The underdog narrative isn’t always a bad thing.
The Baltimore Ravens proved that when they used it to fuel their Week 16 win over the San Francisco 49ers and went on to earn themselves the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
This weekend, the Green Bay Packers find themselves in a similar position as they travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys in a wild-card game on Sunday afternoon. Vegas has the Cowboys, undefeated at AT&T Stadium this season, as the favorites by at least a score.
Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys calls a play against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on Jan. 7, 2024, in Landover, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
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But Packers legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame safety LeRoy Butler believes that the young roster making up this year’s team has a particular advantage over the Cowboys, who have long chased a Super Bowl title since last winning it at the end of the 1995 season.
“This team is the youngest team in the league. And if you think about it, they’re probably even younger because most veterans are hurt,” Butler told Fox News Digital in an interview this week.
“They don’t know what they don’t know. These guys were at bowl games… They just want an opportunity. So, they can’t get intimidated. You can’t get scared of something that you don’t know what it is. So the anticipation of the coaches to put their blinders on is the reason why they’re in the playoffs.”
Jordan Love of the Packers takes the field before the Chicago Bears game at Lambeau Field on Jan. 7, 2024, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (John Fisher/Getty Images)
As Butler explains from what he saw at a practice he recently attended, the Packers are “excited” about a chance to play in the postseason. By contrast, he says the pressure is on the Cowboys, who have consistently fallen short in the 12 playoff appearances they’ve had since 1995.
“Dallas averages 40 at home. They’re undefeated. The defense is amazing. CeeDee Lamb, to me, should finish in the top 10 [for] MVP. Dak (Prescott) had his best year, all of that,” Butler said. “Dallas has got to live up to that, they’re supposed to be in the Super Bowl every year.”
Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler celebrates with fans on the field during halftime in the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Packers at Lambeau Field on Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Head coach Mike McCarthy has led the Cowboys to the postseason in all three of his seasons in Dallas, yet he seemingly is still in the hot seat.
When asked directly about his future with the team, owner Jerry Jones said, “We’ll see how each game goes in the playoffs.” Jones later clarified those remarks, saying McCarthy is in contract with the team for next season and that he “couldn’t be more pleased with what he’s done.”
But the pressure to perform still remains.
Green Bay’s season was nothing short of a roller coaster. Losing to teams like the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, and blowing a double-digit lead before pulling off a narrow victory over the Carolina Panthers, made the playoffs seem like a reach.
But victories over the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions kept the Packers on track and competing with the best.
“If the defense was having a great game, the offense wasn’t on point. The offense was having a great game, the defense wasn’t on point,” Butler said of the Packers’ struggles.
Rudy Ford, center, of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with teammates after making a defensive play against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Dec, 11, 2023, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Mike Stobe/2023 Mike Stobe)
“But I think the defense – certain guys took it personally. ‘I got to play a certain way for us to get into the playoffs.’ And I’m proud of the fact that they turned it around.”
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The Packers’ defense had a late resurgence and quarterback Jordan Love closed out the season with three straight victories. They allowed just one touchdown in their final two games. If they can get an early lead in Sunday’s game, Butler believes the Packers can outlast the Cowboys. But it won’t be easy.
“The team with the least pressure, to me, usually goes in a lot looser. And that’s the Packers,” Butler said of his prediction. “It’s going to be a huge upset.”
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