DALLAS – The Cowboys cut into a big lead the Packers had established, and the first half of Sunday's NFC Divisional playoff ended with Green Bay ahead, 21-13.
Beginning the second quarter on the Dallas 9, the Packers made it first-and-goal on the 3 with a 6-yard pass to RB Ty Montgomery. On second down, Montgomery plowed in for the rushing TD to cap the 13-play, 90-yard drive, and the Packers led 14-3 with 14:05 left in the half.
The Packers' defense responded with a three-and-out. WR Terrance Williams dropped a pass, RB Ezekiel Elliott gained just 2 yards, and LB Clay Matthews' pressure forced an incomplete pass, leading to another Dallas punt.
The offense got going again on an 11-yard pass to WR Geronimo Allison, and then on third down, Cowboys CB Morris Claiborne was called for hands to he face on WR Davante Adams, giving Green Bay another first down. A 26-yard pass to Allison off a scramble to the right moved the Packers into scoring range.
FB Aaron Ripkowski broke off a 20-yard run to make it first down on the Dallas 11, and a 10-yard completion to Adams made it first-and-goal from the 1. Montgomery finished it off for the touchdown, but LT David Bakhtiari went down on the play after he got rolled into. He was down for a bit but limped off under his own power. K Mason Crosby's PAT put the Packers up 21-3 with 7:37 left in the half.
Bakhtiari was reported to have a knee injury, return questionable.
The Cowboys got moving on a 9-yard run by Elliott and a 21-yard back-shoulder pass to WR Dez Bryant. Then QB Dak Prescott hit Bryant over the top for a 40-yard touchdown, and just like that Dallas was back in it. The 94-second drive pulled the Cowboys within 21-10 with 6:03 left in the half.
Packers RB Christine Michael muffed the ensuing kickoff, forcing the offense to start on its own 6-yard line. The Packers were stopped for the first time in the game, going three-and-out, and after the punt the Cowboys took over at their own 49.
Prescott scrambled for a first down on third-and-2, and the Cowboys were inside the Green Bay 40. A 6-yard pass to WR Cole Beasley made it third-and 4 from the 33 at the two-minute warning.
Prescott found Beasley for 15 yards over the middle to convert, but the Packers got the stop. Prescott threw incomplete three straight times to TE Jason Witten, with LB Joe Thomas breaking up the third-down throw. K Dan Bailey was good from 33 yards out, and the Cowboys were within 21-13 with 1:00 on the clock.
Bakhtiari came back into the game for the Packers on their final series of the first half, but the Packers didn't go anywhere. Rodgers was sacked on third down
