This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by **clicking here**.
GREEN BAY (5-5-1) AT DETROIT (6-5)
Thursday, Nov. 28 - Ford Field - 11:30 a.m. CST
packers HEAD TO DETROIT FOR THANKSGIVING CONTEST
- Green Bay will face the Detroit Lions this Thursday at Ford Field, the fourth Thanksgiving Day matchup between the teams in Detroit in the last seven seasons.
- Green Bay is currently third in the NFC North at 5-5-1 after a 26-26 tie against Minnesota at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The Packers trail the Lions and Bears, who are both 6-5.
- This will mark the 21st all-time meeting between the clubs on Thanksgiving, with the Lions holding an 11-8-1 edge in the series on the holiday. Green Bay and Detroit first met on Thanksgiving in 1951 and went on to meet on the holiday in 13 consecutive seasons (1951-63).
- No two teams have faced off on Thanksgiving more than the Packers and the Lions, with Detroit and Chicago ranking No. 2 with 15 meetings.
- The Packers emerged victorious in each of the last three meetings with the Lions on Thanksgiving, winning games in 2007, 2009 and 2011.
- Green Bay's current three-game winning streak in Thanksgiving contests is tied for the longest in franchise history (league games only), matching the Packers' three-game winning streak on Thanksgiving from 1930-32 (victories against the Frankford Yellow Jackets, Providence Steam Roller and Brooklyn Dodgers).
- No other NFL teams have played every year since 1932, when the Packers and the Lions, then known as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans, began their yearly home-and-home series.
- The rivalry actually kicked off in 1930 at City Stadium in Green Bay, a 47-13 Packers win. Two seasons later, the teams began a yearly series. Thursday marks meeting No. 169 in the all-time series (including playoffs).
- Green Bay has a 14-1 mark (.933) against the Lions under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, which is tied with New England (14-1 vs. Buffalo) for the best winning percentage by a team vs. a divisional foe since 2006. Dating back further, the Packers have won 15 of the last 16 against Detroit and 23 of the last 26 in the series.
- The Packers have won eight of 11 games (.727) at Ford Field against the Lions, the third-best winning percentage in the league among teams that have played four or more games at the stadium behind only Atlanta and Tampa Bay (both 3-1, .750).
- Green Bay has won the game leading into its Thanksgiving contest four of the last five times it has played on the holiday (2003, 2007, 2009, 2011).
- The Packers enter Thursday's game having won 14 of their last 17 regular-season games with one tie against NFC North foes. Green Bay's .853 winning percentage in divisional contests over that span ranks No. 2 in the NFL behind only New England (.882, 15-2).
- Since 2006, Green Bay has a 34-11-1 (.750) regular-season record in NFC North contests (No. 2 in the NFL) and a 15-7 mark (.682) in divisional games on the road (No. 4 in the league).
WITH THE CALL
- FOX Sports, now in its 20th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game to a national audience.
- Play-by-play man Joe Buckand color analyst Troy Aikman will have the call from the broadcast booth with Pam Oliver and Erin Andrews reporting from the sidelines.
- Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 50-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee(play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro BowlerLarry McCarren (color) calling the action. The duo is in its 15th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 42 markets in six states.
- WestwoodOne Sports will air the game across the country. Tom McCarthy(play-by-play) and Rod Woodson (analyst) will call the action withHub Arkush reporting from the sidelines. Scott Grahamhosts pregame and halftime shows.
- The broadcast is also available on SiriusXM Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed) as part of the network's NFL Sunday Drive.
- DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game in HD on Channel 709.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
- Packers vs. Lions:
- All-time, regular season:94-65-7
- All-time, postseason:2-0
- All-time, at Detroit:39-41-3
- Streaks:The Packers have won 15 of the last 16 meetings.
- Last meeting, regular season, at Detroit:Nov. 18, 2012, at Ford Field; Packers won, 24-20
COACHES CAPSULES
- Mike McCarthy: 85-47-1, .643, (incl. 6-4 postseason); 8th NFL season
- Jim Schwartz:28-48, .368, (incl. 0-1 postseason); 5th NFL season
- Head to Head:McCarthy 8-1
- vs. Opponent:McCarthy 14-1 vs. Lions; Schwartz 1-8 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY…Is in his eighth year as the Packers' 14th head coach.
- Joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only coaches to guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title with a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
- Has led the Packers to playoff appearances in five of his seven seasons at the helm, and the team's five postseason berths over the past six seasons are the most by an NFC team.
- Led Green Bay to 47 regular-season victories from 2009-12, the second most in the NFL over that span and the second most in franchise history over a four-year period.
- His .643 winning percentage (including playoffs) ranks No. 4 among active NFL coaches (min. 50 games).
- Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
- Became the first Packers coach since Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season (2007).
JIM SCHWARTZ…Is in his fifth year as the Lions' 25th head coach.
- In 2011, guided the Lions to their first playoff appearance since 1999.
- Before coming to Detroit, spent 10 years with the Tennessee Titans, including the last eight as defensive coordinator.
- Broke into the NFL as a college and pro scout for the Cleveland Browns from 1993-95 before becoming a defensive assistant coach for the Ravens after the franchise moved to Baltimore.
- Coached as a graduate assistant and then position coach at four different colleges (Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina Central, Colgate) after a playing career as a LB at Georgetown University.
THE PACKERS-LIONS SERIES
- No other NFL teams have played every year since 1932, when the Packers first met the Lions, then known as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans. Including a pair of playoff clashes in the early 1990s, this week marks Game No. 169 in the all-time series.
- Green Bay has scored more points (3,531 in the regular season) against the Lions than any other franchise.
- The Packers have won 23 straight games over Detroit in Wisconsin, including a '94 playoff game. The streak spans eight Lions head coaches: Wayne Fontes (1992-96), Bobby Ross (1997-99), Gary Moeller (2000), Marty Mornhinweg (2001-02), Steve Mariucci (2003-04), Dick Jauron (2005), Rod Marinelli (2006-08) and Schwartz (2009-12).
- The 22 straight regular-season wins in Wisconsin ranks No. 1 among NFL streaks at one team's home field.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers G T.J. Lang attended Brother Rice High School in Birmingham, Mich., and played at Eastern Michigan...Packers LB Nick Perry is a Detroit native and prepped at both Mackenzie High School and Martin Luther King High School...LB Brad Jones is a native of East Lansing, Mich. ...DE Jerel Worthy played at Michigan State...Packers LB Andy Mulumba played at Eastern Michigan...Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was Kansas City's QBs coach when Detroit defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham held the same position with the Chiefs for four seasons (1995-98)…Cunningham was on the staff of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) in 1981 when Packers offensive coordinator Tom Clements played QB for Hamilton and he was also on the Raiders staff when Packers assistant head coach/inside LBs Winston Moss played for them...Packers wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett and Lions GM Martin Mayhew were teammates for one season at Florida State...Packers quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo began his college coaching career as a special teams/offensive assistant at Michigan State in 2001...Packers special teams assistant Chad Morton's older brother, Johnnie, played WR for the Lions for eight seasons (1994-2001)...Lions WR Jeremy Ross played in eight games for Green Bay from 2012-13...Lions LB DeAndre Levy played collegiately at Wisconsin and attended Milwaukee Vincent High...Lions DE Austen Lane attended Iola-Scandinavia (Wis.) High School...Lions special teams coordinator John Bonamego held the same position with the Packers from 2003-05...Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac was a three-year starter (1978-80) at middle guard on the defensive line for the University of Michigan, where he played in three Rose Bowls...Trgovac also began his coaching career at Michigan as a graduate assistant from 1984-85...Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum coached on the staff at Texas A&M when Lions LS Don Muhlbach played for the Aggies...Former college teammates include Packers LB Clay Matthews and Lions RB Reggie Bush (Southern California), Packers LB A.J. Hawk and Lions G Rob Sims (Ohio State), Packers DE Mike Daniels and CB Micah Hyde and Lions T Riley Reiff (Iowa), Packers LS Brett Goode and Lions CB Chris Houston (Arkansas), Packers CB Davon House and Lions CB Jonté Green (New Mexico State), Packers CB Sam Shields and Lions T Jason Fox (Miami), Packers DE Datone Jones and RB Johnathan Franklin and Lions TE Joseph Fauria (UCLA), and Packers DE Josh Boyd and Lions CB Darius Slay (Mississippi State).
LAST MEETING, IN DETROIT
- Nov. 18, 2012, at Ford Field; Packers won, 24-20.
- With the Packers trailing 20-14 late in the game, QB Aaron Rodgers led the offense on a six-play, 82-yard drive that was capped off with a 22-yard TD pass from Rodgers to WR Randall Cobb with just under two minutes remaining.
- Rodgers connected on 19 of 27 passes for 236 yards and two TDs with one INT on the afternoon and Cobb led the offense with nine catches for 74 yards and the score. TE Jermichael Finley added three catches for 66 yards, including a 20-yard TD grab in the second quarter and a 40-yard catch on the Packers' game-winning drive.
- RB James Starks led Green Bay with 74 rushing yards on 25 carries (3.0 avg.).
- Green Bay's defense posted two interceptions of QB Matthew Stafford, highlighted by S M.D. Jennings' 72-yard INT return for a TD in the third quarter. CB Casey Hayward also registered an interception.* *
stat of the week
- The Packers' 26-26 tie against the Minnesoa Vikings on Sunday was Green Bay's first one since a 17-17 tie against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 20, 1987, at Milwaukee County Stadium.
- For Green Bay, it marked its 37th tie in franchise history and just the fifth tie since the league instituted overtime in the regular season in 1974. The other overtime ties came in 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1987.
- With the Packers and Vikings both scoring on field goals in overtime, it marked only the second NFL game where both teams scored in overtime, with the first coming last season between Jacksonville and Houston on Nov, 18, 2012. In that game, the Texans kicked a field goal, the Jaguars kicked a field goal, and then Houston won the game, 43-37, on an Andre Johnson TD catch with just over two minutes remaining.
- Sunday's OT tie between Green Bay and Minnesota was the first NFL game where both teams scored in OT and the game ended in a tie since the league instituted the new OT rules for the regular season in 2012.
This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by **clicking here**.
