Packers Stuff...

Simpleton

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The key difference in 2014 was that Rodgers was slightly injured and wasn't playing as well as he is now, but with that said he was 24/35 for 316 yards, 3 TD's and no INT's, so you can't really do much better than that. Other than that you have to say that there is more working in our favor, both in terms of their offensive personnel and our defensive personnel.

They had Jordy Nelson who had a career year in 2014, Eddie Lacy actually gave them a credible running threat (over 1,100 regular season yards and over 100 in the playoff game on 19 carries), and they had Josh Sitton who also was at the top of his game at that point. Other than Sitton they have the exact same OL, although I guess you could say that Bakhtiari and Lang have improved since then. You could also argue that Adams is better now, and perhaps Jared Cook is more of a threat at TE, although I think it's clear that the losses of Nelson/Lacy (as he was playing in 2014)/Sitton are more impactful than those improvements.

On the flip side, in that game our defense was heavily reliant on guys like Sterling Moore, Nick Hayden, Jeremy Mincey, George Selvie, Josh Brent and even Ken Bishop. Guys like Henry Melton and Terrell McClain were injured, forcing Bishop and Brent in to the lineup and they actually played a decent amount of snaps, even Jack Crawford was out too. I think it's clear that our current DL is an upgrade over Mincey/Selvie/Spencer/Hayden/Crawford/Bishop/Brent/rookie Lawrence. Then of course you have Lee who is a major addition, as well as Jones on the back end.

This Packers team hasn't really added any major pieces since 2014 like we have as far as Lee, Jones, Elliott, and perhaps Irving or Collins, they are more or less the exact same team on both sides of the ball and have only improved as far as players like Adams and Bakhitiari getting better internally.
 

Jiggyfly

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Sterling Moore and Tyler Patmon wow.

I really like the matchup this year.
 

Genghis Khan

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I'm a nervous wreck for this game and it isn't so much because of Green Bay, it's because for the first time in a very long time I feel that we are the best team in the NFC and have an excellent shot to get to the Super Bowl.

Because of that, there's so much more to lose and that's the part that gets me. It would suck to lose this game and not make it all the way.

I think we are the better team and I think if we win this game, we beat whoever wins out of ATL/SEA and get to the SB.

I just hope we show up to play and get the job done.
If we lose this game it will be our own fault: mistakes, penalties and especially turnovers. The good news is we mostly haven't been the type of team that consistently hurts ourselves with those types of negative plays.

The other good news I think is that the packers defense isn't really good. We both have good offenses but I think our defense has a better chance of slowing down the opposing offense. Especially when it comes to forcing field goals. So while I think odds are we'll be at or above our average points (28), I think they'll be a little below theirs.
 

Genghis Khan

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The key difference in 2014 was that Rodgers was slightly injured and wasn't playing as well as he is now, but with that said he was 24/35 for 316 yards, 3 TD's and no INT's, so you can't really do much better than that. Other than that you have to say that there is more working in our favor, both in terms of their offensive personnel and our defensive personnel.

They had Jordy Nelson who had a career year in 2014, Eddie Lacy actually gave them a credible running threat (over 1,100 regular season yards and over 100 in the playoff game on 19 carries), and they had Josh Sitton who also was at the top of his game at that point. Other than Sitton they have the exact same OL, although I guess you could say that Bakhtiari and Lang have improved since then. You could also argue that Adams is better now, and perhaps Jared Cook is more of a threat at TE, although I think it's clear that the losses of Nelson/Lacy (as he was playing in 2014)/Sitton are more impactful than those improvements.

On the flip side, in that game our defense was heavily reliant on guys like Sterling Moore, Nick Hayden, Jeremy Mincey, George Selvie, Josh Brent and even Ken Bishop. Guys like Henry Melton and Terrell McClain were injured, forcing Bishop and Brent in to the lineup and they actually played a decent amount of snaps, even Jack Crawford was out too. I think it's clear that our current DL is an upgrade over Mincey/Selvie/Spencer/Hayden/Crawford/Bishop/Brent/rookie Lawrence. Then of course you have Lee who is a major addition, as well as Jones on the back end.

This Packers team hasn't really added any major pieces since 2014 like we have as far as Lee, Jones, Elliott, and perhaps Irving or Collins, they are more or less the exact same team on both sides of the ball and have only improved as far as players like Adams and Bakhitiari getting better internally.
Them not having a running back like Lacy is a big difference.
 

Cotton

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townsend

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Homerism at maximum capacity.
 

Cotton

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Homerism at maximum capacity.
Mine is, too, but I am nervous as hell. I should be confident after watching what this team has done this year, but I have had my heart ripped out too many times to carry any decent level of confidence into the game.
 

Cotton

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With left tackle Tyron Smith expected to take part in team drills today, every player on the Cowboys' active roster will participate in a 11 on 11 drills for the first time this season. "We're healthier than we've been for most of the year," coach Jason Garrett said. "That's going to help our football team."

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

___________________________________

For the first time this season. Wow, that is pretty incredible.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Mine is, too, but I am nervous as hell. I should be confident after watching what this team has done this year, but I have had my heart ripped out too many times to carry any decent level of confidence into the game.
Seems like every time we thought that we were about to have our heart ripped out this season the team stepped up to the occasion and won. I'm nervous in the same fashion for Green Bay but there is part of me that believes this team will rise to the occasion.
 

Cotton

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Seems like every time we thought that we were about to have our heart ripped out this season the team stepped up to the occasion and won. I'm nervous in the same fashion for Green Bay but there is part of me that believes this team will rise to the occasion.
I guess 22 years worth of letdowns can't be completely erased with just one regular season. I am bracing myself.
 

townsend

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Mine is, too, but I am nervous as hell. I should be confident after watching what this team has done this year, but I have had my heart ripped out too many times to carry any decent level of confidence into the game.
I still have "but, 2007" echoing in the back of my head, it would probably be much worse if it was the Giants coming to town. If we can just win this game it will be deeply therapeutic. We'd be avenged for the loss in 2014, and we'd break a 21 year old, 4 game losing streak in the divisional round.
 

Cotton

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Cotton

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mcnuttz

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Jordy Nelson doesn't want to raise his hands anywhere near the middle of the field and he can't run the sideline.
 

boozeman

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I guess 22 years worth of letdowns can't be completely erased with just one regular season. I am bracing myself.
It cant as far as I am concerned. Best conference record, homefield advantage, no excuses for not advancing past the divisional round. I would even go so far as to say Super Bowl or disappointment. Some might be satisfied after last year's disaster. I won't be one of them.
 

Hoffa

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I'm cautiously optimistic about this one, mostly because of Dak and Zeke. I feel like they bring a certain level of confidence and swagger to this team that has been missing. I just don't feel the impending sense of doom that I always had before a big game in the Romo/Witten era.
 

Cotton

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It cant as far as I am concerned. Best conference record, homefield advantage, no excuses for not advancing past the divisional round. I would even go so far as to say Super Bowl or disappointment. Some might be satisfied after last year's disaster. I won't be one of them.
If we don't at least make the NFCC I will be hugely disappointed. But, then again, if we win this game, and don't win the NFCC, I will be pretty damn disappointed, too. So, in short, I agree with you.
 

Cotton

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Texas Ace

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It cant as far as I am concerned. Best conference record, homefield advantage, no excuses for not advancing past the divisional round. I would even go so far as to say Super Bowl or disappointment. Some might be satisfied after last year's disaster. I won't be one of them.
Same here.

Gotta at least win one game....but even then, if you beat this Packers team, then you should be able to beat whoever comes next.
 

mcnuttz

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It cant as far as I am concerned. Best conference record, homefield advantage, no excuses for not advancing past the divisional round. I would even go so far as to say Super Bowl or disappointment. Some might be satisfied after last year's disaster. I won't be one of them.

This season has been a total surprise for me, but it's useless if they don't win the SB.

Love the story, but it's time for a winner.
 
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