TODAY: The Packers and Eagles write the latest chapter in their fledgling conference rivalry...The Packers, controllers of their own destiny as leaders of the NFC North, hope to stay inches ahead of the Vikings in Green Bay's quest for a third straight division crown...The Packers bid for a seventh straight win, which would match their longest streak within a season since 1963 (the Packers also won seven in a row in 2002). Green Bay opened this season 1-4...Andy Reid and Mike Sherman, two of the league's few "full-power" head coaches - and two of its most successful since they earned those responsibilities - meet again. In 2000, Sherman got his first NFL win by beating Reid, but the Eagles' coach has taken the last two contests. Sherman and Reid, both former Green Bay tight ends coaches under Mike Holmgren, remain good friends.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TODAY & IN COMING WEEKS -
BRETT FAVRE:
-Will play in a 203rd consecutive game (222 including playoffs) and make his 201st consecutive start (220 including playoffs), 85 more than the next-closest streak on the all-time quarterbacks list, 116 by Ron Jaworski (1977-84).
-Can extend his streak of games with a TD pass to 37, the NFL's second-longest streak behind Johnny Unitas' 47-game stretch (1956-60), one of the most revered marks in sports history. Favre also has thrown for a TD in 43 of his last 44 games.
-Needs 159 passing yards to register a 13th overall 3,000-yard season and tie Dan Marino (13) for most all-time. John Elway also had 12. Favre would extend his record for consecutive 3,000-yard seasons to 13.
AHMAN GREEN:
-Needs 121 yards rushing to post a fifth 1,000-yard season and tie Jim Taylor's franchise record (both overall and consecutive, Taylor also did it five straight years, 1960-64).
-Needs 46 carries for 1,500 career.
-Needs two rushing TDs for 50 career.
-Needs four rushing TDs to surpass No. 2 Paul Hornung (50) on the all-time Packers list. Green enters the week with 47.
-Needs two overall TDs to tie No. 4 Paul Hornung (62) on the all-time Green Bay list. Green enters the week with 60.
-Needs five receptions to surpass No. 1 Dorsey Levens (271) on the Packers' all-time list among backs. Green enters the week with 267. William Henderson enters with 270.
WILLIAM HENDERSON:
-If Ahman Green gains 121 yards rushing, Henderson would break Howard Griffith's NFL record among fullbacks by blocking for a 1,000-yard rusher in a seventh overall season. Griffith blocked for Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Anthony Johnson and Jerome Bettis.
-Needs two receptions to surpass No. 1 Dorsey Levens (271) on the Packers' all-time list among backs. Henderson enters the week with 270. Ahman Green enters with 267.
RYAN LONGWELL:
-Needs two field goals for 200 career.
DARREN SHARPER:
-Needs one touchdown to surpass both Bobby Dillon and Doug Hart (five) for second on the team's defensive TD list. Herb Adderley leads with seven defensive TDs. Sharper enters the week with five.
JAVON WALKER:
-Needs 5 receiving yards for 2,000 career.
-Needs 40 yards to record his first career 1,000-yard season. Would become only the second 1,000-yard receiver in Green Bay under Mike Sherman (also Donald Driver in 2002).
TOUGHEST DECEMBER OPPONENTS: The Packers under Brett Favre are 10-1 in December, winning nine in a row, when facing an oppoenent with at least a .667 winning percentage. The 10-1 Eagles are the second-best team Green Bay has played in December during the Favre era (1992-2004).
Date, Opponent, W-L, Pct -- Result
12/8/1996, Denver, 12-1, .923 -- W, 41-6
12/5/2004, at Philadelphia, 10-1,.909
12/9/2001, Chicago, 9-2, .818 -- W, 17-7
12/17/2000, at Minnesota, 11-3, .786 -- W, 33-28
12/24/1995, Pittsburgh, 11-4, .733 -- W, 24-19
12/7/1997, at Tampa Bay, 9-4, .692 -- W, 17-6
12/15/2002, at San Francisco, 9-4, .692 -- W, 20-14
12/13/1992, at Houston Oilers, 8-4, .667 -- W, 16-14
12/27/1992, at Minnesota, 10-5, .667 -- L, 7-27
12/1/1997, at Minnesota, 8-4, .667 -- W, 27-11
12/24/2000, Tampa Bay, 10-5, .667 -- W, 17-14
12/28/2003, Denver, 10-5, .667 -- W, 31-3
DAVENPORT'S EFFORT RANKS HIGH: According to Elias Sports Bureau, over the last 20 seasons (1985-2004), Najeh Davenport's 178 yards rushing Monday night were the third-most by a player in his first NFL start:
Yds - Player, Club - Date, Opp. - Att - TD - Result
195 - Trung Canidate, StLR - 10/21/01 at NYJ - 23 - 2 - W, 34-14
186 - Derrick Blaylock, KC - 11/14/04 at NO - 33 - 1 - L, 27-20
178 - Najeh Davenport, GB - 11/29/04 vs. StLR - 19 - 1 - W, 45-17
173 - Priest Holmes, BalR - 9/27/98 vs. Cin - 27 - 2 - W, 31-24
170 - George Wonsley, Ind - 9/22/85 vs. Det - 27 - 0 - W, 14-6
THE STRETCH RUN: Since Mike Sherman became head coach in 2000, the Packers own one of the NFL's best records over the crucial second half.
-Green Bay's .895 winning percentage (17-2) Dec. 1 and later ranks first in the NFL since 2000. One of the prime contributors to that record? Turnover ratio. Green Bay is plus-32 in 19 regular-season games under Sherman Dec. 1 and later. Top records, 2000-03.
Green Bay, 17 - 2, .895
Tennessee, 15 - 5, .750
Philadelphia, 13 - 4, .765
St. Louis, 13 - 6, .684
REMINDER - KICKOFF CHANGES: The NFL Monday granted FOX and CBS requests to move three December kickoffs on the league schedule, and two of them involve the Packers.
-The Packers will now highlight the key late-afternoon half of the FOX doubleheader next Sunday vs. Detroit. That game will now kick off at 3:15 CST, rather than noon.
-One week later, Dec. 19 vs. Jacksonville, the Packers-Jaguars contest also will kick off at 3:15 CST, serving as the marquee late-afternoon game in the CBS doubleheader.
-The moves mean that in 12 of their first 15 games, the Packers will have played in front of a network's largest (or only) audience in that particular time slot, including the critical late-season kickoffs the league just moved.
-Since 1996, the league has now moved four Packers kickoffs - all from noon to 3:15 p.m. CST (also Cleveland at Green Bay, Dec. 23, 2001; and Green Bay at Tampa Bay, Nov. 24, 2002).
BEST WISHES: The entire Green Bay Packers organization extends its thoughts and prayers to the family of Jim Ringo, whose son Tony, 43, passed away earlier this week. Jim Ringo, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, played center for both the Packers and Eagles during the 1960s.
HOME POOL REPORTER: Mark Eckel, Trenton Times.
NEXT WEEK: Green Bay hosts the Lions in a 3:15 CST kickoff; It's the first of three all-important division games the Packers face over the final four weeks (also Dec. 24 at Minnesota and Jan. 2 at Chicago)...The Eagles get the Sunday night game, at Washington, an 8:30 EST start.
