LaDainian Tomlinson becomes just the second reigning MVP to play at Lambeau Field since Favre became the league's only three-time MVP winner in 1997.
*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-Chargers Week 3 Dope Sheet:*
PACKERS HOST CHARGERS IN WEEK 3 SHOWDOWN
-Green Bay returns home to face its first AFC opponent of 2007, the San Diego Chargers.
-The Packers moved to 2-0 for the first time since 2001 on Sunday with a 35-13 victory over the New York Giants, while the Chargers fell to 1-1 with a 38-14 loss at New England Sunday night.
-According to Elias Sports Bureau, this is the third time in Packers history that the club has begun the season 2-0 with both wins coming against teams that made the playoffs in the previous year.
-Vince Lombardi led the Packers to a 2-0 start in 1966 by defeating Baltimore and Cleveland, while Mike Holmgren accomplished the feat in 1998 with victories over Detroit and Tampa Bay.
-With another 2006 playoff team coming into Lambeau Field Sunday, the Packers have the opportunity to become the first team in franchise history to start 3-0, with all three wins against teams that reached the playoffs in the previous year.
-Going 3-0 won't be easy. San Diego owned the league's best regular-season record last year at 14-2 and return all 11 Pro Bowlers, including league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson.
-Only defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis (seven) enters play this weekend with a longer winning streak than Green Bay.
-The Packers are one of five undefeated NFC teams heading into Week 3. Losing out on the 2006 playoffs after four tiebreakers and percentage points, the Packers have already defeated two NFC opponents - the Eagles and Giants - that beat them out for the playoff spots last season.
WITH THE CALL
-Green Bay makes its 2007 debut on CBS Sports, which will air the game to much of the country as the kickoff game in the network's national doubleheader. In Wisconsin's two largest markets, WFRV (Ch. 5) in Green Bay and WDJT (Ch. 58) in Milwaukee will carry the game.
-Jim Nantz (play-by-play) and Phil Simms (analyst) will call the game from the broadcast booth.
-Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 56-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) calling the action. The network 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 as part of the network's NFL Sunday Drive.
NO ONE WINS MORE THAN NO. 4
-With his 149th win on Sunday, Brett Favre surpassed John Elway on the all-time quarterback wins list. Favre entered the season tied at No. 2 with Dan Marino (147) and just one win behind John Elway.
-Simply put, Favre was spectacular in the record-breaking victory. He completed 29-of-38 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns and earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
-Green Bay overcame a 10-7 halftime deficit thanks to Favre's precision. He completed his first 14 throws of the second half, including two touchdowns, as the Packers built a lead they would not surrender.
-8 different receivers caught passes on Sunday from Favre, who was presented with the game ball in the locker room.
-"I've always been about the team, and that hasn't changed," Favre said after the game. "It does mean a lot."
-"We gave him the game ball after the game," McCarthy said after the win. "The 'all-time' in anything in this league is such a monumental achievement. 149 victories - I think that speaks for itself. When you go out and win over that long of a period of time, I think that's the ultimate compliment a quarterback can have. To me, if you asked me what is the biggest record that he will achieve, I think he just accomplished it."
-With his name now etched in the record books as the winningest quarterback in league history, the 17-year pro now needs four touchdown passes to surpass Dan Marino's (420) NFL record. Favre also stands 3,370 yards behind Marino in all-time career passing yards.
-If Favre starts at quarterback on Sunday - which he is expected to do for the 240th straight game (260 including playoffs) - he will move into a tie with the Vikings' Mick Tinglehoff for the second-longest starting streak on record. Tinglehoff's streak came at center, where he started 240 consecutive times between 1962-78. Favre owns the NFL record for consecutive starts by a quarterback.
PACKERS VS. LEAGUE MVP'S
-Since Favre became the league's only three-time MVP winner in 1997, the Packers have faced the league's reigning MVP six times.
-Tomlinson becomes just the second reigning MVP to play at Lambeau Field in that time.
Reigning MVP - Opponent (Result)
Terrell Davis - Oct. 17, 1999, at Denver (L, 31-10)
Marshall Faulk - Jan. 20, 2001, at St. Louis ( L, 45-17)
Rich Gannon - Dec. 22, 2003, at Oakland (W, 41-7)
Peyton Manning - Sept. 26, 2004, at Indianapolis (L, 45-31)
Steve McNair - Oct. 11, 2004, vs. Tennessee (L, 48-27)
Shaun Alexander - Nov. 27, 2006, at Seattle (L, 34-24)
FAVRE CLOSES IN ON TOUCHDOWN RECORD
-Thanks to his first three touchdown passes of 2007, Brett Favre now sits four touchdown passes away from surpassing Dan Marino's record of 420.
-42 different Packers have been on the receiving end of a Favre touchdown pass, beginning with Sterling Sharpe's grab in the fourth quarter against the Bengals on Sept. 20, 1992.
-Favre's two fourth-quarter touchdown throws in that game not only sealed the come-from-behind, 24-23 victory, but also earned him the start the following week, a job he hasn't relinquished since.
-In a three-touchdown performance at New England on Oct. 13, 2002, Favre became just the fourth NFL?player to throw for 300 touchdowns. On his final TD pass of the day, a 2-yard toss to tight end Bubba Franks, Favre surpassed John?Elway to move into third place on the all-time list.
-He moved into second place on the list in one of the most memorable performances of his career - and in the history of Monday Night Football - when he threw four touchdown passes in the first half against the Oakland Raiders just one day after the sudden death of his father, Irvin. Favre's second touchdown pass of the night, a 23-yard strike to Javon Walker, pushed him past Fran Tarkenton with 343 career TD passes.
-A closer look at the record:
Quarterback - Team (TD Passes)
Dan Marino - Miami (420)
Brett Favre - Atlanta, Green Bay (417)
Fran Tarkenton - Minnesota, NY Giants (342)
John Elway - Denver (300)
Warren Moon - Hou., Minn., Sea., K.C. (291)
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE RECORD
-Eight players - all members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame - have held the NFL career touchdown pass record throughout the history of the league. Thanks to research provided by Elias Sports Bureau, the one-time record holders were:
-Benny Friedman had 66 career TD passes and held the record from 1930 until 1943.
-Arnie Herber, a former Green Bay signal caller, reached 66 touchdown passes in 1940 and shared the record with Friedman until 1943.
-Sammy Baugh passed Friedman and Herber in 1943 and threw 187 career touchdowns. He held the record until 1962.
-Bobby Layne tied Baugh in 1961 and passed him during the 1962 season. Layne finished with 196 touchdown passes and held the record until 1963.
-Y.A. Tittle passed Layne in 1963 and finished his career with 212 touchdown passes. Tittle held the record until 1966.
-Johnny Unitas passed Tittle in 1966 and ended his playing days with 290 TD passes. He held the record until 1975.
-Fran Tarkenton surpassed Unitas in 1975 and became the first NFL player with 300 career TD passes. He finished with 342 touchdown passes and held the record until 1995.
-Dan Marino passed Tarkenton on Nov. 26, 1995, at Indianapolis with a second-quarter touchdown pass and finished his career with 420 touchdown passes. He currently holds the record.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. San Diego Chargers:
All-time regular season: 7-1-0
All-time, in Green Bay: 2-1-0
Streaks: The Packers have won four straight against San Diego.
Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 14, 2003, at Qualcomm Stadium; Packers won, 38-21
Last meeting, regular season, at Lambeau Field: Sept. 15, 1996; Packers won, 42-10
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 10-8-0, .556; second NFL season
Norv Turner: 60-84-1, .417; 10th NFL season (first Chargers)
Head to Head: First meeting
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 0-0 vs. Chargers; Turner 0-0 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY...In second 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.
-Led the Packers to an 8-8 finish and near playoff berth, losing a tiebreaker with the New York Giants, who also finished 8-8.
-Spent six seasons as an offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints (2000-04) and San Francisco 49ers (2005).
-Began his coaching career as a college assistant at Fort Hays State (1987-88) and at the University of Pittsburgh (1989-92) before breaking into the NFL as a quality control assistant with the Chiefs in 1993.
NORV TURNER...In first year as the Chargers' 14th head coach.
-Though he spent nine seasons previously as a head coach (Wash. 1994-2000, Oak. 2003-04), has never faced Green Bay.
-Most recently served as offensive coordinator in San Francisco (2006), the position McCarthy held in San Francisco in 2005.
-Won two Super Bowls during his stint as offensive coordinator in Dallas (1991-93).
-Now in his 23rd NFL season, Turner also has coached in Los Angeles (Rams, 1985-90) and Miami (2002-03).
THE PACKERS-CHARGERS SERIES
The two teams have met just eight times in the regular season in a series that dates back to 1970, the year of the AFL-NFL merger.
-The Packers have won four straight and seven of eight overall, including a 5-0 mark in San Diego. Green Bay's only loss in that city came in Super Bowl XXXII to the Denver Broncos.
-The Chargers were the hosts for the Packers' first-ever Monday Night Football appearance, which was also the first meeting in the series and the fourth game on MNF, on Oct. 12, 1970. The Packers won, 22-20, on a 14-yard Dale Livingston field goal with 3:39 left.
-Their second meeting, in Lambeau Field in 1974, was won by the Packers 34-0 and became Dan Devine's final victory in his four-year tenure as Green Bay head coach.
-One of the more bizarre contests in Packers history was played in San Diego on Sept. 24, 1978. With the temperature 102 degrees at kickoff (tied for highest in Packers history), the teams combined for 18 quarterback sacks, including 10 by the Chargers. The Packers also created 11 turnovers - five interceptions (four by Willie Buchanon to tie a league record) and six fumble recoveries - in a 24-3 victory.
{sportsad300}NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Chargers wide receivers coach James Lofton played nine seasons for the Packers, beginning as a first-round draft pick (sixth overall) in 1978. Lofton, inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1999, is the team's all-time leader in receiving yards (9,656) and second in receptions (530)...Chargers offensive line coach John "Jack" Henry coached in New Orleans from 2000-05; while there, he worked with a number of current Packers coaches including McCarthy, assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss, tight ends coach Ben McAdoo, wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson and offensive quality control coach Ty Knott...Chargers quarterbacks coach John Ramsdell and Packers secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer worked together in St. Louis in 2005...Chargers quarterback Charlie Whitehurst is the son of former Packers QB David Whitehurst (1976-83)...Chargers fullback/wide receiver Legedu Naanee played at Boise State with Packers fullback Korey Hall and guard Daryn Colledge...Packers center Scott Wells and Chargers wide receiver Eric Parker played together in college at Tennessee...Chargers linebacker Brandon Siler and Packers running back DeShawn Wynn, both seventh-round picks in the 2007 NFL Draft, won a national championship at Florida last fall.
INDIVIDUALLY VS. SAN?DIEGO?CHARGERS
Quarterback Brett Favre is 4-0 against the Chargers in his career and has 10 TD passes against them, his most against any AFC team; he threw four TD tosses on Dec. 14, 2003, at San Diego...In his only game against the Chargers (2003), Donald Driver caught 8 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown...While playing for the Oakland Raiders, Charles Woodson notched a career-high five passes defensed at San Diego (Dec. 20, 1998).
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Dec. 14, 2003, at Qualcomm Stadium, Packers won 38-21.
-Brett Favre threw a season-high four TD passes, including three in the fourth quarter, as the Packers rallied from a 21-17 deficit.
-San Diego took the lead early in the fourth on a 68-yard catch-and-run by LaDainian Tomlinson, but the Packers regained the lead for good when Najeh Davenport returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards and Favre threw a 40-yard TD pass to Robert Ferguson two plays later. Ahman Green and Ferguson added TD catches later in the quarter.
-Green rushed for 75 yards on 19 carries with one TD, plus the TD reception, and broke Hall of Famer Jim Taylor's single-season team rushing record of 1,474 yards set in 1962.
-Favre finished 23 of 33 for 278 yards and threw at least one TD pass in his 23rd straight game to break the previous franchise record of 22 by Cecil Isbell. The streak eventually reached 36 games.
-Kicker Ryan Longwell scored eight points (one FG, five PAT) to break Don Hutson's career scoring record of 823 points. Longwell got his 824th career point on a PAT following Ferguson's 40-yard TD catch.
LAST MEETING, AT LAMBEAU FIELD
Sept. 15, 1996; Packers won 42-10.
-Green Bay dominated San Diego in all phases of the game, piling up 349 yards to the Chargers' 141, to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 1982.
-Brett Favre, who went on to win the second of his three consecutive league MVPs, threw for three touchdowns.
-Green Bay took a commanding 21-3 lead into halftime thanks to an Edgard Bennett touchdown run and touchdown catches by Antonio Freeman and William Henderson.
-The Packers extended their lead in the third quarter as Favre found tight end Keith Jackson in the end zone.
-Green Bay got a defensive touchdown - a 90-yard interception return from LeRoy Butler - and a score from the special teams unit - Desmond Howard's 65-yard punt return - in the fourth quarter.
-The Packers never cooled off all season, finishing the regular season 13-3 en route to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots, the franchise's 12th world championship.
