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 16 Dope Sheet:
THIS WEEK'S NOTABLE STORYLINES:
-Adding to one of the league's fiercest rivalries, Green Bay and Minnesota square off in a battle that will decide the NFC North. For the ninth time in the last 11 years, one of these clubs will win the division Friday.
-The Packers haven't won consecutive road games at Minnesota since 1987-88. They won their last appearance, 30-27, Nov. 2, 2003.
-Green Bay hasn't defeated the Vikings three straight times since 1996-97, when the Packers went to consecutive Super Bowls.
-The Packers get their first taste of the Metrodome's new FieldTurf.
-The Packers play a sixth Christmas Eve game.
NATIONAL TELEVISION: FOX Sports, with play-by-play man Joe Buck, color analysts Troy Aikman and Cris Collinsworth, sideline reporter Pam Oliver, producer Richie Zyontz and director Artie Kempner, will air the game to approximately 83 percent of the country. The crew produces a Packers game for the sixth time this season.
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.
NATIONAL RADIO: Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports, with Joel Meyers (play-by-play), Rick Walker (color) and Lewis Johnson (sideline).
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Vikings:
All-time regular season: 43-42-1
All-time, postseason: 0-0
All-time, Metrodome: 9-12
Last meeting, regular season: Nov. 14, Lambeau Field; Packers won, 34-31
Last meeting, Metrodome: Nov. 2, 2003, Packers won, 30-27
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike Sherman: 53-30-0, .639, fifth NFL season, fifth with Packers
Mike Tice: 23-24-0, .489, third NFL season, third with Vikings
Head to Head: Sherman 3-2 vs. Tice (2002-04)
vs. Opponent: Sherman 6-3 vs. Vikings, Tice 2-3 vs. Packers
MIKE SHERMAN...Is in his fifth year as Packers head coach, and fourth as executive vice president and general manager. Sherman also:
-Could surpass No. 4 Bart Starr (53, 1975-83) on the team's all-time victory list. With a victory Friday, Sherman would have 54 overall wins, more than any Packers coach other than Curly Lambeau (212), Vince Lombardi (98) and Mike Holmgren (84).
-Inspired his players with a passionate speech on the eve of an Oct. 17 win at Detroit. The Packers, 1-4 at the time, are 7-2 since.
-After Tom Rossley underwent a heart angioplasty Oct. 12, stepped forward to serve as the team's primary play caller.
-Has more wins at Minnesota (2-2) in four trips than Mike Holmgren (1-6) had in seven seasons as Green Bay head caoch. Also has more wins against Minnesota (6-3) than Holmgren (5-9).
-Is 23-9 against division foes.
-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.
MIKE TICE...A highly regarded former NFL player, is in his third full season at the helm of the Vikings.
-Tice guided Minnesota to nine consecutive wins from 2002-03, tied for the third-best stretch in team history.
-Association with Vikings began in 1992. He lined up as a tight end from 1992-93 and in 1995, then coached the position in 1996 and coached Minnesota's offensive line from 1997-2001. In those five seasons as line coach, he produced five Pro Bowlers and 10 total Pro Bowl appearances.
-First Vikings alumni player to serve as head coach. Played 14 NFL seasons overall, the most by any active NFL head coach. Also played for the Seahawks and Redskins.
THE PACKERS-VIKINGS SERIES: Few, if any, rivalries in sports have exhibited more parity. These clubs have nearly split 85 meetings overall (43-42-1), and also split their last 23 games (12-11-0).
-Of late, the Packers have held a slight edge, 6-3 since Mike Sherman took Green Bay's reins in 2000.
-In 2003, the home clubs in the series were 0-2. The last time that happened was 1991.
-Over the last 10 seasons (1994-2003), these teams have accounted for eight division championships (NFC Central 1994-2001, NFC North 2002-03).
-Notable single-game career highs vs. Minnesota: Donald Driver - 45 yards rushing and 45-yard run (Metrodome, 11/2/03), and only career rushing TD (Lambeau Field, 12/30/01); Brett Favre - five TD passes (tied career high, Lambeau Field, 9/21/97); Robert Ferguson - 105 receiving yards (Lambeau Field, 12/8/02).
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS: Vikings receivers coach Charlie Baggett (receivers coach, 1999) and secondary coach Chuck Knox Jr. (defensive assistant/quality control, 1999) were on previous Green Bay staffs...Nick Rogers and Ben Steele recently played for the Vikings...Meanwhile, four individuals in the Packers organization have previously worked or played for the Vikings: Receivers coach Ray Sherman (quarterbacks coach, 1995-97 and O-coordinator, 1999); director of research and development Mike Eayrs (similar capacity, 1985-99); college scout Lee Gissendaner (player, 1996); and PR director Jeff Blumb (PR intern 1985 in Bud Grant's return season)...College teammates: Bryant McKinnie (Vikings), Nick Luchey and Bubba Franks (Packers) at Miami (Fla.)...Brian Russell (Vikings) and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila (Packers) at San Diego State...Antoine Winfield (Vikings) and Na'il Diggs (Packers) at Ohio State...Minnesota's head trainer Chuck Barta and Packers assistant trainer Kurt Fielding were classmates at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse...Vikings running back Michael Bennett rushed for 1,681 yards in his only season as a Wisconsin starter, 2000, second in Badger history; a former Milwaukee Tech High School star, Bennett's uncle is former Packer Tony Bennett...Dean Dalton, Minnesota's running backs coach, was a coach at the University of Wisconsin (1986-87)...John Schneider, Green Bay's personnel analyst to the general manager, attended St. Thomas College in St. Paul, Min....Packers Pro Hall of Famer Johnny (Blood) McNally attended St. John's University in Collegeville, Min.
LAST MEETING: Nov. 14, Lambeau Field, Packers won, 34-31:
-Former Viking Ben Steele recovered a fumble at midfield in the closing minutes, and the Packers drove for Ryan Longwell's 33-yard field goal as regulation expired. The Packers claimed a share of first place with Minnesota, who had rallied to tie with two touchdowns in a 93-second span.
-Both Brett Favre and Daunte Culpepper threw four touchdown passes without an interception. It was Favre's 18th game with four or more TD tosses, second only to Dan Marino's 21. Favre hit receiver Javon Walker, tailback Tony Fisher, tight end Bubba Franks and fullback William Henderson in the end zone as the Packers built a seemingly safe 31-17 lead.
-Culpepper, working without star receiver Randy Moss (strained hamstring) for the second successive game, passed for 363 yards, connecting with Nate Burleson 11 times for 141 yards and a score.
-Ahman Green rushed for 145 yards on 21 carries despite injuring his left kneecap when he was leg-whipped in the first half.
-Culpepper was sacked four times.
LAST MEETING, METRODOME: Nov. 2, 2003, Metrodome; Packers won, 30-27.
-Brett Favre, playing his first game after learning he'd broken his thumb, threw three touchdowns and even threw a key block as the Packers saved their season. Favre would go on to lead the NFL with 33 TD passes, throwing 19 with the broken thumb.
-Ahman Green rushed 21 times for 137 yards to lead a ground game that gained 261 yards, most by a Green Bay team since Forrest Gregg's club had 285, Oct. 6, 1985, vs. Detroit. Green also had five catches for 52 yards and a score. Two of Javon Walker's three receptions went for Green Bay touchdowns.
