FLASHBACK/Cowboys vs Packers Could Be Super Wild

By Bill Jones

January 12,2024

The NFL calls this Super Wild Card Weekend. And, it certainly is wild how the matchups fell right into place, just as if the storylines were scripted in the league office.

The weekend starts Saturday afternoon in Houston when C. J. Stroud and the Texans host Cleveland, which incidentally traded for Texans QB Deshaun Watson two years ago.

Tyreek Hill will be back in Kansas City, hoping to lead the Dolphins to a win over the defending Super Bowl champs.

Matthew Stafford heads back to Detroit as the Rams try to knock off the Lions and former Rams QB Jared Goff.

But, here’s this weekend’s marquee matchup:  Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys host McCarthy’s old team, the Green Bay Packers.  Of course.  It was scripted this way.

The Packers were a Cowboys playoff nemesis more than a half century ago.  There were back to back losses in NFL Championship Games in 1966-67, including the Ice Bowl in Green Bay where the game time temperature was minus-13 and the wind chill was 36 below zero.

Green Bay’s postseason dominance thawed in the 90’s when the Cowboys Super Bowl teams exacted revenge with 3 straight postseason wins over the Packers, including an NFC Championship Game victory en route to their last Super Bowl win in 1996.

More recently, however, the Packers won the “Dez Catch” divisional Playoff game in Green Bay in 2014, and Aaron Rodgers led a last second Packers comeback to win in Arlington in 2016.

McCarthy was on the Packers sideline then, but he may be feeling more pressure than anyone on the Cowboys sideline this time.  Despite three straight 12-win regular seasons, the burden is squarely on the shoulders of the 60-year old McCarthy to figure out a way to end Dallas’ 28-year Super Bowl drought.

McCarthy should be confident as the Cowboys look for their 17th straight home win.  He’s calling plays for the top scoring offense in the NFL.  Dak Prescott leads the league with 36 TD passes.  Cee Dee Lamb leads the league with 135 receptions.

Dan Quinn’s defense is ranked 5th in the league in scoring, passing and rushing.  Micah Parsons (14 sacks) leads an aggressive front that tops the league in quarterback pressures.

However, Green Bay ranks just behind the Cowboys with 45 sacks.  Both are ranked in the top 10 in the league.  The Packers big, physical front 4 pass rushers —  OLB Rashan Gary, OLB Preston Smith, DT Kenny Clark, and DT Devonte Wyatt — have combined for 30 sacks.

The Dallas defense has picked off 17 passes.  Cowboys Pro Bowl CB DaRon Bland, with 9 picks and 5 TDs, has more interceptions than the entire Packers team, which has 7.

The key to the game could be Packers 1st year QB Jordan Love, who got off to a 2-5 start as Aaron Rodgers’ replacement.  But since then, Love has led the Packers to 6 wins in their last 8 games.  He has 18 TD passes and just one interception during that time.  The current roll started with back to back wins in late November over two division champions, Detroit and Kansas City.

Green Bay has established a ground game during their current 3-game win streak as Aaron Jones, the 8-year veteran from UTEP, has over 100 yards rushing in all three games, averaging a hefty 5.7 yards per carry.  Jones rushed for 138 yards and a TD against Dallas last season.

Matt LaFleur’s Packers are a dangerous, young team.  No less than nine of their 13 draft picks this year are playing key roles down the stretch.  

Rookie receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks have combined for 14 TDs.  2nd year receivers Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson have scored 13 TDs.  

Watson found the end zone 3 times against the Cowboys in a 31-28 Packers overtime win in Green Bay last season. He’s been nursing a hamstring injury since scoring 2 TDs against Kansas City.  But if Watson is healthy, look out!  Meanwhile, Cowboys veteran CB Stephon Gilmore is not healthy, revealing this week he will wear a harness to protect his injured shoulder.

The Cowboys-Packers storylines are never ending.  After studying both these teams, this could easily wind up being the marquee matchup of Super Wild Card Weekend.

The Packers have nothing to lose.  Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys have everything to lose.  Just the way the NFL scripted it.

FLASHBACK/2017 Dallas Dream Draft

It's Draft Day 2017.  So, time to open the Big Green NFL Draft Scouting Notebook and reveal its contents.  

The Cowboys have obvious needs on defense, but keep in mind that they are, literally, one injury away from having pressing needs at every position on the team.  Also, keep in mind that this year, more than any other I can remember aside from the lockout year of 2011, there are about 60 veteran free agent defensive backs and defensive ends on the street looking for a job.  Many of those players are better equipped to contribute in 2017 than most all rookies drafted after the first round tonight.  So, don't panic if the Cowboys take the best players available.  They can sign a veteran for the minimum to fill in the gaps.

With that in mind, here we go: 

1st Round - #28

ADOREE JACKSON - CB - USC

The Big Green Notebook just adores Adoree!  This kid may be the most athletic player in this draft.  I have no idea how this CB/WR/PR/KR wasn't a Heisman finalist!  An All American 26-foot long jumper and sprinter on the USC track team, Adoree had 5 interceptions his junior year when he finally practiced exclusively with Clancy Pendergast's defense and wasn't focused on offense and track.  Amazing return skills (4 punt return TDs/4 kick return TDs) and is electric in certain offensive packages (39 receptions, 6 TDs).

Adoree Jackson returned 8 kicks for touchdowns in his 3-year career at USC. Getty Images

Critics lament that he's too short (5-10) but with 4.38 speed and ball skills and ball hawking production that rivals the Honey Badger at LSU, Adoree has a lot of Deion in him.  But unlike Deion, he will come up and make a tackle in the run game.  In fact, I think he's more physical than most all other CBs in what is a deep class.  Jim Thorpe Award winner and PAC 12 Defensive Player of the Year battled through an ankle injury without missing a beat, something he also did in the high school state playoffs at Serra HS in Gardena, CA.

2nd Round - #60

JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER - WR - USC

Wide Receiver?!  You can't draft a wide receiver!  Okay, where is this team at wide receiver when Dez Bryant gets hurt again? If JuJu is still available at the 60th pick, I just don't see how you can pass on this guy.  And, keep in mind, Terrance Williams' contract is really a 2-year deal, not 4 years, and he has yet to show he can be the lead receiver.  JuJu can.

Reminds the Big Green Notebook of The Playmaker, Michael Irvin. In fact, Irvin himself tweeted the same thing:  "I saw JuJu up close.  He will b very special n the NFL. I luv players who luv to win but I luv players who hate to lose more."

Like Nichael, JuJu has very strong hands and fearless going over the middle.  Very smart, a quarterback's best friend finding holes in a zone, an Alpha dog who stepped on the USC campus as a 17 year old freshman and was an immediate starter....he's only 20 years, 5 months old!...has rugby in his background, came into college as a safety...so, while he waits his turn, he will contribute on all special teams...draws comparisons to Anquan Boldin as well as Irvin...tough as they come, had surgery for a broken hand (8 screws and a plate inserted) on a Monday and then caught 8 balls for 138 yards a nd a TD vs. Arizona on Saturday....absolutely LOVES football!

3rd Round - #92

EDDIE JACKSON - S - ALABAMA

Defensive MVP of the 2015 National Championship Game vs. Clemson....fractured his leg halfway through 2016 season and Alabama defense couldn't stop Deshaun Watson in 16 title game.  Coincidence?  I think not.  6-0 1/2, 201 pounder who began his career at CB...was moved to safety for his final two years as Nick Saban had him calling the defenses...Then DC Kirby Smart: "We needed a guy who was instinctive and adept at making calls"...ballhawk who picked off 6 passes as a junior, returning 2  for TDs...Saban calls him a "fantastic player and great leader"...very competitive, mature, versatile leader.

4th Round - #133

DEATRICH WISE - DE - ARKANSAS

Hebron High School product who had 8 sacks as a junior, 16.5 total...battled through injuries his senior season (broken hand, separated shoulder)...6-5, 274 pounder with 35 1/2 inch arms, 10 1/2 inch hands and 85 inch wingspan...7.07 cone drill and 10-5 broad jump are indications he has the athleticism to produce after Rod Marinelli' coaches him up....kinesiology degree, son of an NFL player...probably projects as strong side DE who can rush inside on passing downs.

6th Round - #211

KEIONTA DAVIS - DL - CHATTANOOGA

Explosive (30 bench reps, 37 vertical, 10-1 broad jump) and athletic (4.7 forty/1.63 10 yard split) small school 6-3, 271 pound DE with 34 inch arms...could play all along d-line...2-time All American ( 31 career sacks, 8 forced fumbles)....college grad...demonstrative, energetic team leader who has a DeMarcus Ware-like smile...now if he can only play like him!

7th Round - #228

AARON JONES - RB - UTEP

All-Time leading rusher in UTEP history, this 5-9, 208 pounder takes on the departed Lance Dunbar's role....good athleticism:  37 vertical, 10-7 broad jump, 6.82 cone though he lacks the speed (4.56) that Dunbar has (4.45)...rushed for 4,114 career yards, 33 TDs and caught 28 passes his junior year...turned pro early....military parents...right kind of guy.

7th Round - #246

COLIN JETER - TE - LSU

A former Longview Lobo, Jeter possesses the kind of length (6-6, 251) you look for in a complete tight end who can in-line block as well as catch passes.  LSU doesn't throw to its tight ends much (23 receptions, 2 TDs in 2 years in 16 starts), but they do demand that their tight end run block.  LSU tight ends coach Steve Ensminger: "He's a tough guy.  He fits all the sizes, 6-6, 265. He can run 4.7, highly intelligent. He's got enough ball skills. He's going to play in the NFL."

Priority Free Agent

RYAN HIGGINS - QB - Louisiana Tech

A former Hutto Hippo, Higgins impressed scouts with his accuracy and arm strength at his Pro Day.  Undersized (6-1, 211), much like Kellen Moore, Higgins possesses good athleticism (4.7 speed) to do some of the same bootleg run pass options that Dak Prescott excels at.  A developmental project who shows some traits...only started one full year (played behind Florida transfer Jeff Driskel prior to senior year) but had impressive numbers: 4617 yards (9.3 yards per attempt), 66%, 41 TDs and 8 INTs.