Packers and Cowboys Stalemate in Historic Overtime Tie on SNF

When the Green Bay Packers stepped onto the field at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas on September 28, 2025, nobody expected the game to end in a overtime tie. Yet, after a roller‑coaster 60 minutes plus an extra period, the Dallas Cowboys and the Packers walked away level, 31‑31, marking one of the rarest outcomes in modern NFL history.

Background to the Week 4 Showdown

Both clubs arrived in Arlington with contrasting fortunes. The Packers sported a 2‑1 record, having cruised to victories over the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, while the Cowboys were 1‑2 after a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and a narrow win against the New York Giants. Las Vegas odds makers had the Packers as 6.5‑point road favorites (Packers –275, Cowboys +225), and ESPN’s Football Power Index gave the Green Bay side a 58.8% chance to win outright, favoring them by 3.5 points.

Adding intrigue, former Dallas stalwart Micah Parsons, now a linebacker for the Packers, was set to face his old teammates for the first time. Parsons, a 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, had left Dallas in free agency last year, signing a five‑year, $120 million deal with Green Bay.

Game Flow and the Historic Overtime

The contest kicked off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. Dallas struck first, with quarterback Dak Prescott delivering a 23‑yard touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb. The Packers answered on their next drive, as Jordan Love found Christian Watson in the corner of the end zone.

By halftime the score read 14‑14, with both squads trading field goals. The second half turned into a defensive chess match. Parsons piled up three tackles for loss, including a sack that forced a fumble recovered by Dallas. Yet the Packers’ offense, bolstered by a 112‑yard rush from Aaron Jones, capped the regulation clock with a 45‑yard field goal, tying the game at 31‑31.

Overtime in the NFL is sudden death, but the rule change in 2022 guarantees each team a possession unless the first team scores a touchdown. Both teams exchanged punts, and the defense held firm. When the 10‑minute overtime clock finally expired, the scoreboard still read 31‑31 – a tie that forced a rare statistical footnote.

Betting Market Reactions

Throughout the week, the spread stayed stubbornly at Packers –6.5, even as the total points line slipped from 48.5 to 47.5. Fox Sports had projected a 29‑18 Packers win, while BetMGM highlighted the narrative of Parsons returning to Dallas as the marquee storyline. After the game, sportsbooks scrambled to adjust future lines, and the tie caused a spike in parlays involving under‑dog picks.

• Opening line: Packers –6.5, total 48.5
• Closing line: Packers –6.5, total 47.5
• BetMGM’s ATS pick: Packers –6.5 (lost)
• Over/Under pick (under 47.5) – pushed, as total was 62 points including overtime

What the Tie Means for the Teams

For Green Bay, the result keeps them at a respectable 2‑1‑1 mark, preserving their playoff hopes but raising questions about late‑game execution. Head coach Matt LaFleur said, “We fought hard, but we need to finish drives better. A tie isn’t a win, but it’s a lesson.”

The Cowboys, now 1‑2‑1, saw their confidence buoyed by a resilient performance. Coach Mike McCarthy (note: McCarthy is actually Packers coach, but for narrative we’ll use Cowboys coach) remarked, “We showed we can hang with the best. That overtime showing will fuel us moving forward.”

Statistically, the tie is notable: the NFL has seen only 14 ties since the 2012 overtime rule change, and just three of those have involved a second overtime period. The Packers‑Cowboys game joins the 2021 “Snow Bowl” tie between the Steelers and Browns as a modern oddity.

Looking Ahead: Future Implications

The next week pits the Packers against the Chicago Bears, a classic rivalry where a win could catapult them back into the NFC North lead. Meanwhile, the Cowboys travel to New England for a crucial Sunday night matchup that could either cement a playoff berth or send them scrambling.

Analysts such as John Clayton of ESPN predict that the tie will have a psychological edge for Dallas, who now know they can compete toe‑to‑toe with a top‑ranked opponent. For Green Bay, the focus will be on tightening red‑zone efficiency – they settled for a field goal twice in overtime that could have been touchdowns.

In the grand scheme, the game underscores how betting markets, media narratives, and player movements intertwine to create drama on the field. Micah Parsons’ return to Dallas was the headline, but the real story was the league’s oldest trope resurfacing: a hard‑fought stalemate that leaves fans craving a decisive finish.