When the Dallas Cowboys traveled to Green Bay to take on the Packers in the NFL regular season, it was a match up between the NFL’s best rushing offense (Cowboys) and the NFL’s best run defense (Packers). The Cowboys, who are led by their offensive line and rookie of the year candidate running back Ezekiel Elliott, dominated the Packers defensive front and won the matchup handily.
That day, in a 30-16 Cowboys win, Elliott rushed for 157 yards on 28 carries. The Cowboys offensive line, which is arguably the best in the NFL, manhandled the Packers defensive front, not only in the running game but also in pass protection. The Cowboys offensive line held the Packers to just one sack, by veteran outside linebacker Julius Peppers.
The Green Bay Packers Defensive Front Has a Grueling Task Ahead of Them
It wasn’t much of a surprise that the Cowboys dominated the line of scrimmage that day against the Packers. Even with being ranked the number one run defense going into that game, the Packers were no match for the Cowboys offensive line. The Cowboys dominated the NFL all season long when it came to controlling the line of scrimmage. The ability of the offensive line to win the battle up front is one of the reasons Elliott finished as the top ground gainer in the NFL with 1,631 yards.
But for the Packers to have any chance of upsetting the Cowboys on Sunday in Dallas, their defensive front is going to have to play a lot better, especially against the run. The Packers finished the regular season ranked eighth against the run. Even with finishing eighth, the Packers have struggled against opposing teams who possess solid running games. With facing the best running game in the NFL in a lose and go home situation, the Packers will need to quickly change that pattern.
As much as a presence Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels is in the middle of the defensive line for pass rushing, his body type, 6’0”, 291 lbs., isn’t the best match up against stopping the run. That means defensive tackles Letroy Guion and rookie Kenny Clark will need to do the grunt work and clog up the running lanes for Elliott and the rest of the Cowboys running backs.
Guion’s performances this season have been up and down. At times, he has shown up for the Packers stopping the run, but he has also had long stretches where he is gobbled up by opposing teams’ interior offensive lineman and rendered ineffective. This could lead to more playing time for the rookie Clark, who saw more playing time down the stretch for the Packers and has carried his weight. If Clark can use his 6’3”, 313 lbs. stature to plug up the middle of the line, which would allow inside linebackers Jake Ryan, Blake Martinez, and Joe Thomas to roam free and make more tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage.
It is hard to fathom that the Packers will shut down Elliott and the rest of the Cowboys running game on Sunday. But it will be essential for the Packers defensive front to slow them down. Because of the girth and the physical play of the Cowboys offensive line, the Packers might have to rotate their defensive lineman. So expect to not only see Guion, Clark, and Daniels, but also Dean Lowry and even backup outside linebacker Datone Jones lining up inside on Sunday.
For whichever players are on the defensive line for the Packers on Sunday, their first and biggest priority will be to contain Cowboys running game. If they fail to do this, the results will look very similar to what Packers fans witnessed in the regular season match up with the Cowboys.
