TODAY: In a postscript to a rivalry that seemingly reached its peak two weeks ago, Green Bay hosts Minnesota in the teams' first-ever playoff meeting...The Packers play their 38th postseason contest, a 10th playoff appearance during the Salary Cap era, most in the NFL...Green Bay is 14-1 (.933) all-time in home playoff games, the best mark among NFL teams who've hosted at least three postseason contests. In Green Bay, the Packers are 12-1. In Milwaukee, they're 2-0...With a win, the Packers will have taken four straight against Minnesota, something they haven't accomplished since 1987-88...Under Mike Sherman (2000-04), the Packers when scoring first are 36-8 (20-5 at home). Including playoffs, they are 37-9 (21-5 at home).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TODAY -
BRETT FAVRE:
-Will play in a 227th consecutive game (including playoffs) and make his 225th consecutive start (including playoffs), 102 more than the next-closest streak on the all-time quarterbacks list, 123 by Ron Jaworski (1977-84, including playoffs).
-Needs 279 yards passing to overtake No. 2 John Elway (4,964) on the all-time postseason list. Favre enters the weekend with 4,686.
-Needs 314 yards passing for 5,000 career in the postseason. Would join Joe Montana (5,772) as one of two passers in NFL history to reach the 5,000 barrier.
-Needs seven completions to surpass No. 2 Dan Marino (385) on the all-time postseason list. Favre enters the weekend with 379.
-Needs 22 attempts to surpass No. 3 John Elway (651) on the all-time postseason list. Favre enters the weekend with 630 career attempts.
-Needs one TD pass to extend his NFL-record streak of playoff games throwing for a TD to 16. The last time Favre did not throw a TD pass in a playoff game was in the '94 playoffs, Jan. 8, 1995, at Dallas.
AHMAN GREEN:
-Needs 73 yards rushing to surpass No. 3 Jim Taylor (508), 126 to surpass No. 2 Edgar Bennett and 212 to surpass No. 1 Dorsey Levens (647) on the Packers' career postseason list. Green enters the weekend with 436.
-Needs one rushing TD to tie No. 2 Dorsey Levens (4) and two to tie No. 1 Edgar Bennett (5) on Green Bay's career postseason list. Green enters the weekend tied with No. 3 Paul Hornung (3).
-With one reception, would extend his streak of postseason games with at least one catch to six, tying for the team's fifth-longest streak.
WILLIAM HENDERSON:
-By playing in a 16th career postseason game, will surpass No. 2 Gilbert Brown and Earl Dotson (15) on the team's all-time list. Only Brett Favre, set to play in a 20th playoff contest, has played more.
RYAN LONGWELL:
-Needs 13 points to surpass No. 2 Antonio Freeman (72) on the Packers' all-time scoring list, and 14 to surpass No. 1 Chris Jacke (73). Longwell enters the weekend with 60 career postseason points.
-With one point, would match the longest scoring streak in franchise history, held by Chris Jacke (10 games). Longwell has scored in nine consecutive postseason contests.
-Needs one field goal to tie No. 1 Chris Jacke (15) on the Packers' career postseason list. Longwell enters the weekend with 14.
DARREN SHARPER:
-With one interception, would tie No. 4 Joe Laws, Mike Prior and Tyrone Williams (all with three) on the team's all-time list. Herb Adderley, Craig Newsome and Eugene Robinson share the career lead with four. Sharper has two in his postseason career.
JAVON WALKER:
-With a third career 100-yard receiving game, would tie No. 1 Robert Brooks and Antonio Freeman on the team's all-time postseason list.
GREEN BAY PLAYOFF GAMES: Building a legendary legacy, Vince Lombardi's Packers won all four Lambeau Field postseason games in the 1960s, including three NFL Championship contests (1961, 1965 and 1967). But between that 1967 game (the Ice Bowl) and the Brett Favre era, Lambeau hosted only one playoff (in 1982). During those 26 seasons, host stadiums to dynasties in Dallas, Pittsburgh and San Francisco built their own legacies. Since 1994, though, no other stadium has hosted more playoff games - both Candlestick/3Com Park and Lambeau have nine, including today. Most postseason games, NFL/AFL history:
Games, Stadium, Seasons
24, Candlestick/3Com Park, San Francisco, 1971-2002
21, Texas Stadium, Irving, 1971-98
*19, Orange Bowl, Miami, 1967-85
Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh 1972-97
- Los Angeles Coliseum 1949-78, 1982-93
17, Oakland/Network Associates Coliseum, 1967-80, 2000-02
16, Cleveland Municipal Stadium, 1945-94
14, Lambeau Field, Green Bay, 1961-2004
13, Mile High Stadium, Denver 1977-98
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J., 1985-2002
12, RFK Stadium, Washington D.C., 1972-91
*Orange Bowl hosted five Super Bowls; L.A. Coliseum hosted two Super Bowls
L.A. Coliseum hosted both Rams and Raiders playoff games; Cleveland Municipal hosted both Rams and Browns playoff games; Giants Stadium hosted both Jets and Giants playoff games
TWO-MINUTE OFFENSE: Brett Favre has guided the Packers to points on 11 of the last 13 instances in which he's been pressed into a two-minute drill (including game-winning FGs Nov. 14, Nov. 21, Dec. 12 and Dec. 24).
CHECK PRESENTATIONS: In a pair of presentations before today's game, the Packers will donate $25,000 in tsunami relief to the American Red Cross, and $1,200 to the Green Bay Area Schools (money raised from the Cans For Kids program - the helmet recycling bins in the parking lot). The $1,200, collected in conjunction with Waste Management, will help 300 homeless children in Green Bay.
REGGIE WHITE TRIBUTE: Before the national anthem, the Packers will present a 75-second video honoring the late Reggie White, who passed away Dec. 26. The piece, produced by Made Ya Look, features Reggie singing Amazing Grace with highlights from his incredible Packers career. In addition, the stadium will observe a moment of silence in his memory.
TICKET DONATIONS: The Packers donated about 300 tickets to today's game to families of U.S. military personnel.
TODAY'S NATIONAL ANTHEM: Universal South recording artist Katrina Elam, whose self-titled country album is now available.
HALFTIME: Four contestents will compete in a Punt, Pass & Kick competition, the winner of which can kick a field goal to win a trip to Cancun.
AT THE GATES: Sentry is distributing gold spirit sticks, commemorating the Packers' three consecutive NFC North division titles (2002-04).
POOL REPORTERS: Cliff Christl of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, is the home pool reporter. Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette is the alternate.
