GREEN BAY, Wis. -- As Gene Steratore looked at the replay of Dez Bryant's 31-yard catch turned incompletion, Tom Petty's "The Waiting," played over the Lambeau Field loudspeakers.

It was a cheeky play on words as the record crowd awaited Steratore's call. When he announced his decision, the song fit with for what awaits the Dallas Cowboys.

They will watch Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Seattle, wondering how it would be if they were there and not the Green Bay Packers.

"It's unfortunate for us because I sure was looking forward to playing Seattle," Jeremy Mincey said "I'm telling you we about the only team with the formula to get them, man."

The Cowboys used that formula to beat the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field in October. They won 30-23 by bottling up Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch and by coming up with big plays down the stretch. The game might not have been as close as it was if not for some sloppy special teams' play.

But now there won't be a rematch with the Seahawks. The Cowboys season is over.

"Going back to April we jut worked hard and put our head down and stayed together," tight end Jason Witten said. "Anytime your season ends this way it's emotional and yoy have that pit in your stomach. To get to this point, you think you're going all the way. But to end this way it's sour, no question. But as a leader of this team I don't know if I've ever been more proud of a football team and a group of men, coaches and players the way they pushed this year and gave their all. We emptied the bucket every Sunday."

They just wanted to have the chance to empty it once more in Seattle.