Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Date in Dallas looms ahead
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 22, 2007
Detroit - The hype machine found very little fuel to run on in the Green Bay Packers' locker room after the team's 37-26 victory over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Thursday.
After he returns an interception for a touchdown, Dallas' Terence Newman (41), Roy Williams (31) and Ken Hamlin celebrate during the Cowboys' 34-3 victory over the Jets on Thursday.
But it won't be long before it revs up.
The AFC had its Super Bowl XLI ½ a couple of weeks ago when undefeated New England and unbeaten Indianapolis met, and now it's time for the NFC version. Maybe it's just a preview of the game that will be played for the right to lose to the Patriots in Glendale, Ariz., Feb 2.
But it's still two 10-1 teams with higher hopes than being Super Bowl fodder for the Patriots.
When Green Bay and Dallas meet Thursday night at Texas Stadium, dominance in the NFC will be at stake, not to mention the possibility of home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
"It's about winning games, playing the best we can play every week," linebacker Nick Barnett said after the Packers' Thanksgiving Day victory. "Of course, we want home-field advantage, but we're not going to get ahead of ourselves, or ahead of Dallas or ahead of anybody. We just have to worry about our next opponent."
The Cowboys improved to 10-1 after throttling the New York Jets, 34-3, at Texas Stadium in the second of three Thanksgiving Day games. Their quarterback, Burlington, Wis., native Tony Romo, had a modest day by his standards - not to mention Brett Favre's these days - but the Cowboys have the second-highest scoring offense in the NFL and will be tough to beat at home.
"That's a really good team, first and foremost," general manager Ted Thompson said. "And No. 2 they have terrific fan support. It's a tough place to play. But it's on our schedule and that's where we're going. So we'll go play there.
"I don't think it's any different than other places where teams have been successful for years and players grow up watching teams just like they did the Packers. I think there's something to it, but our guys have been around the block a little bit."
With their victory Thursday, the Packers equaled the start of Vince Lombardi's 1962 NFL championship team, which just happened to blow its 10-0 start with a loss to Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. This current edition refused to let that happen, despite a date with the Cowboys looming.
The Packers put four games between themselves and the Lions (6-5) with five games to go, all but locking up the NFC North title. The Packers eliminated the Minnesota Vikings from title contention and can cross the Chicago Bears off the list with a Bears loss or a Packers victory.
Winning the division was a goal at the start of the season, but the Packers have put themselves in position for bigger and better things, like a chance for home-field advantage in the playoffs.
"You always set goals at the start of the season and then you have to start small and work your way up," receiver Ruvell Martin said. "That's definitely another goal we can go for. This is another game on our schedule. It's a tough opponent, they have a good team and they have a good record, too.
"I don't think this is the big game. Our goals are much further than one regular-season game."
Comments like that certainly aren't going to be posted on trashtalk.com, nor are the ones made by just about everyone in the Packers' locker room. Coach Mike McCarthy took care of that after the game by reminding his team how they got to this position in the first place.
His mission isn't to let the world know that his team is the best in the NFC, but rather to do what contending teams do - play big games and learn from them.
"I'm proud of this football team," McCarthy said. "I'm proud of the way they focus. The challenges ahead are going to be tougher. But to be at 10 wins with five to play is where you want to be. We need to take care of business through our week of preparation and then get ready for Dallas."
The way the Packers are playing, it's clear they are not a team that just happens to have the second-best record in the NFC and really has no business being on the same field as Dallas.
The Packers have the second-longest winning streak (six games) in the NFL, a top-three offense (behind New England and Dallas) and a 5-0 record on the road.
It doesn't appear they'll be at full strength when they take on Dallas, given injuries suffered Thursday by cornerback Charles Woodson (toe), nose tackle Colin Cole (broken forearm), end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (ankle) and safety Aaron Rouse (knee).
But then again, the Packers traveled here three days after their game against Carolina and survived a physical first quarter, putting up 467 yards and 37 points on the Lions in the final three quarters of victory No. 10. They beat a team desperate for a victory and intent on establishing its physical dominance in front of a national television audience.
The victory was yet another in a line of methodical, squarely-played performances the Packers have been producing since their loss to Chicago on Oct. 7.
What they face in traveling to Texas Stadium, however, is not easily measured. The Packers haven't won there since 1989, losing eight straight, including post-season games in 1993, '94 and '95. Favre is the only player on the roster who was part of the seven-game losing streak against the Cowboys from '93 to '96 and truly knows how difficult it can be to win there.
Then again, he seems to be dealing with a different animal this year. The Packers keep rolling along, accomplishing things no one thought they could.
"One game I don't think is going to define us one way or the other," Favre said. "It may have some implications in the playoffs, but we can't worry about that right now. Now we can concentrate on Dallas.
"Enjoy this one today, tomorrow, but I have no idea what's going to happen in Dallas. We win, they win? They blow us out, we blow them out? Who knows?"
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 22, 2007
Detroit - The hype machine found very little fuel to run on in the Green Bay Packers' locker room after the team's 37-26 victory over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Thursday.
After he returns an interception for a touchdown, Dallas' Terence Newman (41), Roy Williams (31) and Ken Hamlin celebrate during the Cowboys' 34-3 victory over the Jets on Thursday.
But it won't be long before it revs up.
The AFC had its Super Bowl XLI ½ a couple of weeks ago when undefeated New England and unbeaten Indianapolis met, and now it's time for the NFC version. Maybe it's just a preview of the game that will be played for the right to lose to the Patriots in Glendale, Ariz., Feb 2.
But it's still two 10-1 teams with higher hopes than being Super Bowl fodder for the Patriots.
When Green Bay and Dallas meet Thursday night at Texas Stadium, dominance in the NFC will be at stake, not to mention the possibility of home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
"It's about winning games, playing the best we can play every week," linebacker Nick Barnett said after the Packers' Thanksgiving Day victory. "Of course, we want home-field advantage, but we're not going to get ahead of ourselves, or ahead of Dallas or ahead of anybody. We just have to worry about our next opponent."
The Cowboys improved to 10-1 after throttling the New York Jets, 34-3, at Texas Stadium in the second of three Thanksgiving Day games. Their quarterback, Burlington, Wis., native Tony Romo, had a modest day by his standards - not to mention Brett Favre's these days - but the Cowboys have the second-highest scoring offense in the NFL and will be tough to beat at home.
"That's a really good team, first and foremost," general manager Ted Thompson said. "And No. 2 they have terrific fan support. It's a tough place to play. But it's on our schedule and that's where we're going. So we'll go play there.
"I don't think it's any different than other places where teams have been successful for years and players grow up watching teams just like they did the Packers. I think there's something to it, but our guys have been around the block a little bit."
With their victory Thursday, the Packers equaled the start of Vince Lombardi's 1962 NFL championship team, which just happened to blow its 10-0 start with a loss to Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. This current edition refused to let that happen, despite a date with the Cowboys looming.
The Packers put four games between themselves and the Lions (6-5) with five games to go, all but locking up the NFC North title. The Packers eliminated the Minnesota Vikings from title contention and can cross the Chicago Bears off the list with a Bears loss or a Packers victory.
Winning the division was a goal at the start of the season, but the Packers have put themselves in position for bigger and better things, like a chance for home-field advantage in the playoffs.
"You always set goals at the start of the season and then you have to start small and work your way up," receiver Ruvell Martin said. "That's definitely another goal we can go for. This is another game on our schedule. It's a tough opponent, they have a good team and they have a good record, too.
"I don't think this is the big game. Our goals are much further than one regular-season game."
Comments like that certainly aren't going to be posted on trashtalk.com, nor are the ones made by just about everyone in the Packers' locker room. Coach Mike McCarthy took care of that after the game by reminding his team how they got to this position in the first place.
His mission isn't to let the world know that his team is the best in the NFC, but rather to do what contending teams do - play big games and learn from them.
"I'm proud of this football team," McCarthy said. "I'm proud of the way they focus. The challenges ahead are going to be tougher. But to be at 10 wins with five to play is where you want to be. We need to take care of business through our week of preparation and then get ready for Dallas."
The way the Packers are playing, it's clear they are not a team that just happens to have the second-best record in the NFC and really has no business being on the same field as Dallas.
The Packers have the second-longest winning streak (six games) in the NFL, a top-three offense (behind New England and Dallas) and a 5-0 record on the road.
It doesn't appear they'll be at full strength when they take on Dallas, given injuries suffered Thursday by cornerback Charles Woodson (toe), nose tackle Colin Cole (broken forearm), end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (ankle) and safety Aaron Rouse (knee).
But then again, the Packers traveled here three days after their game against Carolina and survived a physical first quarter, putting up 467 yards and 37 points on the Lions in the final three quarters of victory No. 10. They beat a team desperate for a victory and intent on establishing its physical dominance in front of a national television audience.
The victory was yet another in a line of methodical, squarely-played performances the Packers have been producing since their loss to Chicago on Oct. 7.
What they face in traveling to Texas Stadium, however, is not easily measured. The Packers haven't won there since 1989, losing eight straight, including post-season games in 1993, '94 and '95. Favre is the only player on the roster who was part of the seven-game losing streak against the Cowboys from '93 to '96 and truly knows how difficult it can be to win there.
Then again, he seems to be dealing with a different animal this year. The Packers keep rolling along, accomplishing things no one thought they could.
"One game I don't think is going to define us one way or the other," Favre said. "It may have some implications in the playoffs, but we can't worry about that right now. Now we can concentrate on Dallas.
"Enjoy this one today, tomorrow, but I have no idea what's going to happen in Dallas. We win, they win? They blow us out, we blow them out? Who knows?"
posted by The Gryphon at 8:28 AM
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