porky88
  • porky88
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
9 years ago
For the first time since the 1967 NFL Championship, the Dallas Cowboys are playing a postseason game at Lambeau Field. The Cowboys take a red-hot team (winners of their last five games) into the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field for a date with the 12-4 Packers.

Home and Away

Sunday marks the first time in playoff history that an 8-0 home team faces a road team with the same record.

Dallas averages a league-best 34 points per game away from AT&T Stadium. They scored less than 30 just once, and that was in their road opener at Tennessee back in September.

Establishing the run is a big reason for their road success. Running back DeMarco Murray rushed for at least 100 yards in seven road games. His finest performance came at Seattle in week 6 when he ran for 115 yards and a touchdown. Exploiting Green Bay’s run defense will be one of the keys to victory for the Cowboys, who have won in Lambeau just once (2008) in the history of their franchise.

As good as Dallas plays on the road, Green Bay is even better at home. Behind the arm of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers put up monstrous numbers in 2014. They average nearly 40 points per game at Lambeau, where Rodgers hasn’t thrown an interception since week 13 of 2012. This year alone, he’s averaging about 292 yards and three touchdowns per home game. In fact, the Patriots are the only team to hold him to less than three touchdowns in Lambeau.

Despite their regular-season success, Green Bay still needs to re-establish their home dominance in the postseason. They’re just 4-5 in home playoff games since the turn of the century. Recent losses include the 2011 NFC Divisional to the N.Y. Giants and the 2013 NFC Wild Card to the San Francisco 49ers.

Both teams were able to outmuscle the Packers at the line of scrimmage, something the Cowboys have done to their opponents all year with their offensive line.

Offensive Juggernauts

Efficient quarterbacks, explosive receivers, bell cow running backs, and tough offensive lines. If you love offense, this game is for you.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo completed a league-best 69.9 percent of his passes for 3,705 yards and 34 touchdowns. Not to be outdone, Rodgers threw for 38 touchdowns, 4,381 yards, and just 5 interceptions.

Both have a plethora of talent surrounding them. Dallas receiver Dez Bryant caught a league-best 16 touchdowns, and Murray won the NFL rushing title with 1,845 yards. Ball control will be important for the Cowboys, as their defense faces issues matching up against the Packers.

Eddie Lacy, who has totaled 100 yards in nine consecutive games, rushed for 1,139 yards and had 13 total touchdowns this season. He’s the first Packers running back since Ahman Green to score double-digit touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. He’s also fresh. Mike McCarthy did a fine job of monitoring his carries in September and October, knowing he’d be a big part of any playoff run.

Lacy carried the ball just 246 times this season. He’s gone over 20 carries just three times, all three coming in November and December. This is in stark contrast with Murray, who carried the ball less than 20 times in four of 17 games. He enters this weekend with a league-high 411 carries.

As if dealing with Lacy’s fresh legs isn’t hard enough, the Cowboys will have to deal with arguably the league’s top receiver tandem. Green Bay’s Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb combined for 189 catches, 2,806 receiving yards, and 25 touchdowns. Nelson scored nine of his 13 touchdowns at home this season, with eight of them being 40 yards or more. Dallas finished 26th in the NFL against the pass.

Last week, they allowed 323 yards to Matthew Stafford and the Lions.

And the Winner is...

The left calf of Rodgers is a major story heading into this weekend’s game. We learned this week he has a slight tear in his calf to go along with a strain, but the Packers seem confident it won’t be a problem.

Mobility is a big part of Rodgers' arsenal. Many of Green Bay’s explosive pass plays occur when he’s outside the pocket. As he demonstrated against Detroit, though, he has no problem carving up a secondary from within the pocket. A persistent pass rush will give him issues because of his calf. Unfortunately, for Dallas, they have no such pass rush. They also don't have a good secondary. As a result, they'll struggle to defend Green Bay's passing attack. Their defense, which lives and dies by forcing turnovers, is going up against a team that doesn’t turn the ball over (plus-14), especially at home. Many expect the offensive line to dominate Green Bay’s front seven, but the Cowboys have struggled against blitzing teams. Washington exploited this in week 8, and Detroit did last Sunday. The Packers blitz about as much as any team in football, giving them another advantage.

Dallas probably fares better playing in Seattle this weekend than in Green Bay. Going to Seattle won’t be in the cards for Jerry Jones, however. The Packers and Seahawks are the two best teams in the NFC, and next weekend, they will meet in Seattle to determine the NFC champion.

Packers 38 Cowboys 28

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Fan Shout
Mucky Tundra (2h) : End of a Degu-era
dhazer (2h) : Steelers sign Patterson because of new kickoff rule interesting
Zero2Cool (5h) : Former #Packers TE Josiah Deguara is signing a 1-year deal with the Jaguars, per source.
Zero2Cool (6h) : They do not do it for "content sake".
dfosterf (16h) : For the record, I enjoy Beast and Mucky drafts
Zero2Cool (23h) : Haha
Mucky Tundra (27-Mar) : No time for talking! Back to work beast!
beast (27-Mar) : You saw only 4,201 of my mocks? 🥺 I think that means you missed more than half of them 😢
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Does anyone know what Lambeau field improvements got put on hold? My guess would be for the 2025 draft
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : It's like listen, you made 4,201 mocks, no shit.
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Cuz during the draft "I had them mocked there!" as if it's amazing.
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : They're fun to do once in awhile. It's people who think they are "content" that annoy me.
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Against tbd
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Answer to your question is yes, it's a Thursday, will be the Chiefs aga
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Luckily for all concerned, I don't post them. I did one, but that was like 25 mocks ago
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : NFL 2024 gonna start Sept 5th isn't it???
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Ugh... kids these days!
dfosterf (27-Mar) : I'm gonna go do some more mock draft hell instead 🤪
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Did we do one of those prediction threads yet for 2024 season?
dfosterf (27-Mar) : In my city, they are playing the nimby game, in order to keep some railroad tracks vs. 2 professional sports teams and a concert venue.
dfosterf (27-Mar) : And/Or a city council, of which I haven't seen a good one in a very long time
dfosterf (27-Mar) : That sounds like a Mayor, not a city.
buckeyepackfan (26-Mar) : Packers halt scheduled 80mil upgrade of stadium until lease agreement talks are restarted
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : City of Green Bay puts Packers' Lambeau Field lease talks on hold
buckeyepackfan (26-Mar) : Packers 1 of 3 teams to vote no on new kickoff rule.
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Packers sign another Kicker
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Lengthy explanation at PFF if you click the link
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Kickoff rules officially changed.ngthy explan
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : lol
Cheesey (26-Mar) : 2009? No thanks! One open heart surgery is enough!
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Good for you!
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Yes. That's the one.
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Is that "Lady Dugan" per chance?
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Crystal?
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Please refresh my memory
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Alan posts. Crystal back in my life. It's 2009 all over again! Lol
Mucky Tundra (26-Mar) : BAH GAWD! THAT'S CHEESEYS MUSIC!
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Gutekunst said early stages of Jordan Love contract being discussed.
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Shouldn't be penalized cuz official screwed up
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Yeah, challenge until you are incorrect twice.
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Fining them is the goal, per the people who made the rule anyway.
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Still waiting on the kickoff rule changes. Did hear yesterday that the touchback proposal will now be the 30 yard line, not the 35
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Probably speed of game issues with your proposal
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Hopefully the refs don't get in the habit of throwing flags on this
beast (25-Mar) : I think when it comes to Challenges should get two strikes, so unlimited challenges as long as they keep winning them, but 2 wrong then done
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Still subject to the fines etc
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Yes, I should have been more specific. Also, they are now saying it would be a 15 yard penalty. That makes more sense .
beast (25-Mar) : Simply fined in the week to follow
beast (25-Mar) : I agree with one NFL official, it'll probably be like some of the helmets hits, not really called by the refs on the field but simply fined
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Hip drop is not. Super confusing. Referees job is harder
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