Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers: Breaking Down Green Bay's Game Plan

History. On the Dallas Cowboys' official site, they're selling t-shirts with "Ice Bowl II" printed on the front. The original Ice Bowl, which eventually sent the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl, is talked about as one of the best games to ever be played in the NFL.

As I wrote earlier in the week, the deep history between these two teams is great, and even in the past 10 or so years, there have been plenty memorable moments:

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When looking at the recent past between these two teams, memories do begin to spring up. If Flynn's comeback doesn't jog your memory, maybe it's Rodgers' entrance on Thursday Night Football as a backup taking over for Brett Favre, the iron man who needed to take the rest of the night off due to a separated shoulder.

The game seemed to be a passing of the torch when everyone realized the California quarterback could throw with the best in the league. The next offseason, Favre retired, unretired and was told the lead gig was given to Rodgers. Then he was traded. There's a case that the Cowboys match just a year before was the beginning of the era we're now entrenched in.

I'm sure Packers fans are happy they get to see these two teams go at it once more this weekend, if for no other reason than the stories people will remember and tell over the course of the week.

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At this point, though, after hearing Ice Bowl II talk all week, I'm sure both teams just want to get the game over with.

Pitting two tremendous offenses against each other, this game should have plenty of points scored. Currently, Odds Shark notes this matchup has an over/under of 52.5 points, second in the playoffs to only the premier game of the week, Indianapolis at Denver. In a game in which the Packers are favored by six, Vegas is predicting nearly a two-touchdown difference in volume of scoring than the Saturday match of Carolina and Seattle.

For the Packers to advance in the playoffs (and potentially to face the Seahawks), they'll need to hit all their keys to come out with a win.

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Offensive key: Make Dallas beat them one-on-one

On Fox's broadcast of the Wild Card Round game between the Detroit Lions and the Cowboys, they referred to the Dallas defense as a "we-fense" due to their lack of stars. For Green Bay's offense, it's almost the exact opposite story.

The Packers offense features the MVP favorite at quarterback, last year's Rookie of the Year at running back and two all-star receivers. Not only that, but their offensive line is clearly above average and the best Aaron Rodgers has had in his career.

Playing to the Green Bay advantage, their best possibility is forcing man-on-man plays throughout the game. Truly testing that we-fense would mean throwing a team of great individual talents together to see if the defense can hang. The Packers have the potential to do that.

Running the ball should be key, as forcing more box defenders creates a weakness in the secondary which usually leads teams to run concepts such as Cover 1 on run downs. Off play action, Rodgers could find Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb deep in the man coverage that Cover 1 provides on the perimeter.

As ESPN Stats & Info notes, Rodgers' record at home over the past two seasons is enough to convince anyone and everyone that he's worth featuring on Sunday:

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The Packers were unbeaten at Lambeau Field this season. Aaron Rodgers has been impressive in his last 16 games there: pic.twitter.com/6AFzbMfnhy

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 7, 2015"

From an outsider's perspective, the plan seems fairly easy. The Cowboys' defense is built around chemistry, not talent.

By committing to the run early and pounding the ball often, the Packers should force the Cowboys' hand, making them creep up a safety as a run defender. The defense would then be exposed on the boundary, as only one safety would be playing high coverage, and off play action, Rodgers has shown the ability time and time again to slice up a team deep.

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Defensive key: Don't give DeMarco Murray free yardage

Against the Detroit Lions, Dallas running back DeMarco Murray got his longest runs against the nickel defense. Running several zone concepts, the Cowboys offensive line was able to nail double-teams before advancing to the level of linebackers, winning a numbers battle on nearly a down-to-down basis.

When the Lions did stop Murray, it was when he faced a defense which had all gaps covered on the field. In short, Murray on a zone call will find the weakness of a defense if it doesn't have a strong-numbered front from the start. Because of this, it would be wise of the Packers to slide down a safety into the box or stay in a base 3-4 defense and have a safety play nickel corner rather than pull out a box defender for one.

Rookie safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has show tremendous growth throughout his first year in the league and has proven trustworthy in covering the deep center of the field. Other than Dez Bryant, Tony Romo's favorite target, Dallas hasn't proved over the course of 2014 that it has a consistent deep threat.

It could very well be in Dom Capers' interest to play tough up front on defense and let the first-round pick attempt to slow down the finesse game in the air.

Earlier in the season, this plan worked out great. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Morgan Burnett, the safety across from Clinton-Dix, had what some thought was the best game of his career. A large reason for his progression, and the progression of the defense overall, is the freedom allowed defensively now that the young members in the rotation are playing fast, hard, assignment football.

Playing against Dallas' offense is a bit of a "pick your poison" situation, but if its last game is any indication, you clearly don't want to give Murray easy runs. Instead, it's been a better idea to put it on the arm of Romo, who's had a very good regular season but hasn't had the crunch-time success in his career that others have.

Uncredited/Associated Press

Final thoughts

The Dallas Cowboys are clearly a talented team and offensively can keep up with anyone in the NFL. For that reason alone, they're a threat to upset the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday.

If the Green and Gold can keep Dallas in the box defensively, they can complete some nice chunk plays on the sideline to Rodgers' top pass-catchers, who'll be covered by inferior athletes. To get those opportunities, Eddie Lacy, the Packers' top back, will need a healthy dosage of carries from the jump.

On defense, there's only so much one can do against the Romo-led squad. The inconsistencies of the Cowboys' deep game interesting, though. With only one real threat, it would seem on paper key to emphasize an initiative to stop the run defense, especially considering Romo's past in the playoffs. Armed with new personnel, the 2014 defense allows for this possibility.

If Green Bay can accomplish those two objectives, it has a good shot to not only beat Dallas but cover that six-point spread.

Advancing to the NFC Championship, the Packers would have a chance to accomplish exactly what the Ice Bowl and Ice Bowl II are all about: history.