*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 Packers-Bucs Week 4 Dope Sheet:*
**GREEN BAY (2-1) at TAMPA BAY (2-1)
Sunday, Sept. 28 | Raymond James Stadium | 12 p.m. CDT**
PACKERS HEAD SOUTH FOR FAMILIAR FOE
-Two division champions from a year ago - old NFC Central rivals Green Bay and Tampa Bay - square off for a Week 4 showdown at Raymond James Stadium.
-The Packers suffered their first loss of the season Sunday night, falling to 2-1 after a 27-16 defeat to Dallas.
-They will look to rebound at a place where they have not had too much success, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa (1-5 all-time).
-It will be their first trip to Tampa since 2003. That game - a 20-13 Packers win - marked their only win at the Bucs' new stadium.
-Before the Buccaneers opened the stadium in 1998, the Packers had been quite successful in Tampa. Their all-time mark in the city is 11-12-1.
-Including a win in their first road trip to Detroit in Week 2, Green Bay has won nine of its last 11 road games. Tampa Bay won its only game at home this season over Atlanta in Week 2.
-Head Coach Mike McCarthy and Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden share a similar coaching background. Both worked on the staff at the University of Pittsburgh in 1991 - McCarthy as a graduate assistant and Gruden as receivers coach. Following the season, Gruden took a job with the Packers under Mike Holmgren, while McCarthy stayed one more season before launching his NFL career in Kansas City.
-Tampa Bay comes into the contest after an overtime victory at Chicago. Matt Bryant's 21-yard field goal sealed the victory for the Buccaneers, who overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit.
WITH THE CALL
-FOX Sports enters its 15th season as an NFL network television partner and will air the contest to a regional audience.
-Play-by-play man Kenny Albert joins color commentator Daryl Johnston in the broadcast booth with Tony Siragusa serving as the sideline reporter.
-Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 56-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) calling the action. The duo are in their 10th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 47 markets in six states.
-For out-of-town listeners, the broadcast is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on www.packers.com as well as on Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 127 WTMJ feed) as part of the network's NFL Sunday Drive.
-DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game on channel 710.
GETTING OFF TO A QUICK START
-It's no secret that early success dramatically increases a team's chances to make the postseason.
-Green Bay got off to a quick start last season - a 4-0 start in the opening month - on its way to a 13-3 record and first-round playoff bye.
-The Packers traditionally have done well in the first month of the season. Over the past 11 seasons (1998-2008), Green Bay's opening-month record stands at 24-14 (.632), fourth best in the NFL over that time.
-During that period, only Indianapolis (25-11, .694), Denver (26-12, .684) and Seattle (24-13, .648) have a better record in the opening month of the season.
-A look at how important fast starts have become to an eventual playoff berth, compiled from 1990-2007:
Record through 4 games (% of teams in playoffs)
0-4 (1.7%)
1-3 (15.6%)
2-2 (34.0%)
3-1 (66.2%)
4-0 (84.9%)
BOUNCING BACK FROM A LOSS
-Part of the Packers' recent success has been their ability to rebound after a loss. The team last sustained back-to-back losses in 2006, when it lost three straight contests (Weeks 11-13).
-That's a stretch of 23 games without consecutive losses (25 including playoffs). Over that period, the Packers are 19-4 (20-5 including playoffs).
-Credit must be given to the players and staff for their collective ability to identify and correct mistakes early in the week before moving on to the next opponent. Typically, the team spends Monday in position and group meetings reviewing the game film.
THE HEAT IS ON
-An early look at Sunday's forecast shows temperatures in the mid-80s. It's no secret that a team from Northeast Wisconsin has little regular-season experience in such weather.
-Green Bay has played just one game under McCarthy where the temperature was 80 degrees or higher. In 2006 at Miami, the Packers defeated the Dolphins 34-24 at Dolphin Stadium.
-The victory marked a turning point in the 2006 season, as the Packers rebounded from a 1-4 start to finish 8-8 and mere percentage points away from a playoff berth.
-You have to go back to 2003 to find the previous game played at 80 degrees or higher. In fact, it was the franchise's last game played at Raymond James Stadium. On a Sunday in mid-November, the Packers defeated the Bucs 20-13 in 80 degree weather.
-The Packers hope it's not their only trip to Raymond James Stadium this season. The stadium will host Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1.
PRECISION PASSING KEY FOR RODGERS
-Through the season's first three weeks, only three NFL starters have yet to throw an interception: Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers (99 attempts), Washington's Jason Campbell (93 attempts) and Oakland's JaMarcus Russell (62 attempts).
-For Rodgers, his interception-free streak dates further back into his game action as a backup. Entering Sunday, Rodgers has thrown 148 passes without an interception.
-That streak ties the fourth-best mark in Packers history, matching a streak by Brett Favre from 2001-02.
-Bart Starr holds the franchise record with 294 passes without an interception, established during the 1964-65 seasons. Other streaks from Favre (163) and Starr (152) stand at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, on the franchise list.
-It would be hard to ignore the influence of McCarthy, the offensive play caller and noted quarterbacks guru. His West Coast offense stresses quick passes to players in space, allowing playmakers to use their abilities on the perimeter.
-McCarthy's influence in this area was seen last year as well, when Favre engineered two of the longest interception-free streaks of his career. From Week 2 through Week 5, Favre threw 142 passes without an interception, and then nearly matched that total with 139 consecutive passes without an interception from Week 9 through Week 13. Those totals were the third- and fourth-longest steaks, respectively, of his career.
UPON A CLOSER LOOK AT THE STATS
-Some of the good and bad through three games for the Packers:
-Green Bay's ball security, and its ability to cause turnovers, has been a bright spot thus far. It has just two giveaways (both fumbles) compared to six takeaways (five interceptions, one fumble recovery).
-Despite a lack of production in red-zone opportunities against Dallas (1-of-3, 33%), Green Bay's red-zone offense still ranks third in the conference, converting touchdowns on 60% (6-of-10) of its opportunities.
-Green Bay's red-zone defense against Dallas (1-of-5, 20%) was a barometer of how it has performed thus far. Allowing TDs on two of nine opportunities (22.2%), it ranks tops in the league.
-Not far behind is Tampa Bay, which is tied for the league's second-best red-zone defense. The Bucs have allowed 2 TDs in eight red-zone opportunities (25%).
-Kicker Mason Crosby has six touchbacks on the season, tied for the best in the conference and second in the NFL. In the battle for field position, Green Bay opponents have an average starting position of the 22.9-yard line, the fourth best in the NFC.
-Green Bay and Tampa Bay are remarkably similar in the league rankings through three weeks. Both have top-10 offenses (Tampa Bay 7th, Green Bay 8th) and would like to see more production from their defense (Tampa Bay 26th, Green Bay 27th).
-Where the Packers need to improve? Their defense is allowing 5.7-yards per rush, last in the league. They have faced two Pro Bowl runners thus far (Adrian Peterson, Marion Barber), but their run defense allowed just 2.8-yards per rush a season ago. Tampa Bay ran the ball just 17 times against Chicago (2.8-yards per rush) while throwing 67 times. The Packers can expect a much more balanced game plan from Tampa Bay come Sunday.
**
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Buccaneers:
All-time regular season: 29-19-1
All-time, postseason: 1-0
All-time, in Tampa: 11-12-1 (1-5 at Raymond James Stadium)
Streaks: The two teams have split the last six meetings.
Last meeting, regular season: Sept. 25, 2005, at Lambeau Field; Buccaneers won, 17-16
Last meeting, regular season, at Tampa: Nov. 16, 2003; Packers won, 20-13
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 24-13-0, .649, (incl. 1-1 postseason); 3rd NFL season
Jon Gruden: 93-79-0, .541 (incl. 5-4 postseason); 11th NFL season
Head to Head: Never met
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 0-0 vs. Buccaneers; Gruden 2-2 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY...Is in third year as the Packers' 14th head coach.
-Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
-Honored as the 2007 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year and NFL Alumni Coach of the Year.
-Became the first Packers coach since Vince Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season.
-Tied franchise record for most victories by a coach in his first two seasons (21).
JON GRUDEN...Is in seventh year as the Buccaneers' seventh head coach.
-In 2007, led Tampa Bay to its third NFC South title in five seasons.
-Became the youngest head coach (39) to win a Super Bowl, leading the Buccaneers to the title in his first season in Tampa Bay, 2002.
-Prior to joining the Buccaneers, guided the Oakland Raiders to postseason appearances in the final two of his four years there, advancing to the AFC title game in 2000 and losing a divisional playoff game to eventual Super Bowl champion New England in 2001.
-A former collegiate quarterback, Gruden worked from 1995-97 as offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles and three years (1992-94) on staff for the Packers.
THE PACKERS-BUCCANEERS SERIES
-Sunday marks the 51st overall meeting between these former NFC Central rivals. They launched the series in 1977, when the expansion Bucs moved to the Packers' division after an inaugural 1976 campaign in the AFC West.
-Including a 1997 playoff victory, the Packers hold a 30-19-1 advantage. But since the Bucs shifted to the NFC South before the 2002 season, Tampa has won two of the three.
-The Packers' victory at Raymond James Stadium in 2003 ended a five-game losing streak in the venue.
-From the second meeting in 1992 through the first meeting in 1998, the Packers won 12 of 13 contests. The Bucs' lone win in that stretch came in overtime (Dec. 10, 1995).
{sportsad300}NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Gruden was a Packers assistant coach for three seasons, serving as offensive quality control in 1992 and wide receivers coach in 1993-94. Gruden and McCarthy also worked together on the staff at the University of Pittsburgh in 1991 before both entered the pro ranks...Packers assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft and played four seasons (1987-90) in Tampa Bay...Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin spent one season in Green Bay (1983) as linebackers coach...Tampa Bay assistant offensive line coach George Yarno played for the Packers in 1990...Packers DT Ryan Pickett is from nearby Zephyrhills, Fla. ...Tampa Bay P Josh Bidwell spent the first four seasons (2000-03) of his career in Green Bay, having been a fourth-round draft choice in 1999...Bucs RB Michael Bennett, a Milwaukee native and nephew of former Packers LB Tony Bennett (1990-93), played collegiately at Wisconsin...Tampa Bay QB Brian Griese and Green Bay CB Charles Woodson were teammates on the University of Michigan's 1997 national championship team...Tampa Bay WR Maurice Stovall and Green Bay RB Ryan Grant played together at Notre Dame...Bucs S Will Allen and Packers LB A.J. Hawk played together at Ohio State...Bucs T Jeremy Trueblood and Packers CB/PR/KR Will Blackmon also were teammates at Boston College...Bucs T Donald Penn and Packers CB Jarrett Bush were teammates at Utah State.
INDIVIDUALLY VS. BUCCANEERS
LB Nick Barnett earned NFL 'Defensive Player of the Week' honors as a rookie for his performance at Tampa in 2003; Barnett notched 10 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery...Playing for Oakland in Super Bowl XXXVII, CB Charles Woodson intercepted a pass on the third play of the game, leading to a field goal for the first points in Tampa Bay's eventual 48-21 triumph.
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Sept. 25, 2005, at Lambeau Field; Buccaneers won, 17-16.
-Tampa Bay snapped a 13-game road losing streak to Green Bay, notching its first win at Lambeau Field since 1989.
-Carnell "Cadillac" Williams rushed 37 times for 158 yards and Joey Galloway added two TD receptions as the Bucs took a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter.
-The Packers lost a chance at a fumble recovery deep in Tampa Bay territory on an officiating miscue, and Ryan Longwell's missed PAT in the first quarter (his first miss in 157 attempts) proved to be the difference.
-Will Allen's second interception of the game, with five minutes left, sealed the decision.
LAST MEETING, IN TAMPA BAY
Nov. 16, 2003, at Raymond James Stadium; Packers won, 20-13.
-The Packers beat the reigning Super Bowl champion for the third straight season, as Ahman Green tied a franchise record with his seventh 100-yard rushing game of the season, gaining 109 yards on 21 carries.
-Facing fourth-and-1 from the Buccaneers' 16-yard line in a tie game, the Packers sent Najeh Davenport barreling up the middle for 5 yards instead of kicking a go-ahead field goal. Three plays later, Green scored from the 1 to finish a 17-play, 98-yard march that gave the Packers the victory, their first in six tries at Raymond James Stadium.
-The Packers' offensive line ended Tampa Bay's league-record streak of 69 games with at least one sack.
