Morning Buzz: Packers in the calm before the storm

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee and get caught up on everything you need to know as the Packers prepare to take on the Cowboys on Sunday.

Tom Silverstein starts us out with a look at the all-business demeanour the Packers are projecting this week as they prepare for Dallas.

From Tom:

This is a team that likes to take care of business in a quiet way. You won’t see a lot of hooting and hollering in practice or a lot of clowning around in the locker room during free time.

The Packers are preparing for their divisional playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in a very business-like manner.

“I wondered if they lightened up or anything,” said tight end Jared Cook, who is participating in the playoffs for the first time in his eight-year career. “Not really. Not around here. Same practices you had during the regular season.”

The team general manager Ted Thompson constructed and Mike McCarthy coaches reflects both men. Thompson doesn’t like show boaters and braggarts and McCarthy is the embodiment of equanimity.

Ryan Wood illuminates Ty Montgomery’s thoughts as he reflects on the journey from selling hot dogs outside a Cowboys stadium to playing NFL running back in it.

The last time these two teams met, the Packers were incredibly careless with the football. Michael Cohen looks at the emphasis Green Bay has placed on ball security during their winning streak.

Bob McGinn takes a deep, deep dive into the future of the general manager position in Green Bay.

Tom and Michael try to figure out how the Packers will approach covering Dez Bryant, who did not play in the last matchup between these two teams:

I broke down Packers-Cowboys with ESPN’s Matt Bowen for my podcast this week:

Elsewhere, Pete Prisco breaks down the play of Aaron Rodgers and tries to get to the bottom of what the difference is between the beginning of the season to now.

Ron Jaworski doesn’t like the Packers secondary in Sunday’s matchup:

Film maven Greg Cosell of NFL Films breaks down how the loss of Jordy Nelson will affect the Packers offense:

If you’re making the trip to the Dallas area this weekend and are looking for a place to connect with fellow Packers fans, be sure to check out Vernon’s Gastropub in Addison. They bill themselves as the “biggest Green Bay Packers hangout in the Metroplex.”

Elliot Harrison has a great look at the history of the rivalry between the Packers and the Cowboys for NFL.com.

The picks are starting to come in, and many pundits don’t like the Packers chances:

Jon Machota looks at the moves that turned the Dallas Cowboys around:

ESPN breaks down the touchdown to Davante Adams against the Giants using an oral history:

The Packers don’t have many fond memories of the playoffs in Dallas:

Signs are pointing toward a shootout in Big D: