Finally get to see Dallas freeze in Greenbay -- Official division game thread

[Sunshinepacker]

Let's qualify that further. It also means his team has been playing from behind a lot.

If his team also has had the best W-L record since he entered the league then the comeback wins may be more representative of his ability to perform under pressure. If he had won more than a single playoff game since he entered the league it may add credibility to that comeback record of his. He now has a total of one wild card victory to his credit, although he and his team didn't exactly light-up the Lions to achieve it. Good for him to finally get that elusive victory. But it will take more than one win to convince me that Romo can lead his team into battle with consistent success, especially with the added pressure of a so-called "do or die" playoff game. He has yet to prove that he can do it more than once. But at least he's off to a good start, though much belated.

The controversial victory against the Lions represents a mere single playoff win with Romo at the helm, and it came only after several very disappointing attempts to achieve such a victory in the past. That's a relevant stat that is definitely worthy of our attention. As Deion Sanders has stated, "Not everyone is made for the moment." Romo still has a long way to go in order to prove that he is.

Why do fans treat the NFL like it's the NBA? There are roughly 30-40 players that make a difference in an NFL game, the quarterback can make an impact but it's not like the NBA where one great player can make a team dominant. Remember also that Jerry Jones has been a punchline about his handling of the cap and managing the team. Instead of assuming that Romo isn't great because of losses, maybe he was the difference between the Cowboys being the Raiders.

I don't like the Cowboys. I want them to lose big in Green Bay. I do however respect Romo for being the most underappreciated player in the NFL over the past 5 years.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

I fear witten the most. He is a possession guy but he can break a D on that 3rd and 7 play. He is easier to cover now than a few years ago but he is the one who is reliable for romo when things break down. Future HOFer and well deserved

I'm scared of Bryant. He's like the Marshawn Lynch of wide receivers. Our corners could have great coverage on the guy but he's just so physical that I could see him hauling in a ton of passes. I don't think he will but I wouldn't be shocked if he had something like 11 catches for 190 yards and two TDs.

 

[MichiganSportsTalk]

I enjoyed the comment on how the only person on our team that would be an upgrade on the boys roster is Rodgers, and that isnt by much haha what a joke.

There was much of the same from them before the Lions game. They were expecting to score 40+ and hold Detroit to 17 or less. Obviously it was a much closer game than that (I say while gritting my teeth.....). They have an unrealistic view of their team.

What the Lions did in the first quarter, run the ball to set up big pass plays, is something the Packers do better than the Lions, and can do for a full 4 quarters (sorry, that game is going to leave me bitter for a long time....).

The Dallas o-line, for as much as it has been hyped, is not that good. Detroit's front 4 went though them like a hot knife through butter. Granted, the Lions d-line is better than the Packers, but the key for you guys will be your linebackers. They like to attack the middle. They didn't call much, run or pass, to the sides. Whitehead and especially Levy had a chance to control the game yesterday, but he simply played very un-Levy-like.

As long as the officials don't "Detroit" you, I don't see Dallas winning.

 

[Hincha]

Thanks for the correction. I'm slightly-less unimpressed than before. I'm unconvinced that he's made for the moment. There may be more concern if this was the regular season and not the playoffs.

I still consider Romo a good regular season QB... throws a good ball, but it seems when chips are down in many cases, he cannot pull through the Cowboys.

with win over Detroit now 2-3 in playoffs... still no wins on the road. Lost 2 "win and in" games for playoffs in 2011/2012 for Cowboys in week 17 of regular season... had horrible game in both of those (Orton played QB for Cowboys in 2013 game).

 

[Pkrjones]

I'm scared of Bryant. He's like the Marshawn Lynch of wide receivers. Our corners could have great coverage on the guy but he's just so physical that I could see him hauling in a ton of passes. I don't think he will but I wouldn't be shocked if he had something like 11 catches for 190 yards and two TDs.

If the guy is going to "go off" on us (as did Julio Jones) I'm OK with him getting 190 & 2 TD's, as long as Murray is held under 75 yds., Lacy gets his 150 yds & a TD and AR throws for his "usual" 3 or 4 TD's.

Can't let Murray run for 150+ AND Bryant over 150... that means the Dallas O is doing whatever it wants to do.

 

[adambr2]

some predictions from the opposing side

http://boards.dallascowboys.com/topic/45442-cowboys-34-packers-17/

I enjoyed the comment on how the only person on our team that would be an upgrade on the boys roster is Rodgers, and that isnt by much haha what a joke.

It's unreal how delusional that board is. They are welcome to think they'll blow us out if it helps them sleep better until Sunday. They're going to be in for a harsh reality check after that.

 

[El Guapo]

The Cowboys "top" o-line only put 73 yards on the Detroit defense and they are better than the Packers line? They are good but we put up 152 --- double --- on the Lions the week before, in worse conditions. I'm not surprised that fans on both websites are predicting wins for their teams. Both are good and we're at the point in the playoffs when they should be close matchups.

We won't get Detroited....we are the home team. That's why winning that last game was so important for the playoffs.

 

[ivo610]

I'm scared of Bryant. He's like the Marshawn Lynch of wide receivers. Our corners could have great coverage on the guy but he's just so physical that I could see him hauling in a ton of passes. I don't think he will but I wouldn't be shocked if he had something like 11 catches for 190 yards and two TDs.

I'm not afraid of him like I am Julio jones or a healthy Brandon Marshall or a healthy negation but I respect him and could see him do very well against us.

I also could see him having a meltdown on the field or sideline

 

[ivo610]

Player of the game? I'm going to say jordy

 

[ExpatPacker]

There was much of the same from them before the Lions game. They were expecting to score 40+ and hold Detroit to 17 or less. Obviously it was a much closer game than that (I say while gritting my teeth.....). They have an unrealistic view of their team.

What the Lions did in the first quarter, run the ball to set up big pass plays, is something the Packers do better than the Lions, and can do for a full 4 quarters (sorry, that game is going to leave me bitter for a long time....).

The Dallas o-line, for as much as it has been hyped, is not that good. Detroit's front 4 went though them like a hot knife through butter. Granted, the Lions d-line is better than the Packers, but the key for you guys will be your linebackers. They like to attack the middle. They didn't call much, run or pass, to the sides. Whitehead and especially Levy had a chance to control the game yesterday, but he simply played very un-Levy-like.

As long as the officials don't "Detroit" you, I don't see Dallas winning.

The irony is that the bogus non-call and the ire it's caused will probably make the refs extra careful not to let any sh** like that happen this coming Sunday. If Dallas gets a call like in Lambeau the whole NFL will never let them hear the end of it. But I gotta agree that despite that, Detroit shot themselves in the foot yet again. They could have won, but Caldwell gets conservative when he should probably have gone for it, the punter shanks it at the most inopportune time, 2 costly penalties on the winning drive, and Stafford making just too many mistakes.

IF Detroit wants to get to the next level, that just has to change. I also think that losing Suh to FA would be a big loss. Despite his dumb-*** dirty play, he's just too good, but if some stupid 5-11 team throws tons of money at him, I guess there's nothing you can do, even restructuring Stafford's and/or Calvin's contract might not be enough.

Caldwell has not yet managed to de-Schwartz-ify your team enough yet. Dump Raiola, instill a different attitude in the rest of your team, and Stafford?. . . the guy needs to make better reads, not force things too much and be more disciplined in his technique. Then you may be more than a one-and-done team.

 

[Pkrjones]

Caldwell has not yet managed to de-Schwartz-ify your team enough yet...

Love the term "de-Schwartz-ify". As Detroit looks to de-Schwartz-ify Buffalo is considering Schwartz-fying even more as head coaching candidate. That team needs to do better for their fans and that town .

 

[ExpatPacker]

Cowboys don't have any stars on defense. They just play team defense and rally to the ball well. One on one, their CB's wont be able to stay with Nelson or Cobb. I'm sure they'll rotate a Safety over on Nelson to help a lot of the game.

Dallas's defense is very vulnerable in the middle of the field. McClain is great at stuffing the run, but hes big and slow and cannot cover well. I think we'll see a big play by Richard Rodgers down the seam at some point (or maybe even Quarless)

Every game Ive watched Dallas play this season, they always give up points and Ive seen them get into double digit holes quite a few times too. So if we somehow manage to get up by 14-21 points, we need to keep the foot on the gas and keep pouring it on. Rams got up 21-0 on them and then got real conservative. Lions did too for the most part (or tried getting cute with their play calling) - Dallas seems to get into a comfort zone when they are down. Like it wakes them up. We cant let that happen. We need to turn a 14-21 point lead into a 28-35 point lead and crush their will.

We'll score on Dallas. Most everyone has this season. I think we'll score 30+ points on them. Problem is, can our defense keep them from scoring enough and prevent Dallas's offense from keeping them in the game? I predict a big game from Julius Peppers. This is why he signed with the Packers. Hes hungry for a Super Bowl and hes hungry to play in big games like this. Its time he showed why we signed him and why he signed with us.

I say the final score will be 38-24 Packers.

I tend to agree that Dallas' defense is all of a sudden being overhyped as better than it is, and the improvement in the Packers' run defense is still being ignored. Packer run defense is better, but some teams have still had reasonable success running against it, and slowing down Murray is a pretty daunting task.

I did not see much of a pass rush from Dallas. It looks to me like they barely got to Stafford with 1 sack and 3 hits. That bodes very well, since Rodgers will most likely have to cut way down on the scrambling and stay in the pocket. He should still have time to throw.

To me what it really comes down to is this: since 2010 the Packers's playoff performances have been mostly disappointing. It's time for them to show they can play at a championship level. Time for Rodgers to play through the injury and have an MVP game and for this defense to step up to the challenge and the offense to click.

 

[Johneric8]

Bryant does not meltdown in games, he only gets more intense which gives off that appearance. Teams scheme totally to eliminate him at time only to find it doesn't help because the cowboys have to much offensive firepower. The bottom line guys, is the cowboys will be the fiercest competitors you will find in the NFL and they will never lay down. The defense is an enigma in a sense because they can band together and shut down teams just based on their hustle.. Marinelli has them playing amazing at times and if they show up the Pack could have major issues with that D. Believe me on this- The cowboys have no fear of the mystique of the packers home field advantage and in fact they play outside their heads on the road... I'm telling you, look for a very difficult game to win for either team.... Rodgers is the best out there but the scheme the cows play I believe will make it ******* him to exploit...

 

[Johneric8]

My prediction, is that this cowboys team is band of brothers and very well coached. I don't think the packers can keep up with their intensity for a full 4 quarters. Cowboys 37 packers 21

 

[MichiganSportsTalk]

But I gotta agree that despite that, Detroit shot themselves in the foot yet again.

That has been the calling card of Lombardi all year. Find something that works, and try to switch it up before the defense figures it out as opposed to switching because the defense figured it out.

1st qtr: 1o runs - 8 passes - 14 points
2nd-4th qtrs: 12 runs - 36 passes - 6 points

The Packers have a MUCH more balanced offense than Detroit. And yes, I'm completely jealous of that fact. I look forward to you guys putting some hurt on Dallas.

 

[Carl]

Bryant does not meltdown in games, he only gets more intense which gives off that appearance. Teams scheme totally to eliminate him at time only to find it doesn't help because the cowboys have to much offensive firepower. The bottom line guys, is the cowboys will be the fiercest competitors you will find in the NFL and they will never lay down. The defense is an enigma in a sense because they can band together and shut down teams just based on their hustle.. Marinelli has them playing amazing at times and if they show up the Pack could have major issues with that D. Believe me on this- The cowboys have no fear of the mystique of the packers home field advantage and in fact they play outside their heads on the road... I'm telling you, look for a very difficult game to win for either team.... Rodgers is the best out there but the scheme the cows play I believe will make it ******* him to exploit...

We all know the scheme to beat Rodgers is to rush four and drop seven. It works when teams have the players to be able to get pressure with four. I do not think the Cowboys have the players to get that pressure with only four guys, especially with how good the Packers pass protection has been lately. Suh and the Lions hardly touched Rodgers even when Rodgers couldn't even run due to his calf.

 

[MichiganSportsTalk]

My prediction, is that this cowboys team is band of brothers and very well coached. I don't think the packers can keep up with their intensity for a full 4 quarters. Cowboys 37 packers 21

I would venture a guess that you've not watched the Packers play all year.

First, the Cowboys defense is not that great. They gave up 20 to Detroit at home, and the Packers have a far superior offense than Detroit. I sincerely doubt they will be able to hold the Packers offense to 21.

Second, the Packers defense is much improved from earlier in the season. Matthews being in the middle is going to disrupt the plays that the Cowboys had success with against the Lions. I try not to make absolute statements, but I am about 99.99% confident in saying that the Cowboys will not score 37 points in Lambeau.

 

[Daryl Muellenberg]

I'm not afraid of him like I am Julio jones or a healthy Brandon Marshall or a healthy negation but I respect him and could see him do very well against us.

I also could see him having a meltdown on the field or sideline

A healthy negation? I assume you meant Megatron, but negation is quite a stretch.

 

[Johneric8]

We all know the scheme to beat Rodgers is to rush four and drop seven. It works when teams have the players to be able to get pressure with four. I do not think the Cowboys have the players to get that pressure with only four guys, especially with how good the Packers pass protection has been lately. Suh and the Lions hardly touched Rodgers even when Rodgers couldn't even run due to his calf.

I understand what your saying, but my point is that the cows have a unique ability to create pressure and chaos without the sacks. The point I'm trying to make here is that there is not another team in the NFL who has shown to play with the same mojo on the road as the Cowboys... Their focus on the road is uncanny to say the least.. If they can go to Seattle, Indy, ETC and embarrass those teams I can assure you they have a legit shot to take down the packers... Trust me on this, those guys 100% believe they can do it and that is half the battle.

 

[Johneric8]

I would venture a guess that you've not watched the Packers play all year.

First, the Cowboys defense is not that great. They gave up 20 to Detroit at home, and the Packers have a far superior offense than Detroit. I sincerely doubt they will be able to hold the Packers offense to 21.

Second, the Packers defense is much improved from earlier in the season. Matthews being in the middle is going to disrupt the plays that the Cowboys had success with against the Lions. I try not to make absolute statements, but I am about 99.99% confident in saying that the Cowboys will not score 37 points in Lambeau.

My prediction is more based on a hunch and certainly not statistics... I think the cowboys defense has the potential to frustrate. Like I said, it's a prediction, no more no less....

 

[Carl]

I understand what your saying, but my point is that the cows have a unique ability to create pressure and chaos without the sacks. The point I'm trying to make here is that there is not another team in the NFL who has shown to play with the same mojo on the road as the Cowboys... Their focus on the road is uncanny to say the least.. If they can go to Seattle, Indy, ETC and embarrass those teams I can assure you they have a legit shot to take down the packers... Trust me on this, those guys 100% believe they can do it and that is half the battle.

First of all, Seattle lost by TD, not an embarrassment, and the Indy game was in Dallas.

Secondly, How do they create the pressure though? Is it with blitzing? Rodgers typically destroys a blitz.

I can't ignore the Cowboys 8-0 road record, but if they cannot generate pressure with only four guys, they will have a very hard time slowing down Rodgers.

A mojo and belief alone is not enough.

 

[ExpatPacker]

My prediction is more based on a hunch and certainly not statistics... I think the cowboys defense has the potential to frustrate. Like I said, it's a prediction, no more no less....

If the Packers could score 30 points on the Lions defense with Aaron Rodgers playing the entire half with a gimpy calf and Eddie Lacy rushing for 100 yards the first time ever against the Lions' defense in the entire season, then I think that your hunch that the Cowboys defense is going to somehow magically turn into a defense better than Detroit's and give GB all sorts of problems is, how shall I say? --humorous.

 

[MiamiBeachPacker]

Packers 27
Cowboys 17

Murray - Under 100 yards rushing
Lacy - Over 100 yards rushing
Romo - Sacked 4 times
Rodgers - Sacked 2 times
Both teams turn the ball over 1 time

 

[ThePerfectBeard]

I honestly wish that the Lions game wasn't such a big controversy. Dallas is going to come in even bigger to try and prove they don't need refs.

Yes, I know it's a playoff game and they are going to play their hardest anyway, but this is bulletin board fodder that we didn't need.

 

[Brandon]

The thing about Dez, is the SECOND things start to unravel he becomes a whining cry baby and it transitions to his play ability. So the key is to take him out EARLY and the rest will happen on its own. Dez creates a match-up problem against any defense, so the key isn't to play him but rather play Romo. Pressure romo and show exotic blitz packages to throw off his game and Dez too will be taken out.

One guy I'm more worried about is Beasley. He's like an Edelman 2.0 and is getting wide open due to everyone keeping their eyes on Dez. His quickness can undo any defense that isn't paying close attention.