PACKERS HEAD WEST FOR MONDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN
- Green Bay travels across state lines to take on the Minnesota Vikings in one of the most highly anticipated games of the early NFL schedule.
- For the border rivals, this marks meeting No. 97 in an all-time series. The Packers own a slight advantage (49-46-1 including playoffs) against the Vikings franchise in what has been a traditionally tight series.
- Though Green Bay has won four of the last six contests at the Metrodome, it is 23-24-0 all-time in the state against Minnesota.
- Both teams opted for new coaches heading into the 2006 season, and thus far Head Coach Mike McCarthy has a 5-1 record against the Vikings. The lone loss over that time came via a missed field goal in the closing moments at the Metrodome last season.
- For a rivalry that wasn't exactly lacking in spirit, a new twist has been added that should send interest, and television ratings, through the roof tonight. QB Brett Favre, 16 seasons the signal caller for the Green and Gold, faces his former team for the first time in his now 19-year NFL career.
- Undefeated and atop the NFC North, Minnesota comes into the game off a dramatic 27-24 win over San Francisco in the home opener at the Metrodome. Green Bay comes into the game 2-1, thanks to a solid victory over the Rams in the first road contest of the 2009 season. The Packers, second in the division, could vault into first with a win.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
- Green Bay won its fourth consecutive road opener last weekend in St. Louis, the NFL's second-longest active streak behind Indianapolis.
- The Packers hope to continue that success today in Minneapolis, a site where they earned victories in four or their last six matchups. In three-plus seasons under McCarthy, the team is 14-11 on the road.
TONIGHT'S CAPTAINS
- As per team tradition, the Packers select game captains each week.
- Today's captains will be QB Aaron Rodgers (offense), LB Aaron Kampman (defense) and LB Desmond Bishop (special teams).
THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO BE CLOSE
- In an all-time series that has been remarkably close to even through the years, it seems fitting that Packers-Vikings seems to always come down to the last possession.
- Last season in Green Bay, the Packers used an interception with less than a minute to play to seal the victory, 24-19 in the season opener. Later in Minnesota, a missed field goal in the waning moments of the game gave Minnesota the win, 28-27, in a back-and-forth contest.
- Like last season in Minnesota, five out of the six meetings between 2004-06 were decided by a field goal at the end of the fourth quarter. Vikings K Ryan Longwell kicked two game-winning field goals – for the Packers – in the '04 meetings.
- Need to see how close this series has been recently? Going back a bit further, 12 of the last 13 regular-season meetings have been decided by seven points or less, the lone exception being the Packers' 34-0 blanking of the Vikings in 2007 at Lambeau Field.
TOUGH AFTER THE BYE
- Following the contest at Minnesota, Green Bay encounters its bye week. The Week 5 off week is the earliest bye for the team since 1999, when it had its bye in Week 4.
- In games immediately following their bye week, the Packers have won nine of their last 13 games. Under McCarthy, the team is 2-1.
- In 2006, Green Bay got a hard-earned victory at Miami in scorching temperatures. McCarthy called the game a clear turning point in the season as the team collected seven of its eight wins after the bye.
- The next season, it enjoyed one of its more memorable victories in the week following the bye. In a Monday night contest, WR Greg Jennings hauled in an 82-yard TD pass on the first play of overtime to beat the Broncos in Denver.
- Last season, it fought hard and forced overtime against previously unbeaten Tennessee in Nashville. The Packers eventually dropped the game, 19-16.
- Green Bay finished a disappointing 2-7 (.222) after the bye week in 2008, a stark contrast to the previous two seasons under McCarthy in which the team was a combined 15-6 (.714) after the week off.
- Since 2000, the Packers over the balance of their season after the bye are a combined 53-33 (.616).
{sportsad300}WEARING THE STRIPES
Tonight's officiating crew includes referee Gene Steratore (114), umpire Tony Michalek (115), head linesman Jerry Bergman (91), line judge Jeff Seeman (45), field judge Greg Gautreaux (80), side judge Mike Weatherford (116) and back judge Bob Waggoner (25).
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 41-of-45 field goals from 39 yards-and-closer.
- Has hit 16-of-23 field goals from 40-49 yards.
- Has hit 7-of-13 field goals from 50-plus yards.
80 DONALD DRIVER
- Needs five receptions to surpass No. 1 Sterling Sharpe (595) on the team's all-time catches list. Driver, with 591 career catches, is No. 2.
- Has a reception in 114 consecutive games, besting the franchise's previous long streak of Sharpe's 103 (1988-94).
25 RYAN GRANT
- Enters with 2,365 career rushing yards.
- Has nine 100-yard games in his career.
85 GREG JENNINGS
- His 15 catches of 40-plus yards from 2007-08 was tops in the NFL. His three in 2009 was tied for the NFL lead through three games.
- Had 103 receiving yards in Week 3, his 11th career 100-yard game.
- Also in Week 3, surpassed 3,000 career receiving yards in his 46th career game.
74 AARON KAMPMAN
- With 51½ career sacks, is No. 4 on the team's all-time sacks list. Needs four more to move past No. 3 Tim Harris (55).
21 CHARLES WOODSON
- Has 39 career interceptions, 22 in 49 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.
