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 are running this weekly feature as their release, which is being made available to fans exclusively on Packers.com.
A complete edition of the Dope Sheet will be available each week during the season in PDF format, located in the Packers.com Game Centers.
Here are some highlights from the Week 14 Dope Sheet:
THIS WEEK'S NOTABLE STORYLINES:
-The Packers hope for a 14th consecutive win over Detroit in Wisconsin (three wins at Milwaukee County Stadium - Green Bay has taken the last 10 at Lambeau Field)...The streak includes five Lions head coaches: Wayne Fontes (1992-96), Bobby Ross (1997-99), Gary Moeller (2000), Marty Mornhinweg (2001-02) and Steve Mariucci (2003)...Green Bay last lost at home to Detroit on Dec. 15, 1991, 21-17 at Lambeau Field; Mike Tomczak and the Packers couldn't keep a 10-7 fourth-quarter lead in 18-below wind chill, and Mel Gray returned a punt 78 yards for a TD.
-Green Bay gets its first look at Roy Williams. Detroit's No. 1 draft pick this past spring, Williams suited up but didn't play in the teams' last meeting, Oct. 17, with a sprained ankle. Williams, who faced off against Ahmad Carroll in college, is tied for the lead among NFL rookies in touchdown receptions (5) and points (30) despite missing two games due to injury.
-The Packers can win an eighth game and guarantee a non-losing season for a 13th consecutive season (1992-2004), a significant accomplshment in the current era of parity, the salary cap and unrestricted free agency. Their current streak of 12 years is the longest active in the NFL, after Miami lost its ninth game Nov. 21 and ended a streak of 15 seasons without a losing record.
-The Packers, controllers of their own destiny as leaders of the NFC North, hope to stay inches ahead of the Vikings in Green Bay's quest for a third straight division crown. Minnesota hosts Seattle.
NATIONAL TELEVISION: FOX Sports, with play-by-play man Dick Stockton, color analyst Daryl Johnston, sideline reporter Tony Siragusa, producer Bob Stenner and director Sandy Grossman. The broadcast will go to approximately 80 percent of the country.
LOCAL RADIO: Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 62-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and Larry McCarren (color). The broadcast also is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on packers.com.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Detroit Lions/Portsmouth Spartans:
All-time regular season: 78-63-7
All-time, postseason: 2-0, NFC Wild Card -- wins in 1993 (Silverdome) and 1994
(Lambeau Field)
All-time, Lambeau Field: 20-10-3
Last meeting, regular season: Oct. 17, Ford Field, Packers won, 38-10
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike Sherman: 52-29-0, .642, fifth NFL season, fifth with Packers
Steve Mariucci: 70-61, .534, eighth NFL season, second with Lions
Head to Head: Sherman 5-1 vs. Mariucci
vs. Opponent: Sherman 7-2 vs. Lions; Mariucci 2-8 vs. Packers
MIKE SHERMAN...Is in his fifth year as Packers head coach, and fourth as executive vice president and general manager. Sherman also:
-Earned his 50th career win Nov. 14, tied with Mike Martz for 18th fastest in NFL history and second in Green Bay annals to Lombardi.
-Inspired his players with a passionate speech on the eve of an Oct. 17 win at Detroit. The Packers, 1-4 at the time, won six in a row.
-After Tom Rossley underwent a heart angioplasty Oct. 12, stepped forward and has served as primary play caller since.
-A Red Sox fan since his youth, is hoping Green Bay can rebound from an early deficit the way Boston did in climbing out of a three-game hole to defeat the Yankees, and eventually win the World Series.
-Became the last active head coach (minimum one season) to experience a three-game losing streak, on Oct. 3.
-Is now 6-0 against teams that played in the Super Bowl the previous season, including Sept. 13 at Carolina.
-Since 1970, only George Siefert, Chuck Knox and Joe Gibbs have posted a better regular-season mark over their first four years.
STEVE MARIUCCI...Is in his second season directing the Lions' on-field fortunes, after six years (1997-2002) as head coach of the 49ers. He also:
-Served as Brett Favre's first Green Bay position coach (1992-95).
-Guided the 49ers to a 60-43 mark and four playoff berths, including his first year at the helm, 1997, when he won 11 consecutive games, most ever by a rookie head coach.
-Is a native of Iron Mountain, Mich., about two hours from Green Bay.
THE PACKERS-LIONS SERIES: No other NFL teams have played every year since 1932, when the Packers first met the Lions, then known as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans. This week marks Game No. 149 in the venerable series. Green Bay has won seven of the last eight meetings, and eight of the last 10.
-The Packers look for a 14th consecutive win over Detroit in Wisconsin. The streak includes five Lions head coaches: Wayne Fontes (1992-96), Bobby Ross (1997-99), Gary Moeller (2000), Marty Mornhinweg (2001-02) and Steve Mariucci (2003).
-The Lions' three top coaches, head coach Steve Mariucci, defensive coordinator Dick Jauron and offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis, are former Packers assistants. Meanwhile, the Packers' staff includes the last two Lions defensive coordinators: Defensive backs coach Kurt Schottenheimer and special assistant Vince Tobin.
-Last Thanksgiving, the Lions held Green Bay to 14 points, the Packers' fewest in the series since Sept. 8, 1991, when Detroit beat Green Bay at the Silverdome, 23-14.
-The Packers have scored more points against the Detroit franchise than any opponent (3,062). The Packers in 2003 were believed to be the first team to score 3,000 against a single opponent.
-Before the '03 loss, the Packers had won six straight over Detroit, the longest series winning streak by either team since Detroit won 11 straight from 1949-54.
-Brett Favre in 25 regular-season games against Detroit is 17-8 with a 90.4 passer rating (570-of-878, 6,701 yards, 45 touchdowns, 31 interceptions). He's also 8-2, including postseason, vs. Mariucci.
-Notable single-opponent career highs vs. Detroit: Donald Driver - 32 receptions, 417 receiving yards; Brett Favre - 891 attempts, 557 completions, 6,701 yards; Bubba Franks - 32 receptions, 320 yards, four TDs.
-Notable single-game career highs vs. Detroit: Donald Driver - 11 receptions, 11/10/02 at Lambeau Field; Bubba Franks - nine receptions, 62 yards, both 9/22/02 at Ford Field, AND 31-yard reception, 11/22/01, Silverdome; Ryan Longwell - nine kickoffs, 11/10/02, Lambeau Field; Torrance Marshall - 10 tackles, 11/27/03, Ford Field; Darren Sharper - two interceptions (tied), 9/9/01, Lambeau Field.
Other notable connections...Defensive line coach Larry Brooks and special teams coach Chuck Priefer were previously assistants on Green Bay staffs...Defensive assistant Johnny Holland played and coached for the Packers...Packers special teams consultant Frank Novak coached the Lions' special teams from 1995-96...Green Bay DT Colin Cole spent one week on Detroit's 53-man roster in 2003, and all of the 2004 preseason with the Lions.
LAST MEETING: Oct. 17, Ford Field, Packers won, 38-10:
-Brett Favre threw two TD passes and Darren Sharper returned an interception for another score as the Packers launched a six-game winning streak that resurrected their season.
-On the night before the game, Mike Sherman delivered an emotional team speech that several players, including Sharper, said inspired them to answer their coach's challenge.
-Sharper put momentum permanently in Green Bay's hands, returning a third-quarter interception 36 yards for a TD that gave the Packers a 24-10 lead.
-Favre, who played in his 197th Packers game and passed Bart Starr for the team record, led the Packers on four touchdown drives.
-Bob Slowik's defense turned in one of the finest efforts in recent franchise history. Its 125 total yards and five first downs allowed were Green Bay's fewest since the "Snow Bowl," Dec. 1, 1985, vs. Tampa Bay (65 yards, five first downs). Its 40 plays allowed were Green Bay's fewest since Dec. 3, 1972, vs. Detroit (34). The Packers didn't allow a first down in the second half, and didn't allow the Lions inside the Green Bay 30 over Detroit's final nine possessions.
-Donald Driver caught nine passes for 110 yards and tied a career high with two TD catches, one of which came from halfback Ahman Green.
