PACKERS AND GIANTS SET TO SQUARE OFF IN NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF CONTEST
- The Packers will host their first playoff game at Lambeau Field since the 2007 season when the N.Y. Giants come to town today for an NFC Divisional playoff contest.
- It will be the second meeting between the clubs this season, with Green Bay topping New York, 38-35, in Week 13 at MetLife Stadium.
- This marks the fifth time in franchise history that the Packers have faced the Giants during the regular season and the playoffs in the same season, with the other instances coming in 1938, 1944, 1961 and 2007.
- Two of the most venerable franchises in professional football history, the Packers and Giants have combined for 20 championships. Green Bay ranks No. 1 among all NFL franchises with 13 titles, while New York checks in at No. 3 with seven championships.
- Since the advent of free agency in 1993, there has been only one season (1999) that didn't include either the Packers or Giants in the playoffs. Since 2006, Green Bay ranks No. 1 in the NFC in regular-season winning percentage (.656, 63-33), while New York checks in at No. 3 in the conference (.594, 57-39) behind only New Orleans (.646, 62-34).
- The Packers and Giants squared off in five NFL championship games, with Green Bay winning four of those contests. New York won the 1938 title at the Polo Grounds in New York, but the Packers defeated the Giants in the championship game in 1939, 1944, 1961 and 1962.
- Green Bay holds a 31-23-2 edge in the all-time series, which includes a 4-2 postseason record. The teams first met in 1928 in New York.
- Including playoffs, the Packers have won 21 of their last 22 games. That included 19 straight wins from Week 16 last season through Week 14 this season. The 19-game winning streak was the second longest in NFL history, including playoffs, behind only the 21-game winning streak registered by the 2003-04 New England Patriots.
- For the first time since 1996, Green Bay is the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Last season, the Packers became only the second No. 6 seed to win a Super Bowl since the NFL went to a 12-team playoff format in 1990.
BACK IN THE POSTSEASON
- Green Bay's 27th postseason berth in team history marks the franchise's 14th appearance in the last 19 seasons and the fourth berth in the past five seasons under Head Coach Mike McCarthy.
- The Packers are the only NFC team to make four playoff appearances in the last five seasons.
- Green Bay is the lone NFC club to advance to the Divisional round of the playoffs each of the past two seasons.
- Green Bay's 27 playoff appearances rank tied for No. 3 in NFL history behind only the N.Y. Giants (31) and Dallas (30).
- The Packers' 14 postseason appearances in the free-agency era (1993-2011) are the most of any team in the NFL.
- Among teams with three or more playoff games, the Packers own the league's best postseason winning percentage (.644, 29-16), ahead of the team they defeated last season in Super Bowl XLV, the Pittsburgh Steelers (.611, 33-21). Green Bay trails only the Steelers and the Cowboys (33 each) for the most playoff victories in NFL history.
- Green Bay posted a 6-0 record this season against 2011 playoff teams, with three of the wins coming at home (New Orleans, Week 1; Denver, Week 4; Detroit, Week 17) and three coming away from Lambeau Field (Atlanta, Week 5; Detroit, Week 12; N.Y. Giants, Week 13).
- Since the NFL went to a 12-team playoff format in 1990, the Packers have had a first-round bye on three other occasions (No. 1 seed in 1996, No. 2 seed in 1997 and 2007). Green Bay is 3-0 in the Divisional round coming off a first-round bye.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
- Green Bay will be looking to tie a franchise record (16 in 1996) for the most wins, including playoff games, in a season...The Packers have won 13 straight regular-season games at home, the fourth-longest home winning streak in team history, and 19 of their last 20...Green Bay averaged a franchise-record 40.1 points per game at home this season, eclipsing the previous mark of 38.0 in 1942...The Packers have a 15-3 all-time record (.833) in home playoff games (13-3 in Green Bay, 2-0 in Milwaukee).
- QB Aaron Rodgers – Ranks No. 1 in NFL postseason history (min. 150 attempts) in passer rating (112.6), completion percentage (67.8) and yards per attempt (8.72)...In five postseason starts, has recorded four games with a 110-plus rating. With the four games, is already tied for No. 3 in NFL history behind only Joe Montana (six 110-rating games in 23 starts) and Brett Favre (five in 24 starts)...Is tied with Favre for the most 300-yard games in team playoff history with three...In two regular-season starts against the N.Y. Giants, has posted a combined 121.2 passer rating (58-83, 773 yards, eight TDs, one INT).
- WR Donald Driver – Enters today's game ranked No. 2 in team postseason history with 46 receptions, just two catches shy of surpassing Antonio Freeman (47) for the franchise playoff record...Ranks No. 3 in team history in receiving yardage behind only Freeman (748) and Robert Brooks (651).
- WR Greg Jennings – Is tied with Brooks and Freeman (three each) for the most 100-yard receiving games in team playoff history.
- CB Tramon Williams– Is tied for No. 4 in team postseason history for interceptions with three, trailing three players (Herb Adderley, Craig Newsome, Eugene Robinson) with four INTs each.
PLAYOFF CAPTAINS
- As per team tradition, the Packers alternated game captains each week during the regular season. For the postseason, the team elected captains.
- Players elected captains were WR Donald Driver and QB Aaron Rodgers (offense), LB A.J. Hawkand CB Charles Woodson (defense), and CB/S Jarrett Bush and K Mason Crosby (special teams).
WEARING THE STRIPES
- Today's officiating crew includes referee Bill Leavy (127), umpire Jeff Rice (44), head linesman George Hayward (54), line judge Mark Perlman (101), field judge Jim Quirk (178), side judge Larry Rose (128) and back judge Scott Helverson (93).
