What to watch in Dallas Cowboys’ wild-card matchup vs. Packers. First step to Super Bowl?

After the Dallas Cowboys playoffs loss the San Francisco 49ers following 2021 season, coach Mike McCarthy said the key for his team to break through in the postseason and get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1995 was to repeatedly get there.

McCarthy’s Cowboys are now embarking on their third straight trip to the playoffs after going 12-5 for the third straight season.

Last season ended with another loss to the 49ers in the divisional round.

So what gives McCarthy hope that trip No. 3, which begins against the Green Bay Packer (9-8) in the NFC wild-card game Sunday at AT&T Stadium, will yield better results and end the franchise’s 28-year Super Bowl drought?

“Hope, faith, belief, trust. All those things,” McCarthy said. “That’s what you’re building over the course of an 18-week season. So, just the everyday sweat equity, workload capacity, the connection’s strong. It’s as strong of a locker room that I’ve been around. That gives us the opportunity to compete and win. Hope is a powerful thing.”

In addition to hope, faith, belief and trust, as well as a talented roster that has placed an NFL-high nine players on the All-Pro teams, the Cowboys have an AT&T Stadium as their ace in a hole for a least the first two rounds of the playoffs.

The Cowboys have won 16 straight games at home since 2022, including an 8-0 mark in 2023.

The Cowboys are calling for a White Out at AT&T Stadium, encouraging fans to wear white

“Yeah, it’s huge,” said quarterback Dak Prescott, who became the first quarterback to outright lead the NFL in touchdown passes (36).

“The atmosphere that the Cowboys fans have created at AT&T, the way that we’ve come out these last two years. But I can tell you this, we can’t lean on that. We’ve got to lean on our preparation. We’ve got to commit to studying these guys, to being on our best, knowing our execution, knowing what’s expected of us, playing to our standard.

“I say anybody, anywhere, right now. But it’s great at AT&T and we’re very fortunate we get to do it at AT&T.”

What to watch in the Cowboys’ NFC wild-card match up against the Packers:

Dak Prescott and Jordan Love making history

Prescott and Packers quarterback Jordan Love will make history during NFL Super Wild-Card weekend.

The two are among an NFL-record six Black quarterbacks who will lead their teams into battle as starters in the playoffs.

The others are Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts and Houston’s C.J. Stroud.

Prescott said he looks as the list with “a lot of pride.”

“It shows really how far we’ve come since people said ‘You know, there wouldn’t be that number consistently, just even starters and much less these are the guys that are in the playoffs playing at a high level’,” Prescott said. “Yeah, super, super honored. And I’m sure proud with the rest of these guys to go and be another Black quarterback that wins it.”

Doug Williams of the Washington Commanders, Denver’s Russell Wilson, who did it with Seattle, and Mahomes are the only Black quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl title.

How do the Packers contain CeeDee Lamb?

The Cowboys combination of quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb was virtually unstoppable in 2023.

Lamb led the NFL with 135 receptions and was second in yards with 1,749.

And it seemed like every time Prescott needed a big play on third down, he was able to to find Lamb. He caught 36 passes on third down, 29 resulted in first down for a whopping 80.6%.

The Packers will counter with vision, zone defense though two-time All Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander will draw coverage when they go man-to-man.

However, Alexander rolled his ankle in practice this week and is listed as questionable for the game.

The key for Prescott is the be confident and not greedy when he goes to Lamb, who had 11 receptions for 150 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers last season.

But Prescott also had two interception on throws to Lamb in the overtime loss as the two were not on the same page in reading the Packers defensive coverage.

Cowboys must stop the run, Aaron Jones

The Packers could be without running back A.J. Dillon, who is doubtful with a neck injury. But expect a heavy dose of Aaron Jones on the ground against the Cowboys’ suspect-run defense.

Jones led the NFL in rushing yards over the final three weeks with 358 yards and has a history of success against the Cowboys.

Jones is averaging 123.3 yards per game and has scored six touchdowns in three career games.

“He’s been toting that rock,” nose tackle Johnathan Hankins said. “He’s fast. He can run through blocks. All in all, he’s a great running back. It’s up to us to go out there and stop the run.”

That Hankins is back on the field after missing three games with an ankle injury is a boost for the Cowboys run defense.

“Hank don’t move,” Parsons said. “He’s a crucial piece to this defense. It’s real crucial to have Hank back – especially with how good their gap schemes and pullers are – to get him back in this lineup and get ready for Sunday.”

That and the presence of defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who is one of the league’s premiere run defenders.

“Hit him,” Lawrence said when how the Cowboys can contain Jones. “I’ll be back there. D-Law is playing, too.”

What’s the status of Stephon Gilmore, Tyler Smith?

The Cowboys got some good news on Friday when left guard Tyler Smith (foot) and cornerback Stephen Gilmore (shoulder) listed on the injury list with no designations, clearing their availability for Sunday’s game against the Packers.

Smith missed the regular-season final against the Washington Commanders with plantar fasciitis. And Gilmore suffered a dislocated shoulder during the game.

Smith has been limited in practice all week, but said his foot was much improved. He appears to be good to go for Sunday.

The same is true for Gilmore, who practiced all week with a harness on his shoulder and plans to wear it in the game. He was also limited in practice. But declared he was playing against the Packers during an interview session Wednesday and has not wavered.

The main thing for Gilmore will be pain management and how it holds up when he tackling and supporting the run. The Cowboys need him on the field in pass coverage against the Packers receivers.