Week 13 Thursday Night

“And maybe everything dies, baby, that’s a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back…”
Bruce Springsteen – “Atlantic City”

At Dallas –6.5 Green Bay 51.5
You have to go back some to the time when both of these teams contended against each other for the crown. These teams may have last fought for the title in the early-mid ‘90’s but neither team has been simultaneously top-notch since the pre-merger days when it was Lombardi and Landry standing on opposing sidelines. Two guys that started together as assistant coaches for the Giants back in the ‘50’s went on to become, in many ways, the defining personalities of their respective teams and cast shadows that linger to this day. The Pack took Dallas in the NFL Championship in ’66 and the “Ice Bowl” in ’67 en route to capturing the first two Super Bowls. Once Lombardi left Green Bay, it took a full generation to recover. Landry could’ve coached the Cowboys forever if he wanted until the dreadful used-car salesman who currently owns the team shunted him aside in favor of Jimmy Johnson. Both teams enjoyed a certain measure of success in the ‘90’s, where Dallas defeated Green Bay in the ’95 NFC Championship but Dallas was peaking at that time while the Pack were still on the rise. No matter the year, the identity of this rivalry remains rooted in the Golden Age of the NFL.

That was then. Every one pretty much knew that Dallas was going to be good this year. The question was whether Romo was a fluke or a phenomenon. So far, it’s been the latter and “Them Cowboys” have rolled all year, losing only to New England. As far as the Pack, no one could’ve figured that they’d be 10-1 heading into December. Favre has given the team MVP-caliber performances week in and week out as if it were 1996 and ’97 all over again.

The outcome of tonight’s game likely determines home-field advantage in the NFC Playoffs. In looking at the matchups, it seems as though Dallas is the more balanced team and are less banged-up heading in. It would be really sweet to see the Pack pull the upset. Actually the verb “see” is inappropriate in this context because the game will be telecast on NFLN which is currently available to about 14 households nationwide. That’s OK for the graybeards because we came of age before color tv and the internet when there was a device called the radio…As far as tonight’s game, Dallas has too many weapons at their disposal.

Projected Final Score: Dallas 34, Green Bay 27