Dallas Cowboys get chance at revenge for 2014 divisional playoffs
By Tyler Harris
The Dallas Cowboys have a chance at revenge for the 2014 divisional playoffs where they were robbed late in the game versus the Packers on a technicality.
A play that most Dallas Cowboys fans will never forget happened against the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 NFC divisional playoffs at Lambeau field. The Dez Bryant catch/non-catch play of course. This Sunday, the Cowboys will have a chance to get revenge at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
It’s not often a team gets the chance to avenge a play that ended their season in the same exact round of the playoffs two years later. The Cowboys have to be chomping at the bit for the opportunity to play the Packers at the comforts of AT&T stadium in front of a raucous home crowd.
The Bryant play referenced above has been debated and talked about by Cowboys fans so much, that it is basically engraved in the team’s history now. No matter what you think of the rules interpretation on that specific play, Bryant came down with that catch and the language of a silly rule likely cost the Cowboys a shot at the NFC Championship.
Two years later the Cowboys are a completely different team, but they have the same goal as that 2014 squad; a Super Bowl title. The Cowboys now field a younger, faster, and more physical team from top to bottom, and they earned the right at this home playoff game by being the NFC’s best team. You can surely count on them being ready to go next Sunday, and their opponent being the Packers just gives them that much more motivation.
The game itself will be a much different story line than two years ago. Aaron Rodgers the quarterback for the Packers is fully healthy, but his surrounding cast is banged up. The Packers may be without star wide receiver Jordy Nelson, they don’t have a great running game, and their pass defense due to injuries may be the worst in the NFL.
Meanwhile the Cowboys are dealing with some injuries of their own, but they have had the luxury of resting key players for the better part of three weeks. Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott will look to carry the load and will this team to victory just like they did against the Packers earlier this season.
One key factor in this game will be a player that didn’t play in the 2014 matchup. That’s All-Pro linebacker Sean Lee. This will be Lee’s first playoff game and I can assure you that he will be on a mission. There are few linebackers that prepare like Lee and he could very well be the difference in this game. I expect him to make a game-changing play at some point.
Also returning from injury will be corner back Morris Claiborne who has missed the last 8 weeks with an abdominal injury. This will be a huge boost for the Dallas defense and put their defensive backs at near full health. This will be huge against the red-hot Rodgers.
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A lot of talk and hype videos have been made about the Cowboys finishing the fight this post-season. The fight begins next Sunday afternoon and their opponent is a post-season heavyweight. This young team has been a heavyweight themselves, so get your popcorn ready and tune in for what may be the game of the year. Oh, and for the record, Dez caught it.