Cowboys vs. Packers live updates: Score, highlights for Sunday Night Football

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers defeated the Lions 27-13.

It's a bittersweet homecoming for Micah Parsons on Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers throw down on "Sunday Night Football."

It won't have taken long for Parsons to make his return to "Big D." The superstar pass rusher began his stellar and budding career with Dallas, but was traded to the Packers in the week leading up to the NFL season. So far, he's made his presence felt – and the Cowboys defense has felt his lack of presence.

Parsons has accounted for 15 total pressures and two sacks across three games with the Packers, per Pro Football Focus, with his 91.5 overall edge rusher grade trailing only Myles Garrett (92.0) and Joey Bosa (91.8). Dallas has three sacks combined as a unit.

To that end, Dallas' defense has been among the worst in the league through three weeks, with opposing offenses facing minimal pressure and a secondary that has struggled to defend the pass. Dallas ranks dead last in passing yards allowed entering Week 4 – something that may have been remedied a bit had they rostered an all-world talent like Parsons.

USA TODAY Sports will cover all things Cowboys vs. Packers on Sunday night below, with live updates from pregame to the final whistle.

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Matthew Golden lit up on punt return

Golden, the rookie first-round pick and punt returner for the Packers, opted not to call for a fair catch on his ensuing punt return. After making the catch, he spun and immediately took a big hit from Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau.

Golden was able to hold onto the ball, but the big hit prompted some pushing and shoving between the Cowboys' punt team and Packers' punt coverage unit.

Cowboys' big gain erased by penalty

For a second straight drive, a big play by Dallas has been called back because of a penalty. First, it was Trevon Diggs' interception on the Packers' last touchdown drive.

This time it was on offense. A 23-yard Kavontae Turpin reception was erased by an illegal formation penalty on third down, and the next attempt to convert wound up short.

The Cowboys once again punt after a three-and-out drive, and the Packers take over with 8:33 left in the half

Cowboys vs Packers score: Cowboys return blocked PAT to the house

Dallas finally got on the board in the second quarter thanks to its special teams unit. Safety Juanyeh Thomas blocked McManus' PAT, and fellow special teams safety Markquese Bell returned the blocked kick more than 75 yards for a Cowboys two-pointer.

The score is now 13-2 Packers with 10:30 left in the first half.

Cowboys vs. Packers score: Romeo Doubs scores his second TD, extends Packers lead

This time, Doubs lined up on the left side and ran a one-yard quick slant to get open before Love found him for the pair's second touchdown connection of the game. Running back Josh Jacobs had set up the score with a 28-yard catch-and-run on the play prior.

The Packers extend their two-score lead less than five minutes into the second quarter.

Trevon Diggs interception overturned by penalty

Dallas had too many players on the field when Love snapped the ball on a 3rd-and-5 play. The flag overturned what would have been Diggs' first interception of the season after he made a diving play near the sideline.

Instead, the Packers' drive continues with another first down thanks to the penalty.

End of first quarter: Packers 7, Cowboys 0

Green Bay scored on its first drive, but since then, Week 4's edition of "Sunday Night Football" has primarily been a defensive battle.

However, the Packers were driving to end the first quarter. They have the ball at the Dallas 38-yard line to begin the second quarter.

Packers cut Cowboys drive short

Dallas only managed five plays and 15 yards on its second drive. The Packers' defense came up big with one ball batted down by cornerback Keisean Nixon on a deep throw, then with strong tackling on tight end Jake Ferguson to keep him short of the first-down marker.

The Cowboys punted away on fourth down, and after a short return from Golden, the Packers will take over from their own 32-yard line with just over one minute left in the first quarter.

Micah Parsons records first pressure on Dak Prescott

Parsons made his presence felt early on the Cowboys' second drive, getting to quarterback Dak Prescott just a moment after he released the ball. Prescott completed his throw to Williams for four yards and a Cowboys first down.

Cowboys force a Packers punt after brief drive

Green Bay just managed to enter Cowboys territory on its second drive but were stopped shy of field goal range.

Packers punter Daniel Whelan booted the ball away, and Dallas returner Kavontae Turpin signaled for a fair catch at his team's 11-yard line. The Cowboys' second drive will start deep in their own territory with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.

Super Bowl halftime show announcement at halftime of Cowboys vs Packers

The NFL announced that the performer for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show will be revealed during the Sunday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys.

Cowboys go 3-and-out on first possession

Dallas ran the ball three straight times on its first possession and failed to pick up more than three yards on any play. The last play was a Javonte Williams run to the opposite side of Packers edge-rusher Micah Parsons, who did not record a stat in his first defensive drive against his former team.

Cowboys vs Packers score: Romeo Doubs puts the Packers ahead early

The Packers completed an eight-play, 69-yard drive with a touchdown. Doubs ran a perfect goal-line fade route, and Love found him in the back-right corner of the end zone for the two-yard touchdown pass.

It's 7-0 Packers after Brandon McManus knocked through his PAT. The Cowboys will get their first possession with just over 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

Jordan Love finds Matthew Golden for 46-yard gain

On the third play of the game, both Golden and Dontayvion Wicks broke open as they streaked down the left sideline. It was Golden, the rookie first-round pick, who ended up coming down with the catch, putting Green Bay just outside of the red zone early.

What TV channel is Cowboys vs. Packers on?

• TV channel: NBC

NBC will broadcast the Cowboys vs. Packers "Sunday Night Football" matchup. Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark providing updates from the sideline.

2025 Cowboys schedule

Dallas Cowboys record 2025

The Cowboys enter their "Sunday Night Football" matchup with the Packers at 1-2. They suffered losses in Weeks 1 and 3 to the Eagles and Bears, respectively, with their sole win being an overtime victory against the Giants in Week 2.

When will CeeDee Lamb return?

Lamb is expected to be sidelined for at least two games, which would keep him out until Week 6.

The Cowboys haven't provided much clarity on the situation in the aftermath. Team owner Jerry Jones confirmed to All City DLLS' Clarence Hill Jr. on Monday that the team expects to be without Lamb for a month. He added that placing the receiver on injured reserve (IR) is a discussion the team will have.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the team isn't expected to place Lamb on IR. That decision would give him a chance to return earlier than the mandated four-game absence that an IR stint carries.

Micah Parsons trade details

Below are the full terms of the Micah Parsons trade:

Packers get:

• EDGE Micah Parsons

Cowboys get

• DL Kenny Clark
• 2026 first-round pick
• 2027 first-round pick

How much do the Cowboys cheerleaders get paid?

Salaries for the Cowboys cheerleaders are not disclosed, but reports indicate that a veteran on the team makes around $150,000 a year after the group received a 400% increase in pay prior to the 2025 NFL season. However, they do not receive health insurance from the team.

The news of the increase was revealed by member Megan McElaney, a four-year veteran from Oceanside, California, on the Netflix series "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders."

"Our efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise," McElaney said, via the Associated Press. "And we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is like, life-changing."

Cowboys vs. Packers live stream

• Live stream: Fubo | Peacock

Peacock, NBC's proprietary streaming service, will carry the "SNF" game.

Fubo will also carry Cowboys vs. Packers. Fubo has NBC, as well as CBS, Fox, ABC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you can catch NFL action all season long with the streaming service. Fubo also offers a free trial.

Watch "Sunday Night Football" with Fubo (free trial)

Cowboys vs. Packers prediction

Both teams are coming off surprising Week 3 losses: The Cowboys on the road to the Bears, and the Packers on the road to the Browns. Even with Jayden Reed out, expect the Packers to have their way with Dallas' porous secondary –and a Parsons likely hellbent on revenge probably adds a bit more fuel to the fire, too. With CeeDee Lamb out, Prescott will have to find George Pickens early and often. That's not going to be an easy task. The Packers win by a touchdown.

Prediction: Packers 27, Cowboys 20

Cowboys vs. Packers live betting odds

Packers inactives vs. Cowboys

• CB Kamal Hadden
• OL Zach Tom
• OL Aaron Banks
• OL Anthony Belton
• DL Warren Brinson

Cowboys inactives vs. Packers

• Damone Clark (LB)
• Jaydon Blue (RB)
• Tyler Booker (G)
• Ajani Cornelius (OT)
• CeeDee Lamb (WR)
• Jay Toia (DT)

Packers 2025 record

The Packers walk into AT&T Stadium at 2-1 on the season. They have wins against the Lions and Commanders, with the Browns gaining an upset win over them in Week 3.

Packers schedule 2025

Cowboys vs. Packers injury report

When do the Cowboys play next?

• Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET | 7:20 p.m. CT
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 28 (Week 4)

The Cowboys and Packers matchup gets underway at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Packers travel to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the tilt.

Micah Parsons' impact on Packers defense

It is still early on in the 2025 season but Green Bay's defense has taken another step under Hafley with Parsons in the lineup. Like last year, the improvement is reflected in both standard and advanced metrics.

Green Bay has the top scoring defense in the league in 2025 at just 14.7 points allowed per game - a step up from 19.9 allowed in 2024. But there's even more improvement in each phase without a massive change in personnel outside of Parsons' arrival.

Here's how Green Bay's defense has improved in multiple metrics with its league ranking in parentheses.

EPA figures from SumerSports; pass rush win rate via ESPN Analytics.

Again, it's only been three games but Parsons' impact on the Packers defense is notable in all phases. This comes despite Parsons playing just 63% of snaps on defense so far; he's hit at least 80% in each of his prior four seasons.

What time does Cowboys vs. Packers game start?

Tonight's game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET which is 7:20 p.m. CT in Green Bay and Dallas.

Jake Ferguson stats

• Week 3 at Bears: 13 receptions, 14 targets, 82 yards, 0 touchdowns
• Week 2 vs Giants: 9 receptions, 12 targets, 78 yards, 0 touchdowns
• Week 1 at Eagles: 5 receptions, 6 targets, 23 yards, 0 touchdowns

In Week 3, with CeeDee Lamb out for most of the game, Ferguson caught 13 passes on 14 targets for 82 yards. This season, he has 27 receptions, which is the second most in the NFL and the highest for any Cowboys player in their first three games.

Cowboys WR depth chart

Here's what the Cowboys will trot out at receiver while Lamb is sidelined:

1. CeeDee Lamb (injured)
2. George Pickens
3. Jalen Tolbert
4. KaVontae Turpin
5. Ryan Flournoy

Pickens figures to be Dak Prescott's top weapon, while Tolbert slides into Lamb's role.

Who did the Cowboys get in the Micah Parsons trade?

Clark was the lone current asset the Cowboys acquired in the Parsons trade. The 29-year-old spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Packers, making three Pro Bowls (2019, 2021 and 2023) and racking up 417 tackles and 35 sacks across 140 games in Green Bay.

Thus far through three games with the Cowboys, Clark has totaled 10 tackles and one sack while playing 64% of Dallas' defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus currently has him graded as the 22nd interior defender among 91 qualifiers. – Jacob Camenker

Micah Parsons contract details

Parsons signed a four-year extension with the Packers upon being traded. Below is a look at the full details of that contract, per Spotrac.com.

• Term: Four years
• Total value: $186 million
• Average annual value (AAV): $46.5 million
• Guaranteed money: $136 million

Parsons had one year left on his contract when the Packers acquired him. He is due to have just a $1.17 million base salary, but because he received the entirety of his $44 million signing bonus. – Jacob Camenker

Packers WR depth chart

The Packers are well-stocked at the wide receiver position. The franchise selected Matthew Golden with its first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and has multiple young players at the position.

Here's how things look entering tonight's game vs. Cowboys:

• Romeo Doubs
• Matthew Golden
• Dontayvion Wicks
• Malik Heath
• Savion Williams
• Jayden Reed (injured)
• Christian Watson (injured)

Green Bay also has wide receivers Mecole Hardman, Will Sheppard and Isaiah Neyor signed to the practice squad. –Ayrton Ostly

Micah Parsons salary, year-by-year cap hits

Parsons carrying a cap hit of just $9.97 million. That number is derived from his $1.17 million base salary and $8.8 million of his signing bonus, which was prorated over five years.

Parsons also has three "void years" – an accounting method used to defray the present-year salary cap cost of a player by prorating a signing bonus over additional years – attached to the end of his contract.

Below is a look at Parsons' year-by-year cap hits with the Packers:

• 2025: $9.97 million
• 2026: $19.24 million
• 2027: $26.85 million
• 2028: $42.29 million
• 2029: $73.79 million
• 2030 (void): $19.99 million
• 2031 (void): $12.39 million
• 2032 (void): $5.5 million

And here is how much Parsons will be taking home in total earnings each of his seasons under contract in Green Bay:

• 2025: $45.17 million
• 2026: $40.84 million
• 2027: $38 million
• 2028: $41 million
• 2029: $45 million

Micah Parsons arrives for game vs. Cowboys

The star defensive end has arrived at AT&T Stadium for his first game against Dallas since being traded to Green Bay.

Micah Parsons contract incentives

Much of Parsons' nine-figure deal with the Packers is guaranteed, but there are some small incentives he can earn via his on-field performance. Below is a breakdown of those incentives, per Spotrac.com:

• Annual per game active bonus: Up to $200,000 ($11,764 per game)
• 2027-29 Pro Bowl escalator: $250,000 per year
• 2027-29 All-Pro escalator: $250,000 per year
• 2029 Pro Bowl incentive: $250,000
• 2029 All-Pro incentive: $250,000

If Parsons is able to earn all of those bonuses, he will add an extra $3 million in value to his contract.

Highest-paid NFL defenders: Where Micah Parsons ranks

Parsons is the highest-paid NFL defender in both AAV and total contract value. Here's a look at the top 10 defenders in each category:

AAV

1. Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $46.5million
2. T.J. Watt, edge, Steelers: $41 million
3. Myles Garrett, edge, Browns: $40 million
4. Danielle Hunter, edge, Texans: $35.6 million
5. Maxx Crosby, edge, Raiders: $35.5 million
6. Nick Bosa, edge, 49ers: $34 million
7. Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs: $31.75 million
8. Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets: $30.1 million
9. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, Texans: $30 million
10. Nik Bonitto, edge, Broncos: $26.5 million

Total contract value

1. Micah Parsons, edge, Packers: $186 million
2. Nick Bosa, edge, 49ers: $170 million
3. Myles Garrett, edge, Browns: $160 million
4. Chris Jones, DL, Chiefs: $158.75 million
5. T.J. Watt, edge, Steelers: $123 million
6. Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets: $120.4 million
7. Maxx Crosby, edge, Raiders: $106.5 million
8. Nik Bonitto, edge, Broncos: $106 million
9. Milton Williams, DL, Patriots: $104 million
10. Zach Allen, DL, Broncos: $102 million

While Parsons tops defensive players in AAV and total contract value, he ranks just 12th and 15th across the two categories league-wide, behind a plethora of high-paid quarterbacks.

Micah Parsons takes the field in Dallas wearing Packers uniform

Kenny Clark contract details

Clark is in the first season of a three-year, $64 million extension he signed with the Packers in 2024. Below are the full details of Clark's contract, per Spotrac.com.

• Term: 3 years
• Total value: $64 million
• Average annual value (AAV): $21.33 million
• Guaranteed money: $17.5 million

While Clark's deal runs through the 2027 NFL season, the Cowboys are not on the hook for any guarantees until the veteran's $11 million roster bonus for 2026 hits on the third day of the new league year in March.

As such, Clark's pact with Dallas is more of a year-to-year variety, as the team can get out of it with ease after each season.

Below is a full look at what Dallas will owe Clark yearly over the course of his contract:

• 2025: $2.3 million
• 2026: $21.5 million
• 2027: $20 million

By comparison, the Packers gave Parsons a four-year, $186 million contract extension to make him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player in AAV. He is due $120 million in guarantees, which is nearly three times what Dallas will pay Clark over the remainder of his deal.

Will the Cowboys have a tribute video for Micah Parsons?

The Cowboys will not have a tribute video for Parsons on Sunday night.

"It's not appropriate," Jones told All City DLLS' Clarence Hill Jr. on Sept. 22.

Jones hasn't hid his displeasure with how the negotiations played out, routinely taking aim at Parsons' agent, David Mulugheta, throughout the process – especially during an appearance on Michael Irvin's YouTube channel in August.

"When we wanted to send the [contract] details to the agent, the agent told us to stick it up our ass," Jones said. "Micah and I talked and then we were gonna send it over to the agent. We had our agreements on term, amount, guarantees, everything."

Who is Jeff Hafley?

Hafley spent the first decade of his coaching career at the college level with stops at Worcester Polytechnic, Albany, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. Though he played wide receiver in college for the Siena Saints, Hafley's spent the majority of his coaching career on defense. He was either a defensive assistant or defensive backs coach in that first decade.

He followed former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano to the NFL in 2012 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He coached defensive backs for the franchise in 2012 and 2013.

When Schiano was fired after the 2013 season, Hafley went to Cleveland for two seasons before a three-year stint in San Francisco. His year with Ohio State in 2019 led to his hiring at Boston College in 2020, where he spent four season and went 22-26 with one Bowl game victory.

Green Bay hired Hafley in 2024 and saw immediate improvement by both standard and advanced statistics. Green Bay went from one of the four worst run defenses in 2023 to a top-10 unit in 2024. By expected points added (EPA) per play, the Packers went from 23rd in 2023 to fifth in 2024, according to SumerSports.

Like Macdonald's success with Baltimore in 2023, Hafley will likely get head coaching interest for the 2026 hiring cycle.

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Who are the announcers for Cowboys vs. Packers on NBC?

Mike Tirico will handle play-by-play duties during the game, with Cris Collinsworth providing color commentary and Melissa Stark reporting from the sidelines.

NBC's weekly "Football Night in America" pregame show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and feature insight from a panel of analysts, including Maria Taylor, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms, Mike Florio, Devin McCourty, Tony Dungy, and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cowboys vs. Packers live updates: Score, highlights for Sunday Night Football

Reporting by Joe Rivera, Tom Viera and Jack McKessy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect