TODAY: Former NFC Central rivals square off in Tampa Bay's first trip to Lambeau Field since 2001 (the year before the NFL realigned)...Green Bay hopes to avoid its first 0-3 start since 1988...The Packers have won 13 consecutive home games over the Bucs, including playoffs. Green Bay's last loss in Wisconsin was a 23-21 setback at Lambeau Field, Sept. 10, 1989...Today's contest involves two of the NFL's leading sack artists since the '01 season, Simeon Rice and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila.
FAVRE'S HOME TOUCHDOWN STREAK: Brett Favre has thrown for a TD in 22 consecutive Lambeau Field games (25 including playoffs). The last time a team held Favre without a TD in his home stadium was Oct. 20, 2002, when Washington's LaVar Arrington sacked the quarterback, spraining his lateral collateral knee ligament and forcing him from the game early in the second half. It's the second such 22-game streak in Favre's career.
ANOTHER DIGIT FOR DAVENPORT: Najeh Davenport (999) is expected to become the 38th player in team history to gain 1,000 yards rushing in a Packers uniform. Eventual Hall of Famer Clarke Hinkle was first to hit the milestone, in 1934, blazing a trail that would include fellow Canton residents Tony Canadeo, Paul Hornung and Bart Starr. Davenport enters averaging an impressive 5.045 yards per carry (198 attempts for 999 yards).
FRANKS' STREAK IN JEOPARDY: The last time tight end Bubba Franks missed a game was at Big Spring (Texas) High School and the sport was not football. Frustrated during a basketball practice, the eventual three-time Pro Bowler kicked a wall and injured his foot, sidelining him for the ensuing hoops contest. Franks, who's played all 82 NFL games (88 including playoffs), also played in all 34 contests (36 including bowl games) at the University of Miami. He can't remember missing a football game at any level. Green Bay's longest consecutive-games played streaks (regular season): Brett Favre 209, Ryan Longwell 130, Rob Davis 121, Bubba Franks 82, Paris Lenon 50, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila 46, William Henderson 46.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TODAY -
NA'IL DIGGS:
-Needs four tackles for 500 career.
DONALD DRIVER:
-Needs a reception to extend his current streak with a catch to 51 games and surpass the fourth-longest stretches in team history, 50 by Don Hutson (1941-45) and Paul Coffman (1979-82). Driver enters with a reception in his last 50.
BRETT FAVRE:
On the NFL's all-time list...
-Counting all recorded consecutive-starts streaks, will surpass No. 6 Gene Upshaw (207, 1967-81). Favre enters having started 207 consecutive games.
BUBBA FRANKS:
-Needs five receptions for 200 career.
-Needs two TD receptions to tie No. 3 Robert Brooks (17) on the all-time Lambeau Field list. Franks enters 2005 with 15 Lambeau Field TD receptions.
AHMAN GREEN:
-Needs three rushing touchdowns to surpass No. 2 Paul Hornung (50) on the Packers' all-time list. Green enters with 48.
-Needs two overall touchdowns to surpass No. 4 Paul Hornung (62) and six to surpass No. 3 Sterling Sharpe (66) on the team's all-time list. Green enters with 61 in a Packers uniform.
-Needs 14 points to surpass No. 10 Clarke Hinkle (379) and 15 to surpass No. 9 Ted Fritsch (380) all-time in franchise history. Green enters with 366.
-Needs one rushing touchdown for 50 career.
-Needs one 100-yard rushing game for 30 career.
RYAN LONGWELL:
-With a field goal, would break his own franchise record for consecutive games with a field goal. Longwell enters with a 14-game streak. He previously held sole possession of the record, a streak from 1997-98.
MORE KATRINA SUPPORT: After additional donations during the week, the Packers and their fans were able to raise the grand total of support for Hurricane Katrina victims to approximately $206,500.
NATIONAL ANTHEM & FLY-BY: Milwaukee artist August Haas will perform a unique version of the Star Spangled Banner, with his trumpet; Haas is a junior at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, majoring in jazz studies...On the final notes of the performance - using a coordinated effort that relies on a lot of mathematical formulas - a formation of F-16s from the the 115th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Madison, Wis., will rocket over the stadium.
HALFTIME: The Packers will recognize more than 80 former players and staff, in town for the organization's annual alumni weekend. The event is usually during the Packers' first home game, but the team moved it back one week in order to retire Reggie White's number last Sunday. Among those in attendance today are Pro Hall of Famer Bart Starr and former All-Pros Dave Robinson, Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, Ron Kramer, Bob Jeter, John Brockington, Chester Marcol, Willie Buchanon, Tim Harris, Paul Coffman and Frank Winters.
POOL REPORTERS: Appointed by the Professional Football Writers of America, Cliff Christl (primary) of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Mike Vandermause (alternate) of the Green Bay Press-Gazette are today's pool reporters.
NEXT WEEK: Green Bay travels to Carolina in a rematch of the 2004 opener, an 8 p.m. CDT kickoff on Monday night...Tampa Bay continues its tour of former NFC Central rivals, hosting Detroit (1 p.m. EDT).
