Sunday Night Football delivered a wild, record-setting shootout as the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys battled to a 40-40 overtime tie at AT&T Stadium on September 28, 2025. In a contest that saw both teams trade blows and momentum swings, it was the Packers’ last-minute mismanagement that left fans and players alike with a sour taste, while the Cowboys escaped what could’ve been a home heartbreak. This high-octane clash now stands as the highest-scoring tie since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, but for Green Bay, the outcome felt more like a missed opportunity than a shared triumph.
Expectations were sky-high for the Packers heading into the matchup. Favored by most analysts after a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay was looking to reassert itself as a Super Bowl contender. Early on, it seemed the Packers were on track to do just that, but the Cowboys—buoyed by a raucous home crowd and the emotional return of linebacker Micah Parsons—flipped the script before halftime, taking a 16-13 lead into the break. From there, the game erupted into an offensive showcase, with both teams piling up points and neither defense able to stem the tide.
Quarterback Jordan Love led the way for the Packers, turning in a career night. Love completed 337 passing yards, threw three touchdowns, and posted a 118.1 passer rating. Running back Josh Jacobs contributed two touchdowns of his own, keeping the Dallas defense on its heels. Yet, for all the fireworks, Green Bay’s defense struggled mightily. The unit, heralded as one of the NFL’s best entering the season, surrendered a staggering 436 yards to a Cowboys offense that was missing star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. The Packers’ secondary melted down at key moments, and for the first time all year, the pass rush was a non-factor.
Penalties also plagued the Packers, who were flagged seven times for 53 yards. Each infraction chipped away at their momentum and allowed Dallas to hang around in a game that could have slipped away. Despite these issues, Green Bay found itself in position to win—until a chaotic final drive in overtime derailed their hopes.
With the score knotted at 40 and Dallas having just managed a field goal after a circus catch by Jalen Tolbert, the Packers offense took the field needing only a touchdown to seal the victory. Love and company methodically drove deep into Cowboys territory, reaching the Dallas 25 with 1:15 left in overtime, then the 19 with 52 seconds to go, and finally the 12 with 32 seconds remaining. But instead of pressing their advantage, the Packers’ operation slowed to a crawl.
After a seven-yard run by Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay failed to call an immediate timeout, letting precious seconds tick away. The next play, a pass to rookie Matthew Golden, lost three yards. Only then did head coach Matt LaFleur take the final timeout, leaving the Packers with just 28 seconds and a daunting second-and-13 from the 15-yard line. Two more plays—a one-yard loss on a check-down to Wilson and an incomplete end zone shot to Golden—left only one second on the clock. Kicker Brandon McManus salvaged the tie with a 34-yard field goal as time expired, but the sense of what might have been lingered.
After the game, LaFleur faced a barrage of criticism for the sluggish pace and questionable play-calling during the final drive. The coach didn’t shy away from accountability, admitting, “The operation was way too slow. Obviously, the play calls sucked; they weren’t good enough.” He elaborated, “I don’t know if our guys didn’t know we were in two-minute or what, but ultimately communication has got to get better—myself to Jordan, and Jordan to the huddle. That’s the bottom line.”
Love echoed his coach’s sentiments, saying, “Obviously a moving clock situation, no timeouts left, we got to get a call in. We had a good call on; we just didn’t execute it. I don’t think everyone was on the same page on what needed to happen. ... It’s just one of those situations that took too long. We were wasting too much time out there.”
Observers were quick to point out the conservative approach as a critical mistake. With Dallas out of timeouts and the Packers’ offense firing on all cylinders, critics argued Green Bay should have played more aggressively for the win rather than settling for a tie. “If I knew it was going to end like that, we would’ve gone faster,” LaFleur said postgame—a comment that did little to quell the frustration among fans and analysts.
The Packers’ record now stands at 2-1-1, a respectable mark but one that feels hollow given how close they came to victory. The tie could have significant implications in the NFC North, where every win counts in the race for playoff positioning. “There’s a lot of stuff we still have to clean up,” Love admitted. “Just throwing the ball in bounds in a running-clock situation right there. There is stuff that we’ve got to figure out and be better at right there in those situations.”
For Dallas, the tie was a testament to resilience, as the Cowboys managed to keep pace despite missing key offensive weapons. The home crowd, initially bracing for disappointment, left with a mix of relief and frustration that mirrored the Packers’ own feelings. It was a game for the ages—just not the ending anyone wanted.
Looking ahead, Green Bay will have a Week 5 bye, providing LaFleur and his staff a much-needed opportunity to regroup and address the glaring issues exposed by the Cowboys. After the break, the Packers return to Lambeau Field to host the Cincinnati Bengals in what is shaping up to be a crucial matchup. If the Packers don’t show improvement—especially in late-game execution and defensive discipline—the calls for change could grow louder.
As the dust settles on this wild Sunday night, one thing is clear: the Packers’ path to the postseason won’t get any easier, and the lessons from this game may prove pivotal in the weeks to come. For now, Green Bay leaves Dallas with a tie—and a long list of what-ifs.
