10 NFL Games we’re most looking forward to in 2015
By Andrew Garda
Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers, Week 14
Another blast from the (recent) past, the Dallas Cowboys are still stinging from a relatively terrible rule (but correct call) which cost them the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers last winter.
The Cowboys are in an interesting position this year. Last season, they allowed DeMarco Murray to carry them into the playoffs and almost to the Super Bowl. Murray had 123 yards and a touchdown in the 26-21 loss to the Packers. Tony Romo and the passing offense? 191 yards and a pair of touchdowns. One of those was a 1-yard touchdown pass set up by three straight Murray runs.
How will they fill that void? Will Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams be able to reproduce that? Against the Packers?
By Week 14 this should have sorted itself out, but you have to wonder if the Packers will have a better time shutting the Cowboys down if the offense has to rely on the pass.
Meanwhile, the Packers do have to answer the bell themselves. They escaped against the Cowboys in the playoffs and even with that questionable call near the end of the game, it was still way closer than was comfortable.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is perfectly capable of throwing against the Dallas defense, but his own defense needs to do a better job stopping the Cowboys offense.
One other critical angle here: this game could very well decide some seeding for the playoffs. If the Cowboys keep the momentum from 2014 going and the Packers run away from the rest of the NFC North again, the two teams could conceivably be jockeying for seeding.
Next: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, Week 17