Packers @ 49ers: Who should Cowboys fans be rooting for to go to the Super Bowl?

The 2017 Super Bowl was just a dreadful thing to watch as you couldn’t have scripted a more undesirable matchup for the year’s biggest NFL game. Both the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles were certainly near the top of the list in terms of teams Cowboys fans root against the most.

The Patriots are disliked by many as the combination of dominating the NFL as well as some questionable approaches in doing so (skygate, deflategate) have made it really easy for people to root against them. Not only that, but they entered that Super Bowl with a chance to surpass the Cowboys five Super Bowl wins. The Eagles on the other hand, were not close to catching Dallas in Lombardi trophies because they had yet to win one. Of course, Cowboys fans would’ve loved to keep it that way as it always provided great ammo when bantering with Eagles fans.

In the end, the Eagles won their first, the Patriots then turned around and won their sixth a year later, so everything worked out terribly.

Fast forward to Sunday, and once again Cowboys fans are faced with a tough decision. Do we want the 49ers to win, or are we pulling for the Packers? The answer to that question may have to do with just how old you are. If you look throughout history, both these teams have had some periods in time where they’ve had some big battles with Dallas.

If you’re a younger fan, you probably can’t stand the Packers. The Dez Bryant “no catch” game as well as that fluky Jared Cook sideline catch may still be haunting you. Those games are fresh in our minds and there is no doubt the Packers have gotten the better of the Cowboys for the last decade.

At the same time, the 49ers have disappeared most of the time since the turn of the century. From 2003 up until this season, the 49ers have gone 10 of 13 years without a winning season. Granted, they had a three-year stretch under Jim Harbaugh where they went to three straight NFC Championships (2011-2013), but they couldn’t close the deal with a Super Bowl trophy. Meanwhile, the Cowboys were too busy going 8-8 those years where they didn’t cross paths in the playoffs. For the last 15 years, the Cowboys have had their way with the 49ers when the two teams have faced off.

VERDICT: Younger fans hate the Packers more

Fans a little older hold a little more animosity towards the 49ers as both the ‘80s and ‘90s saw the Cowboys play them four times in the NFC Championship game. In the early ‘80s, we saw a changing of the guard as the Cowboys were the most successful team in the ‘70s in terms of overall wins, but the new decade wasn’t as kind. Starting with the 1981 NFC Championship game, the 49ers went on to win their first of four Super Bowls that decade, igniting a new dynasty. The Cowboys, on the other hand, started to downward spiral, eventually leading to the firing of legendary coach Tom Landry.

When the Jimmy Johnson era began, the Cowboys returned to glory and once again, it was those pesky 49ers who stood in their path to the Super Bowl. Dallas had greater success against them this time around as it ignited their own dynasty led by the Hall of Fame triplets - Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin.

Meanwhile, the Packers were a doormat for the Cowboys to walk over that decade. Green Bay eventually broke through once the Cowboys and 49ers were done winning, but during the Cowboys run in the ‘90s, they had their way with the Packers.

VERDICT: Older fans hate the 49ers more

However, if you’re a long-time Cowboys fan, it’s possible that the disdain for Green Bay jumps the 49ers. When the Cowboys first entered the league back in 1960, the Packers would always lay the hurt down on them. Even when the Cowboys started becoming a better football team later in the decade, Green Bay was always there to send them home in the playoffs. The teams met in two straight NFL Championship games, including the famous “Ice Bowl” game. The Packers emerged victorious and went on to win the first two Super Bowls in NFL history.

When it comes to San Francisco, the Cowboys didn’t have the same problem. They beat up on the 49ers pretty good, including a nice run in the ‘70s. So, if you ever wonder why 49ers fans hate the Cowboys so much - just remember there is a long history between these teams where Dallas came out on top in several conference championship games that sent the Cowboys to the Super Bowl.

VERDICT: Long-time fans might hate the Packers more

Last week, we put together a video montage of some of the more memorable moments between the Cowboys and 49ers as well as the Packers in case you need a little bit of a refresher. History alone may not be everything in determining which team you’re rooting for as other factors may come into play.

Maybe it’s geographical where you live in a population surrounded by cheeseheads and you just cannot stomach listening to them brag about their team.

Then, there’s also those who are keeping track of hardware who may use that to make their decision. As it stands now, the Cowboys and 49ers are tied with five Super Bowl wins each. Another Lombardi for San Francisco, and they’ll jump Dallas and join Pittsburgh and New England for the lead. The Packers, on the other hand, have four Super Bowl wins. One more and they’ll join Dallas and San Francisco with five.

Maybe you’re looking ahead and your decision is based on which team is more likely to lose to Kansas City. How do each of these teams match up against them? Who’s more likely to keep up with Patrick Mahomes and company, Aaron Rodgers or Jimmy Garoppollo?

Or maybe you’re really overthinking it and wondering about the future. Does Green Bay’s new-found success with their new head coach Matt LaFleur make you worry about Mike McCarthy’s ability to run the Cowboys? Or does a young 49ers team with the hot play-calling of Kyle Shanahan make you concerned about a new era in San Francisco?

Many things come into play. For me, the 49ers broke my heart during the 1981 season with “The Catch” game as a young Danny Phantom was brought to tears over the outcome of a football game. I will be pulling for the Packers in this one, but what about you?