*Two years after he co-founded the Packers with Curly Lambeau, George Calhoun began writing a piece called The Dope Sheet, which served as the official press release and game program from 1921-24.
Honoring Calhoun, the first publicity director, the Packers are running this weekly feature as their release, which is being made available to fans exclusively on Packers.com.
A complete edition of the Dope Sheet will be available each week during the season in PDF format, located in the Packers.com Game Centers.
Here are some highlights from the Packers-Lions Week 2 Dope Sheet:*
**GREEN BAY (1-0) at DETROIT (0-1)
Sunday, Sept. 14 | Ford Field | 12 p.m. CDT**
1-0 GREEN BAY PACKERS HIT THE ROAD
-Green Bay begins the road portion of the 2008 schedule with its annual trip to Detroit, its second division game in as many weeks.
-The Packers come into the contest fresh off a 24-19 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. It was the Packers' fifth consecutive win over the Vikings, the longest winning streak in the series in nearly 25 years.
-The team hopes to improve upon another divisional winning streak, having won five straight over Detroit. A sixth straight win would match the longest winning streak in the series since the Lions won 11 straight from 1949-54.
-Green Bay has won 13 of the last 15 over Detroit. Both of those losses (2003 and '05) have come at Ford Field.
-Including a pair of playoff clashes in the early 1990s, this week marks Game No. 158 in the venerable Detroit-Green Bay 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.
-Green Bay has won three of its last four road openers. The lone loss over that period came in Detroit in 2005.
-Detroit returns to Ford Field for its home opener after falling to Atlanta, 34-21, in Week 1.
PACKERS, RODGERS IMPRESSIVE IN OPENER
-Playing under the bright lights and in front of a national audience, Green Bay won its first game of the '08 slate thanks to contributions from all three units. Like any season opener, there will be plenty to correct through film study - namely 12 penalties that accounted for 118 yards.
-Quarterback Aaron Rodgers responded to the pressure of his first career start against one of the league's top defensive units with an outstanding performance. The fourth-year Cal product was accurate (18-of-22, 81.8%) and efficient (178 yards, 115.5 passer rating), passing for a touchdown and running for another. A night of firsts for Rodgers included his first 'Lambeau Leap' after sealing the victory with his 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter.
-Ryan Grant (92 yards on 12 carries) led a rushing attack that produced 139 yards against the league's top-ranked rush defense last season.
-The defense did its part, keeping Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson in check and pressuring Tarvaris Jackson (59.0 rating) all night. When called upon to make a final stop, safety Atari Bigby came up with the necessary big play, an interception to preserve victory.
-Special teams did its job and then some, getting solid downfield coverage when needed and a big play from its return unit. Punt returner Will Blackmon evaded a number of tacklers and got some key blocks to spring a 76-yard TD return.
-If the Packers are going to match and exceed their success from a year ago, they again must get outstanding play from all three phases. Last season, the club finished as the league's No. 2-ranked offense and its No. 6 scoring defense. The Packers also finished No. 7 in the Dallas Morning News special teams rankings, a dramatic jump of 25 spots from their last-place finish the previous two years.
WITH THE CALL
-FOX Sports enters its 15th season as an NFL network television partner and will air the contest to a regional audience. Play-by-play man Matt Vasgersian joins color commentator JC Pearson in the broadcast booth with Charissa Thompson serving as the sideline reporter.
-Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 56-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) calling the action. The duo are in their 10th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 47 markets in six states.
-For out-of-town listeners, the broadcast is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on www.packers.com as well as on Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 122 WTMJ feed) as part of the network's NFL Sunday Drive.
-DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game on channel 709.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
-Green Bay has actually played better on the road (11-5) than at home (10-6) under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, and they'll need to rely on that road success in '08.
-A tough road slate begins Sunday in Detroit, where Green Bay has won both games in McCarthy's tenure.
-In fact, McCarthy recorded his first-ever win as an NFL head coach at Ford Field in the 2006 matchup.
-The Packers come into the game having won eight of their last 10 road games. A look at the top road teams in the NFL since McCarthy took over in 2006:
Team (W-L record) Pct.
New England (15-1) .937
Dallas (13-4) .765
N.Y. Giants (12-4) .750
Green Bay (11-5) .687
Indianapolis (11-5) .687
Chicago (11-6) .647
New Orleans (10-6) .625
San Diego (10-6) .625
WHAT TO WATCH FOR AT FORD FIELD
-Green Bay's primary running backs, Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson, will be watching the film with wide eyes this week. That's because Detroit surrendered a league-high 318 rushing yards in Week 1.
-Kalamazoo, Mich., native Greg Jennings loves playing near his hometown. In two career games at Ford Field, the second-year wideout from Western Michigan has eight catches for 161 yards and three TDs.
-Another Michigan native, defensive end Cullen Jenkins (Belleville), likes to play against his hometown team. He established career highs in tackles (7) and sacks (3) against the Lions.
-Something about the Lions defense seems to bring out the best in Green Bay. The Packers have scored more points (3,216 in reg. season) against the Lions than any other franchise.
-There will be quite a matchup on the outside when the Lions' offense takes the field. Dynamic wideouts Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams square off against veteran corners Al Harris and Charles Woodson.
**
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions:
All-time regular season: 84-64-7
All-time, postseason: 2-0
All-time, in Detroit: 34-40-3 (4-2 at Ford Field)
Streaks: Packers have won five straight and 13 of the last 15.
Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 30, 2007, at Lambeau Field; Packers won, 34-13
Last meeting, regular season, at Ford Field: Nov. 22, 2007; Packers won, 37-26
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 23-12-0, .657, (incl. 1-1 postseason); 3rd NFL season
Rod Marinelli: 10-23-0, .303; 3rd NFL season
Head to Head: McCarthy 4-0
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 4-0 vs. Lions; Marinelli 0-4 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY...Is in third year as the Packers' 14th head coach.
-Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
-Honored as the 2007 Motorola NFL Coach of the Year and NFL Alumni Coach of the Year.
-Became the first Packers coach since Vince Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season.
-Tied franchise record for most victories by a coach in his first two seasons (21).
ROD MARINELLI...Is in third year as the Lions' 24th head coach.
-Named Lions head coach on Jan. 19, 2006, after 10 seasons (1996-2005) with Tampa Bay as defensive line coach; additionally was the Bucs' assistant head coach his last four seasons.
-In that 10-year tenure in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers recorded 416 sacks, with 328 1/2 coming courtesy of the defensive line, the most among all NFL defensive lines during that span.
-The Bucs' defensive front four garnered Top 5 rankings in sacks during six of the 10 seasons under Marinelli. That line also played a major role in setting an NFL record for consecutive games with a sack (69) from 1999-2003, a streak ended by the Packers on Nov. 16, 2003.
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. 158 in the venerable Detroit-Green Bay series.
-The Packers are looking for their sixth straight win in the series, which would match a Green Bay string from 2000-03. Six straight is the longest series winning streak by either team since the Lions won 11 straight from 1949-54.
-The Packers have scored more points (3,216 in reg. season) against the Lions than any other franchise.
-Last year's win at Ford Field on Thanksgiving improved the Packers' record to 6-11-1 against Detroit in those holiday meetings.
-The Packers have won 17 consecutive contests over Detroit in Wisconsin, including the '94 playoffs. The streak includes seven 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) and Rod Marinelli (2006-Present).
{sportsad300}NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Defensive ends Aaron Kampman of Green Bay and Jared DeVries of Detroit are from the same high school, Aplington-Parkersburg in Iowa, which was destroyed by a tornado in late May...Packers G Josh Sitton blocked for Lions RB Kevin Smith at Central Florida. Both were drafted this year...Four Packers players are Michigan natives and also played collegiately in their home state: TE Tory Humphrey (Saginaw/Central Michigan), DE Cullen Jenkins (Belleville/Central Michigan), WR Greg Jennings (Kalamazoo/Western Michigan) and WR Ruvell Martin (Muskegon/Saginaw Valley State)...Packers CB Charles Woodson was voted as the 1997 Heisman Trophy recipient and led the University of Michigan to a share of the national championship that season...Lions LB Paris Lenon (2002-05) previously played for the Packers...Detroit LB Alex Lewis played at the University of Wisconsin...Green Bay DT Colin Cole spent one week on Detroit's 53-man roster in 2003, and all of the 2004 preseason with the Lions...Packers secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer spent two seasons (2002-03) on staff with the Lions as defensive coordinator...Packers offensive quality control coach Ty Knott served a minority coaching internship in Detroit in 2001...Detroit receivers coach Kippy Brown was the Packers' running backs coach in 2000.
INDIVIDUALLY VS. LIONS
Greg Jennings has three touchdown receptions in four career games against the Lions...Donald Driver matched his career high with 11 receptions against the Lions on Nov. 10, 2002...Aaron Kampman has six career sacks against Detroit...Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, the franchise leader in sacks, has 6 1/2 sacks against the Lions...Cullen Jenkins established career highs in tackles (7) and sacks (3) against the Lions at Lambeau Field on Dec. 17, 2006.
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Dec. 30, 2007, at Lambeau Field; Packers won, 34-13.
-Resting several starters in preparation for the playoffs, the Packers jumped out to a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter.
-Ryan Grant's 27-yard TD run and scoring passes to Koren Robinson, Bubba Franks and Ruvell Martin accounted for the bulk of the scoring.
-Coming off the bench to spell Grant, Brandon Jackson rushed 20 times for 113 yards, his first career 100-yard game. His 46-yard run on the first snap of the second half set up one of Mason Crosby's two field goals.
-The win was the Packers' 17th straight on Wisconsin soil over the Lions.
LAST MEETING, IN DETROIT
Nov. 22, 2007, at Ford Field; Packers won, 37-26.
-Brett Favre established a franchise record with 20 consecutive completions and finished with 381 yards and three touchdowns in victory as Green Bay matched its best start (10-1) since 1929.
-The Packers fell behind early, 6-0, before Favre found Greg Jennings for an 11-yard score and Ryan Grant capped an 80-yard drive with a 5-yard TD plunge.
-In the midst of hitting 20 consecutive passes, Favre tossed two more scores, another to Jennings and one to Ruvell Martin, as the Packers built a commanding 34-12 lead.
-The Lions began the fourth quarter with two long scoring drives to pull within eight points.
-Green Bay responded with a 10-play, 72-yard drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock. Mason Crosby's 26-yard field goal ensured the Thanksgiving day win.
