Packers and Cowboys Tie in Overtime Thriller

On October 3rd, 2025, the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys faced off in a highly anticipated Sunday night matchup at AT&T Stadium. The game was notable for the return of Micah Parsons to his former team, the Cowboys. However, the real story of the nearly four-hour contest was the Packers' decision to kick off in overtime, which nearly cost them the game.

Under the NFL's new overtime format, the team that wins the coin toss is now assured of at least one offensive possession. The Packers, opting to kick off, hoped to have the ball second and know exactly what they needed to tie or win. However, their lack of urgency on offense almost led to their downfall, as they nearly ran out of time on their final drive. Quarterback Jordan Love's pass with just one second remaining allowed kicker Brandon McManus to hit a 34-yard field goal, tying the game at 40 and resulting in the first tie of the 2025 NFL season.

While the Packers' strategy was sound in theory, their poor clock management in the final moments of overtime raised questions about whether the team that wins the coin toss should receive or kick off. The new overtime rules have introduced strategic considerations that teams are still grappling with, as evidenced by the Cowboys' and Rams' own experiences with the format in recent weeks.