How the Green Bay Packers can defeat the Cowboys in divisional round

Prevent the big play on defense

Dallas’ powerful offense wears down defenses until they finally surrender the big play. The Packers must maintain discipline, no easy task.

Ezekiel Elliott is the biggest threat. He rushed for 157 yards against the Packers’ then-No. 1 ranked run defense in Week 6. But it’s not just his ability on the ground to be concerned about, it’s what this sets up.

The Cowboys thrive on the play-action passing game. Making aggressive defenders bite on the fake handoff can lead to big gains downfield. The Giants remained disciplined in their 10-7 win over the Cowboys, although one lapse led to a 33-yard Terrance Williams touchdown on a play-action pass, Dallas’ only points of the game.

Green Bay’s bend-not-break defense has done its job in recent weeks, allowing just 17.9 points per game during the seven-game win streak. Keeping Dallas’ high-powered offense out of the end zone with regularity won’t be easy.

But frequent big plays can’t be allowed. That could spell a quick end to the Packers’ hopes of advancing.