In a game with playoff implications for the Packers, the Cowboys beat the Panthers today 20-13. This game was a lot closer than I expected, probably closer than pretty much everyone expected. Not many people expected the Panthers to take the Cowboys to the wire, which they did. This game was not over until the Cowboys got a first down with less than 2 to play. The game being this close makes the Packers vs Bears game on Sunday even more important. Here are some quick hits from the game:

1. Terrel Owens did not play the second half with a high ankle sprain. In the second half, the Cowboys scored 3 points. That is not co-incidence. I do not want to win do to injuries, but against the Cowboys I will take what I can get.

2. As Dave and Don allude to in the comments, the Cowboys do not look like the second best team in the NFL right now. The Lions took them to the last seconds, the Cowboys lost to the Eagles at home, and then had a hard time with the Panthers in Carolina. The Cowboys do not feel like a team on the rise.

3. The Packers, on the other hand, do feel like they are hitting their stride. After losing to the Cowboys the Packers have beat their opponents 71-21.

4. The Bears game is now huge. Chris Collinsworth said after the game that a Packers win on Sunday would force the Cowboys to play their starters next week. This Cowboys team really wants to rest and get healthy, a Packers win would prevent that.

5. The NFL has got to do something about subjective referee calls. All of these calls about helmet to helmet, or unprotected receiver, or pass interference, or was the receiver going to the ground when he was hit are getting silly. It takes the game out of the players hands and into the zerbras hands.