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          Packers explode for 27 first-half points against Cowboys

          • Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff WriterJan 14, 2024, 10:00 PM
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              Rob Demovsky is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Green Bay Packers. He has covered the Packers since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2013. Demovsky is a two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the NSSA. You can follow him on Twitter at @RobDemovsky.
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          ARLINGTON, Texas -- A heavy dose of Aaron Jones, who capped the opening drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, gave the Green Bay Packers the first score in Sunday's NFC wild-card game against the Dallas Cowboys.

          Jones, who had three straight 100-yard rushing games to end the regular season, carried seven times for 25 yards on the drive. It was Jones' seventh career touchdown in four games against the Cowboys.

          It also tied Edgar Bennett for the most playoff rushing touchdowns in Packers history with five. Bennett's came in 10 career playoff games; this was Jones' sixth.

          The Packers held the ball for seven minutes and 52 seconds, the longest opening drive in a playoff game since the New England Patriots (8:05) in the 2018 AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

          The Cowboys allowed points on the first possession 10 times in the regular season.

          Jones wasn't done. Thanks to an interception by Jaire Alexander, who went without one in limited action this season, the Packers had a short field and Jones scored again -- this time from 1 yard to give Green Bay a 14-0 lead 45 seconds into the second quarter.

          Jordan Love and Dontayvion Wicks made it 20-0 (Anders Carlson missed the extra point) with 3:23 before halftime with a 20-yard touchdown throw and catch. It came on third-and-7. In the regular season, Love threw 14 touchdown passes on third down, one short of Patrick Mahomes for the most in the league.

          Less than two minutes after Wicks' touchdown catch, Packers safety Darnell Savage came up with a 64-yard pick-six of Dak Prescott that made it 27-0 with 1:50 to play in the first half. At that point, the Packers had more interception return yards (64) than Prescott had passing yards (61).