-FINE IN FINALES: The Packers enter this afternoon's game having won eight consecutive regular-season finales, easily the league's longest such streak and one believed to be among the longest in NFL history. Washington owns the second-longest active streak, three years.
The Packers launched their skein of success in their 1994 finale with a 34-19 victory over the Buccaneers at Tampa. In the interim, winning five of eight at home, they have closed out seven more seasons with victories over Pittsburgh, 24-10 in 1995, Minnesota, 38-10, in 1996; Buffalo, 31-21, in 1997; Chicago (away) 16-13, 1998; Arizona, 49-24, in 1999; Tampa Bay, 17-14, in 2000; and the New York Giants (away), 34-25, in 2001.
-BIG 'D:' After allowing 100 points over the first three games of the season, Coordinator Ed Donatell's Packers defenders have engineered a dramatic turnaround. In the 12-game interim, they have held the opposition to an average of 15.5 points per game, climaxing that tightfisted stretch with a 10-0 shutout of the Buffalo Bills, possessors of one of the league's most potent offenses, last Sunday.
-QUARTERBACK BRETT FAVRE is assured of reaching one major statistical milestone this afternoon, with the possibility of attaining another. In connection with the former, he comes into today's game needing only 14 yards for his ninth consecutive 3,500-yard passing season.
In the latter, he goes into action with 26 touchdown passes and needing 4 to for his seventh 30-TD season, which would extend his already existing NFL record.
-FAVRE ALSO CARRIES into today's contest a 35-10 won-lost record for December, the best record for the month by a starting quarterback since the league's 1970 merger with the AFL (minimum 20 starts).
He also is making his 173rd start, extending his NFL record for quarterbacks, and playing in his 175th straight game.
-RUNNING BACK AHMAN GREEN, who has registered four 100-yard rushing games this season, could move past Gerry Ellis into sixth place on the Packers' career rushing list with a fifth such effort against the Jets this afternoon.
Green enters the game with 3,735 yards, 91 fewer than Ellis, who rushed for 3,826 yards over a seven-year Packers career (1980-86).
Green also needs only 4 pass receptions to supplant Phil Epps in 17th place on the team's career receiving list. Epps had 192 catches (1982-88). Green has 189 to date.
-BUBBA FRANKS, who leads NFC tight ends in touchdown catches with 6, begins today's game with 51 receptions and needs 6 more to eclipse the Packers' single-season record for a TE (56), set by Paul Coffman in 1979.
-LINEBACKER NATE WAYNE, who leads the Packers defense with 126 tackles to date, needs just one more stop this afternoon to set a personal career high. He previously amassed 126 tackles in 2000, his first season in Green Bay' green and gold.
It is the third consecutive year Wayne has surpassed the 100-tackle mark, having registered 102 in 2001 despite having to sit out four games because of injury.
Wayne's '02 tackle total includes a career-high 89 unassisted stops.
-EIGHT PACKERS, five on offense and three on defense, enter today's contest having started all 15 games to date. On offense, in addition to the indestructible Brett, they include guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera, wide receiver Donald Driver and tight end Bubba Franks; and on defense, linebackers Na'il Diggs, Hardy Nickerson and Nate Wayne.
-PLACEKICKER RYAN LONGWELL needs 9 points to surpass his own 2000 team record for most points in a season without a touchdown, 131, a total which also represents a career-high for scoring.
-A VICTORY WOULD GIVE the Packers a season sweep (4-0) against the AFC East, their having already defeated New England, Miami and Buffalo.
