It’s only Week 4, but it feels like the Dallas Cowboys are already at an inflection point for their season. They face a tough matchup against the Green Bay Packers and old friend Micah Parsons but, if they follow these three keys, they might just have a shot at pulling off the upset. 

Continue their Success Against the Run

The Cowboys defense hasn’t done much right this season. They've had opposing quarterbacks rip them apart each week so far, so much so that even the impending return of DaRon Bland from injury likely won’t be enough. 

They have, however, had great success against the run. According to Pro Football Reference, they’ve given up 3.7 yards per carry, good enough for No. 10 in the league and a whole half a yard lower than the league average of 4.2. Osa Odighizuwa leads the charge in that regard for the defensive line with a 73.4 run defense grade according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

The Packers, on the other hand, have only averaged 3.4 yards per carry on offense this season. If Dallas can force Green Bay to be truly one dimensional, it might give them a fighting chance against Jordan Love. 

Disrupt Jordan Love

The Packers have a reputation for having an explosive offense but, as mentioned above, that has been mostly based off of Jordan Love’s passing prowess. After their Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns though, they showed that even that aspect is vulnerable. 

While the Browns have a much better defense than the Cowboys, they did show that the Packers might have a weak link: their offensive line. 

The five worst grades from the Green Bay offense in Week 3 was their entire offensive line, ranging from left tackle Rasheed Walker (34.1) to center Elgton Jenkins (44.6). In fact, no member of their starting offensive line has a season long grade higher than guard Sean Rhyan’s 59.5.

So, while Dallas' pass rush has rightfully been much maligned, this is actually an opportunity to get right and build momentum. With Jadeveon Clowney hopefully making his team debut, they might do just that. 

Protect the Ball

An obvious one, right? Well, sometimes these things are obvious for a reason, especially against a Packers team that has a +1 turnover differential.  

While their defense has only created two turnovers (and even one of those was an end of half lob thrown by Joe Flacco last week), they’ve only committed one turnover all year. It was a costly one though, as Jordan Love simply didn’t see safety Grant Delpit who then returned it to the 4-yard line and sparked a Cleveland comeback. 

The Cowboys, on the other hand, have a -5 turnover differential, tied for worst in the league. The one takeaway they created was massive of course, as picking off Russell Wilson in overtime allowed Brandon Aubrey to kick his game winner in Week 2. 

However, four interceptions and six fumbles committed by the offense through three games is an unsustainable pace for a team that wants to win. The Packers have a great pass rush along with the sixth and 11th rated corners according to PFF, a startling combination for a turnover prone team like Dallas. 

But, if Dak Prescott can stay calm and not panic while under the inevitable pressure Green Bay will create while protecting the ball, the Cowboys might just have a shot.