I admit to sipping some of the strong Packers Kool-Aid after their 2-0 start. Sure, I knew Detroit was--and is--a horrible football team. But I was certainly impressed with Aaron Rodgers first two weeks as a starter. Reality hit Lambeau Field hard when the Cowboys came to town.

Sunday night's loss to Dallas doesn't mean the Packers aren't a good team. It does mean that they're nowhere close to being the team to beat in the NFC. Of course, the Cowboys were that team last year too and found a way to lose at home in the playoffs.

The fact is that Dallas is a better team this season than they were in 2007. Rookie running back Felix Jones adds a terrific dimension to their offense and special teams. The Cowboys finally got smart and discovered that Marion Barber was their best running back and let Julius Jones walk away. Now the Cowboys have two excellent running backs. Time will tell if the Packers have any. Ryan Grant's early fumble against Dallas was just further evidence that he's off to a slow start. With the exception of one long run against Minnesota, Grant does not look like the same guy who rescued the Packers running attack in 2007. The Packers can only hope that Grant rounds into form once his hamstring is healed.

The Packers were fortunate to avoid crippling injuries in 2007. But you get the sense that this season is going to be a constant struggle to stay healthy.

For a good portion of the Cowboys game, the Packers were limited to three wide receivers and the secondary was occupied by backups because of injuries. The Packers are not good enough to be able to cover up injuries against good teams.

Yes, the Packers reside in the NFC North. But don't sleep on the Vikings now that they've finally benched Tarvaris Jackson. In the end, Sunday night's loss was a valuable teaching tool for the Packers and their fans. The lesson: the Packers are good but not elite. Not right now, anyway.