The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers are set to meet for their first postseason game in Green Bay since the infamous 1967 Ice Bowl. Although the setting is the same, these teams are very different.
The Packers are well rested after a much-needed bye week allowed Aaron Rodgers to rehab his slightly-torn left calf muscle. His ability to play through this injury is the biggest single factor in the game, but Rodgers appears ready to do so.
The Cowboys find themselves in a fairly advantageous position, considering. They'll have to deal with the frigid temperatures of Lambeau Field, but that could, along with Rodgers's injury, slow down the Packers' fast-strike offense. The Cowboys simply need to run the ball and stop the run - the major reasons they are 8-0 on the road this season - in order to pull off the upset.
Here's what you need to know:
Running the ball at Lambeau
The last time DeMarco Murray faced the Packers he rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys will hope for similar output Sunday.
That might not be so easy, though. The Packers have reduced opponents' rushing yards per game from 153.5 to 86.4 over the last half of the season - a phenomenon linked to Clay Matthews's move from outside to inside linebacker.
Last week, against the Detroit Lions, the Cowboys struggled to run the ball, tallying just 73 yards as a team, but the their commitment to it was evident even though they trailed for most of the game. That has to be an even bigger priority this week, as the Tony Romo turnover bonanza perpetually lurks around the corner.
Can the Cowboys' secondary hold up?
This will be a tough test for a secondary that's been exposed at times this season.
The Packers boast the league's most dangerous passing attack because they have receivers like Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, who consistently get separation, and a quarterback who is extremely accurate.
More than anything, Rodgers constantly puts his receivers in a position to not only catch the ball, but run with it. He makes perfect throws, and his receivers use them to rack up yards after the catch. Tackling the Packers' receivers early will be a major test for the Cowboys.
Taking away Rodgers's time and space
Trying to stop the game's best quarterback is easier said than done, but with a balky calf limiting Rodgers's mobility, the Cowboys may want to blitz more than they normally would, forcing scrambles out of the pocket and off-balance throws.
Normally this isn't a good idea with Rodgers, as he rolls out and makes throws outside the pocket as well as anyone in the league, but since he's hobbled, the Cowboys' ability to flush the pocket may be their only chance to limit his production.
Pressure can be slowed down by a consistent rushing attack, and screens to Eddie Lacy early and often.
