Green Bay Packers: Aaron Jones’ career day headlines standouts vs. Cowboys

2. Za’Darius Smith, EDGE

The Cowboys entered Sunday’s matchup with some problems on their offensive line, the unit that is supposed to be the heart of their team. Left tackle Tyron Smith was ruled out early due to an ankle injury and, though right tackle La’el Collins suited up, he was listed as questionable for the matchup and ultimately had to leave the game for a bit as well.

Injuries on the edge for Dallas obviously set up the Packers’ pass-rushing duo of Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, both of whom were signed as free agents in the offseason, to have big days. Both players were incredibly disruptive on the day and, in truth, could both be labeled standouts in Week 5. However, it was Za’Darius Smith that shined a bit more as a pass-rusher.

To be sure, Smith did not have a perfect day at the office. He was called for a couple of costly penalties and was forced off the field due to injury on a few separate occasions. When he was lined up on defense, though, he was making plays in the backfield, whether he ended up taking down Dak Prescott for the sack or not.

Smith finished the Packers win on Sunday with three tackles, two sacks and four quarterback hits. The former Raven was a menace for a Cowboys offense that struggled to get anything firing until late in the game. The Green Bay newcomer was a big reason why that was the case and deserves his due for his effort in Dallas.