The Green Bay Packers game against the Dallas Cowboys would be HUGE with the fan base regardless of each team's record.

History drives this great rivalry.

Years ago Green Bay was the hurdle Dallas needed to get over to get to the next level - see the Ice Bowl for example.
Later in the 90's the Cowboys were the hurdle Mike Holmgren led Packers needed to get over to achieve their most recent trips to the Super Bowl.

Over the past three seasons the scenario the rivalry has again heated up and at this moment the Cowboys are one of the Packers representational hurdles the Packers must get over again to get to where they aspire to go.

But this game is BIG for a whole lot of other reasons:

~~ the Packers coaches', players' and fans' pride has taken a number of serious hits lately (losing twice to the Brett Favre led Packers and to previously winless Tampa Bay);

~~ winning at home is always essential. However, despite declaring defending the house priority #1 Mike McCarthy was only 4 and 4 at home last season and has already lost twice this season at Lambeau including to the Brett Favre led MN Vikings;

~~ this is an NFC game and IF the Packers are in a Wild Card Race this game factors in with extra weight in the tie breaker formulas;

~~ at 4-4 the Packers are at a crossroads -- win and claim a seat at the table of serious playoff contenders (wild card) and lose and be relagated to the kids table at the Thanksgiving feast.

This game at Lambeau against the Dallas Cowboys is winnable, despite GB being a 3 point home underdog.

If the Packers coaches and players enter this game with a sense of purpose and urgency and grab a hold of this opportunity to defend the house and bring the Cowboys back to earth, it will go a long way to defining the season and be the CURE for much of what ails the Packers.

While I believe the Biggest game of the season is always the game right in front of you (that has not changed) this game certainly has taken a position of MUST win if the Packers hope to salvage their pride and season.

Very true! This basically is a playoff game for the Pack and possible a do or die game for atleast MM. The Pack is a hard team to judge. They do seem to have talent in a lot of areas and they show that every once and awhile but they can also show a team that just seems uninspired. Who knows?

" A sense of purpose and urgency" is right. They need to treat this one like a playoff game.

I apologise for reverting to a negative theme here, but the premise of urgency hasn't and doesn't seem to be in this teams makeup.

If they display "a sense of purpose and urgency" I think they win.

I agree with your thesis. However, I have only seen the Packers play with a sense of urgency against the Bears in the first game. My goodness, players were flying around the field, there was pressure on Cutler, and the defense and offense looked pretty good. Since then, the Packers have beaten up on a couple of sad sack teams (Cleveland and Detroit); lost to another sad sack team (TB); and been beaten twice against the man considered the biggest traitor in Packers history. That is NOT my perspective- I am simply reflecting the disappointment of some Packers fans. I also believe a win in either of those games would have at least quieted the chorus of demands for mid-season change- of which I AM NOT ADVOCATING.

Lambeau is no longer a safe haven for the Packers to play (which it has not been for many years). So I also don't believe the appeal to "protect our house" will have much resonance with most of the players (the Packers again being the youngest team in the league).

What I question is not you, Bruce, But MM's ability to elevate this team and get it ready for a big game. I don't think this team believe in this coaching staff. There are cracks in the ice, and they'll only grow larger as we move away from the shore (a metaphor for the players believing less in the coaching staff as the season moves along). I don't believe he can actually motivate this team to play better, thus leaving the motivation to the players themselves. Hopefully, they'll rise to the occasion, and beat this team that has been such a thorn in the side of the Packers for so many years.

In the end, however, I don't believe this willl happen. I don't see the Packers pressuring Romo whatsoever; I don't see the OL slowing down the Dallas pass rush significantly; and I do seem some specific Packers players being exploited by the Cowboys.

I would be desperately happy to eat these words. And I very, very truly hope I have to have a word snack after the game.

Yes, although they can't play uptight and "not to lose", so to speak. The sense of urgency needs to be there in terms of discipline and paying attention to detail but at the same they need to play at 110% every down. If the occasional penalty happens for playing a little too rough, so be it. This game the Packers need to be more physical than the 'Boys to win it.

Does anyone seriously think we can beat the Cowboys?

Believe me, I'm praying hard for a victory but I doubt prayer is going to help much. It surely isn't going to keep DeWarcus Ware out of our backfield.

Well, even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. That could be the Pack!!

If Tampa can beat us we can beat the Cowboys

...which just might lead to A-Rod rolling out and hitting Driver fifty yards downfield. The 'boys are especially beatable, they're not that good. They might be better than us, which is why I give us a 50-50 chance at home, but thinking of them as unstoppable megaliths is probably a mistake. We can beat these guys, a pathetic Kansas City team almost did, and a unremarkable but opportune Denver team did.

We gotta rattle Romo's cage though--if we can make him uncomfortable in the pocket we can pull this out. I can see two INTs by Woodson...

I like the optimism, but they had trouble with a rookie QB in TB.

Pack comes out hungry in this one. Backs are against the wall with half the season remaining. Cowboys may just take this team lightly as well. Pack in a close one but a win none the less. A whole new season starts tomorrow...the beginning of a playoff run.

My take, Packers win against Dallas (and look good doing it, like against Indy last year) and then lose to the niners next week. Its just that type of season.

HUGE WIN - 5-4, convincingly beat a good team, defended the House.

The World looks a lot better this evening for Packer fans.

Yep. A big win. The defense looked good. It's early but the Pack holds a tie breaker against the boys if it would come down to it after 16 games. Good game.

huge win. The season is still alive!!

Yes it does Bruce, yes it does