amazing, they also made plenty of history in the process. They became the first seventh seed to win a playoff game ever. Furthermore, Jordan Love is the first player to have a perfect passer rating in his postseason debut.
Overall, it was a playoff game to remember for the Packers. And now, they get to move on to the divisional round where they have a chance to make more history.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow us on Twitter at @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
