*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-Panthers Week 11 Dope Sheet:*
CAROLINA COMES TO LAMBEAU FOR WEEK 11 CLASH
CAROLINA (4-5) at GREEN BAY (8-1)
-The Packers host their second consecutive home game one week after improving to 8-1 for the first time since 2002.
-Green Bay comes into the contest winners of 12 of its last 13 games and tied for the NFC's best record.
-Sunday marks the 251st consecutive regular-season sellout (264 including playoffs) at Lambeau Field, the league's longest-tenured stadium.
-With a win, the Packers would earn the best start in team history since 1962, when Vince Lombardi led Green Bay to a 10-0 start en route to their eighth world title.
-A familiar non-divisional foe, the Panthers come to Lambeau Field for the first time since 2002.
-The two clubs first met in 1996 in the NFC Championship game. Antonio Freeman's go-ahead TD catch gave the Packers their first lead of the day, as Green Bay earned its first Super Bowl berth in 29 years.
-Sunday is the 10th meeting in 12 years between the teams. Just three games have been played in Green Bay, with the Packers holding a 2-1 advantage over the Panthers.
-Establishing a true home-field advantage is something the club has begun to do, winning six of its last seven games in Green Bay.
WITH THE CALL
-FOX Sports enters its 14th season as an NFL network television partner and will air the contest to a regional audience. Play-by-play man Dick Stockton joins color commentator Brian Baldinger in the broadcast booth.
-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 network 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 110 WTMJ feed) as part of the network's NFL Sunday Drive.
-Sports USA Radio Network will air the game across the country. Howard David (play-by-play) and Doug Plank (analyst) will call the action, while Rich Herrera serves as the sideline reporter.
-DirecTV subscribers can watch the game on channel 706.
OFFENSE, DEFENSE CLICKING ON ALL CYLINDERS
-Sunday's effort against the Vikings, in which Green Bay nearly doubled the offensive output of Minnesota, 488 yards to 247, was undoubtedly the most complete effort of the Mike McCarthy era.
-"We anticipated a very physical game with Minnesota today, especially after the game at the Metrodome," McCarthy said following the win. "I thought our guys really prepared well, starting with the defense with the shutout and stopping the run. That was the emphasis going into the game. Offensively, we wanted to establish our run game. It was a completion-oriented mindset as far as game plan against their defense. For the most part, I was very pleased with the performance in all three phases. That's clearly our best performance this year."
-Facing the league's second-ranked rush defense looked like a tall task for the Green and Gold, but they responded with their highest output of the season behind Ryan Grant's 119 yards rushing, the first 100-yard rusher against the Vikings this season.
-Simply put, the defense was outstanding. It did not allow the Vikings to convert on third down (0-for-8) or fourth down (0-for-3), and held the NFL's leading rusher, Adrian Peterson, to 45 yards, his lowest output of the season.
-"We feel that we are a very good football team," McCarthy continued. "We're focused on winning and improving. It's as simple as that. There's a lot of football left to be played."
-Statistically, both the offense (No. 4 overall) and defense (No. 10 overall) rank in the league's top 10. Green Bay's passing offense ranks first among all 32 teams.
-The top 5 NFL teams by record all are ranked in the top 10 in both total offense and defense. Other than Green Bay (8-1), the list includes New England (9-0), Dallas (8-1), Indianapolis (7-2) and Pittsburgh (7-2).
TOP 10 DEFENSE ROUNDING INTO FORM
-Defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and his unit have steadily climbed the league rankings this season, finally playing the dominant football it showed signs of in 2006.
uDuring the team's four-game win streak to close the 2006 season, the unit climbed from 29th to 12th.
-Sunday the defense posted the first shutout since Dec. 10, 2002, a 10-0 victory over Buffalo. It did so against the Vikings, which owned the league's longest active scoring streak at 260 games. Minnesota's 260-game streak without a shutout is the third-longest in NFL history.
-The defense has allowed 142 points thus far, third-lowest in the NFL.
-Its 26 sacks are tied for third best in the league, paced by the NFL's top sack duo. Defensive end Aaron Kampman, the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, has posted nine sacks, second in the league. Fellow defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila has tallied eight-and-a-half sacks.
-241/2 of those sacks have come courtesy of the defensive line, which forms one of the deepest rotations in all of football. Their ability to pressure the quarterback rushing just four frees up linebackers Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk, two of the team's leading tacklers, to make plays.
-Not to be forgotten is perhaps the top cornerback duo in the NFL - Charles Woodson and Al Harris. No cornerback duo is as physical at the line of scrimmage, while Woodson continues to display his knack for the big play with three interceptions and two defensive touchdowns on the season.
-Backed by a stout run defense ranked seventh in the NFL, the defense tends to make its big plays defending the pass. In a streak that dates back to last season, Green Bay has picked off at least one pass in 14 of the last 15 games. During the streak, the unit has 24 interceptions. Woodson has nine of the interceptions during the streak.
NOBODY'S BETTER AFTER THE CATCH
-The league's No. 1-ranked passing offense has been bolstered by its receivers' ability to run after the catch.
-Big plays have served as a catalyst to the success of the Packers offense. Despite having the league's 32nd-ranked rushing attack, the unit still ranks fourth overall thanks in large part to its dominance through the air.
-Wins over San Diego, Denver and Kansas City have all been highlighted by long touchdowns passes by Favre. Not to be overlooked is who he is throwing to, and what they are able to do once the ball is in their hands.
-Led by wide receivers Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and tight end Donald Lee, Green Bay has amassed 1,300 yards after the catch, tops in the NFL.
-Behind the Packers at No. 2 is a team with a much more publicized group of receivers - the New England Patriots at 1,157 yards after the catch. The NFL average is 820 yards.
-The big-play ability of the Packers offense shouldn't come as a total surprise. Green Bay finished second in yards after the catch, behind New Orleans, in 2006.
McCARTHY TOPS THROUGH 25
-Notching his 16th victory in his 25th game since taking over head coaching duties at the offices on Lombardi Avenue, McCarthy has now won more games through his first 25 than any coach in franchise history.
-Vince Lombardi and Mike Sherman had previously topped the list, as both went 15-10 to open their coaching careers in Green Bay. Mike Holmgren went 14-11 through his first 25.
-According to Elias, McCarthy ties Joe Gibbs for the best career start of any active head coach over 25 games.
-"My focus is on winning the world's championship," McCarthy said when asked about the accomplishment. "That will always be the focus regardless of how many games it takes to get there through the regular season and so forth. Because when you win championships, everything else takes care of itself."
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Carolina Panthers:
All-time regular season: 5-3-0
All-time, postseason: 1-0
All-time, at Lambeau Field: 2-1-0
Streaks: The Packers have won three of the last four meetings.
Last meeting, regular season: Oct. 3, 2005, at Bank of America Stadium; Panthers won, 32-29
Last meeting, regular season, at Lambeau Field: Sept. 29, 2002; Packers won 17-14.
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 16-9-0, .640; second NFL season
John Fox: 53-43-0, .552; sixth NFL season
Head to Head: Never met
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 0-0 vs. Panthers; Fox 1-2 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY...In second 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.
-Has won more games (16) in his first 25 contests than any other coach in franchise history.
-Spent six seasons as an offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints (2000-04) and San Francisco 49ers (2005).
-Began his coaching career as a college assistant at Fort Hays State (1987-88) and at the University of Pittsburgh (1989-92) before breaking into the NFL as a quality control assistant with the Chiefs in 1993.
JOHN FOX...In sixth year as the Panthers' third head coach.
-Has directed Carolina to two playoff appearances, two NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl in his five seasons.
-Also reached a Super Bowl with the New York Giants, where he served as defensive coordinator for five seasons (1997-2001) prior to his arrival in Carolina.
-Spent time on staff in Pittsburgh (1989-91), San Diego (1992-93), Oakland (1994-95) and St. Louis (1996).
-Coached at seven different colleges, including the University of Pittsburgh staff (1986-88) just before McCarthy's arrival in 1989.
THE PANTHERS-PACKERS SERIES
-Non-divisional opponents, the Packers and Panthers have met nine times over the past 11 seasons.
-The first meeting between the two clubs came in the 1996 NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field. The Packers overcame two early deficits to defeat the Panthers, 30-13, and earn a berth in their first Super Bowl in 29 years.
-Two of Carolina's wins in the series carried strong implications. The Panthers registered a 33-31 win at Lambeau Field, Dec. 12, 1999. The Packers were 7-5 entering the game, which launched a three-game losing streak that dropped them out of postseason contention; they finished 8-8. Then, on Nov. 27, 2000, Carolina's 31-14 Monday night win marked the Packers' last loss of the 2000 season, but their four-game winning streak wasn't enough to overcome the Panthers setback. Green Bay (9-7) missed the playoffs.
-In 2004, the Packers registered an emotional prime-time win, 24-14, over the Panthers, then the defending NFC champion, in the season opener on Monday Night Football.
{sportsad300}NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
-Packers DE Cullen Jenkins and Panthers DT Kris Jenkins are brothers; Kris is 17 months older than Cullen, and both wear No. 77...Packers CB Jarrett Bush signed as a non-drafted free agent with Carolina in 2006 but was released following the team's final roster reduction; he has appeared in all 24 games as a Packer...Several Panthers have spent time in Green Bay, including Patrick Dendy (2005-06), Na'il Diggs (2000-05), Marquand Manuel (2006) and Mike Wahle (1998-2004)...Panthers secondary coach Tim Lewis played cornerback in Green Bay for four seasons (1983-86) and still holds the team record for longest interception return, a 99-yard score against the L.A. Rams on Nov. 18, 1984...Add Panthers quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy to the long list of Brett Favre backups; McCoy spent the 1995 season on the Packers' practice squad...Packers wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson and Panthers head coach John Fox spent four seasons on staff together (1998-2001) with the New York Giants; also spending time on that staff was Panthers assistant head coach/runnig backs coach Jim Skipper and Panthers secondary/safeties coach Mike Gillhamer (1998-2000)...Panthers defensive coordinator Mike Trgovac coached the Packers defensive line in 1999, when he was on staff with Mike McCarthy...McCarthy also worked with Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri at the University of Pittsburgh (1989-92)...Panthers linebackers coach Ken Flajole began his NFL coaching career in Green Bay in 1998 as a quality control/defensive assistant...A number of Packers are North Carolina natives and attended college in the state: WR Koren Robinson (Belmont, N.C., North Carolina State), G Junius Coston (Raleigh, N.C., North Carolina A&T) and DE Jason Hunter (Fayetteville, N.C., Appalachian State).
INDIVIDUALLY VS. CAROLINA PANTHERS
-Quarterback Brett Favre has started all nine games in the series...In those contests, Favre has thrown for 2,459 yards and 22 touchdowns...Favre tied a career high with 5 touchdown passes at Carolina on Sept. 27, 1998...Donald Driver has caught 18 passes for 291 yards and five touchdowns in six career games against the Panthers...Driver made his first NFL catch a memorable one, pulling in an 8-yard TD reception vs. Carolina on Dec. 12, 1999...Donald Lee caught his first pass in a Green Bay uniform, a 16-yard touchdown, at Carolina on Oct. 3, 2005...Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila has four career sacks against Carolina...Gbaja-Biamila also made a career-high 11 tackles at Carolina in 2005...Also in that game, Nick Barnett establsihed a career high with 21 tackles.
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
-Oct. 3, 2005, at Bank of America Stadium; Panthers won 32-29.
-Favre threw for four touchdowns, but the Packers were unable to overcome two early
-Rallying from a 19-point second-half deficit, Favre threw two TD passes and two 2-point conversions in the fourth quarter and had Green Bay in position to win on a final drive before the offense was stopped on fourth down.
-Jake Delhomme threw for two touchdowns and Stephen Davis ran for two scores as the Panthers left the Packers (0-4) with their worst start in 17 years.
LAST MEETING, at Lambeau Field
-Sept. 29, 2002; Packers won 17-14.
-Favre threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Driver for the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter as Green Bay defeated previously unbeated Carolina.
-Panthers kicker Shayne Graham, signed by Carolina two days earlier, missed a 24-yard field goal with 13 seconds left that would have tied the contest.
-Driver had the first two-touchdown game of his career, though he caught his first score from tight end Bubba Franks on a trick play.
-Officials originally ruled the play had two forward passes, as Favre took the snap from center and fired the ball to Franks. Officials overturned the call on the field after a replay challenge.
