Packers' Matt LaFleur laments 'snowball effect' that hurt Green Bay in Cowboys game 1 Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur looks on in the first quarter against the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Packers’ Matt LaFleur laments ‘snowball effect’ that hurt Green Bay in Cowboys game

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Robin M Adams | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 7:55 AM ET

The Green Bay Packers carried a vaunted defense into the 2025 NFL season, especially after acquiring pass rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys in a trade in late August. Over the first two weeks of the season, the Packers’ defense did its job — and more.

It stymied the attacks of the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders in victories. The same defense made life hard for the Cleveland Browns, albeit in an upset loss on the road in Week 3. Then in Week 4, the Dallas Cowboys gashed the Packers’ stop unit for 40 points.

The Packers struck first in the Dallas game with a touchdown in the opening quarter, but the Cowboys hit back with 16 points in the second quarter. The Cowboys carried a three-point lead into halftime and used the momentum they built to keep in step with Green Bay the rest of the way, nearly coming away with a victory in Parsons’ first game versus his former team since the trade.

LaFleur rues Packers’ defensive lapses in the first half against Dallas

On Tuesday, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur looked back on the performance of his team’s defense against Dak Prescott and company.

Via Mike Spofford of the Packers’ official website:

“I thought it was like a snowball effect,” LaFleur said of the carryover from the first half to the second. “We never recovered from that point forward.”

It wasn’t just one thing, either. LaFleur explained on a couple of third downs after halftime, the defensive call was man coverage, but it was played too soft, allowing “easy completions.”

Prescott had his way against Green Bay, passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns while avoiding turning the ball over. He was sacked just once and it happened in overtime.

Improving its defense will be a major point of emphasis for Green Bay once the team gets back together for practice after a bye in Week 5 and before Week 6’s meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Packers' Matt LaFleur laments 'snowball effect' that hurt Green Bay in Cowboys game 2 Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; LaFleur looks on during the game between the Cowboys and Green Bay at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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