Packers-Cowboys: Green Bay Stifles Dallas, but Did It Save Its Season?

Do you hear that ? That's not the sound of the Green Bay Packers winning a game for the first time in three weeks. That's the sound of every sports writer changing their tune.

Everyone who wasn't a complete Packers homer had just about written this team off (including this writer), and rightfully so, after getting beaten by the Minnesota Vikings for the second time in 2009, and then following it up with an embarrassing loss to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But with every passing week in the NFL , we're still learning.

For instance, before Tampa Bay upset the Packers, no one thought anything of them. They were just another team driven into the ground by their own disoriented coaching and youth at the most important positions and had simply been a victim of a tougher schedule than they can handle.

Three weeks after getting destroyed in London by the hands on the New England Patriots, this so-called awful Buccaneers team had it's first win and was suddenly one Dan Carpenter field goal away from a winning streak.

Hot damn, stop me now, but I think we might be seeing the same thing with these Green Bay Packers. They, however, don't have seven losses and actually have a shot at the playoffs yet.

Firstly, they just showed that they can hang with an (supposedly) elite team. They also showed they could play some defense.

And after losses by the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, and Seattle Seahawks, they are officially right back in the playoff mix.

Two weeks ago, Mike McCarthy's head was about to roll. Ted Thompson was the worst GM in recent memory (still is), and Aaron Rodgers couldn't get it done (he's still working on it).

But the real story of this week was how the Green Bay defense came to life, clogged the running lanes, and made life a living hell for Tony Romo all game.

It wasn't until the fourth quarter than Romo finally connected with his stud receiver, Miles Austin, or that the Cowboys finally scored a touchdown.

This was, despite a paltry 17-7 final score, a truly dominant effort.

The Packers didn't kill themselves with mistakes on offense, simply doing what needed to be done while their defense kept the Cowboys rushing attack at a mediocre standing and their high-powered aerial assault, well, grounded.

Romo had no time to throw all day, succumbing to five sacks, while throwing an interception.

The Packers led just 3-0 after half-time, and took the same score into the fourth quarter. It took two huge fumble recoveries by Clay Matthews to put the offense in position to win the game, but in the end, they did just that.

It's starting to look like, at least for one game, that the defense is beginning to catch up with the offense. While the Packers offensive line is still having issues with pass protection (four sacks given up this Sunday), they made improvements and actually did a solid job against a very good pass-rushing defense.

Regardless of any opinions on either side of the ball for Green Bay, or a sudden "fraud" label placed on the Cowboys and the rest of the NFC East, there is no knocking Green Bay's tremendous effort and ability to come away with a huge win against a team that hardly anyone gave them a chance against.

Green Bay has almost zero chance at taking their division. But with four of their seven remaining games coming against teams that will be competing for an NFC playoffs spot, their odds of snagging a Wild Card just got a lot better.

And at the very worst, their 2009 season just got a lot more entertaining.

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