Dope Sheet: Packers and Bengals square off on Sunday

The Green Bay Packers travel to Ohio to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the first of four road contests in five weeks.

• It will be the sixth visit for Green Bay to Cincinnati and the first since 2013.
• Each of the last three games at the Bengals have been decided by seven points or less.
• The Packers are looking for their first victory in Cincinnati since 1998.
• The two teams last met in 2017, a 27-24 overtime victory by Green Bay at Lambeau Field in Week 3.
• This will be the 14th matchup between the two teams and the seventh time they will play in October.
• The Packers have started the season with a 3-1 record, marking the third consecutive season Green Bay has opened the season with at least three wins in its first four games (3-1, 4-0, 3-1). Since 2019, the Packers have a combined record of 10-2 in the first four games of the season, a .833 winning percentage that is tied for the best in the NFL (Buffalo and Kansas City) over that span (stathead.com).
• Sunday will be the first time the Packers have played at 12 p.m. CT this season, the first of three consecutive early-Sunday slots for Green Bay. The Packers are 11-1 under Head Coach Matt LaFleur in games played at 12 p.m. CT, a .917 winning percentage that ranks No. 1 in the NFL since 2019.

AGAINST THE AFC

• The Packers faced their first AFC opponent of the season last week, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17, at home. Dating back to 2020, Green Bay is 4-1 against AFC opponents, an .800 winning percentage that is tied for No. 1 in the NFL (Buffalo and Tampa Bay).
• Under Head Coach Matt LaFleur, Green Bay is 7-2 against AFC opponents, a .778 winning percentage that is tied for No. 1 in the NFL (New Orleans) from 2019-21 (stathead.com).
• The Packers have scored over 30 points in five of their last eight games against AFC teams.
• Green Bay ranks No. 7 in the NFL and No. 2 in the NFC in point differential (plus-73) against AFC opponents since 2019. 
• QB Aaron Rodgers has registered a passer rating of 100-plus in eight of the last 11 games he has played against AFC teams, including in four of his last five games (128.1, 110.7, 108.1, 132.4, 95.6). 
• In his last 11 games against the AFC, Rodgers has thrown 29 TDs and three interceptions, while recording five 300-yard games (including two 400-yard games). The Packers are 9-2 in Rodgers' last 11 starts against AFC opponents.
• Over the last 13 games he has played against AFC teams, WR Davante Adams has tallied 14 receiving TDs.
• In 13 games played versus AFC opponents, RB Aaron Jones has recorded nine TDs (six rushing and three receiving) and averaged 5.0 yards per carry and 11.9 yards per reception.

WITH THE CALL

FOX Sports, now in its 28th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game. 

• Play-by-play man Kenny Albert joins analyst Jonathan Vilma and sideline reporter Lindsay Czarniak.
• DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game with NFL Sunday Ticket on Channel 710.
• Sports USA Radio will be broadcasting to a national audience with Josh Appel (play-by-play) and Mark Carrier (analyst) on the call.
• Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 49 stations in four states. For a full listing of radio affiliates, go to www.packers.com. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) call the action. McCarren first joined the team's broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 26th season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 23rd season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago. Both McCarren and Larrivee are members of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
• The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed).

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:

Packers at Bengals:

• Regular season, all-time: 6-7
• All-time, at Cincinnati (regular season): 1-4
• Streaks: Cincinnati has won three out of the last four, dating back to 2005. 
• Last meeting, regular season: Sept. 24, 2017, Lambeau Field, Packers won, 27-24, OT

COACHES CAPSULES

• Matt LaFleur: 29-7-0, .806; (2-2 postseason); 3rd NFL season
• Zac Taylor: 9-26-1, 264; 3rd NFL Season 
• Head to Head: LaFleur 0-0 vs. Taylor
• vs. Opponent: LaFleur 0-0 vs. Bengals, Taylor 0-0 vs. Packers 

MATT LaFLEUR…In his third season as the Packers' 15th head coach.

• In his 13th season in the NFL, having previously served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Football Team, 2010-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
• In his first two seasons leading the Packers, has authored one of the greatest starts to a head-coaching career in NFL history. For the second consecutive season in 2020, led Green Bay to a 13-3 record and captured the NFC North crown while also earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time since 2011. It was just the second time in team history that the Packers had won 13-plus games in back-to- back seasons (13-3 in 1996 and 1997). 
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, was the sixth head coach since 1970 to lead his team to the conference championship game in both of his first two seasons as a head coach, joining Jim Harbaugh (2011-12), Rex Ryan (2009-10), Barry Switzer (1994-95), George Seifert (1989-90) and Don McCafferty (1970-71). 
• Became just the second NFL head coach since the league went to a divisional format in 1967 to win 13-plus games and a division title in both of his first two seasons, joining Seifert (1989-90).
• In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, became the first coach in club history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season. Also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven wins).

ZAC TAYLOR…In his third season as the Bengals' 10th head coach.

• In 2020, Taylor helped QB Joe Burrow to one of the most productive starts to a career by a QB in NFL history before a knee injury ended the rookie's season after 10 games. Burrow's 264 completions were the most ever by an NFL QB through their first 10 career games.
• Came to Cincinnati after two seasons (2017-18) with the L.A. Rams, where he served as assistant wide receivers coach in 2017 and quarterbacks coach in '18. In 2018, he helped guide Rams QB Jared Goff to career highs in every major passing category. Los Angeles won the NFC West with a 13-3 regular-season record and advanced to Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots.

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor coached on the Los Angeles Rams' staff together in 2017...Taylor coached at the University of Cincinnati in 2016 when Packers TE Josiah Deguara was a redshirt freshman for the Bearcats...LaFleur was on the Houston Texans' staff in 2009 when Bengals tight ends coach James Casey was a rookie tight end for the Texans...LaFleur and Bengals offensive line/run game coordinator Frank Pollack were on the Houston staff together in 2008-09...Packers C/G Josh Myers grew up in Miamisburg, Ohio, and played college ball at Ohio State University…Bengals strength and conditioning coach Joey Boese played defensive back at the University of Wisconsin (2008-11)...Packers quarterbacks/passing game coordinator Luke Getsy played at the University of Akron and was a graduate assistant there from 2007-08…Packers defensive quality control coach Justin Hood is from Youngstown, Ohio...Packers offensive quality control coach Tim Zetts is also from Youngstown, Ohio…Bengals CB Trae Waynes is from Kenosha, Wis., …Bengals practice squad CB Tony Brown played for Green Bay for two seasons (2018-19)…Bengals practice squad DT Mike Daniels played for the Packers from 2012-18…Bengals head coach Zac Taylor's wife Sarah, is the daughter of former Packers head coach Mike Sherman (2000-05)…Bengals senior defensive assistant Mark Duffner spent three seasons as the Packers' linebackers coach (2003-05), coaching under Sherman…LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Football Team (2010-13), where he coached alongside Bengals secondary/cornerbacks coach Steve Jackson (2013)…Packers TE Marcedes Lewis and Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan (quarterback) were teammates at UCLA...Packers QB Jordan Love was a redshirt freshman at Utah State in 2017 when Bengals assistant wide receivers coach Brad Kragthorpe was on the coaching staff...Packers WR Randall Cobb spent one season with the Dallas Cowboys, where he was teammates with Bengals G Xavier Su'a-Filo in 2019…Packers coaches who have coached in Ohio include: LaFleur (Ashland, 2007), Jason Vrable (Marietta College, 2007), and Ryan Downard (Toledo, 2013; Bowling Green, 2016-17).