Leave it to the 2007 Packers, who have become adept at methodically squeezing the life out of inferior opponents, to put the kibosh on what could have been a spirited week-long debate.

Of course, they had a little help in the matter. A lot of help, actually.

The Packers took care of their own business Sunday, grinding out a 33-14 victory in St. Louis that guaranteed them a first-round bye and at least one home game in the playoffs.

A few hours after that contest, which featured another historical marker for quarterback Brett Favre, the Packers found out that Philadelphia had upset a stunned Dallas squad at Texas Stadium.

And that's where the debate ended, pretty much before it could begin.

Had the Cowboys defeated Philadelphia -- as the odds makers, experts and Jessica Simpson expected -- Green Bay's chances of securing home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs would have been transformed from somewhere in the vicinity of minimal to microscopic. The Packers would have needed to win both of their remaining games and have Dallas lose its final two in order to guarantee their chance to host the NFC Championship game.

We could have spent this week arguing about how much coach Mike McCarthy should have played his regulars next Sunday at Soldier Field. With little hope of the Packers improving their lot, we could have argued the merits of giving Aaron Rodgers another spin and holding back regulars to guarantee freshness by the playoff date. It could have been like a staging an exhibition season in December; practice games in the snow.

But, that went out the window.

Though both teams have 12-2 records, the Packers' loss to Dallas gives the Cowboys the edge in the tie-breaker. The Packers need to win their next two games -- at Chicago and against Detroit -- and have Dallas split its final two -- at Carolina and at Washington.

What seemed far-fetched at 3 p.m. Sunday was considerably more possible at 6:15 p.m. Neither Carolina nor Washington can match the Cowboys' talent, but they have a bit of momentum. The Panthers upset Seattle at home Sunday and the Redskins beat the Giants.

Thanks to a quirk in the schedule, the Packers will have a firm grasp of the possibilities by the time they take the field on Sunday in Chicago. Dallas plays Carolina on Saturday, in one of those games that most of the country will be unable to see due to the NFL Network's ongoing battle with major cable companies.

If the Cowboys lose that game, the Packers truly will control their own destiny. If Dallas beats the Panthers, McCarthy may be tempted to adjust his game plan and rest some of his regulars earlier than he otherwise would.

No matter what happens to the guys with the stars on their helmets, the Packers have some things to iron out before the post-season. Their run defense, which gave up 143 yards to Steven Jackson and was beaten by a patchwork offensive line, has been suspect lately. Kicker Mason Crosby, who was outstanding under the dome on Sunday in St. Louis, needs to gain some confidence outdoors. The Packers' own running game, which could be critical in the post-season, needs some tweaking, though it was hard to evaluate Sunday because the special teams and passing game were solid.

The Packers can, and will, attempt that fine-tuning in the last two weeks of the regular season. Thanks to the Cowboys and Eagles, there will be a little more at stake when they try.