Packers, Cowboys renew great NFL rivalry

From Lombardi and Landry through Reggie and Brett, Troy and Emmitt.

From the tundra of Lambeau to the gap in the Texas Stadium roof to Jerry’s palace.

Packers-Cowboys has been one of the NFL’s most entertaining and meaningful rivalries for decades. Whether it was the Ice Bowl or A-Rod’s impromptu pass to Jared Cook, people (and players and coaches) remember these matchups.

They’ll be back at it on Sunday when Green Bay (3-1) visits Dallas (2-2).

“Ahhh, yeah,” says Packers receiver Jordy Nelson, who leads the league with five TD catches. “It’s a good conversation, for the fans. There’s a lot of history there in the past, and I think we’ve had a lot of history just recently, too, and we played them, I think in my 10 years nine times or so, eight times.

“And so it’s just some big games; big games and some incredible finishes. Hopefully, there’s another one.”

For anyone who really could forget it, this is a rematch of the Packers’ 34-31 divisional playoff win in January when Aaron Rodgers completed a 35-yard pass to Jared Cook on third-and-20 with 3 seconds left. That set up Mason Crosby’s 51-yard field goal as time expired.

Cowboys tight end Jason Witten recognizes why the Packers are so formidable, especially for Dallas.

“I just think the entire organization, what they’ve built, starts with Aaron Rodgers and the way he plays,” Witten says. “I think we have so much respect for their defense, Clay Matthews and the way they attack as a football team. They’re a blueprint in a lot of ways, and more than anything they’ve played well at critical times throughout the last seven, eight, 10 years.”