The first Sunday night in November shaped up as one of the more highly anticipated games of the season when the NFL schedule for 2010 was released.
Nine weeks into the season, executives at NBC Sports will gladly settle for a competitive game when the Dallas Cowboys stumble into Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
On paper, this game had all the necessary ingredients for a marquee matchup: Two of the league's most successful franchises, a historic rivalry and a likely battle for NFC supremacy between two teams touted among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl.
Except for one problem: The Cowboys never got the memo. Coming off an 11-5 record in 2009, Dallas has been the biggest bust of the season, entering Sunday's game with a 1-6 record and riding a four-game losing streak.
The ultimate indignity for the Cowboys came a week ago, when they were thoroughly manhandled in a 35-17 loss to Jacksonville that dropped them to 0-4 at home. Mind you, this was the same Jaguars squad that was coming off back-to-back defeats and had been outscored 72-23 in the process.
Dallas allowed quarterback David Garrard - who was returning from a concussion - to complete his first 12 passes en route to finishing 17 of 21 for 260 yards and four touchdown passes. Garrard also ran for a score and compiled a stunning passer rating of 157.8 - just a shade under the perfect mark of 158.3.
Now the Cowboys, who have been mauled for 134 points – a 33.5 average – during the four-game skid, must deal with one of the league’s elite quarterbacks in Aaron Rodgers.
Green Bay’s offense did next to nothing a week ago, but the Packers received a staunch effort from their defense in blanking the New York Jets 9-0 to take over first place in the NFC North.
The Packers (5-3) have been riddled with injuries on both sides of the ball and absorbed a couple of killer injuries when starting running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley were lost for the season.
Rodgers struggled in windy conditions in New Jersey, going 15 of 34 for a season-low 170 yards, but the Packers got three field goals from Mason Crosby in snapping the Jets’ five-game winning streak.
Green Bay will be seeking its second victory over the Cowboys in as many years at Lambeau. Rodgers threw for a touchdown and ran for another as the Packers hung a 17-7 loss on Dallas last November.
The Cowboys will be playing their second game without Tony Romo, who suffered a broken collarbone in a 41-35 loss to the Giants on Oct. 25.
Jon Kitna made his first start in two years and played decently against the Jaguars, completing 34 of 49 passes for 379 yards and a touchdown. The 38-year-old veteran also threw four interceptions, but three of them bounced off his receivers’ hands.
Dallas’ running game again was atrocious, with Felix Jones and Marion Barber combining for 38 yards on 17 carries.