-RARE VISIT: In relative terms, the Packers, are "strangers" to Atlanta. Tonight paying their first Georgia visit since 1992, they had hosted their most recent five meetings with the Falcons - including Wild Card Playoff contests in 1995 and last January.
-JUST FOR THE RECORD: From the competitive perspective, the Packers are in search of their first victory in the Georgia Dome. In that appearance in '92 - their only previous visit to the G-Dome - the Falcons prevailed, 24-10
-BRETT FAVRE, who had been a rookie with Atlanta a year earlier, was Green Bay's starting quarterback on that occasion and making only the second start of his professional career.
-QUICK QUOTE: GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman (on the skills of offensive tackle Mark Tauscher): "Ask Kabeer (Gbaja-Biamila)...The guy who he has the toughest time against in the pass rush is (Mark) Tauscher. Tauscher's a hell of an athlete. He could probably start at any position in the offensive line."
-THE SHUTOUT STORY: In the wake of the Packers' abbreviated, 9-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in their opening preseason game Monday night, it was noted that it had been the first shutout the Green and Gold had suffered since Aug. 22, 1987, when they were blanked by the Washington Redskins, 33-0, at the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., the first such outcome in 66 games.
Further research shows that the Packers have a much more impressive shutout-free streak in regular season play. They last were held scoreless in league action on Oct. 17, 1991, when they fell to the Chicago Bears in Lambeau Field, 10-0. That was 185 games ago.
-FIRST BLANK: Speaking of not scoring, Packers placekicker Ryan Longwell had a unique experience in Monday night's game at Canton, Ohio. It was the first game of his pro career - now in its seventh year - that he has not scored at least one point, preseason, regular season or postseason.
Longwell became the Packers' kicker in the third game of the 1997 preseason - at Oakland - and had scored in every contest Green Bay has played since - 96 consecutive regular season games - a club record and a "streak" he will be taking into the 2003 regular season, 24 straight preseason contests and 7 postseason games - or a total of 127 games.
"It took Mother Nature to stop me," Longwell quipped. "I still thought I might get a chance to score in the third quarter, but then the rains came and it was all over."
-TONY 'REPEATS:' A year ago, running back Tony Fisher tied for the longest offensive gain of the Packers' preseason opener against the Eagles at Philadelphia, rambling for a 28-yard gain in the fourth quarter, matching an earlier such excursion by quarterback Doug Pederson.
Guess what...He did it again in Monday night's Hall of Fame game against the Chiefs. Pulling in a sideline pass from quarterback Craig Nall in the second quarter, he converted it into another 28-yard gain before being run out of bounds - a gain that once more proved to be the longest of the game.
-HIGH AND LOW: The Packers had their best and least productive rushing performances of the 2002 season against the Falcons. They rushed for 211 yards in 38 attempts in their 37-34, overtime victory in their season opener with Atlanta (Sept. 8), a game which saw Ahman Green roll for 155 yards in 27 attempts. In their subsequent Wild Card playoff game (Jan. 4), they had to settle for 56 yards on the ground in 19 attempts.
-SPEAKING OF GREEN, he has amassed 333 yards of offense in three games against Atlanta but has yet to score upon the Falcons. He totaled 99 yards in his first appearance against the Falcons (Nov. 18, 2001), rushing for 62 yards in 17 attempts, and followed with 197 yards in the teams' mutual 2002 season opener (Sept. 8), including 37 yards via 5 receptions. Green later had to be content with 37 aggregate yards in the Packers' Wild Card Playoff against Atlanta, including 34 rushing in 11 attempts.
-FAVRE vs. FALCONS: Over his career, quarterback Brett Favre has averaged approximately 265 passing yards per game against the Falcons, his former team, 264.8 to be exact. In six appearances against Atlanta - including two playoff games - Favre has thrown for 1,589 yards and 11 touchdowns, with 7 interceptions, completing 147 of 229 passes.
Favre's half-dozen outings were punctuated by one of his 35 career 300-yard passing games - a 321-yard effort in a 21-17 victory at County Stadium Dec. 18, 1994, a day on which the Packers ended a 62-year competitive presence in Milwaukee.
-NEXT WEEK: The Packers will again hit the road next weekend, invading Cleveland Friday night (Aug. 15) to take on the Browns. Kickoff is set for 7 o'clock, CDT (Wisconsin time).
