Brett Favre could earn the franchise record for consecutive games played.
The historic Lambeau Field opener: The Packers and their fans will rededicate Lambeau Sept. 7 vs. Minnesota. In addition to all the festivities...
- Green Bay kicks off the schedule in Wisconsin for a seventh consecutive season and for the 17th time during an 18-year stretch.
- Since the 1986 opener, no other NFL team has opened at home more than the Packers.
- Green Bay is 6-2 over its last eight season-opening games at home, including a 1994 win at Milwaukee County Stadium.
- The Packers enter 2003 with 11 consecutive regular-season home wins, the league's longest active streak.
Possibly an unforgettable afternoon: On Dec. 7 at home vs. Chicago, Brett Favre could be in line to surpass Forrest Gregg (187) for the franchise's longest consecutive games-played streak. Favre could tie Gregg on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27 at Detroit.
First trip to Oakland since Ford was in White House: The Oakland game (Dec. 22) will mark the Packers' first regular-season venture to that city since Oct. 24, 1976.
- The 27-year period is Green Bay's third-longest stretch without an appearance in one city/metro area (excluding games with defunct teams). The club went 41 years without an appearance in Buffalo (1938 vs. Chicago Cardinals, 1979 at Buffalo Bills) and 37 years without an appearance in Boston/Foxboro (1936 at Boston Redskins, 1973 at New England Patriots). And, the Packers have active streaks of 29 years without a trip to Baltimore (1974 against the Colts; streak will end in 2005) and 24 years without a trip to Washington (1979; streak will end in 2004).
- The Packers are tied with Oakland (33-15, .688) for the second-best winning percentage in the NFL from 2000-02. Philadelphia is 34-14 (.708). However, the Packers own the league's best mark since 2001 (24-8, .750), 1998 (tied with Titans, 52-28, .650), 1997 (65-31, .677), 1996 (78-34, .696), 1995 (89-39, .695), 1994 (98-46, .681) and the 1993 start of unrestricted free agency and the salary cap (107-53, .669).
Against defending Super Bowl champions: When the Packers play in Tampa Bay (Nov. 16), Green Bay meets a defending Super Bowl champion for the 10th time since 1993 (including postseason).
- Of those 10, the Tampa trip is Green Bay's ninth road game.
- The Packers have won their last two (at New England in '02 and vs. Baltimore in '01), after losing six of their previous seven.
- All time against the defending Super Bowl champion (1969-2002), including postseason, the Packers are 6-14 overall.
- All time against the defending NFL champion (1921-2002), including postseason, Green Bay is 23-45.
Both Super Bowl teams on docket: The league scheduled only two teams - the Packers and Titans - to meet both Super Bowl finalists (Oakland and Tampa Bay). The Packers play both defending Super Bowl finalists for the second time in three years (also in 2001 vs. Baltimore and at N.Y. Giants).
Defending division champions: Overall, the Packers play four 2002 division champions - three over three consecutive weeks (vs. Philadelphia Nov. 10, at Tampa Bay Nov. 16, and vs. San Francisco Nov. 23). The team also meets defending AFC West champion Oakland, Dec. 22 at the Coliseum.
On Monday night: ABC showcases the Packers for an 11th straight season on Monday night football.
- In the NFL, only Miami (13) and Denver (12) have longer MNF appearance streaks.
League's best starting team: Since 2001, the Packers are the league's best first-half team. They are 13-3 overall in Games 1-8 over the last two years combined (6-2 in 2001, 7-1 in 2002).
- In 2003, the Packers hope to continue that success with four of their first six at home.
- San Francisco (12-4), Miami (11-5), Philadelphia (11-5) and San Diego (11-5) round out the league's first-half leaders the last two years.
Holiday trips to California: The Packers have consecutive December trips to California (at San Diego Dec. 14, at Oakland Dec. 22) for the first time since 1963.
- Since Vince Lombardi took his post in 1959, the Packers are 12-4-2 in regular-season California games Dec. 1 and later.
- Packers have never lost to the Chargers in San Diego (4-0). Green Bay's only loss in the city was Super Bowl XXXII.
Against familiar faces: The Packers meet five of their former coaches: Steve Mariucci (Detroit), Dick Jauron (Chicago), Andy Reid (Philadelphia), Mike Holmgren (Seattle) and Jon Gruden (Tampa Bay). Since 1997 including playoffs, former Green Bay coaches are 5-20 against the Packers.
Soldier Field opener historic to Packers, too: Green Bay's fourth game, a Monday night trip to Chicago helping to dedicate the new Soldier Field, marks league game No. 1,100 in Packers history.
- Entering 2003, only the Bears (1,130) have played more official NFL contests.
- The Bears also stood across the field for Packers games No. 300 (Sept. 21, 1930 in Green Bay) and 800 (Oct. 21, 1985 at Soldier Field).
Speaking of the Bears: The Packers are 16-2 vs. the Bears since 1994.
- In the current era (since the 1993 dawn of the salary cap and free agency), no team has enjoyed a better 18-game series stretch against a single opponent.
- And, with two wins against the Bears in 2003, the Packers would become only the sixth team in league history to record at least 18 wins over an opponent in a 20-game NFL stretch (also the Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys).
Series interruptions no more: Green Bay halts its two longest series interruptions in 2003.
- On Oct. 12 vs. Kansas City, the Packers will end their longest active series interruption. The teams last met in 1996, at Arrowhead.
- The next week, Oct. 19 at St. Louis, they'll end their second-longest active series interruption (excluding playoffs). The Packers and Rams last met during the regular season in 1997, at Lambeau.
