Announcement

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 12:14 PM

Packers
Charles Woodson (GB - CB)

News: Woodson (toe) is questionable for Thursday's game. (RotoWire - Wed. Nov 28, 2007)
Ryan Grant (GB - RB)

News: Grant (ankle) is probable for Thursday's game. (RotoWire - Wed. Nov 28, 2007)
Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (GB - DE)

News: Gbaja-Biamila (ankle) is questionable for Thursday's game. (RotoWire - Wed. Nov 28, 2007)

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 12:15 PM

Cowboys
Anthony Henry (DAL - CB)

News: Henry (ankle) is probable for Thursday's game. (RotoWire - Wed. Nov 28, 2007)
Patrick Crayton (DAL - WR)

News: Crayton (ankle) is probable for Thursday's game. (RotoWire - Wed. Nov 28, 2007)
Terry Glenn (DAL - WR)

News: Glenn (knee) will not play against the Packers on Thursday, the Dallas Morning News reports. (RotoWire - Tue. Nov 27, 2007)

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 12:16 PM

Charles Woodson isn't being counted out for the Texas-sized showdown between the Packers and host Dallas on Thursday night.

The veteran cornerback didn't do much in practice Tuesday, Green Bay's last full day of on-field preparations, but head coach Mike McCarthy is entertaining having Woodson activated for the game.
Woodson is on the mend from an injury to his right big toe, which kept him out of the last three quarters of the Packers' win at Detroit last Thursday.

The game-status classifications on the injury report won't be turned in to the league until Wednesday. McCarthy said Tuesday he would have listed Woodson as questionable.

"I am going to give him every opportunity to prepare for the game," McCarthy said. "He's pretty much around the clock in the training room. He's going to be a game-time decision."

Woodson's practice participation this week consisted of only a walk-through at the outset Tuesday, at which time he was involved with game adjustments made for checks and formations.

McCarthy is optimistic of having Woodson, who leads the team with four interceptions, available against Dallas' high-powered offense because of his history of playing through injuries. Woodson overcame turf toe in 2001 while playing for Oakland.

"He's improving," McCarthy said. "He's dealt with this injury before. He's making progress."

If Woodson is cleared to play, McCarthy already made the decision that he won't put him back on punt returns, which is how Woodson suffered the toe injury.

Young backup cornerback Tramon Williams is set to assume those duties. Williams has been a special-teams standout in the last two games, highlighted by a 94-yard return for a touchdown on a pooch punt against Carolina on Nov. 18.

Williams also played well as a dime back after Woodson left the game at Detroit and could be in line for situational playing time. Nickel back Jarrett Bush would move into a starting role if Woodson doesn't play Thursday or has a setback during the game.

PLAYER PERSONNEL NOTES

--DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is no better than questionable to play Thursday night at Dallas. The pass-rush specialist suffered a game-ending sprained ankle in the second quarter at Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. He didn't practice this week and did only rehab work on the field Tuesday.

--FS Nick Collins has the green light to return to the starting lineup after missing the last three games because of a sprained knee. Collins was a full-time participant in practice this week.

--S Aaron Rouse, who was Collins' starting replacement, is considered questionable for the game. He sustained a sprained knee and missed most of the second half of the last game. He was limited in practice Tuesday.

--RT Mark Tauscher did little in practice this week but is aiming to make the start Thursday. Tauscher aggravated a sprained ankle at Detroit and was pulled out of the game for the final quarter.

--TE Bubba Franks, who was in line to return to game action for the first time since suffering a sprained knee against Washington on Oct. 14, had a setback at the end of practice Monday. That kept him out Tuesday and leaves his availability for Thursday up in the air.

--CB Will Blackmon apparently passed the test of three straight practices this week and could be activated Thursday. Blackmon had been sidelined since suffering a broken foot in practice in early October.

--RB Ryan Grant is on the injury report because of a sore ankle, but he went the full practice Tuesday and is expected to make the start in the game.

--DT Justin Harrell will be activated for only the third time. This year's first-round draft pick is being pressed into service as the No. 3 tackle, with Johnny Jolly (strained shoulder) out for at least another game and Colin Cole (broken arm) on injured reserve.

GAME PLAN: As Brett Favre so eloquently put it on Sunday, "Something's got to give," in this potential NFC championship preview. The winner all but assures itself of home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs, which would be huge for the Packers in frigid climates in January. Favre could have easily been referring to the game within the game between the league's No. 2 (Dallas) and 3 (Green Bay) offenses. The Packers will continue spreading things out with four- and five-receiver sets until a team steps up with enough personnel to create a roadblock. It behooves Green Bay, though, to initiate a ball-control attack, intermixing short passes and occasional runs from Ryan Grant because of its injury woes on defense. Cornerback Charles Woodson is iffy to play with a toe injury, and pass-rushing specialist Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila doesn't seem likely to suit up because of a badly sprained ankle. Coupled with setbacks at defensive tackle, the Packers will be hard pressed to contain Dallas if it dominates time of possession. Controlling things up front against the two-headed monster of Julius Jones and Marion Barber coming out of the backfield will be imperative.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Packers CB Al Harris vs. Cowboys WR Terrell Owens. Even if Woodson manages to play on a damaged big toe, Harris will be shadowing Owens from start to finish. The battle will be won at the line of scrimmage, where Harris has frustrated many a top receiver by using more guile and footwork than strong-armed tactics to get his opponent off kilter in the route. Harris is giving up at least a couple inches in height to Owens, so jump balls will favor the receiver. Owens had his way against the Packers, Harris included, in their last meeting -- eight catches for 161 yards and a touchdown while with the Eagles in 2004.

Packers SS Atari Bigby vs. Cowboys TE Jason Witten. Provided Harris holds his own with Owens, Dallas undoubtedly will turn to Witten to get the passing game moving. Bigby has been a central figure in Green Bay's vulnerability defending capable tight ends. San Diego's Antonio Gates, Washington's Chris Cooley and Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez had 100-yard performances, while Chicago's Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark combined for triple digits. Head coach Mike McCarthy gave a vote of confidence to Bigby this week, but it could be a make-it-or-break-it game for the young safety with rookie Aaron Rouse showing himself the last two games to be a better fit for defending the pass over the middle of the field.

INJURY IMPACT: The Packers are prepared to go right up to close to game time before deciding whether Woodson (toe) and possibly Gbaja-Biamila (ankle) can play Thursday night in the pivotal matchup at Dallas. Both players did next to nothing in practice this week. Woodson has a penchant for playing hurt and would be needed to help try to stifle Dallas' formidable passing game. Green Bay has better depth on the defensive line and would be able to soften the blow of not having Gbaja-Biamila by inserting Jason Hunter and Michael Montgomery on passing downs opposite Aaron Kampman.

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Nick Collins has regained his starting spot at free safety, in part because Rouse is no better than questionable to play Thursday because of a sprained knee. Rouse filled in for Collins, who missed the last three games with a similar injury.

RT Mark Tauscher has a badly sprained ankle that kept him out of practice most of this week. Tauscher will try to give it a go Thursday, but Junius Coston and Tony Moll will be on standby to make an emergency start or take over in-game.

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 12:18 PM

Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said Rodgers, a first-round draft pick who is biding his time behind Brett Favre, was an invaluable contributor on the practice field.

"Anytime you play a mobile quarterback like Tony Romo, it's important for the defensive unit to practice the rush lanes and so forth (and for) the secondary, the plaster as we refer to it, as far as staying with the receivers when he gets outside of the pocket," McCarthy said. "Aaron did a great job with it this week."

--The Packers are 81-7, which translates to a riveting winning percentage of .921, when Favre has a passer rating of at least 100.

One of the rare defeats when he attained the century mark came in 1994 at Dallas. The Cowboys prevailed 42-31 despite Favre throwing for four touchdowns and posting a 118.4 rating.

He hasn't come close to reaching the 100 plateau in any other visit to Texas Stadium, which underscores the Packers' 0-8 road record against the Cowboys since 1993 with Favre under center.

The games there generally haven't been close. The slimmest of margins were a pair of 10-point outcomes, 27-17 in an NFC divisional playoff game in the 1993 season and 34-24 in the 1995 regular season.

The average margin of victory for the Cowboys in those eight meetings is 15 -- 32.5 to 17.5.

--Favre's first visit to Dallas since 1999 comes in the midst of his most efficient stretch in 16 years as the Green Bay quarterback.

He has recorded a passer rating of at least 100 in each of the last five games. It's the first time he has had such a streak in the same season. Favre strung together five straight triple-digit passer ratings at the end of the Super Bowl-winning 1996 season and at the start of the 1997 season.

BY THE NUMBERS: 2 -- Occurrences when the Packers won a franchise-best eight straight road games -- the first streak spanned 1941-42, and the second streak spanned 1966-67. Green Bay takes a seven-game road winning streak, dating to last season, into Thursday night's game at Dallas.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "As far as Romo-Favre matchup, it makes for good TV, I guess. Tony's playing great. I feel like I'm playing well. But, it's just another game. It's a big game, but it's not about us, too. It's about our teams." -- Packers quarterback Brett Favre, downplaying the subplot of his matchup with Cowboys counterpart Tony Romo in the 10-1 teams' showdown Thursday night at Dallas.

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 12:20 PM

As much as the Packers are running the football with greater frequency and with far greater productivity than earlier in the season, Brett Favre isn't quibbling with a perfect imbalance.

The way Favre sees it, in what's shaping up to be his most proficient season in a 17-year pro career, Green Bay has more than enough ammunition to win a shootout at the Texas Stadium corral on Thursday night because of a pass-first premise. What strikes Favre is the radical philosophy initiated by head coach Mike McCarthy evolves by the week.
"We really haven't found our identity, to a certain extent," Favre acknowledged days before the 10-1 Packers visit 10-1 Dallas, "in that do we want to be an I-formation running team; do we want to be a balanced I-running passing, keep passes, movement-type stuff team; or do we want to go into a four-wides or five-wides package?

"I've gone into every game kind of in limbo with that -- what do we end up in, what do we hang our hat on? But, up to this point what we're doing, for the most part, has worked."

What's really appealed to Favre of late is having a luxury of sorts to start offensive play after offensive play from the shotgun formation.

Despite the post-bye emergence of Ryan Grant, who has three 100-yard rushing games, Green Bay has been reliant on the pass 58.5 percent of the time in the last five outings.

That almost parallels the rate of 59 percent by which Favre is throwing the football out of the shotgun in the same five-game stretch. Of the 178 passes he's made in his exhilarating stretch with five straight performances of 100-plus passer rating, Favre has thrown 105 taking the snap in the backfield.

"I think part of that is aging," the 38-year-old reasoned. "It's a lot easier to take a drop from shotgun than it is from under center. There's no doubt you see better from back there and you can get the ball out quicker.

"(With) our receivers, get 'em the ball. If we can throw one 40 yards and catch it, great. But, if you can throw it at the line of scrimmage and get 10, that's outstanding. That sure makes it a lot easier on a quarterback."

Further proof of how efficient the Green Bay offense is when Favre can get the ball out quickly was in the pudding at Detroit last Thursday. Aided by the head start afforded from riding shotgun, Favre delivered 18 of the throws in his team-record completion streak of 20 in that formation. The Packers ran 13 straight plays out of the shotgun from the end of the first half into the third quarter.

"To me, you weigh, 'OK, line up in an I-scheme, an outside zone run play versus you line up in five wide receivers, you throw it to Donald Driver at the line of scrimmage, he's going to get you a guaranteed five yards,' I go with Donald Driver," Favre said. "When you throw it to those guys underneath and they make the plays that they're making, it's hard to pass it up."

For the game last week, Favre was 22 of 28 for 276 yards with two touchdowns starting from the shotgun.

Covering the most recent five games, eight of Favre's 13 touchdown passes are out of the shotgun. The initial cushion he gains from the defensive rush has left him sacked only three times. What's more, his decision-making has been nearly precise, with only two interceptions and none in his last 132 attempts.

"If it's working, keep rolling with it," receiver Greg Jennings said.

SERIES HISTORY: 27th meeting. Cowboys lead series, 14-12. Counting the postseason, Dallas has won the last eight meetings in Texas, all since 1993 with Brett Favre as Green Bay's quarterback. The Packers won the most recent meeting, 41-20 at Green Bay in 2004. The Cowboys have won four of six games between the teams in the playoffs. The Packers, though, scored a 21-17 victory in the 1967 NFL Championship Game, immortalized as the Ice Bowl for being the coldest game played in league history with a wind chill of minus-46 at kickoff at Lambeau Field.

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 12:31 PM

So far I see the Cowboys missing Terry Glenn tonight will be a key.
I also see the great pass rusher Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila with a limited shot at playing- big loss.
Romo will need time to get his receivers open downfield but if GB has a rush- then Glenn over the middle would have been the go to guy. Owens will have to step up but GB secondary has been quite good this year.
Dallas will pressure GB at the line and rush their 2 Def. Ends constantly. Farve will go to Driver and is a great prop play if provided on the over!

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 12:38 PM

Average power rating of opponents played:
GREEN BAY 19.3, DALLAS 20

Both have similar ypp and defense.

**kbsooner21** · 11-29-2007, 12:51 PM

Dallas offensive stats: Total offense 388.8 ypg (2nd), Passing 265.9 ypg (5th), Rushing 122.9 ypg (11th)

Green Bay offensive stats: Total offense 380.4 ypg (3rd), Passing 298.5 ypg (2nd), Rushing 81.8 ypg (32nd)

Dallas defensive stats: Total defense 299.1 ypg (7th), Passing 217.0 ypg (21st), 82.1 ypg (4th)

Green Bay defensive stats: Total defense 315.4 ypg (12th), Passing 215.3 (18th), Rushing 100.1 ypg (13th)

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 03:48 PM

Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys (-6 ½, 51 ½)

Green Bay travels to Dallas on Thursday for the biggest NFC game of the season. It’s likely to be a close contest, so bettors must take extra care to find an edge. We’ve identified several key mismatches that could affect the outcome.

Packers quarterback Brett Favre vs. Cowboys’ pass defense

The Cowboys’ pass defense ranks 21st in the league and is arguably the weakest part of the Dallas team. With an in-form quarterback like Brett Favre under center, the Packers’ offense is well-placed to capitalize.

Dallas ranks near the top of the NFL in almost every area of the field. The one exception is defending the pass. It is allowing 217.1 yards per game in the air, and 15 of the 23 touchdowns the Cowboys have given up have come from the pass.

Favre, meanwhile, has been slicing and dicing his way through defenses from Day 1 this season. The veteran has 3,356 yards and 22 touchdowns and leads an offense designed to put the ball in the air.

The Packers play with five receivers on the field in most situations and that’s going to put severe pressure on a questionable Dallas secondary.

Dallas running back Marion Barber vs. Packers’ rush defense

Marion Barber’s combative style and ability to wear down defenses led teammate Terrell Owens to dub him “Marion The Barbarian”. Expect the Dallas running back to see a lot of the ball against a Packers rush defense ranked 13th in the league.

While the Cowboys offense revolves around quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Owens, it turns to Barber when things get tough. He is the go-to guy in third-down situations, and is an expert at finding holes in opposing defenses at critical points of the game.

Barber has rushed for 713 yards and eight touchdowns this season, averaging 4.95 yards per carry. He should build on those numbers against a defense that is allowing more than 100 yards on the ground per game. In its most recent game, Green Bay allowed Lions running back Kevin Jones to rush for 93 yards and a touchdown.

Packers DEs Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (?) and Aaron Kampman vs. Cowboys QB Tony Romo

Tony Romo has been sacked 22 times in 11 games and that could get a whole lot worse against Green Bay. The Packers boast two of the best defensive ends in the league. Both rank among the top five players in sacks this season.

Aaron Kampman is third with 10 and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is fifth with 9.5. The duo has combined for eight sacks in the last four games, making the Packers one of only six teams in the NFL with 30 or more sacks this season.

Defensive tackle Corey Williams has chipped in with another seven, five of those coming in the last month.

Romo will be praying for better pass protection this week, but there’s nothing to suggest he will get it. The Cowboys QB was sacked three times against the Jets in his most recent start. In fact, Romo has been sacked three times or more in four games this season.

**jmarty6969** · 11-29-2007, 03:53 PM

has terry gleen played that much this yr i dont think he has but u might know better then me

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 04:15 PM

No games this season but he would be needed more tonight than at any time this season as they will try and stretch the field with Owens. Romo will be fine until the red zone then it gets crowded and fast. Yes they can run. Farve seems to handle it well in red zone area.

**flarendep1** · 11-29-2007, 04:30 PM

Great work Spear,

I think the key is QB pressure, if GB puts it enough and they contain the pocket I like GB. Favre is not turning over the ball and the Dallas D has given up a lot of long drives and points.

Dallas does have Creighton (Owens wannabee) and Hurd I think active in place of Glenn. I like the better Defense in this one - GB and the 7 points.

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 04:41 PM

Originally posted by flarendep1

Great work Spear,

I think the key is QB pressure, if GB puts it enough and they contain the pocket I like GB. Farve is not turning over the ball and the Dallas D has given up a lot of long drives and points.

Dallas does have Creighton (Owens wannabee) and Hurd I think active in place of Glenn. I like the better Defense in this one - GB and the 7 points.

Thanx and nice of you to post.
Tonights matchup between Terrible Owens and Al Harris is gonna be shown countless times. Al Harris gives away 20+ pounds but is physical and will bump him at the line. Terrell states that GB is having to gameplan him but that he doesn't have to gameplan GB! Yeah Right!
On the middle of GB Aaron Kampman will add a lot of pressure to Romo. Romo has shown he can run around the corner in games so near the goal line that is a possibility. I also am leaning toward GB and the points in this game. The fab 5 receivers and the Farve magic might be something for so many to receive warmly.
I have checked out nfl.com and watch the strategy that the Dionne Sanders (who played in the last time that these teams met and it was an interesting analysis) You might want to take a look.
I also like Farve to take GB in early so I am on the 1st Qtr to GB with the points.

**Spearit** · 11-29-2007, 04:50 PM

Gamblers might have to hit the sports bar tonight for Green Bay’s trip to Dallas. That’s because this battle for NFC supremacy will be televised on the NFL Network, a station that most of America doesn’t get on regular cable.

Most sports books are listing Dallas (10-1 straight up, 8-3 against the spread) as a seven-point favorite with a total of 51 ½. Bettors can back the Packers on the money line for a plus 250 payout (risk $100 to win $250).

The Cowboys have won five in a row since its lone loss of the year against unbeaten New England, compiling a 4-1 spread record during that stretch. They are off a dominating 34-3 win over the Jets on Thanksgiving Day. Wade Phillips’ team easily cashed tickets as 14 ½-point favorites, while the 37 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 48-point total.

Green Bay second-year WR Greg Jennings has provided Favre with a speedster that can stretch the field. Jennings is averaging 16.0 yards per reception and has nine TD catches, including an 82-yard TD grab on the first play of overtime at Denver.

The main focus of any defense going against Dallas is to contain Owens. Unfortunately for the Packers, they could be without their best cover corner this week. Charles Woodson, who has 12 interceptions in 27 games since signing with Green Bay, is expected to be a game-time decision due to a toe injury.

Also, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is “questionable” after rolling his ankle in last week’s win over the Lions. KGB has 9 ½ sacks this season, while Aaron Kampman has a team-high 10.

Romo grew up in the state of Wisconsin as a huge Packers fan. Like his childhood hero Favre, Romo is enjoying a monster season. He has completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 3,043 yards, with a 29/13 TD-INT ratio. Owens has been his favorite target, producing 64 receptions for 1,093 yards and 13 TDs.

Dallas has the better ground attack with Barber and Julius Jones combining to rush for more than 1,200 yards and nine TDs. Barber has seven of those scores and averages 4.9 yards per carry.

During the 1990s, Texas Stadium was house of horrors for the Packers. From 1993-1999, Favre and Co. lost at Dallas eight times, including three defeats in the playoffs.

Green Bay has beaten Dallas twice with Favre under center, but both victories came at Lambeau Field. In 2004, the Packers mashed the ‘Boys by a 41-20 count as four-point home favorites. They also won 45-17 in ’97 as six-point ‘chalk.

Dating back to 1993, the ‘over’ is 9-1 in the last 10 head-to-head meetings between these teams. The ‘over’ is 8-3 overall for Dallas this season, but just 3-3 in its home games. As for the Packers, they have watched the ‘over’ hit at a 4-1 clip in five road games.
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Kick-off is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--A win for either team in this spot won’t clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC. However, the loser will have a long climb ahead and will need some serious help. You could argue that the No. 1 seed – and therefore homefield advantage in the NFC title game – is much more important for the Cowboys, who would not want to go to Green Bay during the frigid weather of January.

--Green Bay has won outright in all five of its underdog spots this year.

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