Packers pick off Prescott twice, beat Cowboys 23-13 for third straight win

The Green Bay Packers built a 17-0 halftime lead behind a 90-yard opening drive and two interceptions of Dak Prescott, then held off the Dallas Cowboys 23-13 on Sunday night at Lambeau Field. Green Bay won its third straight game to move to 4-2 after a 1-2 start. Dallas lost its second in a row and fell to 2-4.

Jordan Love set the tone on the first possession, converting third-and-5, two third-and-13s and, finally, third-and-6 with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Golden to cap a 14-play, 90-yard drive. Green Bay entered as the league's worst third-down offense, according to ESPN, and went 11 of 18 on third down against the league's worst third-down defense.

Dallas had chances to answer in the first half and came away with nothing. Linebacker Dee Winters intercepted Love late in the first quarter, Dallas' first interception of the season, and the return was first ruled a touchdown before replay showed he was down at the Green Bay 42. The Cowboys reached the 17, but Evan Williams picked off Prescott at the 3.

Trey Smack's 25-yard field goal capped a 73-yard drive that stalled at the 2 for a 10-0 lead. Dallas crossed midfield again, but rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse, the Packers' top draft pick, intercepted Prescott at the 18 for his first career pick after CeeDee Lamb slipped on his route, according to ESPN. Green Bay went 77 yards in the final 1:50, helped by a 37-yard pass interference penalty on Joey Porter Jr. and Golden's 21-yard catch to the 2, and Love ran in from a yard out with 23 seconds left. Per ESPN, Dallas had not been blanked in a first half since 2021.

The Cowboys got on the board with their first possession of the third quarter. Prescott converted a fourth-and-2 with a 17-yard pass to Lamb, and Javonte Williams finished the nine-play, 46-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to cut it to 17-7. Green Bay answered, converting a fourth-and-3 on Love's 14-yard pass to Tucker Kraft. Christian Watson dropped what would have been a 26-yard touchdown, and Smack settled for a 44-yard field goal and a 20-7 lead.

Golden caught passes of 21 and 12 yards early in the fourth quarter to set up Smack's 29-yarder, making it 23-7 with 10:06 to play. Dallas answered with a 14-play drive that was kept alive by four Green Bay penalties, including roughing-the-passer calls on Lukas Van Ness and Karl Brooks. Van Ness' penalty wiped out an interception by Carrington Valentine. Van Ness then sacked Prescott, and the drive ended on downs at the Green Bay 14 with five minutes left. Ryan Flournoy caught a 6-yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds remaining, but the two-point try failed and the onside kick went out of bounds.

Love finished 23 of 41 for 276 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Golden had six catches for 104 yards, though ESPN said he also dropped a would-be 43-yard touchdown. Watson added 64 yards on three catches, Smack made all three field goals and Keisean Nixon had eight tackles. The run game stayed stuck at 57 yards on 26 carries.

Prescott was 34 of 54 for 258 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Lamb caught nine of 18 targets for 70 yards, George Pickens had 73 yards on six catches, and Dallas ran for just 48 yards. Caleb Downs made 12 tackles, and Quinnen Williams, Elijah Garcia and former Packer Kenny Clark each sacked Love, the Cowboys' first three-sack game of the season, per ESPN. Both teams were flagged 11 times.

Green Bay sits second in the NFC North behind 5-0 Minnesota, level with 4-2 Chicago. Dallas is 2-4, tied with Philadelphia and behind the 3-2-1 Giants in the NFC East. ESPN noted the Cowboys have never made the playoffs in the Super Bowl era after a 2-4 start, and that they have now allowed at least 20 points in a franchise-record 13 straight games.

Injuries: Cowboys receiver KaVontae Turpin was hurt on the opening kickoff and ruled out (ribs), and Winters was hurt in the second quarter (ankle). Cisse left in the fourth quarter with a neck injury. Green Bay was without guard Aaron Banks (toe) and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring), and Dallas was without linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and tackle Drew Shelton (both hamstring). ESPN reported that Packers running back Josh Jacobs is set to come off the commissioner's exempt list Monday and could play in Week 7.

Next: the Packers visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Cowboys play at the Philadelphia Eagles on "Monday Night Football" on Oct. 26 at 8:15 p.m. ET.