PACKERS VS. COWBOYS: EARLY-SEASON SHOWDOWN
-Two of the NFL's preeminent franchises - and two of the favorites in the NFC this season - square off in primetime at Lambeau Field tonight in front of a national audience.
-Green Bay comes into the contest fresh off a 48-25 victory over the Detroit Lions, its second division win in as many weeks. It was the Packers' sixth consecutive win over the Lions. Dallas comes into the contest off a short week, having beaten Philadelphia 41-37 on Monday night.
-For the second time in three weeks, the eyes of the NFL will be focused on Lambeau Field, as the Dallas Cowboys travel to Green Bay for the first time since 2004.
-Having as distinct a homefield advantage as there is in the league, the Packers have won 10 of their last 11 regular-season home games.
-The Packers hope to keep another winning streak going Sunday night against the Cowboys. They have never lost to Dallas at Lambeau Field (5-0 all-time).
-Included in that streak is the 'Ice Bowl', the 1967 NFL Championship, played between Vince Lombardi's Packers and Tom Landry's Cowboys. It is widely considered the greatest NFL game of all-time.
-After Lombardi and Landry turned it into one of the league's great rivalries, the series reached another peak in the 1990s with some great playoff battles. Dallas won all three contests.
-More recently, the teams met last year in the NFC's biggest regular-season game. That contest, won by Dallas 37-27, marked just the second time since 1970 that two 10-1 clubs met.
-The Packers and Cowboys represent two of the proudest and most popular clubs in the NFL. They have combined for 17 NFL championships (Green Bay 12, Dallas 5) and eight Super Bowl titles.
AMERICA'S TEAM?
-Since Harris Interactive began its poll asking fans to identify their favorite NFL team in 1998, the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys have routinely shown to have the two largest fan bases in the country.
-Both clubs have owned the title of the NFL's 'most popular team' four times, including in 2003 when both clubs shared the honor.
-Neither club has ever finished outside of the top four in the poll.
-In a Sports Illustrated poll rating the game-day atmosphere for each NFL team, the experience of seeing the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field ranked first. Fans were asked to grade every aspect of the game-day experience, including ticket prices, team performance, tailgating, stadium atmosphere and the surrounding neighborhoods.
THEY SAY IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY
-Tonight is a big night for third-year pro Greg Jennings and not just because he'll be playing in front of a national audience. The Kalamazoo, Mich., native turns 25.
-After Week 2, Jennings leads the NFL with 258 receiving yards. He already has three receptions over 50 yards.
-Playing in front of over 90 family and friends last weekend in his home state, he established a new career high with 167 receiving yards.
-Jennings seems to have developed a knack for the big play. He has 15 career TDs and averages 37.7 yards per touchdown catch.
-Six of his touchdowns went for 40 yards or more last season, including game winners at Denver and at Kansas City.
GREEN BAY NFL'S YOUNGEST TEAM FOR THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON
-The Green Bay Packers remain the National Football League's youngest team for the third consecutive season, it was announced by the league office Sept. 10. Based on an analysis of NFL Kickoff Weekend rosters, the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs are tied for the youngest roster with an average age of 25.57 years.
-Last season, Green Bay's average roster age of 25.72 years on Kickoff Weekend was the youngest in the NFL. Indianapolis placed second with an average roster age of 25.74 years.
-In 2006, the Packers' average roster age of 25.57 years was the youngest in the league. Tennessee, with an average roster age of 25.77 years, was second.
ROMO RETURNS HOME
-Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo returns to his home state of Wisconsin and will start at quarterback for the first time at Lambeau Field.
-It will not be the first appearance at Lambeau for Romo. He served as the backup quarterback in the Cowboys' 2004 appearance and saw action as the holder.
-Raised in Burlington, Wis., about two and a half hours south of Lambeau Field, Romo is a graduate of Burlington High School.
-He lettered three seasons for the Demons' football team, passing for nearly 4,000 career yards and 42 touchdowns. As a senior, he earned All-Racine County honors as a quarterback, but earned all-state honors on the basketball court.
WEARING THE STRIPES
Today's officiating crew includes referee Mike Carey (94), umpire Dan Ferrell (64), head linesman Dana Mckenzie (8), line judge Tom Barnes (55), field judge Buddy Horton (82), side judge Don Carlsen (39) and back judge Don Carey (126).
NEXT WEEK
The Packers travel to Florida to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. Also Sunday, the Cowboys return to Dallas for a division contest against the Washington Redskins.
