Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers: Full Green Bay Game Preview

The Green Bay Packers will try to maintain their place atop the NFC North on Sunday when they host the Dallas Cowboys in a rematch of last year's divisional playoffs. 

Although the teams are drastically different than their respective 2014 versions—both are still desperate for a win to provide some leverage in this final stretch of the season. 

The Packers (8-4) avoided their fifth loss in six weeks on Thursday night when Richard Rodgers came down with the game-winning, Hail Mary touchdown reception on the final play of their victory over Detroit. They're now tied with the Minnesota Vikings for first in the division but hold the top spot for now with a head-to-head advantage. 

Meanwhile, the Cowboys (4-8) kept their playoff hopes alive Monday night with a victory over Washington and sit just one game back in the dismal NFC East. 

Green Bay is 16-16 against Dallas in the all-time series but has won the last four meetings over its conference opponent—including last year's 26-21 home playoff victory. Sunday's contest will be the second-to-last home game for the Packers in the regular season.

Aaron Rodgers is at his best in December games at Lambeau Field. The quarterback is 12-1 at home in the month over his career—with wins in each of the last 12—and has managed a passer rating of 117.3 during that span.

Although the Packers opened as five-point favorites over the Cowboys, according to OddsShark.com, they've still had a tough time at home lately. Green Bay has lost its last two games at Lambeau—both at the hands of division rivals. 

Let's go over everything you need to know ahead of Sunday afternoon's Week 14 matchup between the Packers and Cowboys.

Viewing Info

Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Date: Sunday, December 13

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Week 13 Results and Recap

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NFC North Standings

Team	W	L	T	PCT	Div.	PF	PA	Streak
Green Bay Packers	8	4	0	.667	3-2	289	238	W1
Minnesota Vikings	8	4	0	.667	3-1	238	232	L1
Chicago Bears	5	7	0	.417	1-3	251	290	L1
Detroit Lions	4	8	0	.333	2-3	253	315	L1

Week 13 Recap

If you missed the dramatic ending to the Packers' Thursday night win over the Detroit Lions, go watch it for yourself really quick. 

Aaron Rodgers threw up a Hail Mary prayer on the final play of the game and tight end Richard Rodgers miraculously came down in the end zone with the 61-yard, game-winning reception to give Green Bay a 27-23 victory in Week 13. 

The game would have ended a play earlier if not for a facemask penalty that gave Rodgers and Co. one more untimed down to score. As they say, the rest is history. 

If winning on the final play of the game was any indication, the Packers were lucky to come away with the victory at all.

They trailed 17-0 at halftime and gained just 78 total yards of offense in the first half, averaging 2.4 yards per play. According to ESPN Stats & Info, it was also the first time Green Bay had been shut out after the first two quarters in 56 games. 

The second half was a different story, though. The Packers outscored the Lions 27-6 from the start of the third quarter as Rodgers led the offense on four separate scoring drives. His 17-yard touchdown scramble with 3:12 left in regulation made the comeback possible. 

In the end, it was Rodgers' bomb that capped off the exciting win. The throw itself flew about 67 yards in the air and was estimated at 48 or 49 yards off the ground, according to Eric Baranczyk and Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

News and Notes

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Lacy Loses Playing Time Due to Missed Curfew

If you were wondering why Eddie Lacy didn't start last week's game—despite coming off back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances—and saw just five carries in the win, you weren't alone. 

Well, news trickled out on Friday that the Green Bay running back's demotion was because of a missed curfew on Wednesday night. 

According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, Lacy said he was in the team hotel but not in his room at the required time on the night before the Packers' Thursday game. Backup running back Alonzo Harris, who also missed the curfew, was released just hours before kickoff. 

Demovsky also reports that Lacy, who said he simply "lost track of time," met with head coach Mike McCarthy on Thursday to discuss the incident.

"We just had to talk," Lacy said, via Demovky. "Once we both got our words out, I think that pretty much sealed it. But at the same time, talking only does so much. It's about action as well. So just proving that I could back up what we discussed and I'm trustworthy."

It's unclear whether Lacy, who played just 19 snaps on offense last week, will be given his starting job back this Sunday against Dallas. 

"Everything Eddie wants to accomplish is right there in front of him," McCarthy said, via Demovsky. "Everything is in front of him. If Eddie or any other player wants to jump up and grab that opportunity, it's right in front of them."

"They know that whenever I'm out on the field I'm going to do exactly what I have to do," Lacy said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "I'm not a guy that makes a lot of mistakes, or bad things off the field either. So that's something they know they don't have to worry about."

Packers Announce Roster Moves

Aside from cutting running back Alonzo Harris on Thursday for his missed curfew, the Packers made a few more minor moves this week. 

On Tuesday, the team announced its signings of wide receiver Jamel Johnson and running back Ross Scheuerman to the practice squad. Johnson—who attended Alabama State last year after transferring from Troy—and Scheuerman went undrafted in May and were signed as rookie free agents. Scheuerman, a Lafayette (Pa.) College product, spent part of training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers before he went on injured reserve.

To make room for the new additions, the Packers also released defensive back Kyle Sebetic from the practice squad and called up tailback John Crockett to the 53-man roster before Thursday's game. 

Guion Gets His Truck, Cash Back

The Packers have smartly tried to distance themselves from the legal troubles of Letroy Guoin, but the defensive tackle received some good news this week regarding his ongoing situation.

Florida police returned Guion's 2015 Dodge Ram truck and $190,028.81 in cash that were taken during his February arrest for possession of marijuana and a firearm, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. 

"It kind of rejuvenates me," Guion told Demovsky on Tuesday. "It gives me my sense of character back and gives me my juice back. I’m all excited and ready to go. Things are getting back to normal. All the smoke is starting to clear."

Guion has 13 total tackles in his nine games played this season. The eighth-year defender was in talks with Green Bay on a long-term deal before his arrest nearly eight months ago but instead signed for just one year after playing in 16 games for the Packers last year. 

Latest Injury News

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Week 14 Injury Report

Player	Position	Injury	Status
David Bakhtiari	OT	Knee	FP
Bryan Bulaga	OT	Ankle	LP
T.J. Lang	OG	Shoulder	LP
Corey Linsley	C	Ankle	DNP
Clay Matthews	LB	Ankle	LP
Ty Montgomery	WR	Ankle	LP
Nick Perry	LB	Shoulder	LP
Damarious Randall	CB	Hamstring	FP
Josh Sitton	OG	Back	LP

** Official injury report courtesy of ESPN's Rob Demovsky **

DNP = Did not participate in Wednesday's practice; LP = Limited participation; FP = Full participation

Injury Notes

One of the biggest concerns for the Packers right now has to be the health of their offensive line. 

At one point during last week's win over Detroit, the line had just one starter playing while the other four were sidelined with injuries.

Right guard T.J. Lang and right tackle Bryan Bulaga were both inactive with shoulder and ankle injuries, respectively. Center Corey Linsley had to leave in the second quarter and did not return after he re-aggravated an ankle injury of his own that kept him out of the Bears game in Week 12. Then, in the fourth quarter, left tackle David Bakhtiari was forced to leave for part of a series with a knee injury. 

Lang and Bulaga were both limited in Wednesday's practice, while Linsley was held out altogether, and all remain big question marks for this week's game.

"It was definitely good to get a little extra time to heal up, rest and get some extra treatment and take a little breather before this last quarter of the season," Bulaga told the media on Wednesday.

Stay tuned as we get closer to Sunday to see who will suit up against the Cowboys.

On the bright side, the Packers finally got wide receiver Ty Montgomery back at practice on Tuesday. The rookie has now missed the last six games after spraining his ankle on Oct. 18 and then re-injuring it in practice in November. 

His availability for Sunday could hinge on how much he is able to participate in Thursday's practice with full pads on, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. 

"All injuries are different, but mentally you’ve just got to stay focused, you’ve got to stay locked in," Montgomery said, via Hodkiewicz. "No matter people say about you or the amount of time you’ve been sitting out, you’ve got to know your body and you’ve got to stay confident, and you’ve got to make the best decision for you because it doesn’t do any good to go out there and hurt it worse or to go out there and not be able to do what you’re supposed to do."

Cornerback Damarious Randall also returned to practice after sitting out the Detroit game with knee and hamstring injuries. 

Meanwhile, tight end Andrew Quarless remains on the temporary injured reserve but is eligible to be activated to the 53-man roster. Quarless is now in his second week of practice after sitting out the previous two months with an injured MCL in his left knee he suffered on Sept. 28.

Here's more on Quarless' situation, via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"

The medical staff has the final say on whether Quarless is ready to play again, but even if they do clear him coach Mike McCarthy has to feel like he's capable of playing at a high level. The communication Quarless has offered to the medical staff and anyone else who will listen is that it's time to go.

"

"I'm practicing hard," Quarless said, via Silverstein. "Practice this week has been going real good, a lot better than last week. It’s definitely something to look forward to. Got the rust off last week, getting back into things. Just feeling a lot faster and quicker this week."

Top Matchup

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CB Sam Shields vs. Cowboys WR Dez Bryant

Despite Dallas playing without its offensive leader in quarterback Tony Romo this weekend, it still boasts one of the league's elite receivers. 

Dez Bryant presents a matchup problem for nearly every team in the NFL—and for good reason. He's racked up at least 1,200 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the last three seasons.

Bryant's 2015 campaign has gone a little differently, though. The star wideout fractured his foot in Week 1 and has played in just seven games so far this year, three with Romo throwing him passes. 

Although Bryant's stats don't seem too threatening—he has just two touchdowns on the season and one game with over 100 receiving yards—the Packers still need to respect him as the Cowboys' best pass-catcher. 

For cornerback Sam Shields, who usually covers opposing No. 1 wideouts, he must replicate the job Carolina Panthers' shutdown corner Josh Norman did on Bryant two weeks ago.

In the 33-14 Panthers win on Nov. 26, Norman held Bryant to only two receptions for 26 yards on eight targets. His play forced the Cowboys to go to other options in the passing game, notably Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams at wide receiver. 

Shields is coming off a phenomenal performance of his own against the Lions where he held Calvin Johnson to just three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown—albeit on eight targets. 

It's a pretty nice tune-up for a head-to-head matchup with Bryant that's sure to be a physical—and potentially game-deciding—one.

Plus, as added motivation, the memory of last year's playoff game is fresh in both Shields and Bryant's minds. In the Green Bay victory, Bryant infamously had a fourth-down catch at the goal line ruled incomplete after a successful Mike McCarthy challenge. 

X-Factor

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Packers X-Factor of the Week: TE Richard Rodgers

Of course, Richard Rodgers' Hail Mary touchdown catch last week to give Green Bay a win put him on the national radar. But on a smaller scale, the tight end is quickly becoming a go-to option in the Packers' passing game. 

Prior to that 61-yard game-winner, Rodgers led all Green Bay receivers with seven receptions for 85 yards against Detroit, which would have been career highs on their own. He caught all eight of the passes thrown to him and provided a viable option up the middle for Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers, the tight end, had a big day because of the defensive coverage he faced. He had a favorable matchup with Lions safety Isa Abdul-Quddus when he ran routes over the middle of the field, and his quarterback found him.

"Every time it plays differently," Aaron Rodgers said of his tight end's matchups, via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "There's been a lot of one-high man [coverage] this year. When we get those matchups, we've got to win them. When we win them, that's what happens. Guys get open when the ball is in a good spot."

On Sunday, the Packers could run into similar coverage looks. As Silverstein writes: "If the Cowboys blitz as much as they did against Washington on Monday night or stack the line to stop running back Eddie Lacy, Rodgers has to do it all over again."

Rodgers, a second-year player, is third among all Packers pass-catchers in receiving yards this season (439) and tied for second in touchdown receptions (6). His 61 targets are also second to only Randall Cobb. 

The tight end's mere presence as a threat downfield will also make the offense better as a unit.

"Once he starts breaking up the middle of the field, it takes [defenses] out of certain coverages that they'll want to do to bracket the outside or different things like that," receiver Davante Adams said of his teammate, via Silverstein. "It frees up Randall [Cobb], James [Jones] and myself. He's definitely a threat. It's not like he's the third option or somebody you don't need to worry about, because he's the type of guy that can get yards after the catch. He's definitely a reliable guy."

With the Packers offense struggling to move the ball lately, they might look in Richard Rodgers' direction more often to get first downs—and more.

Prediction: Packers 31, Cowboys 17

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

The Packers will have the advantage Sunday if only because of the glaring absence from the Dallas starting lineup.

Matt Cassel has played decently in Tony Romo's absence, but he's no franchise quarterback. Without their leader at the helm, the Cowboys offense has predictably taken a big decline in production. 

They've tried to rely on Darren McFadden and the running game more, yet that's a tough task in itself when you find yourselves down a bunch of points to good teams—as the Cowboys often experienced in their seven-game losing streak earlier in the season.

So how worried should the Packers be, then, of the Cowboys? 

Well, their 4-8 opponent is currently a game out of first place in the lowly NFC East and seems determined to get some much-needed wins before a potential Romo return later in the year. 

As long as Green Bay holds McFadden and Dez Bryant in check, though, the Dallas offense shouldn't worry anyone. 

The Packers must also start the game strong with their own offense to set the tone. In last week's win over the Lions, Aaron Rodgers and Co. mustered just 78 total yards of offense and were forced to come back from a 17-0 halftime deficit. 

If they fix their early-game struggles moving the ball and find the end zone a few times in the first half, a home win shouldn't be an issue.

As we've seen recently, though, nothing is guaranteed for the Packers right now on offense. They have proved to be more dangerous in the second half of games while coming out flat to start. 

Prediction: Packers 31, Cowboys 17