Jordan Love, Green Bay's defense
lead the way in Packers' 23-13 victory over Cowboys
[October 19, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love
didn’t bother wondering what might have been.
The reality of a three-game winning streak is appealing enough.
Love threw a touchdown pass and scored on a 1-yard keeper and the
Packers held Dallas’ high-powered offense in check and beat the
Cowboys 23-13 in a penalty-filled game Sunday night. Love went 23 of
41 for 276 yards with one interception.
His numbers would have looked even better if three more potential
touchdown passes hadn't been dropped.
“I want to make every throw,” Love said. “I want these guys to make
every catch. That’s the expectation. Stuff happens. Drops happen.
Obviously, I want those guys to make those plays, and we’re capable
of making those plays. But for me, it’s got to be the next play
mindset. You’ve got to move on.”
Love's 9-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden capped Green Bay's
first series and put the Packers ahead for good. The Packers are
11-1-1 in their last 13 meetings with the Cowboys, including a tie
last season at Arlington, Texas.
The Packers (4-2) have won three straight as they await the return
of three-time Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs, who comes off the
commissioner's exempt list Monday. Jacobs hasn't played all season
and pleaded no contest last month to two misdemeanor charges
stemming from an altercation with his then-girlfriend in May.
In each of those three wins, the Packers have allowed 14 points or
fewer. The last time Green Bay allowed no more than 14 points to
three straight opponents was in 2016.
“If we continue to work, continue to come in with the right mindset,
continue to trust in each other, continue to trust in the coaches,
continue to trust in this game plan, I think the sky’s the limit for
us,” Packers safety Javon Bullard said. “And if we continue to just
attack each of our opponents, take it one game at a time, one snap
at a time, I think we can be the best defense in the league.”
Green Bay intercepted Dak Prescott's passes twice to thwart
second-quarter scoring opportunities. Prescott went 34 of 54 for 258
yards. He threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Flournoy with 44
seconds left, but couldn’t connect with CeeDee Lamb on a 2-point
conversion attempt.
Dallas (2-4) trailed 17-0 at halftime. That's the first time the
Cowboys went scoreless in a first half since Nov. 7, 2021, when they
were down 16-0 in a 30-16 loss to Denver.
“We’re in a hole," Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "(We)
put ourselves there. There’s one way out of it. That’s what I told
the guys, I said, ‘You know, got to work. Got to find solutions.
Can’t repeat mistakes.’ They understand that.”
[to top of second column] |
Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love and Matthew Golden celebrate after an
NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Green Bay, Wis.,
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
This game featured 22 penalties — 11 by each team. Dallas had 108
penalty yards, while Green Bay had 96.
Green Bay could have won by substantially more.
Golden dropped what would have been a 43-yard touchdown and couldn’t
complete the catch on a potential 23-yard score in the second
quarter. A potential 26-yard touchdown pass went in and out of
Christian Watson’s hands in the third quarter, though that pass was
deflected in the end zone by Dallas’ Malachi Lawrence.
The Lambeau Field fireworks started prematurely after Golden
couldn’t hang on to the 23-yarder even as the officials were
signaling the incompletion. Green Bay still scored a touchdown after
one of those drops and settled for Trey Smack field goals after the
other two.
“Those are plays that you want back, especially just knowing the
type of game – Sunday night, how important it was for us to come out
with this win,” said Golden, who caught six passes for 104 yards.
“For me, I’m not going to be too down about it because I know 10
times out of 10 I’m going to make those plays.”
Prescott's two turnovers proved costly. Dallas was inside Green
Bay's 30 on consecutive possessions when Evan Williams and Brandon
Cisse intercepted passes.
“We need some good momentum,” Prescott said. "And the only way to do
it is to get a win.”
One positive development for Dallas was an improved performance from
its defense, which entered the night allowing a league-high 6.4
yards per play.
Dee Winters made a diving catch late in the first quarter for
Dallas' first interception of the season. Winters then got up and
weaved between multiple defenders to run over 40 yards for an
apparent touchdown, but a replay review determined he was touched by
Golden while still on the ground.
Injuries
Cowboys: WR KaVontae Turpin left with a rib injury in the first
quarter. Winters strained his Achilles in the second quarter.
Packers: CB Brandon Cisse left with a stinger in the second half.
Up next
Cowboys: At Philadelphia on Oct. 26.
Packers: At Detroit next Sunday.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
