All right, as I post this at 2:45am on Monday morning, I admit I might be a little incoherent and bleary eyed, but I'll try to make some valid points as I'm back from the Sunday Night Showdown in Green Bay:
When I sat down with Mike McCarthy for an exclusive one-on-one interview this week, I called this game a measuring stick type of contest in the NFC. In the postgame presser, McCarthy said it was a measuring stick type of game for his team...but admitted his team didn't measure up, saying the Cowboys are better at this point.
I talked with Tony Romo briefly coming off the field. He clearly looked relieved after looking a little tense in his first start on Lambeau Field, yet happy his team won. I told him I did a story with his parents in the pregame, and mentioned I even got his very camera-shy Mom to talk on tape. Tony replied, "Now that's the biggest accomplishment of the day!"
On the Packers Gameday pregame show, I was pretty strong in saying the Packers run defense really hadn't had a big test of yet. Adrian Peterson only had 19 carries as the Vikes continue to not run him enough. The Lions are the Lions. Well, after Marion "the Barbarian" Barber ran over and Felix Jones ran around the Pack for 217 yards, there's a lot of work to do.
Who would have thought that Charles Woodson would hold TO to 2 catches...and Miles Austin would have 2 catches for 12 yards...yet Austin has two 50-plus yard receptions to light up the Pack. Clearly offensive coordinator Jason Garrett was smart enough to take advantage of Al Harris and Nick Collins being out of the game.
Give JS Online blogmaster Greg Bedard all the credit. On our pregame show, he dropped the knowledge that Woodson would be on TO all game, and Brandon Chillar would play more and try to corral Jason Witten. Bringing breaking news and solid info is why he's one of the best in the biz.
My prediction? You can look it up on a previous blog...I said 34-31 Cowboys. Dallas should have scored another TD to make it 34...but boy, I thought the Packers offense would take advantage of the Cowboys secondary far more than what they actually did.
If you can believe it, it's the Cowboys first ever win at Lambeau in 6 tries.
The Packers still have no answer for Jason Witten. In addition to his first down converting catches, he had the key block on Michael Montgomery to spring Felix Jones free for the 60 yard TD.
I sense there might be a little tension as passes continue to go Greg Jennings way, and not in the direction of Donald Driver nearly as much.
And on Sunday night, the star power was out. CC Sabathia, Prince Fielder and 5 other Brewers all in attendance...but who steps on the elevator with me? None other than hip-hop mogul Jay Z. No Beyonce in the house, just like no Jessica Simpson at Lambeau. But Jay Z did say to some of us "are you ready for a big game?" My reply? It must be big if you're here. He said "oh, it's a big one all right!"
Emails encouraged at lallan@todaystmj4.com
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