Cowboys vs. Packers 2017: 3 Reasons Why Green Bay Will Win In Dallas In The NFC Divisional Playoffs

Over wild-card weekend, the favorites dominated the underdogs, easily covering the point spread in all four games. It was a testament to how efficient elite NFL teams can be when at home and facing elimination.

Yet while the Dallas Cowboys (13-3) are four-point favorites at home against the Green Bay Packers (10-6) on Sunday, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising if Green Bay pulled off an "upset" to advance to the NFC Championship game. The relatively inexperienced Cowboys are capable of coming out a bit flat, while the Packers have surged against some top competition in recent weeks and have proven they can make adjustments after halftime.

In their seven-game winning streak, the Packers have defeated six teams with at least seven wins, and by an average of more than 12 points. Green Bay has also scored points in the fourth quarter in eight consecutive games. But there is more to why the Packers have a good shot at defeating the top team in the NFC than just momentum and clutch play.

Packers Are More Loaded Than Their Opponents Think

Some might think Green Bay's luck will finally run out when they face an elite opponent on the road, particularly with top wide receiver Jordy Nelson suffering a rib injury against the New York Giants, and several other players dealing with physical problems.

But Green Bay went into the wild-card game after cornerbacks Quinten Rollins, Damarious Randall and Makinton Dorleant suffered injuries against the Detroit Lions in Week 17. In the second quarter against the Giants, linebacker Blake Martinez left the game with an injury.

But even after suffering setbacks, the Packers were still able to limit New York to just 13 points. Players like Micah Hyde, who seamlessly made the transition from safety to cornerback, and defensive end Nick Perry, who quietly finished eighth in sacks (11.0) in 2016, make up a unit that is more than just Pro Bowler Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix and future Hall of Famer Clay Matthews. Safety Morgan Burnett and linebacker Jake Ryan have been unsung heroes, and this unit has a knack for doing just enough to get the job done, as evident by finishing fourth in interceptions (17).

On offense, Mike McCarthy has a line that allowed well-covered receivers time to get open against a star-studded Giants secondary. Meanwhile, weapons like fullback Aaron Ripkowski, running back Christine Michael, tight end Jared Cook and wide receiver-turned rusher Ty Montgomery sometimes seem to fly under the radar for a unit that finished fourth in points (27.0).

And it's easy to forget that there are notable players that can have a big game out of nowhere. Tight end Richard Rodgers didn't have one catch against the Giants, but the 24-year-old scored eight touchdowns in 2015. Randall Cobb, who has become the No. 3 receiver behind Nelson and Davante Adams, played with an ankle injury on Sunday and still scored three touchdowns.

Indeed, this team has more depth than opponents seem to recognize. The NFC divisional game should be a shootout, which means Green Bay will likely have the advantage with so many different ways to move the ball on offense and to get key stops on defense.

Cowboys Offense Is Not As Dominant As It Seems

Dallas boasts three Pro Bowlers on the offensive line, a focused quarterback who rarely makes mistakes, a reliable veteran tight end with great hands, and a young running back who is skilled at finding holes. Despite those positives, the Cowboys' offense was just sixth in total yards and finished 18th in penalties. The Cowboys also don't have a big-play wide receiver since Dez Bryant saw a sharp drop in production the last two seasons.

Green Bay somehow found a way to keep pace with the Giants' Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz, so containing Cole Beasley, Bryant and Terrance Williams will mean less strenuous assignments for the secondary. Tight end Jason Witten is coming off his lowest yard total (673) since his rookie season, and the 34-year-old only caught three touchdown passes.

Sure, the Cowboys posted 30 points at Lambeau Field in Week 6. But most of the points were due to Green Bay turning the ball over four times -- mistakes that likely won't be repeated in a crucial playoff game.

Jason Garrett has an excellent offense with Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and many others. However, they may find points are a little harder to come by against a confident and efficient Packers defense.

Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers

Few quarterbacks in NFL history are more dialed in than Rodgers is right now. He has regained his dominance after mediocre performances against the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans in Weeks 9 and 10, respectively. Since then, Rodgers has thrown for 22 touchdowns and no interceptions over an eight-game span. His passes are thrown with a perfect spiral and have been right on target, no matter if they are going to Nelson or to seldom-used Geronimo Allison. Rodgers is also a threat to scramble, having rushed for 369 yards in the regular season.

But Rodgers' sense of desperation is what has carried Green Bay this far, and there aren't signs he will ease up against Dallas. The 33-year-old only has one championship ring, and there's probably a lot more pressure to win a second than rookies Prescott and Elliott are feeling to win their first.

It's hard to imagine Rodgers won't pick apart the Cowboys defense after what he did to the Giants stellar secondary, and without Nelson. The weather won't be frigid in East Texas, and Rodgers should find a way to avoid sacks and turnovers against a defense that didn't send one player to the Pro Bowl.

The Cowboys' defense finished 13th in sacks and 27th in interceptions. Those numbers don't bode well against a superstar quarterback like Rodgers.