Packers host Lions in home opener

The Green Bay Packers return to Green Bay for Week 2 to host the Detroit Lions. 

• The Packers enter Week 2 on a six-game regular season win streak, the longest current streak in the NFC. 
• Green Bay has won seven straight home openers (2013-19). Since 2007, the Packers are 12-1 in their first game of the season at Lambeau Field.
• It is the earliest the Lions have visited Green Bay since 2003 (Week 2). The Packers last opened at home versus Detroit in 2016. 
• This will be just the 18th time the Packers have hosted the Lions in the month of September and Green Bay has won each of the last four games as the home team in a September matchup.  
• Including a 1994 playoff victory, the Packers are 26-3 against the Lions in the state of Wisconsin since 1992.
• Green Bay has a 28-11 overall mark against Detroit since 2000, a .725 winning percentage that is tied for No. 1 among NFL teams (Minnesota Vikings) that have played the Lions 10-plus times over that span, according to pro-football-reference.com.
• The Packers have a 17-3 home record (.850) against Detroit since 2000, the best in the NFL over that span among teams that have hosted the Lions at least 10 times.
• Last season, Green Bay swept the regular-season series with Detroit for the first time since 2016 and for the 11th time in the last 20 seasons (since 2000).
• In 2019, the two games between the Packers and Lions were decided by a total of four points. Dating back to 2000, it was the sixth time that both of the matchups between the two teams were decided by single digits (seven/seven in 2016, four/two in 2015, seven/four in 2012, four/two in 2010 and eight/seven in 2006).
• It is the third consecutive year that the Packers will open the season with two NFC North games.
• It marks the first time since 2007 that the Packers open the season with two noon (CT) games. 
• QB Aaron Rodgers has led Green Bay to eight wins in 10 starts at home against Detroit, throwing 19 touchdowns with just four interceptions and a passer rating of 106.8 in those games.
• Rodgers has registered a passer rating of 100-plus in six of 10 home games versus the Lions.
• WR Davante Adams has five receiving TDs in eight games played against the Lions, including one in each of the last two games he played against Detroit.

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

LAFLEUR LEADS THE PACK

Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur (la-flew-er) enters his second season looking to build off the success he guided the team to in year 1.

• LaFleur led the biggest one-year win improvement in franchise history:
• LaFleur (13-3) finished with the most NFL wins by a Packer head coach in their first season:
• LaFleur joined Jim Caldwell and Steve Mariucci as the only head coaches with 13-plus wins to go undefeated in their division in their first season.
• LaFleur tied for the third-most wins by an NFL head coach in their first season:
• LaFleur is the first coach in franchise history to lead his team to a division title in his first season.
• LaFleur guided Green Bay to a 6-0 record in the NFC North. Dating back to 1967, it is just the second time (6-0 in 2011) that Green Bay has gone undefeated in division games.
• Dating back to 2002 when the NFC North was formed, the Packers are the only team to go undefeated in the division in a single regular season (2019, 2011).
• LaFleur led Green Bay to seven home wins, the most by a Packers head coach in his first season:
• While LaFleur was the first Packer head coach to lead his team to the postseason in his first year, he was the fourth consecutive head coach to win his first postseason game. The other three head coaches to win their first playoff game led Green Bay to the postseason in their second seasons (Mike McCarthy, Mike Sherman and Mike Holmgren).
• Dating back to 1970, LaFleur joined McCarthy as the only head coaches in franchise history to lead their teams to the NFC Championship Game in their first appearance in the postseason.
• LaFleur became the first head coach to reach a conference championship in his first season since Jim Harbaugh led San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game in 2011.
• LaFleur is the first head coach in franchise history to win seven of his first eight NFL games and the first to win his first three road NFL contests.
• LaFleur is the 19th NFL head coach and the first since Jim Harbaugh in 2011 to win at least seven of his first eight games (Elias Sports Bureau).
• He joined Vince Lombardi (3-0) as the only head coaches in franchise history to win their first three NFL games.
• It was the first time since 2015 and just the third time (2011) in the last 12 seasons that Green Bay has started 3-0.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, LaFleur joined John Harbaugh (2008) and Don Coryell (1973) as the only head coaches since the merger (1970) to win each of their first two games, both against divisional opponents.
• With a win at Chicago in Week 1, LaFleur became the sixth head coach in franchise history to win his first game, joining Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Phil Bengston, Forrest Gregg and Ray Rhodes. He joins Lombardi as the only Packers head coaches to beat the Bears in their first game.
• LaFleur became only the second coach to make his head-coaching debut in the NFL's primetime kickoff game (since 2002), joining Jim Zorn, who made his debut with Washington in a losing effort against the New York Giants (16-7) in 2008.
• LaFleur is in his 11th season in the NFL in 2019, having served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Redskins, 2010-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16) and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
• During his first 10 seasons in the NFL, LaFleur was a part of offensive staffs that helped their teams rank in the top 10 in the league in total yards seven times (2008-09, 2012-13, 2015-17). In three of his last six seasons in the NFL, he was on a staff that helped its offense finish in the top five in the league in scoring, highlighted by No. 1 rankings in 2016 with the Falcons and in 2017 with the Rams.
• The former quarterback began his coaching career in 2003 at his alma mater, Saginaw Valley State. LaFleur has six seasons of coaching experience at the collegiate level.

WITH THE CALL

FOX Sports, now in its 27th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game.

• Play-by-play man Chris Myers joins analysts Greg Jennings and Brock Huard as well as sideline reporter Jen Hale.
• Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in four states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play), two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) and three-time Packers Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro John Kuhn (sideline) will call the action. McCarren first joined the team's broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 25th season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 21st season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago.
• The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed).
• DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game on Channel 710.

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:

Packers vs. Lions:

•  All-time, regular season: 100-72-7
• All-time, at home: 33-13-3
• All-time, postseason: 2-0
• Streaks: Green Bay is 6-2 in September matchups against Detroit since 2000.
• Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 29, 2019; Ford Field, Packers won, 23-20

COACHES CAPSULES

• Matt LaFleur: 14-3-0, .824; (1-1 postseason); 2nd NFL season
• Matt Patricia: 9-23-1, .288; 3rd NFL season
• Head to Head: LaFleur 2-0 vs. Patricia
• vs. Opponent: LaFleur 2-0 vs. Lions; Patricia 2-2 vs. Packers

MATT LAFLEUR…In his second season as the Packers' 15th head coach.

• Entering his 12th season in the NFL, having previously served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Redskins, 2010- 13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
• In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, because the first coach in club history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season. LaFleur also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven wins).
• Became only the fifth coach in NFL history to win 13-plus regular-season games in his first season as a head coach (Jim Caldwell, George Seifert, Jim Harbaugh, Steve Mariucci).
• Guided the Titans' offense in 2018 to a No. 7 league ranking in rushing (126.4 ypg) as Tennessee registered 11 games with 100-plus rushing yards, tied for No. 2 in the NFL.
• Helped the Rams lead the league in scoring with an average of 29.9 points per game in 2017, more than doubling their average from 2016 (14.0 ppg).
• Tutored QB Matt Ryan, who led the league in passer rating (117.1) in 2016 on his way to being named NFL Most Valuable Player by The Associated Press, and QB Robert Griffin III, who became the first QB in Washington franchise history to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012.

MATT PATRICIA…In his third year as the Lions' 27th head coach.

• His first season as Detroit's head coach in 2018 featured an improvement in the running game, highlighted by rookie RB Kerryon Johnson, who produced two 100-yard rushing performances and three touchdowns.
• Served on the New England Patriots' coaching staff from 2004-17, including six years (2012-17) as defensive coordinator.
• Helped lead the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships (XXXIX, XLIX, LI), six AFC championships and 13 AFC East division titles.
• From 2012-17, led a Patriots defense that ranked third in points allowed (19.2), fourth in games allowing 20 points or fewer (53) and second in games allowing 17 points or fewer (47).

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is from Mount Pleasant, Mich., and played quarterback at Saginaw Valley State (2000-02). LaFleur later became an offensive assistant at his alma mater (2003), and then a graduate assistant at Central Michigan (2004- 05) and quarterbacks/wide receivers coach at Northern Michigan (2006)...LaFleur and Lions linebackers coach Ty McKenzie served on the same coaching staffs in 2017 (Los Angeles Rams) and 2018 (Tennessee Titans)…Packers LB Rashan Gary played three years at Michigan (2016-18)…Packers G Jon Runyan played at Michigan (2016-19)...Packers offensive line coach Adam Stenavich played collegiately at Michigan (2002-05), and later was a strength and conditioning intern (2011) and a graduate assistant (2012-13) for the Wolverines...Packers quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy was the wide receivers coach at Western Michigan in 2013...Packers offensive quality control coach Kevin Koger played at Michigan (2008-11) and later became a graduate assistant for the Wolverines (2013-14)...Packers chief of staff Darryl Franklin spent three years as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan University. Additionally, Franklin was a player personnel intern with the Lions in 2008...Green Bay TE Robert Tonyan signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and spent his first offseason with the Lions...Packers T Rick Wagner played for Detroit during the 2017-19 seasons, starting 40 total games…Packers WR Malik Taylor played collegiately at Ferris State and attended Hill-McCloy High School in Montrose, Mich. …Lions offensive coordinator Darren Bevell spent six seasons on the Green Bay coaching staff, serving as offensive assistant/quality control coach (2000-01), offensive assistant (2002) and quarterbacks coach (2003-05)…Bevell played quarterback at Wisconsin, where he set 19 school records, and helped lead the Badgers to their first Rose Bowl victory…Lions WR Quintez Cephus played for Wisconsin from 2016-19...Packers assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus served as a quality control assistant for the Seahawks in 2011 when Bevell served as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator…Packers CB Chandon Sullivan for the Eagles in 2018 when Lions defensive coordinator Cory Undlin served as the team's defensive backs coach… Lions head equipment manager Tim O'Neil spent six seasons as an equipment assistant in Green Bay (1995-2000)…Lions national scout Mark Olson is from Hudson, Wis., and attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls…Packers defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery served in the same role at Michigan from 2011-12...Green Bay running backs coach Ben Sirmans coached at Michigan State for two seasons (2005-06)...Packers assistant defensive backs coach Ryan Downard played safety at Eastern Michigan from 2006-10...Packers senior analyst Butch Barry played five seasons (1996-2000) for the Central Michigan football program and later coached a total of seven seasons (2002-03, 2010-14) for the program. Barry also coached at Michigan Tech for three season (2006-08)…Packers defensive backs coach Jerry Gray coached on the same staff as Lions offensive coach Hank Fraley for the Minnesota Vikings from 2014-16…Fraley coached offensive line at San Jose State in 2013 when Packers RB Tyler Ervin was on the roster…Packers coaching assistant Ruvell Martin played collegiately with LaFleur at Saginaw Valley State (2000-03) and attended high school in Muskegon, Mich. …Detroit wide receivers coach Robert Prince and head strength and conditioning coach Josh Schuler worked on the Colorado coaching staff while Packers T David Bakhtiari was playing for the Buffaloes...Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and Lions head coach assistant/research and analysis Evan Rothstein worked together on the Syracuse staff for two seasons (2010-11)…Packers S Adrian Amos played with Lions LB Christian Jones (2015-18) in Chicago…Former college teammates include: Packers C Corey Linsley and Lions T Taylor Decker (Ohio State), Packers S Adrian Amos, LB Jason Cabinda and Lions TE Jesse James (Penn State); Packers CB Kevin King and Lions WR Marvin Hall (Washington).