VOL. XI; NO. 17 GREEN BAY, NOV. 10, 2009 WEEK

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1 Packers Public Relations Lambeau Field Atrium 1265 Lombardi Avenue Green Bay, WI / / fax Jeff Blumb, Sarah Quick, Adam Woullard, Aaron Popkey, Rob Crane, Tom Fanning, Mike Spofford, Duke Bobber VOL. XI; NO. 17 GREEN BAY, NOV. 10, 2009 WEEK 10 DALLAS (6-2) at GREEN BAY (4-4) Sunday, Nov. 15 Lambeau Field 3:15 p.m. CST COWBOYS COME TO LAMBEAU FOR NFC SHOWDOWN Two of the NFL s preeminent franchises square off in an afternoon contest at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Green Bay comes into the contest off a disappointing loss in Tampa, its second loss in as many weeks. It must rebound quickly if it hopes to remain among the NFC playoff hopefuls, and must do so against one of its old-time conference rivals. After Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry turned it into one of the league s great rivalries, the Cowboys-Packers series reached another peak in the 1990s with some great playoff battles. For the seventh time in the all-time series, the teams will square off at historic Lambeau Field, where the Cowboys won for the first time (1-5) in franchise history last season. Most notable among the Cowboys- Packers series at Lambeau Field was the 1967 NFL Championship, the famed Ice Bowl, widely considered the greatest NFL game of all-time marks the third consecutive season the teams will meet, with both previous meetings won by the Cowboys. Though the Cowboys have taken 11 of the last 13 overall meetings, the all-time regular-season series remains close, with Dallas owning a slight advantage. The Packers and Cowboys represent two of the proudest and most popular clubs in the NFL. They have combined for 17 NFL championships (Green Bay 12, Dallas 5) and eight Super Bowl titles. Dallas comes into the game riding a four-game winning streak, most recently beating the Eagles Sunday night in Philadelphia. The Cowboys come in riding a longer streak when it comes to November games. It has won a league-best 13 of its last 15 games in the month, including a 13-1 record in games started by QB Tony Romo. THE NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE As the Packers hit the halfway point to the 2009 season, the playoff picture begins to become a little more clear after each passing week. As disheartening as the loss it Tampa may have been, Green Bay (4-4) remains just one game out of an NFC Wild Card spot behind Atlanta (5-3) and Philadelphia (5-3). The Packers next stretch of three straight NFC games will go a considerable ways in their 2009 playoff push. The first two come at home against Dallas (6-2) and San Francisco (3-5), two teams it may be competing against for a postseason berth. A game in Detroit on Thanksgiving will cap the stretch, which has the team playing three games in 12 days. Wild-card playoff berths are given to the conference s top two teams that do not win a division. If teams within the same division are fighting for those spots, division tiebreakers apply. Should teams be competing against teams from another division, conference record is the second tiebreaker after head-to-head matchups. Green Bay can take confidence from the fact it is one of five NFL teams (New England, N.Y. Giants, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh the others) to be ranked among the league s top 10 in both offense and defense. 11 WITH THE CALL FOX Sports, now in its 16th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game to a regional audience. Play-by-play man Joe Buck and color analyst Troy Aikman will have the call from the broadcast booth with Pam Oliver serving as the sideline reporter. Milwaukee s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 53-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) calling the action. The duo enters its 11th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 43 markets in five states. For out-of-town listeners, the broadcast is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on as well as on Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 123 WTMJ feed) as part of the network s NFL Sunday Drive. DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game in HD on channel 714. PRESEASON Date Opponent Time TV Sat., Aug. 15 CLEVELAND BROWNS (Gold Pkg.).....W, 17-0 (69.091) (Midwest Shrine Game) Sat., Aug. 22 BUFFALO BILLS W, (68,908) (Bishop s Charities Game) Fri., Aug. 28 at Arizona Cardinals W, (61,753) Thur., Sept. 3 at Tennessee Titans L, (69,143) REGULAR SEASON Date Opponent Time TV Sun., Sept. 13 CHICAGO BEARS W, (70,920) Sun., Sept. 20 CINCINNATI BENGALS (Gold Pkg.).... L, (70,678) Sun., Sept. 27 at St. Louis Rams W, (60,234) Mon., Oct. 5 at Minnesota Vikings L, (63,846) Sun., Oct. 11 Open Date Sun., Oct. 18 DETROIT LIONS W, 26-0 (70,801) Sun., Oct. 25 at Cleveland Browns W, 31-3 (69,797) Sun., Nov. 1 MINNESOTA VIKINGS L, (71,213) Sun., Nov. 8 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L, (62,994) Sun., Nov. 15 DALLAS COWBOYS (Gold Pkg.) :15 p.m. FOX Sun., Nov. 22 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS noon FOX Thurs., Nov. 26 at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving) :30 a.m. FOX Mon., Dec. 7 BALTIMORE RAVENS :30 p.m. ESPN Sun., Dec. 13 at Chicago Bears noon FOX Sun., Dec. 20 at Pittsburgh Steelers *12 noon FOX Sun., Dec. 27 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS *12 noon FOX Sun., Jan. 3 at Arizona Cardinals *3:15 p.m. FOX * Start time and broadcast may shift due to NFL flexible scheduling NFL POSTSEASON DATES Jan AFC and NFC Wild Card Playoffs Jan AFC and NFC Divisional Playoffs Jan AFC and NFC Championship Games Jan AFC-NFC Pro Bowl at Land Shark Stadium, Miami Feb Super Bowl XLIV at Land Shark Stadium, Miami

2 THIS WEEK AT 1265 LOMBARDI AVENUE GREEN RUNS INTO HISTORY BOOKS When RB Ahman Green left the Packers for the Houston Texans as a free agent in March 2007, few could have predicted that he would someday return to break the Green Bay franchise rushing record he was so close to surpassing. After spending the seasons with the Texans, Green returned to the Packers prior to Week 7 and has seen action on offense and special teams the past two weeks. On Sunday in Tampa, his final rush moved him past Jim Taylor to become the Packers all-time leading rusher with 8,208 career yards. When he left as a free agent, Green was 46 yards shy of the mark. It was perhaps the final rushing record to fall for Green, who already holds the franchise mark for single-game (218) and single-season (1,883 in 2003) rushing yards. His six 1,000-yard seasons is also a franchise best. Green has returned to the Packers in a different role, backing up RB Ryan Grant, but has made his impact felt. A reliable receiver out of the backfield, both of his catches in 2009 have gone for first downs. In addition, the 12th-year pro took a run for 26 yards up the middle against Tampa, the second-longest run by a Packers running back this season and Green s longest since Week 13 in AMERICA S TEAMS Few franchises across professional sports operate under the microscope that the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys do, with intense, yearround media coverage and passionate, national fan bases. Harris Interactive began asking fans to identify their favorite NFL team beginning in 1998, with the Cowboys and Packers routinely ranking up near the top of the polls. In fact, they are the only clubs never to finish outside the top five in the poll. Dallas has finished first five times, with Green Bay finishing first four times. In March 2009, the NFL and ESPN Sports Poll released results of a study in which it aimed to determine the nation s most popular individual pro sports franchises across all sports. Dallas and Green Bay finished Nos. 1 and 2, as NFL teams held six of the top 10 spots in the poll. A look at the results: 1. Dallas Cowboys 6. Los Angeles Lakers 2. Green Bay Packers 7. Indianapolis Colts 3. Pittsburgh Steelers 8. Boston Red Sox 4. New England Patriots 9. New York Giants 5. New York Yankees 10. Atlanta Braves ROMO RETURNS HOME Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo returns to his home state of Wisconsin this weekend, a trip he made in the 2008 season as well. Romo is 2-0 as a starter against the Packers, including last season s victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field. Though he only threw for 260 yards and a touchdown, he led an offense that produced 453 total net yards. Romo and the Cowboys also defeated the Packers in 2007 at Texas Stadium. His first career appearance at Lambeau Field came in 2004, when he served as the Cowboys holder and backup quarterback. He will be putting a rather impressive streak on the line against the Packers this coming weekend. With a win over Philadelphia last week, Romo improved to 13-1 as a starter in games played in November. Raised in Burlington, Wis., about two and a half hours south of Lambeau Field, Romo is a graduate of Burlington High School. He lettered three seasons for the Demons football team, passing for nearly 4,000 career yards and 42 touchdowns. As a senior, he earned All-Racine County honors as a quarterback, but earned all-state honors on the basketball court. HEALTH WATCH Green Bay suffered injuries to two starters against Tampa Bay but could see a number of contributors return to action Sunday against Dallas. Returning to game action for the first time since Week 14 last year, T Mark Tauscher suffered a knee sprain to his left knee, the same knee in which he tore his ACL last season. The Packers were relieved to learn Monday that the injury was not serious, and Head Coach Mike McCarthy said there was a slight chance Tauscher would be available to play against the Cowboys. Though he got the start with the No. 1 offense, he had been rotating series with T Allen Barbre before the injury. Also injured was LB Aaron Kampman, who suffered a concussion. McCarthy was unsure of his status for the Dallas game. LB Brandon Chillar missed the Bucs game after having surgery to repair a broken hand. There is a possibility he could wear a protective cast and play against Dallas, something the team will most likely determine over the course of the practice week. Knee sprains to WR Jordy Nelson and TE Jermichael Finley, two favorite targets of QB Aaron Rodgers, have kept them out of action but will likely be tested this week in practice. Their return could provide a boost to an offensive unit that faltered down the stretch in Tampa. Finley has missed the past two games in what has been a breakout season for the second-year pro. Nelson could also give the special teams return units a boost with his abilities on kickoffs and punts. FB Korey Hall (calf) and S Derrick Martin (concussion) practiced on a limited basis last week and were held out of action in Tampa. Both are core members of the special teams units, so their return could help the coverage issues that have plagued the team the last two weeks. Hall was tied for the team lead in special teams tackles before his injury, while Martin currently ranks tied for third on the team. STAT OF THE WEEK For the third time in his career, WR James Jones topped the 100-yard receiving mark, hauling in four catches for 103 yards in Tampa. Jones got things started on the second play from scrimmage, taking in a deep pass from QB Aaron Rodgers and racing down the sideline for the game s first touchdown, a 74-yarder. Jones became the fourth player on the Packers to produce a 100-yard receiving game this season, making Green Bay the first NFL team in 2009 to have four different players top the mark. WR Greg Jennings has two 100-yard performances on the season, first in Week 1 and then Week 3. TE Jermichael Finley maintains the single-game high in 2009 for receiving yards with his sixcatch, 128-yard performance in Minnesota. WR Donald Driver topped the 100-yard mark in Week 6 against Detroit with 107 receiving yards. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, 1994 was the last season the Packers had four different players top the 100-yard mark. WR Sterling Sharpe surpassed the mark five times that season, while WR Robert Brooks and WR Anthony Morgan topped it once. RB Edgar Bennett, the team s current running backs coach, also topped the 100- yard receiving mark in a game. 22

3 THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK S OPPONENT: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys All-time, regular season: All-time, postseason: 2-4 All-time, at Lambeau: 5-1 (incl NFL Championship, the Ice Bowl ) Streaks: The Cowboys have won two straight and 11 of the last 13 meetings, including three postseason games ( ). Last meeting, regular season: Sept. 21, 2008, at Lambeau Field; Cowboys won, COACHES CAPSULES Mike McCarthy: ,.551 (incl. 1-1 postseason); 4th NFL season Wade Phillips: ,.580 (incl. 0-4 postseason); 8th NFL season Head to Head: Phillips 2-0 vs. Opponent: McCarthy 0-1 vs. Buccaneers; Morris 0-0 vs. Packers MIKE McCARTHY Is in fourth year as the Packers 14th head coach. Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant. Honored as the 2007 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year and NFL Alumni Coach of the Year. Became the first Packers coach since Vince Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season. One of only three head coaches to lead an offense ranked in the top 10 in the league each of the past three years. WADE PHILLIPS Is in third year as the Cowboys seventh head coach. In 2007, became the third head coach since the NFL merger to reach 13 wins in his first season with a club. Has had only one non-winning season as a head coach. Also served as head coach for the Denver Broncos ( ) and Buffalo Bills ( ), and has now made four postseason trips overall. Spent three seasons ( ) in San Diego as defensive coordinator. Has 32 years of NFL coaching experience, including stops in Atlanta ( ), Philadelphia ( ) and New Orleans ( ). Phillips began coaching in the NFL under his father, Bum Phillips, in Houston from THE PACKERS-COWBOYS SERIES These clubs squared off in the most famous game in league history, the 1967 NFL Championship, dubbed the Ice Bowl. Kickoff temperature was recorded as 13 below zero with a minus-46 wind chill, the coldest game in league annals. Bart Starr s game-winning touchdown, a 1-yard dive with 13 seconds left, sealed Green Bay s third straight championship en route to its second consecutive Super Bowl title. Green Bay won 10 of the first 15 in the series, in which Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi - former assistants on the same New York Giants staff in the 1950s - turned into one of the NFL s preeminent rivalries. The Cowboys win at Lambeau Field last year was their first ever in Green Bay in six tries (1-5 all-time), but the series is just as one-sided in games played in Dallas. Green Bay has lost 12 of the last 13 games against the Cowboys in Dallas, including three postseason games. Their lone win during that time came on Christmas Eve in 1989, a Packers victory. The 2007 matchup marked the eighth time in league history that two 10-1 clubs met, just the second such instance since NOTABLE CONNECTIONS Wade Phillips first coached in the NFL as linebackers coach in Houston, where he coached Packers GM Ted Thompson, who played 10 seasons at linebacker ( ) for the Oilers...Thompson is a native of Atlanta, Texas, about 175 miles east of Dallas, and attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas...Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham and linebackers coach Reggie Herring coached on Houston s staff when Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers was the Texans head coach... Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum recruited and coached Cowboys assistant linebacker coach/defensive assistant Dat Nguyen at Texas A&M Slocum and Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy coached on the University of Pittsburgh staff with Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete...Cowboys wide receivers coach Ray Sherman spent five seasons in Green Bay ( ) at the same position...packers special teams assistant Curtis Fuller is a Tyler, Texas, native and attended TCU...Cowboys QB Tony Romo is a Burlington, Wis., native, while OT Doug Free is from Manitowoc, Wis....Among Packers players, native Texans include K Mason Crosby (Georgetown), WR Donald Driver (Houston), TE Jermichael Finley (Diboll), QB Matt Flynn (Tyler), DT Johnny Jolly (Houston) and DE Michael Montgomery (Center)...Linebackers A.J. Hawk (Green Bay) and Bobby Carpenter (Dallas) played together at Ohio State... Packers C Scott Wells and Cowboys TE Jason Witten were college teammates at Tennessee...Packers DE Johnny Jolly and Cowboys TE Martellus Bennett were teammates for one season at Texas A&M...Bennett and Packers TE Jermichael Finley played AAU basketball together growing up in the Houston area and worked out together this past offseason...dallas LS L.P. Ladouceur and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers were college teammates at Cal...Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick and Packers FB Korey Hall played on the same defense at Boise State for three seasons ( )... Cowboys returner Allen Rossum played two seasons previously for Green Bay ( ) while backup C Duke Preston spent 2009 training camp with the Packers...Packers public relations intern Jonathan Butnick is a Dallas native and recent graduate of Texas Tech University. INDIVIDUALLY VS. COWBOYS QB Aaron Rodgers threw his first NFL touchdown pass at Dallas in 2007, to Greg Jennings, who in two career games against the Cowboys has 13 catches for 202 yards...ryan Grant s 62-yard TD run in the 2007 game was his longest career rush until topping it three weeks later with a 66-yarder at Chicago...Donald Driver made his NFL debut in Dallas in 1999, but did not make a catch...k Mason Crosby is 5-of-5 on field goals in two games against the Cowboys, including a long of 52 yards... CB Al Harris has two career interceptions against the Cowboys, one in 2007 and the other in 2001, with Philadelphia...DE Cullen Jenkins and LB Aaron Kampman have split two different sacks against Dallas, one in 2004 (the first sack of Jenkins career) and the other last season. They both have two career sacks against the Cowboys, getting 1.5 apiece in last year s game. LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON Sept. 21, 2008, at Lambeau Field; Cowboys won, Three big plays by the Dallas offense were the difference in the game -- a 60-yard TD run by Felix Jones, a 63-yard reception by Miles Austin to set up a Marion Barber TD run, and a 52-yard TD catch by Austin. Barber finished with 28 carries for 142 yards, while Austin s two big receptions totaled 115 yards. Greg Jennings had eight receptions for 115 yards for the Packers, who did not find the end zone until Aaron Rodgers 1-yard run with 2:11 left in the fourth quarter. Al Harris left the game with an injury that turned out to be a lacerated spleen, keeping him out of the next four games. Charles Woodson held Terrell Owens to just two receptions. 3

4 PACKERS TEAM NOTES NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP It was in a game against Dallas in 2007 that folks around the country began to see what coaches and teammates had seen in practice for two-plus seasons: QB Aaron Rodgers was one of the best young signal callers in the league. Now he is simply among the best period, ranking near the top of most passing categories. He was honored as the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October, the first such award of his career. Elias Sports Bureau never intended for passer rating to measure the effectiveness of a signal caller in one game, but rather over the course of a group of games or entire season. Having said that, Rodgers performance in Week 7 in Cleveland (15-of- 20, 246 yards, 3 TDs) earned him a passer rating of 155.4, the highest single-game rating (minimum 20 attempts) in the history of the franchise. It bested the previous high, Brett Favre s rating set in Oakland on Dec. 22, It was Rodgers fourth consecutive game with a passer rating over 110.0, becoming only the second signal caller in team history to eclipse the mark four straight times in a single season. The legendary Bart Starr accomplished the feat four straight weeks during the 1966 season (Sept. 18-Oct. 9) en route to an NFL Championship and Super Bowl title. Rodgers just missed becoming the first to do it in five straight games, registering a rating against Minnesota two weeks ago. Not only does the statistic explain his play this season, but just how efficient he has been since becoming a starter. In 24 career starts, Rodgers has eclipsed the century mark in passer rating 13 times. Through eight games in 2009, his passer rating ranks fifth in the NFL. Rodgers is the game s top-ranked passer on third downs (135.0), nearly 10 points ahead of No. 2 Eli Manning (125.7). Of Rodgers 16 TD passes, eight have come on third down. The fourth-year pro has thrown for 2,255 yards through eight games, a pace that would put him at 4,510 passing yards at season s end. That would break Lynn Dickey s franchise record (4,458, 1983) for passing yards in a single season. In addition to passing rating and yards, Rodgers ranks tied for third with 16 TD passes. And just for good measure, the Cal product tops all QBs with 214 rushing yards on 32 carries (6.7 avg.). DEFENSE BEGINS RISE IN RANKINGS Ever since a season-opening win over Chicago, Green Bay s defense has seen a slow and steady rise up the league s rankings, now finding itself as the league s fourth-ranked unit heading into Week 10. Allowing an average of yards per contest, the defense ranks behind only the New York Giants (272.3), New York Jets (273.4) and Denver (280.3). Some would argue that a more important and telling statistic is scoring defense, and not how many yards a team allows. With 154 points allowed, Green Bay s defense ranks 14th in the NFL. Two weeks ago, Green Bay found itself as the league s No. 3 overall defense and could get back into the league s upper echelon with a solid performance against Dallas. The last time it ranked in the NFL s top three at any point in the season was 2001, when it ranked No. 3 in Week 9. In the first two years of the McCarthy tenure, Green Bay s defense was close to being a top-10 unit, finishing at No. 12 in 2006 and No. 11 in Last season, it slipped to No. 20. Enter a new defensive coordinator, veteran coach Dom Capers, and a switch to the 3-4 scheme. The early results have been good, especially now that the defense is relatively healthy. Green Bay s improved defense against the run has put opponents in third-and-long situations. In fact, since giving up big yardage to Steven Jackson and the Rams in Week 3, Green Bay ranks as the league s top run defense in yards per carry (3.1 avg.). Also over that span, it has allowed a league-low nine rushes of 10-plus yards. Keeping opponents in long down-and-distances has helped the defense s ability to get off the field on third down. Through the first four games, the unit ranked No. 28. Solid third-down defense over the past four games now has the unit at No. 4. This week s opponent, Dallas, ranks No. 14 in third-down offense. One constant for the defense this season has been its ability to take the ball away, registering 17 of the team s 18 takeaways. Whether it be caused by pressure from a deep and talented front seven, or a fantastic read by a ball-hawking secondary led by Pro Bowlers Nick Collins, Al Harris and Charles Woodson, those 18 turnovers have led to 68 points, the fourth-highest points-off-takeaways total. In Capers previous stints as a coordinator, his units have made a jump in the rankings in his first season. In Pittsburgh, the defense went from No. 22 to No. 13 in 92 under Capers, then continued to rise to No. 3 in 93 and No. 2 in 94. In Jacksonville, the defense climbed to No. 4 under Capers in 99 after ranking 25th the previous season. The Dolphins ranked No. 4 in 2006, Capers first year, after ranking No. 18 in 05. TAKEAWAYS A PLUS While many football statistics don t have far-reaching implications through the early part of the season, turnover ratio is always a telling statistic when it comes to a game s final outcome. The Packers 18 takeaways ranks tied for the third-highest total in the NFL. New Orleans leads the league with 24 takeaways, while Philadelphia ranks second with 22. Thanks also in part to an offense that has turned the ball over eight times, tied for the second-lowest amount in the NFL, Green Bay s plus- 10 turnover ratio ranks second in the NFL behind Philadelphia (+11). This week s opponent, Dallas, stands at an even zero. It has 11 takeaways (six interceptions, five fumble recoveries) and 11 turnovers (five interceptions, six fumbles). Of the Packers takeaways, 12 have come via the interception, third highest in the league. The Packers also have six fumble recoveries. Of the Packers turnovers, five have come on interceptions and three have come on fumbles. All eight have come in the passing game. Two of the fumbles lost have come on sacks of QB Aaron Rodgers, while another came on a screen pass to RB Ryan Grant. Every single Packers practice, be it during OTAs, training camp or the regular season, has a period devoted to ball security. Headed by assistant head coach/inside linebackers Winston Moss, the drill has offensive skill players carry the ball while two defenders (linebackers and defensive backs) try to strip the ball. Once free, the offensive player then must run through a gauntlet of offensive and defensive linemen attempting to strip the ball loose. The drill puts an emphasis on ball security to offensive players. For defensive players, the drill keeps the focus on stripping the ball from opposing players. Overall, the team has seven forced fumbles on the year (one on special teams), six of which it has recovered. While the Packers can be proud of their place atop the league in turnover margin, it is a statistic that has trended upwards in each of McCarthy s three seasons. In 2006, the team finished at even in the category but improved to plusfour in Last season s plus-seven margin, No. 6 among NFL teams, was the franchise s best mark since 2002 (+17). Prior to McCarthy s arrival, the team had a franchise-worst turnover ratio (-24) in

5 PACKERS TEAM NOTES LEADING THE DEFENSE With Pro Bowl balloting having opened, two of the veteran leaders on defense should start to garner serious attention when it comes to nominations: DE Cullen Jenkins and CB Charles Woodson. Jenkins, who played both inside and outside in the old scheme, has taken quickly to his new position at end in the 3-4. Thus far, Jenkins has 26 tackles, including four for loss, and leads one of the league s topranked defenses in sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (3). Jenkins forced fumble total is tied for third highest in the NFL behind Pittsburgh s James Harrison (4) and San Diego s Shaun Phillips (4). Against Detroit, Jenkins recorded his first NFL interception, sniffing out a screen pass to RB Kevin Smith. Jenkins said after the game it was his first interception since high school, though his one as a schoolboy was called back because of a penalty. Jenkins season-ending pectoral injury last season was a big reason for the defensive struggles that plagued the team toward the end of Stout enough to hold the point against the run and adeptly quick at getting past linemen in pass-rush scenarios, it s no doubt Jenkins is one of the most talented players on the defensive side of the ball. Woodson, who has also had to make an adjustment from playing a man-to-man style to one that involves more reading of the quarterback, also is thriving in the new scheme. Just this week he was named to the Pro Football Weekly Midseason All-Pro Team. Matched up against TE Greg Olsen in Week 1, Woodson limited one of Chicago s biggest offensive threats to just one catch for eight yards. In Week 2 against the Bengals, Woodson recorded his fourth career multi-interception game, his third since coming to Green Bay in He raced one of the interceptions 37 yards for a touchdown, his fifth interception return for a score since coming to Green Bay. That number ties him with No. 2 Bobby Dillon and Darren Sharper on the team s alltime list. Interceptions against the Rams and Browns give him a teamhigh four on the season. Woodson has been credited with 45 tackles through eight games, a pace that would have him surpass his career high before season s end. Twice he has tallied 79, which he recorded two different times, first in Oakland in 2000 and again last season with Green Bay. The folks in the league office noticed how fast Woodson came out of the gate too, naming him the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. It was the second such award of his career. There s no doubt Woodson s career has been revitalized since coming to Green Bay in Thanks to the ability of those around him, CB Al Harris and CB Tramon Williams among others, opposing quarterbacks can no longer decide to ignore throwing in Woodson s direction. Woodson now has 40 career interceptions, sixth among active NFL players. For his career, 23 have come in Green and Gold. Those 23 interceptions have come in 54 games with the Packers. In 106 games with the Oakland Raiders, he had 17. JOLLY RECORDS RARE TRIFECTA Eight games into the season, DE Johnny Jolly has filled up the stat sheet in a number of categories. Making the transition from an inside defensive tackle in the old scheme to an end this season, Jolly leads all defensive linemen with 44 tackles. If he is to continue the pace, Jolly will surpass the career high of 82 tackles he set in 2008 when he became a full-time starter for the first time. Displaying rare athleticism for a 6-foot-3, 320-pound man, he made a highlight-reel one-handed interception in the red zone against Jay Cutler and the Bears in Week 1. Jolly also plucked another ball out of the air on a dive against St. Louis, though the ball was ruled a fumble because of a strip by LB Aaron Kampman. That play came just minutes after Jolly blocked a field-goal attempt on the Rams opening drive. It was the second block of his career. It had been awhile since a Packers player recorded an interception, fumble recovery and blocked kick in the same season. That was CB Doug Evans in Jolly s athleticism isn t new to his teammates. To a man, they all credit him with being one of the best basketball players on the team. With Jenkins interception against the Lions, the duo became the first pair of Packers defensive linemen to record interceptions in the same season since 2002, when Kabeer Gbaja-Biamilia and Vonnie Holliday accomplished the feat. GRANT AND THE GROUND GAME Falling behind to Dallas last season forced Head Coach Mike McCarthy to abandon the run, as RB Ryan Grant finished with just 13 carries for 54 yards (4.2 avg.). It was a similar story in Dallas in 07, when Grant had 14 carries for 94 yards (6.7 avg.) and a score. Grant is coming off a fine performance in Tampa in which he rushed 21 times for 96 yards (4.6 avg.) and a touchdown. Though he has just one 100-yard performance in 2009, Grant surpassed the 90-yard mark for the fourth time. Without much fanfare, Grant s numbers rank among the leaders in the NFC. His rushing total (621 yards) ranks fifth in the conference and ninth overall in the NFL. Being utilized more in the screen game this season, his 124 receiving yards through eight games is already challenging a career high, set in 2007 with 145 receiving yards. His 745 yards from scrimmage ranks fifth in the NFC. McCarthy has consistently stated in his time in Green Bay that the most important rushing statistic to him is attempts, and there is no doubting the team s success when the attempts are up, specifically for Grant. When Grant gets 22-or-more carries, the team is 9-1 (10-1 including playoffs). With veteran RB Ahman Green back in the fold, not to mention a quarterback whose feet are a weapon opposing defenses must account for, Green Bay totaled 170 net yards on the ground against Tampa. Its season high came in Cleveland, when it produced 202 net yards on the ground. RB Brandon Jackson still sits at No. 2 on the depth chart and has served as the team s third-down back in his two-plus seasons. As Green works his way back into football shape, not to mention Jackson who missed the first four games of the season with an ankle injury he suffered in the preseason, both could begin to spell Grant from scrimmage and keep all three backs fresh as the team makes its push to contend for a playoff spot in the NFC. Traditionally the Packers have run more over the second half of the season as the weather turns. With four remaining home games, not to mention potential cold-weather games in Chicago and Pittsburgh, the offense may become a more ground-based attack. 5

6 PACKERS TEAM NOTES THE BIG PLAY RETURNS Thanks to a bevy of talent around him at the skill positions, QB Aaron Rodgers has been doing plenty of damage through the air in the season s first eight games. This weekend matches up the two most prolific signal callers when it comes to the long ball. Rodgers and Dallas Tony Romo are tied atop the league with 10 completions of 40-plus yards. In terms of what coaches often classify as big plays (gains of 20-plus yards), Rodgers has 30 completions (tied for seventh) while Romo has 31 (tied for fourth) through eight games. The big plays have always been a staple of the offense under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, as the team ranked second in the NFL in gains of 20-plus yards when it went to the NFC Championship in That year, the team racked up 67 such plays, 52 of which came through the air. In 2008 when it went 6-10, the team had 58 plays of 20-plus yards, 12th best in the NFL, and 48 came via the pass last season. As team statistics begin to balance out with the bye weeks, the Packers currently rank seventh overall with 35 plays of 20-plus yards. Dallas is tied atop the league standings with New Orleans and Pittsburgh with 40 big plays. While the numbers do show the explosiveness of the Packers offense through the air, it also tells the story of a run game that hasn t sprung the big play consistently. The Packers have five big runs on the season, three from RB Ryan Grant, one from RB Ahman Green and a career-long 35-yard scramble from Rodgers. The Packers had 10 big-play runs on the ground in 2008 and 15 in They must aim to get back into the double digits in the category to maintain their place among the NFL s most dangerous offenses. Through the air, it s been tough for opponents to pick just one player to stop. So far, five different players (Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley, James Jones and Spencer Havner) have a reception of 45-plus yards on the season. The last time the team had five or more players post a gain of 45-plus yards was 1983, when a teamrecord six players accomplished the feat. The franchise mark of six was originally established in MR. EVERYTHING FINDS THE END ZONE An unlikely star has emerged for the Packers, as TE Spencer Havner has found the end zone three times. When TE Jermichael Finley went down on the opening drive in Cleveland, Havner (pronounced HAY-vner) made his presence felt thanks to a 45-yard catch-and-run touchdown. It was the first TD of his career. Coupled with a 62-yard scoring pass by Finley in Minnesota in Week 4, this marks the first time the Packers have had two tight ends with 45-plus yard TDs in the same season. Proving just how versatile, and valuable, he is to the Packers, Havner made the tackle of Browns WR Joshua Cribbs on the ensuing kickoff. Havner ranks second on special teams with nine stops. Against Minnesota in Week 8, Havner caught two TD passes in the third quarter, the first multi-td game of his career. His three TD catches rank second on the team behind WR Donald Driver (four). Havner is the type of guy all players in the locker room root for, having spent parts of the last three seasons ( ) on the Packers practice squad. He played the last four games of 2008, all on special teams. A decorated linebacker at UCLA, Havner spent the previous three years at linebacker before coaches had him begin practicing at tight end this past spring. During two-a-days in training camp, he would practice once with each side of the ball. Havner remains on the depth chart at inside linebacker and would probably see action there in the event of an injury or two. Should he see time on defense this season, he would become the first three-way player in Head Coach Mike McCarthy s tenure. Going through the personnel in the spring, we just felt we needed to create an opportunity to get Spencer on the 53, McCarthy said. The opportunity was created with him playing both tight end and linebacker and trying to be a core special teams player, and he definitely took advantage of that in the preseason. I thought his special teams play was definitely exemplary coming off the way he played those last three, four games when he was up on our 53-man roster to finish last season. We just felt he s an instinctive football player. He s a young man that s taken full advantage of his opportunities. You love to see guys like Spencer have success. ALL IN THE FAMILY Rookie LB Clay Matthews has a ways to go before entering the stratosphere of his father s exceptional 19-year NFL playing career. Drafted in the first round by the Browns in 1978, Clay Jr. played 16 of his 19 NFL seasons in Cleveland, earning four Pro Bowl berths. Now entrenched as the starter at one of the outside linebacker spots, Matthews has begun to make the big plays the Packers knew he was capable of when they traded back into the first round to select him. In his first career start against the Vikings, just his fourth professional contest, he accomplished something it took his dad nine-plus seasons to cross off his own checklist. Matthews second-quarter strip of All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson and subsequent 42-yard sprint to the end zone marked the first touchdown of his young career. The elder Matthews didn t find the end zone until his 127th pro game, when he returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown on Sept. 20, 1987, in a win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Matthews got two sacks the following game against Detroit, and through eight games is filling up the stat sheet. To go along with 25 tackles, he has three sacks, four passes defensed and a forced fumble and recovery for a touchdown. He also has been a staple on the special-teams units. Thanks to a two-sack effort against Detroit, Matthews was honored as the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week in Week 6. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Matthews is one of seven players in the NFL this season whose father has also scored in a league game. Dallas Marion Barber also is on the list: Father Clay Matthews Jr. Danny Bradley Marion Barber Kellen Winslow Stan Edwards Tim Wilson COACH LOCATIONS Son Clay Matthews III Mark Bradley Marion and Dominique Barber Kellen Winslow II Braylon Edwards Josh Wilson Coaches Box: Dom Capers (defensive coordinator), Jerry Fontenot (asst. offensive line), Scott McCurley (defensive quality control), Chad Morton (administrator), Joe Philbin (offensive coordinator), John Rushing (offensive quality control), and Joe Whitt (secondary - cornerbacks). Sideline: Edgar Bennett (running backs), James Campen (offensive line), Tom Clements (quarterbacks), Mike Eayrs (research and development), Curtis Fuller (special teams asst.), Kevin Greene (outside linebackers), Ben McAdoo (tight ends), Winston Moss (inside linebackers/asst. head coach), Darren Perry (secondary - safeties), Jimmy Robinson (wide receivers), Shawn Slocum (special teams coordinator) and Mike Trgovac (defensive line). 66

7 MIKE McCARTHY TRANSCRIPT EXCERPTS FROM THE COACH MONDAY, NOV. 9 OK, I ll start with the injuries. Mark Tauscher had a knee sprain to the same knee that he had surgery on. Pat doesn t think it s a serious, long-term injury. He ll have a slight chance to play this week. At most it would be a couple-week injury. Aaron Kampman suffered a concussion, and as far as his availability for this week s work, it s still up in the air. With that I ll take your questions. (If Tauscher s not ready, do you go the same way you finished yesterday?) That s something that after we look at the film today, we ll look at all of our options. I am not committed to a starting five today. (Do you think you ll have Finley this week?) Jermichael Finley? Jermichael was very sore on Saturday, so we didn t work him out on Sunday. So we ll just see how he progresses. I thought he made leaps and bounds on Thursday and Friday. I think he ll be questionable to doubtful, in that range. (Is this going to be a week where you have to work it out?) I would say that s accurate. I would say it s very similar to the last two weeks. It s unfortunate that we strive for continuity of building a starting five with the offensive line, we haven t been able to accomplish that. Injuries are part of the game, once again. So it will take the full week s work to sort that out. (There were times Aaron had time to throw. Have you seen what the problem is there?) Our passing game was not productive, or as productive as it s been in the past. They played a lot of man-under, match coverage, or however you want to refer to it as. We had a number of opportunities for one-on-ones, and for whatever reason, we did not get that accomplished. I thought time and time again, particularly in the first three quarters, we had ample time. Really our biggest pass protection breakdowns were in the fourth quarter. (Are you OK with the pass Aaron threw that was picked off at the goal line, the decision there?) I was OK with the decision based on the matchup of who Greg was going to the post on. They played what we refer to as quarters coverage. We were looking for our two-deep scheme there - quarters is a form of two-deep - and the ability to get Greg or Donald matched up on their safeties. I thought Aaron gave Greg a catchable ball. It was obviously a tight coverage throw, but as far as a shot play, which that is described as, I was comfortable with the decision. (To go back to the other question, so guys had trouble getting open?) We were challenged by their secondary. So you can take that for what it s worth. They won the game. They did a good job against our passing game. We felt that our passing game would have been a strength versus their secondary, and if we played them again tomorrow, we would go right back at their secondary. But they did a good job. (Will this week challenge you to keep the team together after these two tough losses?) This is definitely a challenge. There s no question about it. Year four, you look at the different things you ve experienced in the past, this will be a challenging day. It always is when you lose, even moreso when you lose two in a row, even moreso when you lose in the fashion that we did in Tampa. It was a game we expected to win. It s a game that we didn t do some of the necessary things in spots of the game. Yes, this will definitely be a challenge. (The kick-coverage breakdowns, are there common threads from the last two games?) Well, the timing of it is the biggest common thread. To take the lead, to have momentum in the game at that point, 11-point lead and what was it, 11 minutes left in the game, and for them to come right back with the return, it s disappointing. It s lane integrity. It s nothing more than that. We had used kick away was the kick call, and Mason did a very good job with that prior to that kick, by kicking the ball deep in the end zone. But we did a poor job with our lane integrity, and that was obviously a big play in the game. (When you re-made the roster for the 3-4, you talked about more body types for special teams. Are you surprised you re not better in that area?) I m disappointed in the way we played on special teams the last two weeks. There s no question about that. I thought our coverage units had played very well up until the last two weeks. We ve had some injuries to key core players, but it s no different than what we re going through with the rest of our team, and it s important for individuals that step up in those positions to do their job. It s something we need to make sure we re ready for Dallas, because it s definitely factored in the last two weeks. The momentum swings, the field positions swings that we ve had two weeks in a row has definitely factored in the outcome. (Have you thought about switching any responsibilities in the coaching staff to help oversee the offensive line or special teams?) I m very confident in our structure, our job responsibility, job description of every position. Offensive line, the way we re built, structured on staff is by design. We have four individuals on our offensive staff that I d be very confident in coaching the offensive line, so I feel we have a high level of expertise on that side of the ball. Special teams, I think Shawn Slocum has done a good job in putting his print on what we re trying to do philosophically compared to the prior three years. But our problems to me aren t teaching and scheme, they do not fall in that area. (But to be talking about the same stuff every Monday, it seems the message is getting lost. Is there value to having a new voice in the room?) There is structure. To have a new message or a new messenger, I m confident that s not what our football team needs right now. They have a very loud, direct, clear message in the team meetings day in and day out. So there is no question or uncertainty of what we are asking everybody to do, coaches and players, and the accountability of what needs to be done. Hey, we re disappointed and we re 4-4. We re at the halfway point of our season. I m very disappointed, but that s our work to this point. I take full responsibility. I m at the point of this football team. I have all the confidence in this team that we ll get ready and we ll move on and win a big game here at home against Dallas. (Do you have any other options at punt returner?) I think Tramon has done some good things. I think you need to look at A, what he is doing with the football and B, the opportunities that are presented to himself. He s been put in some tough spots. Also he has the ability to go back and do the kickoff return too. I m comfortable with Tramon back there. (With giving up so many sacks, are you open to talking to other coaches or friends for other suggestions, or do you believe in your philosophy of correcting in practice?) I think anytime you are in problem solving, it s about applying solutions. It s obvious what has gone on in our particular failures in that area. There are other options as we move forward, and those are some of the things we ll look to in certain situations. We don t need wholesale change. We may need to adjust some things and that will be our focus. But as far as going outside the building, I m not going to sit here and tell you that I have all the answers, but I m very confident in the issues that we ve had in pass protection, that they are correctable. 7

8 PACKERS TEAM NOTES 281 AND COUNTING Green Bay s last home game against Minnesota brought the largest regular-season crowd in Lambeau Field history (71,213) and the stadium s consecutive sellouts streak to 281 games (265 regular season, 16 playoffs). This weekend s game against Dallas could challenge some of those attendance records. The 2008 Cowboys game brought the then-largest regular-season crowd (71,113) in Lambeau Field history. The league s longest-tenured stadium, Lambeau Field is hosting its 53rd season of football this year. A total of 565,460 fans came through the turnstiles in the eight home contests in 2008, an average of 70,683. Across American professional sports, only Boston s Fenway Park (1912) and Chicago s Wrigley Field (1914) have longer tenures. THE LAMBEAU ADVANTAGE The crown jewel of the National Football League, Lambeau Field has long been known as one of the tougher venues to play in, particularly during the harsh Wisconsin winter. Though 2-2 on the season at home, the Packers have won 15 of their last 22 regular-season games at Lambeau Field. McCarthy has stated consistently that one of the team s goals is to reclaim the mystique of playing at Lambeau Field. Mission accomplished. The team was 11-5 at home over the last two seasons ( ), a marked improvement over the prior three seasons (10-14 combined). Since Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren began the revitalization of the franchise in 1992, Green Bay owns the best home record in the NFL. A look at the top home W-L records since the 92 season: Team W-L record Pct. Green Bay Pittsburgh Denver Minnesota Dallas WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE Four of the Packers first eight games have come down to plays in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, most notably the season opener. QB Aaron Rodgers hit WR Greg Jennings with the game-winning touchdown pass with just over one minute remaining. In three of Green Bay s losses, the team has tried to rally from double-digit deficits but fell short each time in the closing moments. In eight of the 10 losses from 2008, the Packers either led or were behind by no more than one score in the fourth quarter. In those same eight games, the outcome was decided in the final two minutes. Even though the Packers finished the season plus-39 in scoring differential, they finished 6-10 because of their failure to make a play when they needed it. The lessons of 2008, as Coach McCarthy referred to them this entire offseason, center around the Packers coming up with the critical play in crunch time, whether it be on offense, defense or special teams. Their seven losses in games decided by four points or less tied the second-highest total in NFL history. It wasn t a problem of putting up points in the final frame, as Green Bay s 150 fourth-quarter points were second in the NFL behind San Diego (152). Perhaps most telling was the fact that the Green Bay defense allowed the second-most fourth-quarter points (135) in the league. Only Houston (136) allowed more. The two-minute drill was heavily stressed on both sides of the ball all offseason and still occurs in the course of a regular-season week. The drill almost always comes toward the end of practice to help simulate the fatigue and end-of-game conditions. NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES HEADLINE 2009 SCHEDULE The Packers play each division rival once in front of a national television audience, including an upcoming Thanksgiving game in Detroit against the Lions in Week 12. The team has already played a season-opening game on NBC Sunday Night Football and a Monday night game at Minnesota, and the Packers will have another appearance on Monday night Dec. 7 in a Week 13 showdown with the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field. It marks the first MNF game played at Lambeau Field in the month of December marks the 17th consecutive season the Packers have appeared on Monday Night Football, the NFC s longest active streak. This weekend s game against the Cowboys will go to most of the country as part of the FOX doubleheader. The fifth home game on the schedule, the Cowboys contest is slated as a Gold Package (Milwaukee season-ticket holders) game. Cincinnati came to Lambeau Field in Week 2 for the other Gold Package game. Of Green Bay s final four games of the season, a slate that includes matchups at Super Bowl XLIII opponents Arizona and Pittsburgh, as well as the final division game in Chicago, only the Cardinals contest and a home game against Seattle are subject to the NFL s flexible scheduling. Green Bay is not a candidate to be flexed in Week 11 against San Francisco because the team plays just four days later against Detroit on Thanksgiving. The Packers also are not a candidate to be flexed in Week 14 or 15 because of FOX protecting the Bears and Steelers games. SCHEDULE NUGGETS Green Bay s bye week Week 5 was the earliest bye for the team since 1999, when it had its bye in Week 4. Though its bye week came early, the team will get some rest coming off the Thanksgiving contest. It won t play until the following Monday night, Dec. 7, at home. The Packers have five games against playoff teams from a year ago (Week 4 at Minnesota, Week 8 vs. Minnesota, Week 13 vs. Baltimore, Week 15 at Pittsburgh and Week 17 at Arizona). Green Bay plays three of the four teams who played in last season s conference championships. All three games (vs. Baltimore, at Pittsburgh, at Arizona) occur in the season s final five weeks. Making the season s final stretch tougher too is the fact that three of the final four games will be on the road. For the first time since 2003, the Packers will not play a division opponent in the season s final three weeks. 88

9 PACKERS TEAM NOTES MEET THE NEWCOMERS Of the current 53-man roster, there are only a few new faces in the Packers locker room. 11 players are new to the team this year, while 42 return. The rookie draft class, seven of whom made the opening-day roster, are led by first-round picks NT B.J. Raji and LB Clay Matthews. Raji made his professional debut in Week 3 after missing the first two weeks with an ankle sprain. He has played both the nose tackle and end positions. Matthews began the season as a backup but has now worked his way into a starting role. In his first start with the base defense against the Lions, Matthews registered a career high with two sacks. Sixth-round pick DE Jarius Wynn has seen action in four games on special teams and provided depth along the defensive line, while sixthround pick CB Brandon Underwood made his professional debut against the Lions. LB Brad Jones also made his professional debut in Week 3 and has been a valuable member of the coverage units, collecting eight special teams stops. Rookies on offense include fourth-round pick G/T T.J. Lang, fifthround choice FB Quinn Johnson and non-drafted free agent G/C Evan Dietrich-Smith. Lang and Dietrich-Smith both showed the ability to play multiple positions along the line, while Johnson packs a punch clearing holes for running backs. Lang has made two starts at left tackle. The only other newcomers to the 2009 team are in the secondary with S Derrick Martin, who was acquired in a trade with Baltimore on the roster cutdown day, and S Matt Giordano, who signed prior to Week 3. Martin arrived with a familiarity with the 3-4 defense and a reputation as a solid specialteams player. Martin saw considerable action from scrimmage against the Rams and Vikings given the injury to S Atari Bigby. Martin has made an early impact on special teams, where he has eight stops. Giordano, who played four seasons and won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts, tallied two special teams stops in his Packers debut at St. Louis. While he technically doesn t count as a returning player, RB Ahman Green has spent seven seasons in Green Bay, including the 2006 season with mostly the same offensive staff. STARTING FAST Mike McCarthy, like all NFL coaches, stresses the importance of getting out to a quick start in the first half of the 2009 schedule in order to springboard the team to greater successes. This offseason, one of the main goals was an added emphasis on starting fast literally in the first quarter through an increased tempo at the line of scrimmage and ultimately more point production. The Packers produced a total of 13 points (one TD, two FGs) on their first offensive possessions a year ago, second fewest among all NFL teams (Detroit, 10). Despite ranking No. 5 in total scoring (419 points) in 2008, the Packers produced their lowest output (61 points) in the first quarter. That total ranked tied for 20th. The Packers scored a touchdown on their opening drive in Tampa, giving them 17 points on opening drives (two TDs, one FG) through the first half of In terms of opening-quarter scoring, the Packers have already equaled their 2008 output with 61 points in the opening frame. Thus far, the defense has also taken to beginning the game fast, with 12 of its 17 defensive takeaways coming in the first half. It has allowed just 28 first-quarter points, fewest of any quarter. Thanks to opportunities created in part by their ball-hawking defense, the Packers have scored 136 first-half points. Opponents have scored only 95 first-half points against the Packers defense. The Packers lone TD drive on the opening possession in 2008 also came in Tampa. Of games played at Lambeau Field, Green Bay s opening TD drive gainst Detroit in Week 6 was its first time finding the end zone on the game s opening drive at home since the 2007 regular-season finale, also against Detroit. STATE OF THE O-LINE Playing against the Minnesota Vikings is about as difficult a challenge as there is for an offensive line in the National Football League. Against a talented defensive line that features three Pro Bowl players and a solid linebacking corps, the Packers allowed 14 sacks to their division rivals in two matchups. However, Green Bay has failed to protect QB Aaron Rodgers against other opponent as well, as the team has now allowed an NFL-high 37 sacks. That number already surpasses the team's 2008 total, when it allowed 34. Rodgers has only gone one game (at Cleveland) without getting sacked. McCarthy has pointed out all year that pass protection involves more than just the offensive line, including making calls and adjustments that bring the tight end or back into the protection scheme, as well as the decision-making of the quarterback. Injuries have not helped the unit in terms of continuity, as McCarthy has had to use five different starting lineups across the line through the first eight games. The offensive line he settled on in training camp started the first two contests before it was beset by injuries. C Scott Wells is now atop the depth chart at center after the team placed C/G Jason Spitz on injured reserve last weekend. T Chad Clifton returned from a nagging ankle injury and played most of the game at left tackle. He was spelled briefly by rookie G/T T.J. Lang, who started two games at left tackle in Clifton s absence. Lang also played a number of positions along the line in training camp. On the right side, G Josh Sitton has started every game, but questions remain at tackle. T Mark Tauscher saw his first action of the season in Tampa, and like Clifton was spelled on a few series by T Allen Barbre. However, an injury to Tauscher s knee, the same knee which suffered an ACL tear last season, could put his status for Sunday in doubt. The Packers won t need any reminding of how good the Dallas pass rush can be. All the team needs to do is put on last year s tape, in which the Cowboys got to Rodgers five times. LB DeMarcus Ware leads the Dallas defense with five sacks and lines up on both sides of the field. NT Jay Ratliff provides plenty of push up the middle, as evidenced by his four sacks. 9

10 PACKERS TEAM NOTES JENNINGS AMONG GAME S MOST DANGEROUS After a breakout season in 2008 and a long-term contract extension in the offseason, WR Greg Jennings started the season with a bang with another 100-yard effort and the game-winning TD catch in Week 1. He is already one of the top big-play receivers in the league, something he has proven in each of his first three seasons. Jennings established career highs last season in catches (80) and receiving yards (1,292), finishing sixth among all players in yardage. Jennings 21 catches of 20 yards-or-more tied for second in the NFL behind Carolina s Steve Smith (23). Detroit s Calvin Johnson also had 21 catches of 20-plus yards. On even longer receptions, Jennings begins to break away from the field. He led all players in 2008 with eight catches of 40-plus yards. Of his 26 career touchdown catches, 11 have been at least 40 yards in length. He has a staggering average of 31.2 yards per TD catch. Over the past two seasons, no one has been as productive a deep threat as Jennings. A look at the numbers across the NFL from : Player 40-plus-yard catches 40-plus-yard TDs Greg Jennings, GB 15 8 Randy Moss, NE 12 8 Terrell Owens, BUF 12 8 Donald Driver, GB 10 2 Steve Smith, CAR 10 5 TOP 10 AGAIN For an offense that has registered over 400 yards in five of its last six games, the unit is back among the NFL s top 10 offenses, a familiar place under play caller and Head Coach Mike McCarthy. For the third consecutive season in 2008, the unit finished among the NFL s top 10. Philadelphia and New Orleans are the only other teams to finish in the top 10 in offense each of the last three seasons. Even with a new starting quarterback in 2008, the Packers finished No. 8 overall with an average of yards per contest. The unit finished No. 2 in 2007 (370.7 yards per game) and No. 9 in 2006 (341.1) under McCarthy. McCarthy spent six seasons as an offensive coordinator and play caller prior to his arrival in Green Bay (New Orleans , San Francisco 2005). Twice the Saints ranked among the NFL s top-10 offenses. HIT THE GROUND RUNNING Looking at RB Ryan Grant s numbers from 2008, it d be hard to think the third-year back is hoping for bigger and better in 09. Grant became just the fourth running back in team history to surpass the 1,200-yard mark, as his total (1,203) in 2008 was the seventh-best single-season rushing total in franchise history. Though it didn t cause him to miss any playing time, Grant suffered a hamstring injury during training camp last year, and it clearly had an effect on his early-season performance. Grant hopes for similar numbers over the second half of the season compared to last year, when he recorded three 100-yard performances over the final seven games. Statistics from 2008 show how pivotal the success in the run game was to the Packers overall success. Interestingly, the team performed much better on the ground at home than it did on the road. While deficits and game-planning may factor in to how much a team commits to the run, carries at home versus on the road were nearly identical. Five times a Green Bay running back surpassed 100 yards in a game in 2008 (four by Grant, one by DeShawn Wynn). All five 100-yard efforts came at Lambeau Field. The Packers were 3-1 in games in which a running back recorded 100 yards or more. Green Bay lost all five contests last season in which it failed to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark as a team. One of those came at Lambeau Field (vs. Dallas), while the rest came on the road (at Tampa, at Minnesota, at Jacksonville, at Chicago). Green Bay s four best single-game rushing totals in 08 (vs. Det., vs. Chi., vs. Car., vs. Min.) all came at home. The team was 3-1 in those games. The team had nearly an equal amount of carries at home as it did on the road, but the production on the road was more than 400 yards less than at Lambeau Field. Perhaps most glaring is that the team nearly averaged two more yards per carry at home than on the road. In 2008 Home Away Attempts Attempts/Game Rushing Yards 1, Yards/Game Yards/Attempt PACKERS IN WEEKLY 2009 TEAM RANKINGS NFL Offense NFL Defense After Week Opp. Total Rush Pass Total Rush Pass 1 CHI T 23 2 CIN at StL at Min (bye) T DET at Cle MIN T at TB DAL 11 SF 12 at Det 13 BAL 14 at Chi 15 at Pit 16 SEA 17 at Ari Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in Packers in

11 PACKERS TEAM NOTES CAPERS HEADLINES NEW STAFF On the heels of a disappointing 6-10 season, a new defensive staff and scheme headlined the changes for 2009 at 1265 Lombardi Ave. Dom Capers was brought in as defensive coordinator, and the Packers began the transition to a 3-4 scheme in offseason workouts. Joining Capers on the defensive staff are Mike Trgovac (defensive line), who spent the last six years in Carolina as defensive coordinator; outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene, third on the NFL s all-time sacks list and a former player under Capers; and safeties coach Darren Perry, who most recently coached in Oakland and also played under Capers in Pittsburgh. Assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach Winston Moss remains on the staff, as does Joe Whitt Jr., who spent 2008 as defensive quality control before his promotion to cornerbacks coach this offseason. Shawn Slocum was promoted to special teams coordinator after serving as the unit s assistant each of the last three seasons. Curtis Fuller, a former Packers safety and training camp coaching intern, serves as his assistant. New strength and conditioning coordinator Dave Redding is in his 23rd season at the NFL level, while Scott McCurley (defense) and John Rushing (offense) are the quality control coaches. MORE ON DOM CAPERS Charged with orchestrating the Packers new 3-4 defense is veteran coach Dom Capers, who is in his 24th season on the NFL level in 2009, his 17th as a defensive coordinator or head coach. Noted around the league as one of the game s best defensive minds, Capers is charged with transitioning the Packers to a 3-4 defense. Much of the depth chart on defense returned, including all 11 primary starters. The offseason was heavily focused on learning the new system, including position changes for some. None received more attention than Pro Bowler Aaron Kampman, who made the switch to playing outside linebacker as opposed to a 4-3 defensive end. In addition to serving as the head coach of two different expansion franchises (Carolina and Houston), Capers brings an impressive résumé as a coordinator. Pittsburgh ranked No. 22 in overall defense in 1991, the year before Capers arrival. The Steelers defense rose up in the defensive rankings to 13th in 1992, Capers first season as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. The unit rose to No. 3 in 1993 and No. 2 in 1994, earning the moniker Blitzburgh with one of the decade s most feared defenses. Capers instant impact was also seen in his stint as defensive coordinator with Jacksonville ( ) and Miami ( ). Ranking 25th in overall defense in 1998, the Jaguars unit rose immediately under Capers in 99 to No. 4 overall in addition to allowing the fewest points in the NFL. The Dolphins ranked No. 18 in overall defense in 2005 but rose to No. 4 in 2006 under Capers, with DE Jason Taylor earning Defensive Player of the Year honors that season as well. three Pro Bowl honorees from a year ago to help ease the transition in the defensive backfield. With the team among the first in the league this season to tally double-digit interceptions, it seems the transition has happened quite seamlessly. You d be hard-pressed to find a more productive cornerback duo than Al Harris and Charles Woodson across the NFL. Harris, named to the NFC Pro Bowl squad each of the last two years, is one of the most physical corners in the game. Woodson, who has lined up all over the field in Capers defense, was named to his fifth career Pro Bowl in 08. Harris will most likely continue to match up against opponents top receivers, while Woodson seems to do more pre-snap reads and adjustments, even matching up at times with opposing tight ends. The duo has already collected six interceptions (Woodson 4, Harris 2). S Nick Collins enjoyed a career season last year as he was named to his first Pro Bowl. Collins tied Woodson for the NFC lead with seven interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns. His 295 interception return yards led the NFL and established a new franchise record. He is tied for second on the team in interceptions (two) and passes defensed (six). S Atari Bigby s return from an early-season knee injury gives the team more experience in the defensive backfield. With the possible return of LB Brandon Chillar, it remains to be seen whether the team will use its Big Okie formation, which puts a fifth linebacker on the field in Bigby s place, or stay with Bigby and Collins in the secondary. IN THE LEAGUE RANKINGS, 2009 GREEN BAY (Team) Category NFC NFL Turnover Margin (+10) Total Offense (376.6) Rushing (121.0) Passing (255.6) Total Defense (282.9) vs. Rush (97.1) vs. Pass (185.8) Third-Down Offense (42.2%) Third-Down Defense (34.3%) Red-Zone Offense (51.9%) Red-Zone Defense (69.6%) DALLAS (Team) Category NFC NFL Turnover Margin (0) T 16T Total Offense (404.5) Rushing (138.6) Passing (265.9) Total Defense (336.5) vs. Rush (103.0) vs. Pass (233.5) Third-Down Offense (41.6%) Third-Down Defense (34.7%) Red-Zone Offense (50.0%)... 8T 18T Red-Zone Defense (58.8%) T PRO BOWL SECONDARY While much is made of the transition to the 3-4 defense for the front seven, the secondary also took on a change from the man-to-man style it had been known for in the past. Now instead of playing bump-and-run, corners have to work in more space and have more vision to the quarterback, while safeties now have more responsibility in making calls and checks at the line of scrimmage. Luckily for Capers and the Packers, the team has been able to rely on GREEN BAY (Individual) Category NFC NFL Rushing: Grant (621) Passing: Rodgers (103.3) Receptions: Driver (37) T 25T Rec. Yds.: Driver (613) Sacks: Jenkins (3.5) T 40T Interceptions: Woodson (4).. 4T 5T DALLAS (Individual) Category NFC NFL Rushing: Barber (447) T 19T Passing: Romo (95.8) Receptions: Witten (44) T Rec. Yds.: Austin (612) Sacks: Ware (5.0) T 14T Interceptions: Jenkins (3).... 6T 9T 11

12 PACKERS NOTES - DEFENSE THE TRANSITION TO OUTSIDE LINEBACKER While a number of players are making drastic changes in the new defense, none has received the same attention as LB Aaron Kampman. A two-time Pro Bowl honoree at defensive end, Kampman worked all offseason under position coach Kevin Greene, who perfected the art of the pass rush from the outside linebacker position as a player. Kampman has 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble on the season. While his sack totals have been off his normal clip, he is second on the team with 51 tackles, which puts him on pace to record triple-digit tackles for the third time in his career, and leads the team with 25 quarterback hits. LB Clay Matthews moved into the starting lineup opposite Kampman and ranks second on the team with three sacks, tied for second most among NFL rookies. If Kampman is still feeling the effects of a concussion suffered against the Bucs, the team would most likely turn to LB Brady Poppinga, an experienced player in the second unit. Second-year pro Jeremy Thompson, like Kampman, is making the transition from end to linebacker in the new scheme. Likewise for rookie LB Brad Jones, who comes with some familiarity with the position, having played it at Colorado. Kampman did play linebacker in his first two seasons at Iowa before switching to the defensive line, so playing in space wasn t entirely new to the eighth-year pro. Surely the coaches will try to maximize his rush opportunities throughout the season, as he has been one of the most productive pass rushers across the league over the last three-plus seasons: Rank Player, Team Sacks since DeMarcus Ware, Dal. (LB) Jared Allen, Min. (DE) Aaron Kampman, GB (LB) Trent Cole, Phi. (DE) Julius Peppers, Car. (DE) 37.0 TAKEAWAY POINTS KEY FOR PACKERS Green Bay has continued to show its knack for the takeaways in the first eight games with 12 interceptions and six fumble recoveries, which it has turned into 68 points. That total ranks fourth in the NFL behind the Saints (93), Giants (78) and Eagles (69). Last season, the Green Bay defense led the NFL in defensive touchdowns (7) and interception returns for touchdowns (6). In 2008, Green Bay (plus-seven) finished with the sixth-best turnover ratio in the NFL, its best finish under Mike McCarthy. Green Bay had 28 takeaways (22 interceptions, six fumble recoveries) on the season against 21 turnovers (13 interceptions, eight fumbles). The 21 turnovers tied the second-lowest total in franchise history. Thanks to an opportunistic defense, with its seven touchdowns, and an offense that was able to capitalize after an opponent s mistake, Green Bay led all NFL teams with 124 points off takeaways. Baltimore (123) finished just behind the Packers at No. 2. On the other sideline, the Packers surrendered 75 points off the 21 turnovers last year 24 of which came at Tampa in Week 4. That point total off turnovers tied for 16th in the NFL. If the Packers don t commit a turnover, they re almost guaranteed to win the lone exception being games against the Vikings. They have now won 35 of 38 games playing turnover-free football, since a loss at Dallas, Nov. 18, Green Bay s only losses in such games during that stretch came against Minnesota: twice in Minneapolis (2005, 08) and once at home (2009). Including playoffs, the Packers have won 38 of their last 41 games without a giveaway. ANOTHER TEAM RECORD IN RETURN YARDAGE The Packers finished 2008 with an astounding 685 return yards on their 22 interceptions, tops in the NFL. That was over 200 yards better than the next closest team, Baltimore, which finished the year with 477 return yards on 26 interceptions. The 685 return yards set a new franchise record, and Green Bay remains among the league leaders this season. Through eight games, it has tallied 230 return yards on interceptions, the third-highest total in the NFL. The 685 mark beat the previous franchise record established in 1943, when the team had 616 yards on 42 interceptions. In the modern era, the two previous highs were 561 return yards on 27 interceptions in 1965, and the following season when Green Bay had 547 return yards on 28 interceptions. The Packers won the NFL Championship both seasons. McCarthy has said his team s ability to make a play after an interception is something the team has repped after every turnover in practice since he arrived in Every offensive player, whether part of the 11 on the play or the group on the sidelines, attempts to catch the defender before he can advance up the field. LINEBACKERS FORM EFFECTIVE ROTATION With a wealth of talent at the inside linebacker position, coordinator Dom Capers and position coach Winston Moss have opted to go with a rotation of players depending upon the formation. Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk are the starters in the base defense. A steady player, Hawk has topped 120 tackles in each of his three NFL seasons. He made three behind the line of scrimmage against the Browns. For the seventh-year pro Barnett, it marks his return to action since Week 10 of 2008 when he tore his ACL at Minnesota. Coaches were careful with his reps in the early going as he worked his way back to full strength. He returned to his normal work load in Week 4 and leads the team with 60 tackles. Barnett has led the team in tackles in four of his six overall seasons. Brandon Chillar would provide a huge boost to the Green Bay defense if he can return from a broken hand. Chillar is one of the linebackers in the nickel package and usually covers tigth ends, an important task when going against Dallas Jason Witten. Chillar ranks third on the team with 41 tackles and had also seen time on the field in the team s Big Okie formation, which puts him as a fifth linebacker on the field to help defend against the run. Coaches used Hawk in Chillar s place in the nickel defense against Tampa Bay, so it would figure they would go that direction again if Chillar cannot go. Another option is Desmond Bishop, another talented player in the unit, known mostly for his contributions on special teams. Bishop leads the coverage units with 10 tackles. McCarthy has said he d like to see if the team can find more opportunities for Bishop from scrimmage, which is exactly what the Chillar injury presents. Against the Rams in his most extended action, he recorded four tackles, including one for loss. He had three tackles against Minnesota. 12

13 GAME REVIEW - BUCCANEERS 38, PACKERS 28 PACKERS CAN T PUT BUCS AWAY, FALL IN TAMPA Tampa Bay s first three touchdowns on Sunday afternoon came courtesy of some big plays on special teams and an interception deep in Green Bay territory, but the Buccaneers were able to put together their lone sustained scoring drive when it mattered most. Rookie quarterback Josh Freeman led the Buccaneers on an eight-play, 72-yard drive to give Tampa Bay a lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game, a lead they would keep as the Buccaneers won their first game of the season, 38-28, over the Packers in front of 62,994 at Raymond James Stadium. The loss dropped the Packers to 4-4 on the season, which ties them for second place in the NFC North, three games behind division-leading Minnesota at the midway point. Green Bay now returns to Lambeau Field for games against Dallas and San Francisco the next two Sundays. It was pretty frustrating, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said of a game that saw the Packers outgain Tampa Bay in total yards, 404 to 279. It was a different game today. Big play the second play of the game and then I come back and throw a pick. Their offense didn t do a whole lot, but I think our offense and special teams put our defense in a tough position. It was a frustrating game, very frustrating. Eight games in, we re 4-4. We ve got two home games in a row. We ve got to go home and get them both. Sunday s game started off well for the Packers, with the defense forcing a three-and-out on Tampa Bay s opening possession of the game. After Green Bay took over at its own 20, wide receiver James Jones beat cornerback Elbert Mack down the right sideline on second down, Rodgers hit him in stride near midfield, and Jones took it the rest of the way for a 74-yard touchdown. It was the longest pass of Rodgers career. After the Packers forced another Tampa Bay punt, Mack redeemed himself, picking Rodgers deep pass over the middle intended for wide receiver Donald Driver at the Green Bay 44 and returning it 36 yards to the Packers 8. Freeman found running back Derrick Ward on a swing pass two plays later to even the score at 7. Green Bay answered right back with an 11-play, 69-yard drive that was capped off with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Ryan Grant. The series included a game-long 20-yard run from Grant and passes of 10 and 11 yards to wide receiver Greg Jennings and a 10-yard pass to running back Ahman Green. Early in the second quarter, the Bucs evened the score with the first of a couple of key special teams plays. With Jeremy Kapinos punting from the Green Bay 41, linebacker Geno Hayes came up the middle untouched to block Kapinos kick, and cornerback Ronde Barber scooped up the ball and returned it for a 31-yard touchdown. It was the first blocked punt the Packers had allowed since Dec. 23, 2007, at Chicago. But once again, the Packers responded with a score, this time behind an eight-play, 76-yard drive that was capped off with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers down the right sideline to Driver, who beat the veteran Barber. Even with the 21 points and 233 yards of total offense for Green Bay in the first half, the Packers would have two more possessions that began in Tampa Bay territory, one at the Buccaneers 45 and one at the 46, and both times they went three-and-out as they were unable to add to their lead. It was a trend that would carry over into the second half. Holding a lead in the third quarter, Rodgers led the offense past midfield once again, highlighted by a 21-yard completion to Jennings on third down to put the ball at the Buccaneers 42. But on the next play, Rodgers deep pass down the middle to Jennings into coverage was picked off by cornerback Aqib Talib. The defense continued to hold Tampa Bay s offense in check, allowing just one first down and no points in the third quarter, and early in the fourth quarter the offense was able to break through with another touchdown. Starting out at the Green Bay 38, Rodgers hooked up with Driver on the left sideline for 16 yards on first down, and two plays later, Green posted a 26-yard run up the middle to Tampa Bay s 18. Facing a third-and-goal from the 12 after a 6-yard sack on second down, Rodgers scrambled left, put a nifty move on defensive end Jimmy Wilkerson, and took it in for the touchdown to extend the Packers lead to A two-score lead, that s kind of what we were going for, said Rodgers, who finished the day 17-of-35 for 266 yards, two touchdowns and a season-high three interceptions. I kind of felt like our defense would be able to play downhill, making them one-dimensional. Unfortunately we gave up the big kick return that kind of stole the momentum back. Much like last week with momentum-shifting kickoff returns courtesy of Vikings rookie Percy Harvin, the Buccaneers answered with an 83-yard return from running back Clifton Smith to the Green Bay 17. Three plays later, Freeman found tight end Kellen Winslow in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown, and although Tampa Bay s two-point conversion failed, the Bucs had trimmed the Packers lead to 28-23, and it only took them a minute and 20 seconds to do it. Green Bay picked up 25 yards on four runs to start its next possession, but Rodgers pass over the middle on 3rd-and-5 intended for tight end Spencer Havner was broken up, and for the first time all day, the Bucs offense responded with a long scoring drive. Starting at his own 28, Freeman found Winslow for 22 yards on first down. Linebacker A.J. Hawk picked off Freeman s pass over the middle intended for Winslow on the next play, but was called for illegal contact, giving Tampa Bay a first down. Three plays later, wide receiver Michael Clayton came back on a deep pass from Freeman to make the grab over cornerback Al Harris for a 29-yard pickup. The Packers forced Tampa Bay into a 4th-and-4 from the 7, but Freeman found wide receiver Sammie Stroughter on a fade route in the back corner of the end zone for the touchdown, Freeman s third of the afternoon, and the two-point conversion gave the Buccaneers their first lead of the afternoon at Freeman completed 14-of-31 passes for 205 yards on the afternoon with one interception. Green Bay still had a chance to win the game, taking possession with over four minutes to go, but the drive got off to an auspicious start when Rodgers was sacked by defensive tackle Ryan Sims on first down for a 7-yard loss, one of six times on the afternoon that Rodgers was sacked, all of them coming in the second half. After a holding penalty on guard Daryn Colledge wiped out a first-down run by Rodgers, the Packers were forced to punt. Green Bay s defense was able to get the ball back for the offense, forcing a three-and-out by Tampa Bay to give the Packers one final possession with just over a minute and a half remaining. But it was not to be, as another sack forced the Packers into a 3rd-and- 19 at their own 4, and Rodgers fourth-down pass intended for Driver went high and off his hands into the arms of safety Tanard Jackson, who returned the pick 35 yards for the game-clinching score. 13

14 PACKERS TEAM NOTES DRIVER MAKES HISTORY AT HOME WR Donald Driver, now in his 11th season with the Packers, had first begun to lay claim to some of the franchise s all-time receiving records in One by one they began to fall, but none had been more meaningful than the one he achieved in Week 6 against Detroit. With his first catch, Driver surpassed WR Sterling Sharpe ( , 595) to become the franchise s all-time leader in receptions. On a quick out, Driver took the pass and fought through a group of defenders for a first down, a play that typifies the career of the former seventh-round pick from Alcorn State. Though he is the second-oldest player on the roster at age 34, Driver has shown no signs of slowing down in He leads the team in catches (37), receiving yards (613) and TD catches (4). Those numbers rank near the top of the NFC and certainly put him in the conversation for a fourth career Pro Bowl selection. Driver has been the model of consistency for the Packers, catching at least one pass in 119 consecutive games, also a franchise record. His consistency also serves as a great example for younger teammates, as Driver has rarely missed a practice in his NFL career. And he s not slowing down, literally, either. Driver had another highlight-reel catch against the Browns, beating defenders down the sideline for a 71-yard scoring pass. While his reputation is as a slot guy who will make the tough catch over the middle, Driver has made his share of big plays already this season. His 11 catches of 20-plus yards is tied for the NFL lead with Dallas Miles Austin and New England s Randy Moss. FINLEY BREAKS OUT TE Jermichael Finley was a unanimous choice as the Packers breakout performer in 2009 by the prognosticators. A knee sprain kept the second-year player out the past two weeks, but his possible return against Dallas would be a huge boost to the offense. It has been a breakout year thus far, as his 15.3-yards per catch average ranks first among NFL tight ends (min. 10 catches). When in the lineup, he had become a clear favorite of QB Aaron Rodgers. Despite missing the last two games, he ranks fourth on the team in receiving yards (260) and fourth in receptions (17). Finley s coming-out party came in Week 4 at Minnesota in front of the largest television audience in cable history as he established new career highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (128). His 62-yard touchdown is the Packers third-longest play from scrimmage on the season and the longest reception by a Green Bay tight end since Jackie Harris caught a 66-yard scoring pass against Denver on Oct. 10, Finley s day also stands tied for the most productive day by a tight end in team history. His 128 yards matched Harris output from that Broncos contest, tying the franchise high for most receiving yards by a tight end. There s no doubting the Packers depth at the position should Finley be unable to go. TE Donald Lee remains the unit s starter and is third on the team with 24 catches. TE Spencer Havner has filled in nicely in his absence, as the team often likes to go with multiple-tight end sets. Of Havner s six catches on the year, three have gone for scores. AROUND THE BLACK AND BLUE DIVISION At 4-4, Green Bay stands tied in second place in the NFC North with Chicago through the first half of After losing to the Vikings for the second time this season, Green Bay is 2-2 in division play. Division matchups remaining include a Thanksgiving game in Detroit (Week 12) and in Chicago (Week 14). Minnesota, off to a 7-1 start, had the weekend off. Three straight home games await the Vikings, including division games against the Lions and Bears. The defending division champion Vikings broke a string last season of seven straight years when either the Packers or Bears won the NFC North/Central. This year, Minnesota is working against history again, trying to become the first team other than Chicago or Green Bay to win back-to-back division crowns in three decades. The Vikings were the last to do it, in the seasons, which concluded a string of six straight division championships for Minnesota in the Bud Grant era. Chicago has lost three of four, dropping a home contest against the Arizona Cardinals over the weekend. Chicago now faces a short week and a long road trip, as it travels out to San Francisco to play in a Thursday night game. Detroit dropped a game at Seattle this past weekend. Now, it hits the road again as it travels to the Metrodome to take on the Vikings. Head Coach Mike McCarthy has always stressed the importance of division play. Through the first seven weeks of the 09 season, the Packers own the best division mark over the three-plus seasons of McCarthy s tenure at The Packers are trailed by Chicago (13-7) and then Minnesota (12-9) over that period. ON THE ROAD AGAIN With four trips still remaining on the year, Green Bay will look to improve upon its 2-2 road record. In the second half of the season, the team travels to Detroit (Week 12), Chicago (Week 14), Pittsburgh (Week 15) and Arizona (Week 17). The Packers have been able to stay above the.500 mark on the road during the tenure of Head Coach Mike McCarthy, a notable achievement in the National Football League. In three-plus seasons, the team has a road record of (.556). Only once under McCarthy has the team finished below.500 on the road, which was a 2-6 (.250) mark in Since 2006, McCarthy s first season as the head coach in Green Bay, only 10 of 32 NFL teams have road records over.500. Team W L T Pct. New England Indianapolis New York Giants Dallas Philadelphia San Diego New Orleans Tennessee Green Bay Carolina

15 2009 OPPONENTS WILLIAMS ON THE RETURNS NFL Rank Record Offense Defense at Arizona Cardinals...(5-3) Baltimore Ravens...(4-4) PACKERS TEAM NOTES CB Tramon Williams, whether it be on a punt return or after an interception, is dangerous once he has the ball in his hands. In Week 1, he had a 67-yard interception return against the Bears that gave the Green Bay offense the ball inside the 5-yard line. In Week 6 against the Lions, he filled in for WR Jordy Nelson on punt returns and returned his only opportunity for 45 yards, the team s longest punt return of the season. Throughout Packers history, no player has had an interception return of 65-plus yards and a punt return of 45-plus yards in the same season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Individual interception records were not kept until Chicago Bears...(4-4) Cincinnati Bengals...(6-2) at Cleveland Browns...(1-7) Dallas Cowboys...(6-2) 3 20 Detroit Lions...(1-7) Minnesota Vikings...(7-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers...(6-2) 5 5 San Francisco 49ers...(3-5) Seattle Seahawks...(3-5) at St. Louis Rams...(1-7) PROTECTING THE FOOTBALL It took QB Aaron Rodgers until his fourth game of the season to record his first interception, a second-quarter pass intended for WR Greg Jennings that was picked off by Vikings CB Antoine Winfield. Prior to that second-quarter throw against Minnesota, his last interception came in Week 16 of last season, a streak that stretched 159 consecutive attempts. Rodgers streak had been the second-longest streak among active quarterbacks and longest among starting signal-callers. The streak of 159 passes without an interception was a new personal best for Rodgers, topping a record established last year, when it wasn t until the fourth game of the season that he threw an interception. That snapped a streak of 157 consecutive passes without an interception, a streak that began in 2005 and is now the fourth-longest in team history. Rodgers new career high (159) ranks third all-time among Green Bay signal callers for consecutive passes without an interception. Bart Starr holds the franchise record with an astounding 294 straight passes without an interception, second-most in NFL history. Brett Favre stands at No. 2 on the team s all-time list with 163 consecutive passes without an interception. The interception-free streaks have come in bunches in the Mike McCarthy tenure. Much credit must be given to McCarthy, who works closely with those under center, and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements. In addition to Rodgers two long streaks (159 and 157) over the past two seasons, Favre had two of the longest streaks of his career under the duo in Early in the season, he had a 142-pass streak (third longest of his career) and followed up with a 139-pass streak (fourth) later in the season. Rodgers brought a smaller interception-free streak (61) into play at Tampa but tied a career high with three picks. Every game in which he has thrown three interceptions (also at TB, at NO in 2008) has come on the road. For the season, Rodgers has thrown five interceptions in 260 attempts, or 1.9% of his passes. In his first season as a starter, he threw 13 interceptions on 536 attempts (2.4%). at Tampa Bay Buccaneers..(1-7)

16 PACKERS TEAM NOTES 2009 HONOR ROLL LB Clay Matthews Week 6 - Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week QB Aaron Rodgers NFC Offensive Player of the Month - October CB Charles Woodson NFC Defensive Player of the Month - September Pro Football Weekly Midseason All-Pro Team NFL S YOUNGEST ROSTER... AGAIN Based upon analysis of Kickoff Weekend rosters done by the league office, the Green Bay Packers have the distinction of being the league s youngest squad for a fourth consecutive season. Dating back to 2000, Arizona was the only other club to hold or share the distinction for at least three years. The Cardinals were the NFL s youngest team in 2001 and tied for the league s youngest roster the following two seasons. With an average 2009 roster age of 25.70, Green Bay again checks in with the youngest average age in the NFL. Indianapolis and Kansas City are tied for second with an average age of years. Green Bay had four players age 30 or over, the lowest total in the NFL. Kansas City and Green Bay tied for the youngest roster last season with an average age of years. The Packers were the youngest team in the NFL in 2007 with an average age of years, while the Colts placed second at years. Both teams made playoff appearances that season. In Head Coach Mike McCarthy s first season, the Packers checked in as the league s youngest team with an average age of years. Tennessee (25.77) was second. Still, rosters are fluid throughout an NFL season, and it s possible the Packers would no longer hold the distinction. Since Kickoff Weekend, the team has added S Matt Giordano (27), RB Ahman Green (32) and T Mark Tauscher (32). PRO FOOTBALL HOF LIST HAS GREEN BAY CONNECTIONS Headlined by all-time leading receiver Jerry Rice and all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, the Pro Football Hall of Fame preliminary list of modern-era nominees for election to the Class of 2010 was announced. Among the list of 131 players, coaches and contributors were a number of nominees with connections to the Packers. WR Sterling Sharpe and S LeRoy Butler, two of the significant contributors to the Packers revitalization in the 1990s, were among the list. Sharpe, a three-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler, still ranks near the top of most of the Packers all-time receiving records despite having only played seven seasons. Butler, a four-time first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler, was among the most feared defensive players of his era. He was named to the 1990s NFL All-Decade Team and tallied 38 interceptions and 20.5 sacks. Also on the list was the architect of those teams, former general manager Ron Wolf. Over his tenure ( ), the Packers compiled the league s second-best record (92-52), recorded seven straight winning seasons and six consecutive playoff appearances, and of course emerged victorious in Super Bowl XXXI. More recent Packers connections on the list include outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene. Greene leads all linebackers in NFL history with 160 sacks, a number that ranks third all-time among all players. He has been a semifinalist each of the last two years. Also on the list of nominees was Clay Matthews, father of Packers rookie LB Clay Matthews. The elder Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler in his 16 seasons in the NFL, and his brother Bruce is already a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame after his illustrious 19-year career as an offensive lineman. Other players on the list who made brief stops in Green Bay during their career include LB Hardy Nickerson (2002), DL Steve McMichael (1994), and RB/WR Eric Metcalf (2002). WHAT 2-2 MEANS IN THE LONG RUN It s no secret that early success dramatically increases a team s chances to make the postseason. Though statistics can only tell so much in the National Football League, they are on the side of teams who start fast. Since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, 442 teams won their opener. Of those teams, 233 went to the playoffs and 136 won division crowns. Now, compare those numbers to the 442 teams that lost the first game of the season. Of that group, only 103 went to the playoffs and only 58 captured their division. Success in the first quarter of the season has proven to enhance a team s chances of making the postseason. Under McCarthy, Green Bay started 1-3 (2006) and 2-2 (2008) in seasons in which it did not make the playoffs. In 2007, the Packers started 4-0 when they ultimately played in the NFC Championship Game. While the Packers finished their first quarter of the season at 2-2, they have a chance to make some ground in the NFC playoff chase with three consecutive games against NFC opponents coming up, two of whom (Dallas and San Francisco) it could be battling for a postseason berth. Teams rebounding from slow starts isn t unheard of, especially with earning a wild-card berth being an alternate route to the postseason. Still, the stats bear out that early-season success goes a long way in determining who will play in January and February. A look at how important fast starts have become to an eventual playoff berth, compiled from : Record through 4 games % of teams in playoffs % % % % % TRAVELIN LIGHT Each season, the NFL compiles the number of miles each team will travel during the season, including preseason trips. Green Bay s first road trip of the regular season, a short trip to St. Louis, covered just under 500 miles, a relatively quick flight by NFL standards. Green Bay had a short flight to Minnesota for its second road contest, and traveled just over 550 miles for its third trip of the year Oct. 25 to Cleveland. The only trip it will make in its next four is its familiar trip to Detroit, where it will play on Thanksgiving Day. All collected, the team will fly 12,260 miles according to numbers compiled by the NFL league office. That total is the fourth-lowest mileage total among the 32 teams in Perhaps not surprisingly, five West Coast clubs head the list when it comes to logging miles through the air this season: Seattle (29,054), San Francisco (29,020), San Diego (28,628), Arizona (27,840) and Oakland (27,232). 16

17 PACKERS TEAM NOTES THE THIRD QUARTER The 16-game NFL schedule allows teams to break down their season into quarters, with the Packers now entering their third. Coming off back-to-back losses, Green Bay enters a pivotal stretch of its 2009 schedule. The first three games of the third quarter of the schedule will come in 12 days, all of which are against NFC opponents. Only one of the opponents (Detroit) has a record below.500, but three of the four contests will be at Lambeau Field. Success over the next four games will help propel the team in what could shape up as a tough final four games of the season, especially if the team is fighting for playoff contention. Again, only one team among the final four (Seattle) is currently below.500, with tough road games at Chicago, Pittsburgh and Arizona looming. FIRST YEAR UNDER CENTER Quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn t one to talk about stats or milestones, but he exceeded nearly all expectations in his first season under center. He finished the season with 4,038 passing yards, becoming only the second quarterback in NFL history to surpass 4,000 yards in the same season in which he made his first career start. Kurt Warner (4,353) was the first to accomplish the feat in Rodgers is the fourth player in club history to surpass the 4,000-yard mark, joining Lynn Dickey (1), Brett Favre (5) and Don Majkowski (1). Four times Rodgers went over 300 yards passing in He also tossed three touchdown passes in four games. Rodgers 28 touchdown passes were tops among first-year starters and marked the first time since Daunte Culpepper (33) in 2000 that a firstyear starter threw for 25-plus touchdowns. The California product took care of the ball as well, throwing 13 interceptions in 536 attempts, 2.42% of his throws. It was the lowest percentage by a Packers quarterback in over a decade (Favre, 1996, 2.39%). And perhaps most importantly in Green Bay, Rodgers started all 16 games in 2008, fighting through a serious shoulder injury suffered in Week 4 at Tampa that kept him out of practice for one month. Proving he is among the NFL s top quarterbacks will take years of consistent play, but there is no doubt the 25-year-old Rodgers is off to a great start. A look at where his 2008 totals ranked in the NFL: Statistic 2008 total NFL Rank Passing Yards 4,038 4 Completions Completion % Touchdowns 28 4 QB Rating plus yd. completions 48 5T 40-plus yd. completions 16 1T Third-down QB rating First downs passing 182 9T THE RETURN GAME With the season-ending knee injury to CB Will Blackmon, WR Jordy Nelson figured to become the team s primary returner on both kickoffs and punts. In Week 6 against the Lions, Nelson suffered a knee sprain on a punt return and has missed the last three games. In his absence, CB Tramon Williams took the first punt return for 45 yards, the team s longest return on punts this season. With the windy conditions at Lambeau Field, the team opted to put CB Charles Woodson back on punt returns. Williams was the team s primary punt returner the past two weekends, with Woodson the primary backup. Coupled with his 45-yard return against the Lions, Williams 94-yard return for a score in 07 against Carolina shows he has a knack for finding the lane to the open field on punt returns. Though placing Woodson back on punt returns poses a risk to one of the team s best players, he does have ample experience, serving as the team s punt returner from For his career, he has 86 punt returns, including 74 with the Packers, and a solid 8.2-yard average. Backups RB Ahman Green and RB Brandon Jackson have handled kickoff return duties, with Green serving as the team s primary returner the past two games. Williams, who had 30 kickoff returns in 2007, remains an option. Nelson could return to the practice field and game action this week, but it remains to be seen whether coaches would put him back on kick and punt return duties right away. WINNING WAYS AFTER THE BYE With the victory over Detroit, the Packers have now won three of the four contests after the bye week under McCarthy. Dating back further, the team has now won 10 of its last 14 games immediately following the bye week. Green Bay finished a disappointing 2-7 (.222) after the bye week in 2008, a stark contrast to the previous two seasons under McCarthy. In 2007, the team finished 8-2 (.800) after the bye, which helped wrap up a first-round playoff bye. In McCarthy s first season, the team was 7-4 (.636) after the week off. Since 2000, the Packers over the balance of their season after the bye are a combined (.611). 17

18 POSITION-BY-POSITION BY THE NUMBERS Here s a look at the Packers current roster by position. Quarterback 2 Now in his second year under center, Aaron Rodgers looks more comfortable in the offense than he did a year ago. That is not good news for opponents considering the statistical milestones Rodgers eclipsed in 2008, ones he is on pace to match or surpass in most cases. His stated goals for 2009 were to improve on his consistency and to work with play-caller Mike McCarthy to expand his role in the offensive game plan. Pass protection has been the overriding issue thus far, a problem that coaches have acknowledged falls on many different people. With increased time in the pocket and more awareness by Rodgers, there is no shortage of weapons at the skill positions for him to feature in the passing game. Only one other quarterback is on the 53-man roster, second-year player Matt Flynn. He does serve as the team s primary holder for field goals and extra points and would run the offense in Rodgers absence second-round choice Brian Brohm was released in the final cutdown but did return to the team s practice squad. Both Flynn and Brohm went through their first year of McCarthy s quarterback school this offseason, with Flynn emerging the winner of the No. 2 job. Running back 3 Ryan Grant is entrenched as the clear starter and has gotten the bulk of the carries so far. Grant has produced solid numbers through the first half of the season for the Packers, who have traditionally run more later in the season as the weather turns. Emerging as a threat out of the backfield, Grant also has 16 catches in 09, whereas he had 18 catches all of last season. Vying for carries behind Grant is third-year pro Brandon Jackson and veteran Ahman Green. Jackson made his season debut in Week 6 after an ankle injury, while Green made his 09 debut two weeks ago. This past weekend in Tampa, he became the franchise s all-time leading rusher and looked impressive for just his second game (6 rushes, 45 yards) in over a year s time. Fullback 3 Last year the team kept two fullbacks, but with two veterans returning and a rookie draft pick, the team opted to keep all three. McCarthy said that he can foresee a scenario in which all three are active, but an injury to Korey Hall has prevented that. With Hall s possible return against Dallas, all three could be up for the first time. Both Hall and John Kuhn have been core special teams players each of the last two seasons and also reliable targets out of the backfield. Hall has been sidelined the last four games with a calf injury, a blow to the special teams coverage units for which he was tied for the lead in tackles before getting hurt. Kuhn is a traditional power fullback and has already found the end zone three times on the season. Making his NFL debut in Week 6 was Quinn Johnson, the team s fifth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Lauded as a traditional fullback, Johnson paved the way for a 1,100-yard rusher in each of his final two seasons at LSU while also proving to be a reliable option in shortyardage situations and as a pass catcher. Wide receiver 5 Donald Driver and Greg Jennings head up what is one of the deepest receiving groups across the league but has been hit by injuries in the first half of the year. Green Bay was one of four teams in 2008 to have at least a pair of 1,000-yard pass catchers. The others were Arizona (L. Fitzgerald 1,431; A. Boldin 1,038; S. Breaston 1,006), Kansas City (T. Gonzalez 1,058; D. Bowe 1,022) and New England (W. Welker 1,165; R. Moss 1,008). James Jones and Jordy Nelson are dangerous threats when Green Bay goes to its multiple-wideout formations. Jones has rebounded from a 2008 season that was plagued by knee troubles, while Nelson could return from a knee injury suffered in Week 6. Complicating things was the season-ending injury to Brett Swain the following week in Cleveland. Jake Allen was signed from the practice squad to take Swain s place on the roster and made his NFL debut against Minnesota, albeit in a limited role. However, a quad injury left him inactive in Tampa, and the team signed WR Biren Ealy from the practice squad. Tight end 3 Tight end is always an interesting posititon to keep an eye on because of the way McCarthy likes to utilize the position in different offensive sets. Donald Lee, the unit s primary starter each of the last two seasons, might be one of the more unheralded players at the position across the NFL. His 24 catches rank third on the team. One of the emerging players on the roster is Jermichael Finley, whose absence has been missed in the passing game the last two weeks. In his second season and still only 22, Finley is a tough matchup for linebackers with his speed and can utilize his size against defensive backs, as evidenced by his four catches of 20-plus yards so far. Spencer Havner earned the third spot after making the transition to tight end this offseason. Havner had previously spent three seasons on the practice squad at linebacker and is a special teams standout. His three touchdowns on the season prove just how far he has come. Offensive line 9 Injuries have shuffled the starting lineup nearly every week, while pass protection has been a glaring issue through the first half of the year. C/G Jason Spitz was put on injured reserve over the weekend with a back injury, meaning veteran C Scott Wells is now the clear starter. T Chad Clifton and T Mark Tauscher started at the tackles in Tampa, though rookie T.J. Lang (left) and T Allen Barbre (right) did fill in for some series. Tauscher s knee sprain, to the same knee that he suffered a torn ACL late last season, could prevent him from playing against Dallas. Tauscher was seeing his first action of the season coming off the season-ending injury last year. He held the right tackle position for each of the last nine ( ) seasons. While LG Daryn Colledge and RG Josh Sitton appear ready to go, the team may have another new starting lineup against Dallas. Barbre would seem to be the logical choice on the right side, but coaches have also seen Colledge and Lang play the right tackle position in games and in practice in the past. 18

19 POSITION-BY-POSITION Defensive end 4 Defensive end has a much different look both in responsibility and in roster numbers in defensive coordinator Dom Capers 3-4 defense. Cullen Jenkins, who has played both inside and outside in previous seasons, has looked good thus far in his return from a pectoral injury that cut short what was promising to be a career season in Last season, Jenkins appeared in the first four games, with the Packers defense collecting nine sacks over that time. The team accumulated 18 sacks in the 12 games Jenkins missed. Getting the chance to start opposite Jenkins is Johnny Jolly. A former defensive tackle in the old scheme, Jolly has played well even with some added bulk to hold the line of scrimmage. Both Jenkins and Jolly have interceptions, the first time a pair of Packers linemen have had interceptions since Also in the mix is first-round pick B.J. Raji, who makes a fifth player in the rotation at the end spot. Raji spent significant time at end once he arrived in Green Bay this offseason and will spend time both inside and outside in his first season. On obvious run downs, he adds considerable bulk to the first line of defense. Veteran Michael Montgomery, thought by some a bad fit for the new scheme, has played well and held on to his spot as a backup. At 6-5, Montogomery is able to use his length to his advantage to occupy offensive linemen. DE Jarius Wynn, a sixth-round draft pick from Georgia, showed the ability to rush the passer in the preseason and has seen time on special teams and from scrimmage so far. Nose tackle 2 The Packers kept only three defensive tackles last season in their 4-3 scheme, but only have two nose tackles in the new scheme. Raji will obviously see time at the position once he gets more game reps in general but is behind starter Ryan Pickett. Pickett has been disruptive in the middle and is off to an excellent start at his new position. Both Pickett and Raji have the necessary size to hold the line of scrimmage at the position and form a nice 1-2 combo at the spot. Linebacker 9 No position looks more different in 2009 than it did in 2008 than linebacker. Whether it be former defensive ends converting to the outside or veterans adjusting to new responsibilities, it has been one of the most-watched position groups this season. Converted from defensive end were Aaron Kampman and Jeremy Thompson, both of whom are counted on to rush the passer. Kampman, one of the NFL s most productive pass rushers over the past three seasons, is making the transition to playing without his hand on the ground in addition to more coverage responsibilities. Thompson, in just his second season, has seen most of his action on special teams. First-round draft pick Clay Matthews starts opposite Kampman and looks to have a bright future, while LB Brady Poppinga backs up Matthews and Kampman. In the middle are veterans Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk. Brandon Chillar played in the nickel and Big Okie packages and had been off to a fast start before breaking his hand against the Vikings. Hawk filled his spot in the nickel formation, but Chillar could return to game action with a club on his hand this weekend. Desmond Bishop brings a physical presence who gives the team great depth along the inside. Should Chillar be unable to go, the team could stick with Hawk in the nickel and also use Bishop from scrimmage. Cornerback 5 While the team may no longer play as much press coverage as it had become known for in prior seasons, this group is still led by Pro Bowlers Al Harris and Charles Woodson. Both have been impressive and seem to have grasped the new system quickly. Woodson seems to relish his new role playing with more vision to the quarterback, as evidenced by his four interceptions. Behind the veteran duo is a group of young corners, led by third-year man Tramon Williams. When Harris was sidelined last season with a spleen injury, Williams stepped up in his absence and finished the season with five interceptions. After Williams, young corners will be looking to establish themselves in sub packages and on special teams. Given the season-ending injury to Will Blackmon, the team s primary return specialist, sixth-round draft pick Brandon Underwood from the University of Cincinnati has seen his first NFL action on special teams. Jarrett Bush, who will play both corner and safety and is a top player on the Packers special-teams units, also is in the mix. Safety 4 Nick Collins is coming off a career season in which he earned his first Pro Bowl berth. Now, Collins must make more calls and checks in the new scheme, and his importance was magnified given the early-season injuries the secondary had to overcome at the other safety spot. Atari Bigby has made his return from a knee injury suffered in Week 1 and seems to be playing with his usual speed and physical style. In fact, Bigby picked off a pass in the red zone to help preserve the shutout against Detroit. Competing for reps at backup positions are newcomers Derrick Martin and Matt Giordano. Martin arrived from Baltimore in a trade at the roster cutdown, so he has some familiarity with the 3-4, while Giordano was signed prior to Week 3. Both have played on special teams, while Bush gives the coaches another player at the position should injuries continue to occur. The Big Okie formation uses LB Brandon Chillar in a hybrid role as a fifth linebacker on the field. It remains to be seen whether the team will employ the package should he be active with a club on his hand or in his absence, either with Bishop or Hawk. Specialists 3 K Mason Crosby and LS Brett Goode are back for another year and have been solid all season. Crosby hopes to improve upon his accuracy and consistency, but there is no doubting his leg strength, as evidenced by his 52-yard field goal in Week 1. Consistency from long range is something the third-year pro hopes to improve. Incumbent punter Jeremy Kapinos won the job in training camp. Kapinos punted in the last four games for the team last season and does cause return men some problems as a left-footed kicker. Given injuries to Blackmon and Nelson, coaches have turned to Ahman Green, Brandon Jackson, Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson on both kicks and punts. All bring experience to the special teams units. 19

20 INDIVIDUAL NOTES & STREAKS 76 CHAD CLIFTON Has played in 135 career games, including 130 starts. Has started 98 of last 104 games since returning from a serious pelvic injury that ended his 2002 season. 36 NICK COLLINS With four interception returns for scores in his career, matches No. 5 Johnny (Blood) McNally on Green Bay s all-time career list. With another, would match No. 2 Bobby Dillon, Darren Sharper and Charles Woodson, each of whom returned five. With nine interceptions since 2008, ranks third among NFL safeties behind Baltimore's Ed Reed (11) and Pittsburgh s Troy Polamalu (10). 2 MASON CROSBY His 268 points from is the most ever by a Green Bay kicker over a two-season span. Needs 121 points this season to set the NFL record for most points scored by a player in his first three seasons (Stephen Gostkowski, NE, 388, ). Has 63 points in For his career, has hit 48-of-52 field goals from 39 yards-and-closer. Has hit 17-of-24 field goals from yards. Has hit 7-of-15 field goals from 50-plus yards. 80 DONALD DRIVER Surpassed Sterling Sharpe (595) to become the franchise s all-time leader in receptions. Driver enters with 614 career catches. Also surpassed No. 3 Sharpe (8,134) on the franchise s all-time receiving yards list. James Lofton (9,656) ranks No. 1. Driver ranks No. 2 with 8,602 career receiving yards. Has a reception in 119 consecutive games, besting the franchise s previous long streak of Sharpe s 103 ( ). His 11 catches of 20-plus yards is tied for the NFL lead with Dallas Miles Austin and New England s Randy Moss. In 2008, became the first player in franchise history with 1,000 receiving yards in a sixth overall season. Lofton and Sharpe each had five 1,000- yard campaigns. Extended another Packers record by recording his fifth consecutive season ( ) with 1,000 receiving yards. For the seventh time had 50-plus receptions in 2008, tying a franchise record. Lofton and Sharpe each had seven seasons with 50-plus catches. Driver (37 catches) is on pace to eclipse the mark for an eighth season. Is the all-time leading receiver at Lambeau Field, with 4,131 career receiving yards at the stadium. Also is Lambeau Field s all-time leader in receptions with 296. Stands at No. 3 with 18 touchdown receptions at Lambeau Field. Antonio Freeman (36) ranks first in the stadium s history, while Sharpe (20) is No. 2. Has 21 career 100-yard receiving games, No. 4 in team history. Needs three more games to equal No. 3 Don Hutson (24) on the all-time list. With 47 career TD receptions, joins Hutson (99), Sharpe (65), Freeman (57), Max McGee (50), Lofton (49), Billy Howton (43) and Boyd Dowler (40) as the only Packers with 40 career TD catches. Ranks fourth all-time in yards from scrimmage with 8,819. Driver needs 894 yards to move past No. 3 Jim Taylor (9,712). 88 JERMICHAEL FINLEY His 15.3-yard average per catch ranks tops among NFL tight ends. Tied a franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end (Jackie Harris, 128, Oct. 10, 1993, vs. Denver) with 128 receiving yards in Week 4. His 62-yard touchdown was the longest reception by a tight end since 1993 (Jackie Harris, 66t, Oct. 10, 1993). 25 RYAN GRANT Enters with 2,780 career rushing yards. With 1,200 yards this season, would become only the third player in franchise history to post back-to-back seasons of 1,200-plus rushing yards (Ahman Green, ; Jim Taylor, ). Became the eighth back in franchise history to surpass 1,000 yards in a season in 2008, making it the 20th such season by a running back in Packers history. In his first two NFL seasons, totaled 2,159 rushing yards. That ranked eighth among all NFL players over that period. Has yard games in his career. When he gets 22 carries or more, the team is 9-1 (10-1 incl. playoffs). Established a new career-high at Minnesota in Week 4 with 50 receiving yards. 34 AHMAN GREEN Surpassed Jim Taylor (8,207 yards) to become the franchise s all-time leading rusher. Green enters with 8,208. Also surpassed Taylor (1,811 attempts) for the franchise mark in career carries. Green has 1,818 career attempts. His 10,938 yards from scrimmage also is a franchise best. 31 AL HARRIS Has 120 career starts. Needs to return one interception for a touchdown to tie No. 7 Charley Brock, Doug Hart and Ken Ellis (all with three) on Green Bay s all-time career list. With a second TD on an interception, would match No. 5 Johnny (Blood) McNally and Nick Collins (4). 50 A.J. HAWK Has played in all 56 games in his career, including 54 starts. Tallied over 120 tackles in each of his first three seasons. 85 GREG JENNINGS His 15 catches of 40-plus yards from was tops in the NFL. He has Two years after he co-founded the Packers with Curly Lambeau, George Calhoun began writing a piece called The Dope Sheet, which served as the official press release and game program from