The stench emanating from Dallas isn't just from the Cowboys defense. The offense fizzled in Lambeau, too, contributing heavily to the 23-13 loss against a wounded Green Bay team, dropping the Cowboys to 2-4 on the season. Dallas is now 3-11-1 in their last 15 games against the Packers, but still somehow remain in the divisional hunt due to a historically bad NFC East.
For the second week in a row, the Cowboys offense failed to live up to self-imposed lofty standards. They put up just 29 points in the last two contests, registering zero explosive against Green Bay. They averaged 29 points per game last season.
The defense was somewhat improved, particularly the run fits which limited the Packers to just 57 yards on 26 carries, yet many of the same problems in the secondary continued. Things could have been much worse if it were not for a handful of dropped passes.
Here's what and who headline this week's winners and losers list.
Loser: Third-down defense
The Dallas defense gave up 3rd & 13 twice, along with two other conversions, on the Packers opening drive. It set up what would be the theme of the night.
While they weren't their usually bad selves on first and second down, the squad just couldn't get any stops when it came to third down. The Packers finished the game going 11 of 18 on third down but began on a historic pace in the first half.
The Packers went 9-10 on 3rd down in the first half against the Cowboys. https://t.co/eHwQyMltSs
— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) October 19, 2026
The NFL record for third-down conversions in a game is 15, shared by three teams and most recently accomplished by the Miami Dolphins back in 2009. The Cowboys defense can thank the Green Bay receivers for dropping a slew of passes which bailed them out from being attached to this dubious distinction.
What makes this worse is that with a 28% success rate, Green Bay came into the contest as the worst third-down converting offense in the NFL. The Dallas defense entered giving up the most, by a wide margin, allowing an abysmal 50% 3rd down conversion rate.
The Cowboys are allowing a third down conversion percentage of 54% this season, which would be the worst in NFL history by 2.1 percentage points.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) November 4, 2025
The above tweet was from last season and referenced the 2020 Tennessee Titans who allowed opponents to convert 52.36% of the time. The Cowboys eventually brought that number down to 47.26% ranking dead last and just barely beating out Las Vegas (46.29%) by slightly less than 1%.
Dallas currently sits with a 54.67% conversion rate allowed, still dead last in the NFL, and is almost three percent higher than a Miami team who is clearly tanking and ranks second to last allowing conversions at a 51.72% clip.
Winner: CB Joey Porter Jr.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker was hailed as a defensive back savant yet his secondary has been the subject of much scrutiny so far this season.
Enter cornerback Joey Porter Jr. whom the Cowboys traded for and has been as-advertised instantly becoming the cover corner Dallas desperately needed.
Porter played in 36 of the teams 75 total defensive snaps and didn't allow a single reception on four targets. He has yet to allow a reception in his two games with Dallas.
He did have a pass interference penalty called against him, but his technique of squeezing the wideout against the boundary was later put on display calling into question the first penalty.
Joey Porter Jr. gets flagged for pass interference on a play where, had he just let Bo Melton go, would have been illegal touching pic.twitter.com/YgGYdPsCES
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 19, 2026
The addition of defensive assistant Mike Pettine and his history of front seven manipulation combined with the impending return of several veteran defenders, mostly on the back end of the defense, should allow Porter to become even more valuable moving forward.
Porter was traded from Pittsburgh after ongoing contract negations went sour. Being the lone bright spot on a horrendous defense can only add to his demands and places the Cowboys in a precarious spot. As he plays out the final year of his rookie contract, Dallas has no choice but to pay the man market value — which may have just gone up considering the teams defensive woes.
Loser: Offensive line and blitz pickup
There used to be a time when blitzing QB Dak Prescott was done at the defense's peril but lately, it's become his kryptonite.
Turns out the best way to stop the so-called GOTI offense is to show multiple blitz looks by crowding the line of scrimmage forcing Dallas into their short game which has ultimately ended with their playmakers being stopped for minimal gains.
Maybe GOTI stands for "Greatest Overrated Talent Imaginable" or "Greatest Only Through Interviews."
Whatever the flavor, the blueprint to stopping Dallas was first displayed last season when Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores created this approach and has now been replicated two weeks in a row with great success.
Look familiar? https://t.co/gEtJAWUU7Npic.twitter.com/keFnUR7pSI
— Joey Ickes 💯 (@JoeyIckes) October 19, 2026
Prescott went 34 of 54 for 258 yards and threw two costly interceptions against Green Bay. He was 24 of 42 for 316 yards with two picks the week before against Tampa. This two week slump comes after Prescott had just thrown one interception in the four weeks prior.
Multiple reasons are contributing factors as to why this offense has gone stagnant. Their inability not only to run the ball but their unwillingness to commit to the ground game is a big reason why Dallas is last in the NFL in rushing attempts (32.5%)
After running back Javonte Williams scored the first TD of the game with 9:24 remaining and down just 10, the Cowboys offense attempted just one more rush the rest of the game allowing the Packers to dial up consistent pressure.
Dallas also ranks dead last in motion rate (36.5%) as calls for the removal of Brain Schottenheimer as play-caller have begun. His tendency to rely on Prescott as a straight drop back passer have made it easy for teams to mitigate the Cowboys talent on offense.
Loser: Team discipline mantra
Schottenheimer sat at the podium following the loss at Lambeau and pointed to mistakes being the biggest reason as to why the team failed. Missed assignments can be publicly scrutinized by outsiders yet only those inside the building can truly judge player performances.
One of the few visible statistics that can be argued is the amount of penalties a team commits.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer on what he told his players:
— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) October 19, 2026
“The effort is right, the fight is right, the mistakes are killing us. Repeating mistakes is not what we’re about.” pic.twitter.com/HCFLjSC2TM
"Repeating mistakes is not what we're about" - Brian Schottenheimer
The statistics would like a word. In 2025, Dallas led the league with 133 accepted penalties for 1,136 yards. With 11 more penalties for 108 yards on Sunday Night, Dallas now has 45 penalties for 422 yards and sit just slightly behind their 2025 pace.
Since 2021, the Cowboys have finished in the top-five of most penalties four times. The lone season in which they didn't was 2024 when they finished with the sixth-most penalties in the league.
Perhaps it is something Schotty inherited but after talking about culture repeatedly throughout his tenure, cutting down on penalties should be a priority before it becomes part of his mantra. Until things change, penalties are what the Cowboys are about.
You can follow Angel on X @ArmyChiefW3 and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 'Repeating mistakes' says Schottenheimer as 3rd down, discipline woes remain