PACKERS, RAMS FACE OFF IN ST. LOUIS
- Green Bay looks to get back to its winning ways today as it takes on the Rams in their home opener.
- The Packers lost a disappointing contest last weekend to the Bengals, 31-24, in which none of their three phases performed up to standard.
- Green Bay has considerable history with the Rams franchise, dating back to its days in Cleveland (1937-45) and Los Angeles (1946-94). Today marks the 89th all-time regular-season meeting between the two teams, with the Rams holding a slight 45-41-2 edge in the series.
- Including five contests against the St. Louis Cardinals, who played in the city from 1960-87, the Packers are 4-4-1 all-time in the city. They have won just twice by the Arch (1996, 2007) since Vince Lombardi left the team in the late 1960s.
- True to the close nature of the all-time series, the teams have split the last eight meetings, which included the 2001 NFC Divisional playoff game won by St. Louis. Green Bay won the only other postseason meeting between the two teams, the 1967 Western Conference Championship. The Packers went on to win the famed 'Ice Bowl' the following week and Super Bowl II weeks later.
- Under new head coach Steve Spagnuolo, the Rams are still searching for their first win of the '09 campaign. Head Coach Mike McCarthy faced Spagnuolo twice during his tenure as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. The Packers defeated the Giants in Week 2 of the 2007 season but dropped the NFC Championship Game later in the year.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
- Green Bay makes its first road trip of 2009 to St. Louis, a city where it is 2-1 all-time in regular-season meetings against the Rams.
- Historically, Green Bay has performed well as a franchise in road openers. Its 50 wins in road openers are the most in NFL history. The New York Giants own the league's second-highest win total in road openers at 48.
- McCarthy has contributed to that history, winning the road opener in each of his three years at the helm.
- The three straight victories in road openers is the NFC's longest active streak. Only Indianapolis (five) has a longer streak.
- Twice those victories have come in Detroit. McCarthy got his first career win as a head coach in 2006 in Detroit, a 31-24 victory in Week 3. Last season, Green Bay used a huge fourth quarter to defeat the Lions 48-25 in Week 2.
- In 2007, the team routed the Giants in New York, 35-13, in Week 2.
- The Packers hope to continue that success today in St. Louis, a site where they earned a road victory in 2007. In three seasons under McCarthy, the team is 13-11 on the road.
THIS WEEK'S ROSTER MOVES
- On Wednesday, the team signed S Matt Giordano and released S Aaron Rouse.
- Giordano (pronounced G-or-DAHN-o), a fifth-year pro, spent the past four seasons (2005-08) with Indianapolis. A fourth-round selection in the 2005 NFL Draft from California, he played in 55 games, including six starts, for the Colts.
- Giordano will make the trip to St. Louis and could see his first action with Green Bay. He wears No. 47.
TODAY'S CAPTAINS
- As per team tradition, the Packers select game captains each week.
- Today's captains will be TE Donald Lee (offense), NT Ryan Pickett (defense) and LB Brandon Chillar (special teams). Chillar and Pickett formerly played in St. Louis.
THE PACKERS-RAMS SERIES
- These clubs first met in 1937, when the NFL launched its long relationship with the city of Cleveland. The franchises met every year from 1937-71 except 1943, when the Rams didn't field a team.
- Beginning in 1946, when the Rams moved from Cleveland to Los Angeles, these foes consistently played their Wisconsin games early in the year (before cold weather set in) and their warm West Coast games late in the year.
- The series has been even lately, with the teams splitting the last eight contests, including the Rams' 2001 win in the NFC Divisional playoffs. Previously, the Packers had won three meetings in a row (1992-95).
WEARING THE STRIPES
Today's officiating crew includes referee Walt Coleman (65), umpire Jeff Rice (44), head linesman Julian Mapp (52), line judge Jeff Bergman (32), field judge Scott Steenson (88), side judge Rick Patterson (15) and back judge Rich Reels (83).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
27 WILL BLACKMON
- Needs one punt return touchdown to set a career franchise record. Enters tied atop the team's all-time list with Desmond Howard (1996, 1999) with three.
2 MASON CROSBY
- For his career, has hit 39-of-43 field goals from 39 yards-and-closer.
- Has hit 15-of-22 field goals from 40-49 yards.
- Has hit 7-of-13 field goals from 50-plus yards.
80 DONALD DRIVER
- Needs nine receptions to surpass No. 1 Sterling Sharpe (595) on the team's all-time catches list. Driver, with 587 career catches, is No. 2.
- Needs eight receiving yards to surpass No. 2 Sharpe (8,134) on the franchise's all-time receiving yards list. James Lofton (9,656) ranks No. 1. Driver is No. 3 with 8,127 career receiving yards.
- Has a reception in 113 consecutive games, besting the franchise's previous long streak of Sharpe's 103 (1988-94).
25 RYAN GRANT
- Enters with 2,266 career rushing yards.
- Has nine 100-yard games in his career.
85 GREG JENNINGS
- Did not catch a pass in Week 2, snapping a streak of 44 consecutive games with at least one reception.
- Needs 50 receiving yards for 3,000 career. Surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards in 2008 at Tampa Bay, his 31st career game.
- Surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards on the 82-yard, game-winning touchdown catch in OT vs. Denver in 2007, his 19th career game.
21 CHARLES WOODSON
- Has 38 career interceptions, 21 in 48 games since coming to Green Bay in 2006. Woodson had 17 interceptions in 106 games with Oakland.
- With six defensive touchdowns as a member of the Packers (five interceptions, one fumble return), is No. 3 on the team's all-time list. Needs one more to match Herb Adderley and Darren Sharper with seven atop the list.
