VOL. XIV; NO. 1 Packers Public Relations Lambeau Field Atrium 1265 Lombardi Avenue Green Bay, WI 54304 920/569-7500 920/569-7201 fax Jason Wahlers, Aaron Popkey, Sarah Quick, Tom Fanning, Jonathan Butnick 2012 SCHEDULE RELEASED The Green Bay Packers 92nd NFL regular-season schedule headlined by five prime-time games (three against 2011 playoff teams) was released early this evening by the National Football League. The five prime-time games (subject to flexible scheduling) would be a franchise record, topping the previous mark of four contests on several occasions, most recently in 2010 and 2011. Since 2009, the Packers are 8-3 (.727) in prime-time contests. For the sixth time in seven seasons under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers will open the season at home, this year against San Francisco on Sunday, Sept. 9, in a matchup of the top two teams in the NFC in 2011. It marks only the second time in franchise history that Green Bay has opened the season against the 49ers (1976). The Packers will then stay at home on a short week to host Chicago in a Thursday night contest, Green Bay's third-ever game on NFL Network and its first since it traveled to Dallas in Week 13 of 2007. This will be the seventh straight season that the Packers and the Bears will square off in prime time. This will be the third time in McCarthy's tenure (also 2006 and 2009) that Green Bay has kicked off its season with back-to-back home games. Green Bay will travel to Seattle for its first road contest of the season, one that begins a stretch of four road games in five weeks. It is the Packers lone game of the season on ESPN s Monday Night Football. 2012 marks the 20th consecutive season (1993-2012) that Green Bay has appeared on MNF, the NFL s second-longest streak (Denver, 21). The Packers will host New Orleans in Week 4 in a matchup of the two highest-scoring teams in the league in 2011. Both teams have finished in the top 10 in total offense every season since 2006, the only teams in the NFL to accomplish the feat over that span. Starting with a trip to Indianapolis in Week 5, Green Bay will play on the road for three straight games (also at Houston and St. Louis), the first time the Packers have had three consecutive road games since the 1998 season (Weeks 10-12). All three contests could be indoors (Indianapolis and Houston have retractable-roof stadiums). Green Bay returns home for back-to-back games at Lambeau Field (Jacksonville and Arizona) before its Week 10 bye. The Packers come out of their open week with back-to-back road contests against a pair of 2011 playoff teams (Detroit and N.Y. Giants), the second straight season they have played those teams on the road in consecutive weeks. The Packers wrap up the regular season with three of five games in December in front of the home crowd, including divisional matchups against Minnesota and Detroit at Lambeau Field in Weeks 13-14. Four of Green Bay s final five games and five of its last seven will come against NFC North foes, capped off with the season finale at Minnesota. It is the sixth time in seven seasons under McCarthy that the Packers have finished the regular season with a divisional matchup (5-0 in season finales vs. the NFC North since 2006). The Packers could play up to five games indoors (Indianapolis, Houston, St. Louis, Detroit, Minnesota), which would be the most in a season in franchise history (four games in 1987, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2009). Since 2006, the Packers have a 13-5 mark indoors during the regular season, a.722 winning percentage that ranks No. 1 in the NFL (min. eight games). In 2012, the Packers will forego using their historic third jersey. Dates and times for the Packers preseason games also were finalized Tuesday. 2012 SCHEDULE AT FIRST GLANCE Green Bay s bye week arrives in Week 10, which matches the latest in team history (2010). The Packers will play nine games before the bye and seven after the open date. The Packers go into the bye with back-to-back home contests (Jacksonville and Arizona) and come out of the open week with two straight road games (Detroit and N.Y. Giants). Under McCarthy, the team has won five of six games immediately after the bye week and 12 of its last 16 after the week off dating back further. Overall, the Packers are 38-20 (.655) after the bye under McCarthy, and since 2000, the team is 69-37 (.651) following the week off. Fourteen games are slated for Sunday this season, including each of the final 13 contests, with one Thursday night game and one Monday night contest. Nine games are scheduled for noon (CT) starts with two games currently slated for 3:15 p.m. (CT). The Packers have six games on the schedule against 2011 playoff teams, beginning right away in Week 1 vs. San Francisco. The other matchups come against New Orleans (Week 4), Houston (Week 6), Detroit (Weeks 11 and 14) and the N.Y. Giants (Week 12). PRESEASON Date Opponent Time (CT) TV Thu., Aug. 9 at San Diego Chargers............... 7 p.m. ESPN Thu., Aug. 16 CLEVELAND BROWNS (Gold Pkg.)..... 7 p.m. state (Midwest Shrine Game) Thu., Aug. 23 at Cincinnati Bengals................ 6 p.m. state Thu., Aug. 30 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS............... 6 p.m. state (Bishop s Charities Game) REGULAR SEASON Date Opponent Time (CT) TV Sun., Sept. 9 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS.......... 3:15 p.m. FOX Thu., Sept. 13 CHICAGO BEARS (Gold Pkg.)...... 7:20 p.m. NFLN Mon., Sept. 24 at Seattle Seahawks.............. 7:30 p.m. ESPN Sun., Sept. 30 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS.......... 3:15 p.m. FOX Sun., Oct. 7 at Indianapolis Colts............... 12 p.m. FOX Sun., Oct. 14 at Houston Texans............... 7:20 p.m. NBC Sun., Oct. 21 at St. Louis Rams................. 12 p.m. FOX Sun., Oct. 28 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS.......... 12 p.m. CBS Sun., Nov. 4 ARIZONA CARDINALS (Gold Pkg.).... 12 p.m. FOX Sun., Nov. 11 Open Date............................. Sun., Nov. 18 at Detroit Lions.................... *12 p.m. FOX Sun., Nov. 25 at New York Giants............. *7:20 p.m. NBC Sun., Dec. 2 MINNESOTA VIKINGS............. *12 p.m. FOX Sun., Dec. 9 DETROIT LIONS............... *7:20 p.m. NBC Sun., Dec. 16 at Chicago Bears................. *12 p.m. FOX Sun., Dec. 23 TENNESSEE TITANS.............. *12 p.m. CBS Sun., Dec. 30 at Minnesota Vikings.............. *12 p.m. FOX * Start time and broadcast may shift due to NFL flexible scheduling NFL POSTSEASON DATES Jan. 5-6... AFC and NFC Wild Card Playoffs Jan. 12-13...AFC and NFC Divisional Playoffs Jan. 20...AFC and NFC Championship Games Jan. 27...AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Feb. 3...Super Bowl XLVII, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, La.
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. Re-establishing home-field advantage after a 4-4 mark in 2008 was one of the goals of 2009, and with the Packers finishing 6-2 at home, they accomplished that goal. Green Bay followed that up with a 7-1 mark at Lambeau Field in 2010 and a perfect 8-0 record in 2011, the first undefeated home mark since 2002. 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 regular-season home W-L records since the 92 season: Team W-L record Pct. 1. Green Bay 122-38-0.763 2. Pittsburgh 116-43-1.728 3. New England 111-49-0.694 HOME COOKING The Packers win over Dallas at Lambeau in November 2009 was the first step to a 7-1 finish and a playoff berth for Green Bay. Since that Week 10 victory over the Cowboys in 09, the Packers have been one of the best two teams in the league at home. Green Bay s lone regular-season defeat since then came to Miami in Week 6 of 2010 when the Packers fell to the Dolphins in overtime. Team W-L record Pct. 1t. Green Bay 19-1-0.950 1t. New England 19-1-0.950 3. Baltimore 18-2-0.900 SUCCESS IN THE DIVISION In 2011, the Packers posted an undefeated record (6-0) in their division for the first time since the NFL went to a divisional format in 1967. Green Bay became the first team to sweep the NFC North/Central since the 1987 Chicago Bears (7-0). The Packers have a 27-9 (.750) regular-season record against NFC North opponents under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, a divisional record that ranks No. 2 in the NFL over that span: Team W-L Record Pct. 1. New England 28-8-0.778 2. Green Bay 27-9-0.750 3. San Diego 26-10-0.722 Green Bay has won 15 of 18 NFC North games at Lambeau Field under McCarthy, which is tied for the No. 1 divisional home mark in the league since 2006: Team W-L Record Pct. 1t. Green Bay 15-3-0.824 1t. Indianapolis 15-3-0.824 1t. New England 15-3-0.813 4t. Several teams 13-5-0.722 The Packers have posted a winning record in their division every season under McCarthy. Green Bay and New England are the only teams in the league to accomplish that feat each season from 2006-11. KICKING THINGS OFF For the sixth time in seven seasons under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, Green Bay will start the season in front of the home crowd at Lambeau Field when it hosts the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sept. 9. Lambeau openers have become near habit for the Packers, as this will be the 32nd time in 43 season openers since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 that Green Bay kicked off its season in front of the home crowd. Green Bay has a 4-1 (.800) mark under McCarthy in season openers at Lambeau Field, including four straight victories. The Packers have won five straight season openers overall (2007-11), matching the longest streak in franchise history (1980-84). Green Bay and New England are the only teams in the league to have won their season opener each of the past five seasons. McCarthy is the only coach in franchise history to win five consecutive season openers. Green Bay s early-season success under McCarthy s direction hasn t been limited to Lambeau Field. The Packers have won their opening road contest in each of the six seasons McCarthy has been at the helm. Green Bay is the only team in the NFL to win its opening road contest each of the past six seasons (2006-11). McCarthy s six-game winning streak in the opening road contest of the year is the longest by an NFL head coach with one team since Chicago s Mike Ditka posted an eight-game streak from 1984-91. 2012 OPPONENTS - STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE The Packers 2012 schedule includes six games against 2011 playoff teams. Three of those games (Detroit, New Orleans, San Francisco) will be at home, while three (Detroit, Houston, N.Y. Giants) will come on the road. Including its six games against division opponents, Green Bay also will play two opponents, New Orleans and the N.Y. Giants, that it faced in 2011. The Packers will play the four teams from the AFC South for the first time since 2008 while also playing the teams from the NFC West for the second time in the past four seasons (2009). A closer look at Green Bay s 2012 opponents: Last Reg. Season Last Lambeau Field Home Games 11 Record Meeting/Result Meeting/Result Arizona...............8-8 1/3/10, W, 33-7 10/29/06, W, 31-14 Chicago...............8-8 12/25/11, W, 35-21 12/25/11, W, 35-21 Detroit...............10-6 1/1/12, W, 45-41 1/1/12, W, 45-41 Jacksonville..........5-11 12/14/08, L, 20-16 12/19/04, W, 28-25 Minnesota............3-13 11/14/11, W, 45-7 11/14/11, W, 45-7 New Orleans..........13-3 9/8/11, W, 42-34 9/8/11, W, 42-34 San Francisco.........13-3 12/5/10, W, 34-16 12/5/10, W, 34-16 Tennessee.............9-7 11/2/08, L, 19-16* 11/11/04, L, 48-27 Totals........... 69-59 (.539) * overtime Last Reg. Season Last Meeting Road Games 11 Record Meeting/Result at Site/Result Chicago...............8-8 12/25/11, W, 35-21 9/25/11, W, 27-17 Detroit...............10-6 1/1/12, W, 45-41 11/24/11, W, 27-15 Houston.............10-6 12/7/08, L, 24-21 11/21/04, W, 16-13 Indianapolis..........2-14 10/19/08, W, 34-14 9/26/04, L, 45-31 Minnesota............3-13 11/14/11, W, 45-7 10/23/11, W, 33-27 N.Y. Giants............9-7 12/4/11, W, 38-35 12/4/11, W, 38-35 St. Louis.............2-14 10/16/11, W, 24-3 9/27/09, W, 36-17 Seattle................7-9 12/27/09, W, 48-10 10/12/08, W, 27-17 Totals........... 51-77 (.398) Overall........ 120-136 (.469) 2
2012 OPPONENTS ON THE TUBE AND OVER THE AIRWAVES NFL Rank Record Offense Defense Arizona Cardinals...(8-8) 19 18T Chicago Bears...(8-8) 24 17 Detroit Lions...(10-6) 5 23 at Houston Texans...(10-6) 13 2 at Indianapolis Colts...(2-14) 30 25 Jacksonville Jaguars..(5-11) 32 6 Minnesota Vikings...(3-13) 18 21 New Orleans Saints...(13-3) 1 24 at New York Giants...(9-7) 8 27 at St. Louis Rams...(2-14) 31 22 San Francisco 49ers...(13-3) 26 4 at Seattle Seahawks...(7-9) 28 9 Tennessee Titans...(9-7) 17 18T 33 Consistently ranking as one of the most popular franchises in professional sports, the Green Bay Packers always attract a fair amount of national attention when it comes time to create the NFL regular-season schedule. The Packers will have prime-time contests in two of the first three weeks, starting with a home matchup against Chicago in Week 2 on Thursday night on NFL Network. They follow that up with a trip to Seattle in Week 3 on ESPN s Monday Night Football, the Packers lone appearance on MNF in 2012. Green Bay is scheduled to play three times on Sunday night on NBC, which would tie the mark for the most appearances in team history (2010). All three matchups will come against 2011 playoff teams (Week 6 at Houston, Week 12 at N.Y. Giants, Week 14 vs. Detroit). Games in Week 1 vs. San Francisco and Week 4 vs. New Orleans are scheduled for the second half of the national FOX doubleheader at 3:15 p.m. (CT), meaning those contests could be seen by a significant portion of the country. Games against Jacksonville (Week 8) and Tennessee (Week 16) will be broadcast by CBS, airing locally on WFRV-TV (Ch. 5). FOX is currently set to air nine games in 2012. Over the airwaves, Milwaukee s Newsradio 620 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 14th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers markets in five states. Out-of-town fans can listen to Larrivee and McCarren s call as NFL Audio Pass subscribers as well as on Sirius Satellite Radio as part of the network s NFL Sunday Drive. 2011 RESULTS PRESEASON Date Opponent Time Att. Sat., Aug. 13 at Cleveland Browns.............. L, 17-27 (57,077) Fri., Aug. 19 ARIZONA CARDINALS (Gold Pkg.)...W, 28-20 (67,688) (Midwest Shrine Game) Fri., Aug. 26 at Indianapolis Colts..............W, 24-21 (65,285) Thu., Sept. 1 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS.............W, 20-19 (67,555) (Bishop s Charities Game) REGULAR SEASON Date Opponent Time Att. Thu., Sept. 8 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS...........W, 42-34 (70,555) Sun., Sept. 18 at Carolina Panthers..............W, 30-23 (73,167) Sun., Sept. 25 at Chicago Bears.................W, 27-17 (62,339) Sun., Oct. 2 DENVER BRONCOS (Gold Pkg.)......W, 49-23 (70,529) Sun., Oct. 9 at Atlanta Falcons................W, 25-14 (69,576) Sun., Oct. 16 ST. LOUIS RAMS.................W, 24-3 (70,604) Sun., Oct. 23 at Minnesota Vikings..............W, 33-27 (63,946) Sun., Oct. 30 Open Date............................. Sun., Nov. 6 at San Diego Chargers.............W, 45-38 (68,908) Mon., Nov. 14 MINNESOTA VIKINGS..............W, 45-7 (70,519) Sun., Nov. 20 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (Gold Pkg.).. W, 35-26 (70,498) Thu., Nov. 24 at Detroit Lions..................W, 27-15 (66,263) Sun., Dec. 4 at New York Giants...............W, 38-35 (80,634) Sun., Dec. 11 OAKLAND RAIDERS..............W, 46-16 (70,524) Sun., Dec. 18 at Kansas City Chiefs.............. L, 14-19 (74,093) Sun., Dec. 25 CHICAGO BEARS.................W, 35-21 (70,574) Sun., Jan. 1 DETROIT LIONS.................W, 45-41 (70,294) POSTSEASON Sun., Jan. 15 N.Y. GIANTS.................... L, 20-37 (72,080)
WITH THE 28TH PICK IN THE 2012 NFL DRAFT... Next week, the Green Bay Packers will welcome another rookie class to their roster through the NFL Draft, held April 26-28 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Armed with seven of their own selections - plus four compensatory picks and a seventh-round choice from the N.Y. Jets - the Packers will have plenty of opportunities to add more talent and depth to their roster. All picks are eligible to be traded except for the compensatory selections. With the 12 selections overall, Green Bay enters the draft with the second-most picks in the league behind only the Cleveland Browns (13). For the third straight year, the event will begin in prime time on Thursday night, with Round 1 on April 26 starting at 7 p.m. CT. Rounds 2-3 also will be held in prime time, beginning on Friday, April 27, at 6 p.m. CT. Rounds 4-7 will complete the draft on Saturday, April 28, beginning at 11 a.m. CT. The time allotted in between picks will remain the same. Teams will have 10 minutes in between selections in the first round and seven minutes between each choice for Round 2. Each subsequent round will allow up to five minutes in between picks. A look at where Green Bay currently stands in the draft order: Round Round # Overall # 1 28 28 2 27 59 3 27 90 4 28 123 4 37 132 (compensatory) 4 38 133 (compensatory) 5 28 163 6 27 197 7 17 224 (from N.Y. Jets) 7 28 235 7 34 241 (compensatory) 7 36 243 (compensatory) IN THE PRESEASON Highlighted by a game at San Diego in front of a national TV audience on ESPN, Green Bay s preseason opponents were announced on April 4 and the dates and times were finalized Tuesday. The Packers open the preseason at San Diego on Aug. 9 in a nationally televised contest. This is the first preseason trip to Qualcomm Stadium since 2006 and fourth all-time preseason meeting, including the 1980 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Over the past 20 preseasons, the Packers have appeared on national TV at least once in 19 of those years. On Aug. 16, Green Bay will host the Cleveland Browns in the home preseason opener, the fourth consecutive year the clubs have met in the preseason. The game is designated as the 63rd annual Upper Midwest Shrine Game, a tradition which began in 1950 and has raised more than $3.4 million for the Midwest Shrine s burn centers and hospitals for crippled children. The Packers have won 10 of the last 13 contests in the Shrine series. On Aug. 23, the Packers will travel to Cincinnati and face the Bengals, the lone 2011 playoff qualifier on the preseason schedule. This marks the 17th preseason meeting between the Packers and Bengals and first at Paul Brown Stadium since 2006. The preseason concludes with a home contest against the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 30, the third straight year the teams have met in the preseason finale and second consecutive year at Lambeau Field. This game marks the 52nd annual Bishop s Charities Game, a charitable contest initiated in 1961 by Vince Lombardi and the Diocese of Green Bay that has raised more than $3.5 million to date. FINAL THOUGHTS ON 2011 The Packers became just the sixth team in NFL history to win 15 or more games in the regular season, one of several franchise marks that Green Bay set in 2011. Green Bay s 15 wins in the regular season topped the previous franchise record of 13 victories in 1962, 1996, 1997 and 2007. Including playoffs, Green Bay won 19 consecutive games before suffering its lone regular-season defeat at Kansas City in Week 15. The 19-game winning streak, one that dated back to Week 16 of 2010, was the longest in franchise history (12-game streak in 1961-62) and was the second-longest winning streak in NFL history behind only the 2003-04 New England Patriots (21 games). The Packers won the NFC North title for the first time since 2007 and were the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time since 1996. Green Bay set a franchise record with 560 points, easily topping the previous mark of 461 points in 2009. The point total ranked No. 2 in NFL history behind only the 589 points posted by the 2007 New England Patriots. The Packers led the league in scoring for the first time since 1996. With a No. 3 overall offensive ranking, the Packers finished in the top 10 in the NFL for the sixth straight season, one of only two teams in the league (New Orleans) to accomplish that feat over that span. Green Bay set team single-season marks for touchdowns (70), total net yards (6,482), net passing yards (4,924) and fewest giveaways (14). The Packers posted a league-high 31 interceptions, the second time in the last three seasons (2009) that they led the league in the category. The INT total was the most posted by Green Bay since it registered the same number in 1962. Green Bay tied for the league lead with 38 takeaways, and the team s plus-24 turnover ratio was tied for No. 2 in franchise history. IN THE LEAGUE RANKINGS, 2011 GREEN BAY (Team) Category NFC NFL Turnover Margin (+24)...2 2 Points Scored (35.0)...1 1 Points Allowed (22.4)...9 19 Total Offense (405.1)...2 3 Rushing (97.4)...13 27 Passing (307.8)...2 3 Total Defense (411.6)...16 32 vs. Rush (111.8)...7 14 vs. Pass (299.8)...16 32 Third-Down Offense (48.1%)...2 3 Third-Down Defense (42.6%)...13 26 Red-Zone Offense (66.2%)...1 3 Red-Zone Defense (55.4%)...11 20 GREEN BAY (Individual) Category NFC NFL Rushing: Starks (578)...18 38 Passing: Rodgers (122.5)...1 1 Receptions: Nelson (68)...18T 30T Rec. Yds.: Nelson (1,263)...7 9 Sacks: Matthews (6.0)...17T 28T Interceptions: Woodson (7)...1 1T 4
Sunday, Sept. 9, vs. San Francisco 49ers, 3:15 p.m., FOX The top two teams in the NFC in 2011 meet at Lambeau Field for the third time in the past four seasons. This will mark only the second time in franchise history that the Packers have faced the 49ers in a season opener, with the other meeting (Sept. 12, 1976) also coming at Lambeau Field. The Packers have won 52 games on Kickoff Weekend, which is tied with Chicago for No. 1 in NFL history. Green Bay has won eight straight games against the 49ers, including a Divisional playoff contest in 2001, and has won 13 of the last 14. Two of the NFL s most storied franchises, the Packers and 49ers took their rivalry to a new level in the late 1990s, when the teams met four consecutive years in the postseason. Green Bay owns a 30-25-1 advantage in the regular season and has won four of five postseason games. Head Coach Mike McCarthy s last stop as an NFL assistant came in 2005 with San Francisco when he served as the team s offensive coordinator. Thursday, Sept. 13, vs. Chicago Bears, 7:20 p.m., NFL Network The matchup marks the seventh straight season that the longtime rivals will square off in prime time, Green Bay s third appearance ever on NFL Network. It is only the second time in the history of the series that the Packers and Bears have faced off on a Thursday night, with the other meeting coming at Lambeau Field on Oct. 17, 1991, on TNT. The NFL s oldest rivalry marks Game No. 185 in the all-time series. The Packers have won four straight games against the Bears at Lambeau Field, the team s longest winning streak in Green Bay against Chicago since a six-game streak from 1993-98. This will be the third time during McCarthy s tenure that the Packers have hosted the Bears at Lambeau Field in September (also 2006 and 2009). Monday, Sept. 24, at Seattle Seahawks, 7:30 p.m., ESPN Including playoffs, the clubs have squared off in five of the past seven seasons. Green Bay is 6-0 in its first road contest of the season under McCarthy, the longest streak by a head coach with the same team since Chicago s Mike Ditka (1984-91). This will mark Green Bay s first visit to Seattle since 2008 and only its fifth trip in franchise history. The clubs have split the previous four meetings in Seattle (1987, 1996, 2006, 2008). It will be the second Monday Night Football matchup between the teams in Seattle during McCarthy s tenure, with the Seahawks topping the Packers, 34-24, on MNF on Nov. 27, 2006. This marks Green Bay s lone contest on Monday Night Football during the 2012 season, the team s 20th straight season appearing at least once on MNF. It is the second-longest current streak in the NFL behind only Denver (21). Seahawks QB Matt Flynn was a seventh-round pick by the Packers in 2008 and spent four seasons (2008-11) in Green Bay as the No. 2 QB before signing with Seattle as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Sunday, Sept. 30, vs. New Orleans Saints, 3:15 p.m., FOX The top two scoring teams in the league in 2011 (Packers, 35.0 ppg; Saints, 34.2 ppg) square off at Lambeau Field for the second straight season. This will be a matchup of the two most successful teams in the NFC since 2006, with Green Bay checking in with the best record (63-33,.656) and New Orleans second (62-34,.646) over that span. The Saints will be making their fifth trip to Green Bay in franchise history (the teams played seven times in Milwaukee from 1968-85), and fourth since 2005. It will be a matchup of the only two teams in the league to have top-10 offenses each of the past six seasons (2006-11). McCarthy served as the offensive coordinator in New Orleans for five seasons (2000-04). Sunday, Oct. 7, at Indianapolis Colts, 12 p.m., FOX The Packers play at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time in the regular season and pay their first visit to Indianapolis since 2004. It will be the first of five potential dome games for the Packers on the season, which would be the most in franchise history. The Colts and Texans (Week 6) both have retractable-roof stadiums. Green Bay s visit to Indianapolis kicks off a three-game road trip, the first time the Packers will be playing three consecutive road contests since the 1998 season. The all-time regular-season series between the Packers and Colts is deadlocked at 20-20-1. Sunday, Oct. 14, at Houston Texans, 7:20 p.m., NBC Green Bay visits Houston for only the second time since the expansion Texans entered the league in 2002. Ironically, the only other meeting between the clubs in Houston was also a Sunday night contest, a 16-13 Green Bay victory on Nov. 21, 2004, at Reliant Stadium. This will mark just the third matchup between the franchises, with the clubs splitting the first two meetings. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers served as Houston s head coach for the first five seasons of the franchise s history, joining the club in 2001, more than a year before Houston s inaugural season in 2002. Sunday, Oct. 21, at St. Louis Rams, 12 p.m., FOX The teams meet for the second straight season and the fifth time in the past seven seasons. It marks Green Bay s third visit to St. Louis under McCarthy, with the Packers winning each of the previous two meetings (2007 and 2009). This will be the Packers third game against an NFC West foe in the opening seven weeks of the season. Under McCarthy, Green Bay has a 10-2 (.833) regular-season mark against teams from the NFC West. Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 12 p.m., CBS The Jaguars make just their second visit to Lambeau Field in franchise history, with the only other meeting coming in 2004. When the Packers return to Green Bay to take on Jacksonville, it will be their first game in front of the home crowd at Lambeau Field in nearly a month. Green Bay has won four of its last six contests against AFC opponents. The first of two appearances on CBS for the Packers, with the other one scheduled for Week 16 vs. Tennessee. 55
Sunday, Nov. 4, vs. Arizona Cardinals, 12 p.m., FOX Arizona makes its first trip to Lambeau Field since 2006 and only its third visit to Green Bay over the past 28 seasons. This will be the first meeting between the teams since they squared off in a 2009 Wild Card matchup, a 51-45 Arizona overtime win that was the highest-scoring playoff game in league history. It will be the Packers final game before they enjoy their bye week in Week 10. Green Bay has won its game before the bye in four of the past five seasons, and dating back even further, the Packers are 13-5 (.722) heading into the week off since 1994. In two career games vs. Arizona (including playoffs), QB Aaron Rodgers has connected on 49-of-68 passes (72.1 percent) for 658 yards, five TDs and just one INT for a 120.8 passer rating. *Sunday, Nov. 18, at Detroit Lions, 12 p.m., FOX Green Bay will open its home-and-home series against the Lions at Ford Field, where it is 5-1 under McCarthy. For the second straight season, the first meeting between the division rivals won t come until the month of November. In 2011, the first matchup came at Detroit on Thanksgiving Day, a 27-15 Green Bay win. While their all-time mark in the city is below.500 (37-40-3), the Packers are 7-3 (.700) at Ford Field, which opened in 2002. McCarthy s first NFL win as head coach came at Detroit, a 31-24 victory on Sept. 24, 2006. *Sunday, Nov. 25, at New York Giants, 7:20 p.m., NBC The teams square off in the regular season for the third straight season, the first time the clubs have done so since 1985-87. This will be the first Sunday night contest in the history of the series and the first time that the teams have met in a prime-time game since a Monday Night Football tilt on Sept. 26, 1983, at Giants Stadium. Green Bay clinched a playoff berth last season at New York in Week 13 when K Mason Crosby s 31-yard field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired to give the Packers a 38-35 victory over the Giants. This marks the third straight season that the Packers will play at MetLife Stadium. In 2010, Green Bay topped the N.Y. Jets, 9-0, in Week 8 in the debut season of the stadium. The contest will be a rematch of the 2011 NFC Divisional Playoff contest that saw the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants emerge victorious, 37-20, at Lambeau Field. *Sunday, Dec. 2, vs. Minnesota Vikings, 12 p.m., FOX One of two December matchups between the border rivals, the first time in the history of the series (since 1961) that both of the regular-season meetings will come in the month of December. The Packers have a 9-3 mark (.750) against the Vikings under McCarthy. Few rivalries have displayed as much parity as Packers-Vikings, with Green Bay holding a 53-48-1 advantage in the all-time series. Not only is the all-time series close, but 14 of the past 18 regular-season games have been decided by seven points or less. Green Bay s 38-point win (45-7) over Minnesota at Lambeau Field last season on Monday Night Football was the largest margin of victory by either team in the history of the series (102 meetings). *Sunday, Dec. 9, vs. Detroit Lions, 7:20 p.m., NBC The second meeting between the teams in a four-week span, the first time that has happened in the series since 1995 (Weeks 7 and 9). Green Bay has won 20 consecutive regular-season games over the Lions in the state of Wisconsin. That 20-game home winning streak is the longest in the NFL. Including a 1994 playoff victory, the Packers have won 21 straight over the Lions in the state. Under McCarthy, the Packers are 11-1 against Detroit overall and 6-0 at Lambeau Field. In the 2011 season finale at Lambeau Field, the teams combined for 1,125 yards of total offense, the second most in a game in NFL history, in the 45-41 Green Bay victory. The 86 combined points ranked No. 2 in Lambeau Field history. *Sunday, Dec. 16, at Chicago Bears, 12 p.m., FOX This marks the fifth time in McCarthy s seven seasons that the teams will meet at Soldier Field in the month of December, highlighted by four straight meetings from 2006-09. Including a 2010 playoff victory at Chicago, the Packers have won 14 of the last 18 meetings between the clubs at Soldier Field. The Packers have swept the season series two of the past three seasons (2009 and 2011). Four of the last five meetings between the teams at Soldier Field (including playoffs) have been decided by seven points or less. *Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Tennessee Titans, 12 p.m., CBS Tennessee pays its first visit to Lambeau Field since 2004 and just its third since the franchise moved to Nashville in 1997. This is the latest in the season that the Titans/Oilers have traveled to Green Bay, besting the previous mark set in 1998 on Dec. 20. The Titans have won each of the last three meetings between the clubs, including a 19-16 OT victory over Green Bay in Nashville in the last meeting (2008). The Packers are 6-0 in the final home game of the season under McCarthy and 13-2 (.867) in the regular season at Lambeau Field in December/January since 2006. *Sunday, Dec. 30, at Minnesota Vikings, 12 p.m., FOX Green Bay closes out the regular season in Minnesota for the first time since 1992 and for the fourth time in the history of the series (also 1984 and 1991). It marks the first time the teams have met in the regular-season finale since a 1996 meeting at Lambeau Field. The Packers stand at 25-25-0 all-time in the state of Minnesota, including a 14-15-0 mark at the Metrodome. The Packers have swept the season series each of the past two seasons and in four of six seasons under McCarthy (also 2006 and 2007). Rodgers has thrown more TD passes (19) against the Vikings than any other NFL franchise, completing 177-of-253 passes (70.0 percent) during his career for 19 scores and just three INTs for a 116.5 passer rating. * Start time and broadcast may shift due to NFL flexible scheduling 6