GREEN BAY – You’ve heard it the past week, from Aaron Rodgers on down throughout the Green Bay locker room, how this version of the Packers are "hungry," unsatisfied with what they’ve accomplished through 16 regular season games.

Having five players voted to the Pro Bowl matters little to them, or the fact that Rodgers is a favorite for his second league most valuable player award.

Going 8-0 at home, or having Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, Eddie Lacy, Julius Peppers and more set franchise and NFL records doesn’t seem to resonate beyond the afternoon they accomplished the feat.

"We understand that it’s a process," Packers guard T.J. Lang said. "You come in here in April, May and all you talk about is doing everything necessary to go out and win a championship. And we’ve done those things up to this point. We’ve put ourselves in a very good very position, put ourselves in a position to reach greatness."

To the Packers, greatness is a Super Bowl championship, and while nearly two dozen members of the team have either played in, or won, one, it’s been a long time since 2010.

Since the team won three road games to win that Super Bowl four seasons ago, this is what has happened in the postseason:

• 2011: Lost at home to New York in the divisional round after going 8-0 at home and 15-1 overall.
• 2012: Lost at San Francisco in the divisional round after beating Minnesota at home.
• 2013: Lost at home to San Francisco in the wild card round.

Is it motivating?

"My deal is every year is different," said Packers corner Tramon Williams, who has been with the Packers for each of those playoff highs and lows. "You have confidence in your defense, you have confidence in your offense. But at the end of the day you truthfully don’t know how it’s going to turn out.

"Now, we have a lot of confidence in our team as a whole. We feel that we’re one of the most balanced teams from an offense and a defense standpoint in this league, and that can take us a long way, but at the same time, like I said before, it’s the playoffs. You’re going to get the best of every team. You may get a team in the playoff who’s been looked at great in the regular season and come into the playoffs and look a little bit better. So you never know what you’re going to get. Just have to prepare for everything."

Lang said he’s proud of the attitude within the locker room, that this group is a different one than the past three years and that "We’re out here to prove more, there’s more that we want to do," he said.

"Our goal isn’t accomplished until we win a championship and if we don’t then it’s not a successful year," Lang continued. "So it’s something we understand. We’ve come a long way back since April, May and July when training camp started and talking about these things. Well, that time’s come now. That road to greatness is here and it’s our job to make sure we’re doing everything we can to get the job done week by week. This is it. It’s a big game this week to decide if we’re going to continue our path to that."

Quick Cowboys comments

As you could imagine, there is high level of respect in the Packers locker room for the weapons that the Cowboys bring to the table, but this may surprise you: Williams feels that Tony Romo is par with Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Matt Ryan.

"Same level," Williams said. "He’s a heck of a quarterback in my book. You get a lot of conversation about Romo in the media, and I always sit back and say that there’s no quarterback that you can go out and get on the streets or even on other teams that can do what he can do. I mean, he’s a high level quarterback."

And as for the league’s leading rusher, DeMarco Murray, and that big Cowboys offensive line?

"I know a guy like DeMarco Murray is going to come fired up, his offensive line’s going to come fired up," Packers defensive end Datone Jones said. "He’s going to be trying to run as hard as he can, and if I was a running back I would, too. I’m excited to be able to play against him. And I know the guys on this defense are as well."

Matchup to watch


While all the focus will be on the big name players on the Cowboys offense and Packers defense, one matchup to watch – and one that could affect the game – is in the slot.

Over the Cowboys last five regular season games, Cole Beasley brought in 19 catches on 26 targets for 211 yards (11.1 average) with three touchdowns. Last week against Detroit, he caught four passes (on eight targets) for 63 yards.

He may not score the touchdown that decides the game in the favor of the Cowboys, but he may make the plays that get them there. Conversely, if Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde can prevent Tony Romo from finding Beasley in key situations, it may go a long way in helping the Packers win.

"He’s a great player," Hayward said of Beasley. "He’s going to be one of the harder slot guys to go against. With me and Micah. Some of those other guys are in the slot, but mostly it’ll be Beasley. He kind of remind me of the guys with the Patriots. (Julian) Edelman? Great player coming out of his zips (breaks), he comes out of his zips just like that. I want to say Beasley might come out of his zips a little faster. They use him well. That’s one of his top targets since the last half of the season."

The Lambeau advantage


Traditionally, the Packers rarely lose at home. This year, they never lost, going a perfect 8-0. And not only did they go undefeated at Lambeau Field, they dominated by averaging an incredible 39.8 points per game offensively and limiting opponents to just 20.4.

"It’s been a special place," Julius Peppers said. "It’s been a special place. We feel comfortable, very comfortable here, and it’s been good to us. We’re hoping that trend continues this week."

For the first time in playoff history however, an unbeaten home team will face an unbeaten road team. Dallas dominated away from "Jerry World," averaging 34.4 points per game outside the friendly confines of AT&T Stadium.

"This year being 8-0, this is our comfort zone, this is where we play our best football and to go out against a team that’s 8-0 on the road is pretty rare, a team that plays their best football on the road, you don’t see that a whole lot," Packers guard T.J. Lang said. "It’s going to be a challenge for us. And obviously it’s bit of a historical matchup with all the past games these two teams have played. It’s another notch there. For us it’ll be not just about winning a game at Lambeau against a good team, it’s about taking that first step to get to our ultimate goal."

Hardcore Warriors

^{Photo: YouTube}

Sunday marks the first time Dallas will play a playoff game at Lambeau Field since the famed 1967 NFL Championship game, or, the "Ice Bowl."

"It’s a different era," Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said with a laugh. "That’s a different era. I commend those guys who did it. They don’t have the tools that we have now to deal with it. It was a lot tougher back in the day than it is now. So I commend those guys who did that back in the day.

"Oh, man, that’s a tough deal. I don’t understand how you got guys no gloves, no heaters. That’s hardcore warriors right there, man. We ain’t got nothin’ on those guys."

ICYMI


As you get ready for the game, here are five of our favorite stories from this past season:

"Twelve’s gonna go." – Rodgers makes dramatic return in win over Detroit
.

Rodgers doesn’t throw interceptions – so what? 


Julius Peppers’ hidden talent


Eddie Lacy’s "business decisions" pay off
.

Jayrone Elliott starts to scratch the surface of his potential.