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. This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by clicking here.
Here are some highlights from the Packers-Lions Week 11 Dope Sheet:
GREEN BAY (6-3) AT DETROIT (4-5)
Sunday, Nov. 18 - Ford Field - Noon CST
PACKERS HEAD TO DETROIT FOR DIVISIONAL TILT
- For the first time since a Week 2 contest vs. Chicago, the Packers will play a game against an NFC North foe when they travel to Detroit this Sunday to take on the Lions at Ford Field, the second straight year the clubs have met in Detroit in November.
- This is the latest in a season that the Packers’ second divisional game has ever arrived (since 1967).
- Coming off of their Week 10 bye, the Packers will be looking to extend their winning streak to five games. Green Bay is the only team in the league to come out of its bye on a winning streak of four games or more each of the last two seasons (seven-game streak going into bye in 2011).
- The Packers have won eight straight NFC North games dating back to 2010, which matches the franchise record (see page 2 for more).
- No other NFL teams have played every year since 1932, when the Packers and the Lions, then known as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans, began their yearly home-and-home series.
- The rivalry actually kicked off in 1930 at City Stadium in Green Bay, a 47-13 Packers win. Some two seasons later, the clubs began a yearly series. This Sunday marks meeting No. 166 in the all-time series.
- Now rivals in the NFC North, the Packers own a 91-65-7 (.583) advantage over the Lions in the regular season and have won both playoff games.
- Green Bay has an 11-1 mark (.917) against the Lions under Head Coach Mike McCarthy. Overall, the Packers have won 20 of the last 23 (.870) in the series.
- The Packers have a 5-1 record at Ford Field under McCarthy and have outscored the Lions, 180-109, in those games at Detroit. Green Bay is 7-3 all-time at Ford Field.
- Including playoffs, Green Bay is 12-3 (.800) away from Lambeau Field over its last 15 games. The Packers have won nine of their last 12 (.750) regular-season road contests.
- The Packers have won 23 of their last 27 regular-season games overall (.852), the best record in the league over that span.
OUT OF THE BYE
- The Packers had their bye this past weekend, the second time in three seasons (2010) that the open date for Green Bay arrived in Week 10.
- Sunday marks the third straight season that the Packers have come out of their bye with a contest away from Lambeau Field. Last season, Green Bay traveled to San Diego and in 2010, the Packers visited Minnesota following their open week.
- In games immediately following its bye week, Green Bay has won 12 of its last 16 (.750). Under McCarthy, the Packers are 5-1 (.833).
- Green Bay won its first game after the bye each of the last three seasons, outscoring its opponents 102-41 in those games. That included a 26-0 win vs. Detroit in 2009 and a 31-3 victory at Minnesota in 2010.
- Since McCarthy took over in 2006, Green Bay has a 38-20 overall record (.655) after the bye. Since 2009, the Packers are 21-7 (.750) after the bye.
WITH THE CALL
- FOX Sports, now in its 19th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game to a regional audience.
- Play-by-play man Joe Buck and color analyst Troy Aikman will have the call from the broadcast booth with Pam Oliver reporting from the sidelines.
- Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 53-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) calling the action. The duo enters its 14th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 44 markets in six states.
- Dial Global Sports radio will air the game across the country. Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) and Mark Malone (analyst) will call the action and Scott Graham hosts the pregame and halftime shows.
- The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 117) as part of the network’s NFL Sunday Drive.
- DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game in HD on Channel 706.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
- Packers vs. Lions:
- All-time, regular season: 91-65-7
- All-time, postseason: 2-0
- All-time, in Detroit: 37-40-3 (7-3 at Ford Field)
- Streaks: The Packers have won 12 of the last 13 meetings.
- Last meeting, regular season: Jan. 1, 2012, at Lambeau Field, Packers won, 45-41.
- Last meeting, regular season, in Detroit: Nov. 24, 2011, at Ford Field, Packers won, 27-15.
COACHES CAPSULES
- Mike McCarthy: 74-39-0, .655, (incl. 5-3 postseason); 7th NFL season
- Jim Schwartz: 22-36-0, .379, (incl. 0-1 postseason); 5th NFL season
- Head to Head: McCarthy 5-1
- vs. Opponent: McCarthy 11-1 vs. Lions; Schwartz 1-5 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY…Is in seventh year as the Packers’ 14th head coach.
- Joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only coaches to guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title with a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
- Has led the Packers to playoff appearances in four of his six seasons as the helm, and the team’s four postseason berths over the past five seasons are the most by an NFC team.
- His .655 winning percentage (including playoffs) ranks No. 4 among active NFL coaches (min. 50 games).
- One of only two coaches, along with New Orleans’ Sean Payton, to have his offense ranked in the top 10 in total yardage each season from 2006-11.
- Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
- Became the first Packers coach since Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season (2007).
JIM SCHWARTZ…Is in fourth year as the Lions’ 25th head coach.
- In 2011, guided the Lions to their first playoff appearance since 1999.
- Before coming to Detroit, spent 10 years with the Tennessee Titans, including the last eight as defensive coordinator.
- Broke into the NFL as a college and pro scout for the Cleveland Browns from 1993-95 before becoming a defensive assistant coach for the Ravens after the franchise moved to Baltimore.
- Coached as a graduate assistant and then position coach at four different colleges (Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina Central, Colgate) after a playing career as a LB at Georgetown University.
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. 166 in the all-time series.
- Green Bay has scored more points (3,458 in the regular season) against the Lions than any other franchise.
- The Packers have won 21 straight games over Detroit in Wisconsin, including a ’94 playoff game. The streak spans eight 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), Rod Marinelli (2006-08) and Schwartz (2009-10).
- The 20 straight regular-season wins in Wisconsin ranks No. 1 among active NFL streaks at one team’s home field.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers WR 
LAST MEETING, IN DETROIT
- Nov. 24, 2011, at Ford Field; Packers won, 27-15.
- In a Thanksgiving Day matchup, the Packers got the victory to give them their first 11-0 start in franchise history. The 11th consecutive victory (what would eventually be 13 straight wins) set a single-season franchise record, topping the 10-game winning streaks in 1929 and 1962.
- QB
Aaron Rodgers threw for 307 yards and two TDs on 22-of-33 passing, highlighted by a 65-yard scoring strike to WRJames Jones in the third quarter that gave Green Bay a 21-0 lead. - WR Greg Jennings led the offense with 74 yards receiving on five catches (14.8 avg.), including a 3-yard TD catch to start Green Bay’s scoring.
- Green Bay’s defense registered three interceptions, with LBs Robert Francois and Clay Matthews and CB Charles Woodson all picking off Lions QB Matthew Stafford on the afternoon.
STAT OF THE WEEK
- The Packers enter Sunday’s contest at Detroit on an eight-game winning streak in NFC North games.
- Green Bay has tied the franchise record (since the league went to a divisional format in 1967), matching eight-game divisional winning streaks in 1996-97 and 2001-02.
- The Packers’ eight-game winning streak is the second-longest current divisional winning streak in the league behind only Baltimore’s 11-game streak against AFC North foes.
- Green Bay posted a perfect 6-0 mark in divisional games in 2011, the first time the Packers went undefeated in their division since 1967.
- The Packers became the first team to sweep the NFC North/Central since the 1987 Chicago Bears (7-0).
- Green Bay has outscored its opponents 245-141 in the eight-game divisional winning streak and has a combined plus-10 turnover differential in those contests.
- Including this Sunday’s game at Detroit, five of the Packers’ final seven games will be against NFC North foes.
This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by clicking here.
