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 1921-24.
Honoring Calhoun, the first publicity director, the Packers ran this weekly feature in their release this season, and made it available to fans exclusively on Packers.com.
The final 2003 edition of the Dope Sheet is a must for fans with an unquenchable thirst for Packers information, from stats to notes to record-watches.
Some of the highlights of the season-ending edition are listed below. Dope Sheets from throughout the season can be found by accessing the pregame sections of the Packers.com Game Centers.
MOST UNIQUE OFFENSE EVER: Tom Rossley in 2003 fielded one of the best overall offenses in NFL history. In fact, no other team in league annals has:
- Rushed for at least 2,500 yards,
- Passed for at least 3,300 yards,
- Completed at least 65 percent of passes,
- Rushed for at least 18 touchdowns AND
- Passed for at least 32 touchdowns; what's more,
- Only two NFL teams over the last 20 seasons have combined at least 2,558 yards rushing with at least 3,377 yards passing: the 2001 Pittsburgh Steelers and the 1988 Cincinnati Bengals.
BALL SECURITY: The Packers' last fumbled on Dec. 7, a win vs. Chicago (a Favre-Green exchange), and executed their last 343 offensive plays - including postseason - without a fumble.
- Green Bay closed 2003 without losing a fumble over its last 405 offensive snaps (since Nov. 27 at Detroit).
- Ahman Green did not fumble over his last 246 offensive touches (225 rushing attempts, 20 receptions, one fumble recovery).
- The Packers lost just two fumbles over their last nine games - both on Thanksgiving.
- Including playoffs, Green Bay went 8-1 in games without a fumble, and 3-6 when fumbling.
RED-ZONE OFFENSE: Only one other NFL team, Kansas City (.778, 42 touchdowns, 54 possessions) posted a better red-zone percentage than Tom Rossley's Green Bay unit (.654, 34-for-52).
RED-ZONE DEFENSE: Green Bay closed the regular season allowing just three touchdowns in opponents' last 18 red-zone possessions (.167; since Nov. 16 at Tampa Bay).
- The Packers (.391) ranked second in the NFC in red-zone defense, behind Tampa Bay (.350). They were fifth in the NFL.
DANGEROUS OUTSIDE THE 20, TOO: The Packers (136) tallied more points from outside the opponent red zone than any NFL team. Minnesota (135) ranked second.
Click here to download a PDF of the complete 2003 season-ending Dope Sheet.
