The young and talented Green Bay Packers are set to travel to Dallas to take on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys in what promises to be a good Wild Card matchup. While the Packers have flashed leading up to playoffs, it will take all hands on deck to beat the No. 2 seed Cowboys at home. Will they have the benefit of bruising running back AJ Dillon to help out the cause, or is the injury going to keep him out?
AJ Dillon’s Playing Status Ahead of Cowboys Game
Update 01/14/2024: AJ Dillon is officially inactive for the Packers game against the Cowboys.
Officially, Dillon is listed as doubtful for the playoff contest. There have been few cases of players actually suiting up and playing this year when they have been given the “doubtful” tag leading up to a game. Dillon being out there vs. the Cowboys seems unlikely right now.
This would be the second game in a row Dillon would miss in that case — he also missed their win-and-in matchup against division-rival Chicago Bears in Week 18. Dillon is dealing with a fractured thumb as well as a neck issue, and the combination of both looks like it may be too much for him to overcome and be out there on Sunday.
Who Plays in Dillon’s Absence?
While having a playmaker not on the field for the Packers is an obvious hit, the team has options to weather the storm, mainly Aaron Jones. Jones is a dynamic running back who has run for over 100 yards in each of the team’s last three games. With Dillon expected to miss this one, the feeling is that it will be a full workload for Jones today.
Jones has dealt with his own injury situations this season, but despite that, he has come on strong in the last month — he’s playing some of his best football when it matters most. Where things change with Dillon out is in who spells Jones during the game, and that job will not be turned over to Patrick Taylor.
Taylor has only carried the ball 32 times this season for a total of 141 rushing yards and no touchdowns. He is averaging a respectable 4.4 yards a carry, but with this being his biggest opportunity yet, the Packers will need the best of him this week.
Look for the Packers to do the best they can to distribute carries, but what Taylor can do when he spells Jones will be a huge factor in this game.
MORE: Green Bay Packers Depth Chart
The Packers come into the weekend as big underdogs, but they have enough talent and momentum to come in and give the Cowboys all they can handle. However, can they do enough to pull the upset? Since the NFL has gone to the 14-team playoff system, no No. 7 seed has ever beaten a No. 2 seed.
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