 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PACKERS INVADE SUPERDOME SATURDAY NIGHT TO MEET NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
posted 08/24/99
THE GAME: Energized by a resounding preseason triumph over the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos before a record "home" crowd at the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium, the undefeated Green Bay Packers next invade the Louisiana Superdome Saturday night (August 28) to take on the New Orleans Saints.
Kickoff for the contest, the Packers' third engagement of the preseason, is set for 7:05 CDT (Wisconsin time).
The Green and Gold, with backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck orchestrating the offense with impressive finesse following starter Brett Favre's early departure with a bruised thumb, dominated their matchup with the Broncos, leaving for the intermission with a 24-3 lead and closing out the evening with a 27-12 victory on ABC's "Monday Night Football" before the largest crowd (78,184) ever to see the Packers play a game in Wisconsin.
It was their second success to date in as many outings against teams favored to make a run for Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta come January, following a 27-16 win over the New York Jets in their preseason baptismal a week earlier.
The Saints, next on their agenda, will be carrying a 1-1 record into action. They opened impressively with a 26-14 victory over the formidable Miami Dolphins, No. 1 draft choice Ricky Williams debuting with a 44-yard rushing performance in 9 attempts, before the Saints fell to the Indianapolis Colts, 31-7, in their second venture.
The huge house for Monday night's game eclipsed by nearly 1,500 fans the old record of 76,704, set when the Packers defeated the New York Giants at Camp Randall August 22, 1997.
THE TV-RADIO COVERAGE: Saturday night's game will be broadcast over the Packers' state television network, with Sports Director Chris Roth of Green Bay's WBAY-TV, the originating station, calling the play-by-play and Brian Noble providing the analysis. The telecast also will be carried by WISN-TV (Channel 12) in Milwaukee, WISC-TV (Channel 3) in Madison, and WSAW-TV (Channel 7) in Wausau.
The game also will be aired over the Packer Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee handling the play-by-play and Larry McCarren the commentary.
THE SERIES: The Packers have won 13 of 17 regular-season meetings with New Orleans in a series launched in 1968 when the Saints were in their second NFL season.
The Packers also own a 4-2 record against the Saints in preseason play, including a 31-7 victory at Green Bay's Lambeau Field August 8, 1998, in their most recent encounter.
THE COACHES: In his fifth season as an NFL head coach, Ray Rhodes has compiled a 29-34-1 record, including a 20-12 mark during the first two of his four seasons as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
In that role, Rhodes was the consensus selection as the NFL's "Coach of the Year" in his first season, a rare honor for a first-year head coach in the NFL.
He also became the first head coach in Eagles history to lead his team into the playoffs in each of his first two seasons at the helm.
Earlier, in 12 seasons as an assistant coach with San Francisco, he helped the 49ers capture postseason berths 10 times, reach the NFC Championship Game on seven occasions and win five Super Bowls.
Mercurial Mike Ditka, Rhodes' sideline opponent Saturday night, is the third-winningest mentor among the NFL's active coaches with a record of 124 victories compared to 88 defeats, his record including a 6-6 mark in postseason competition.
While head coach of the Bears, he led Chicago to victory in Super Bowl XX, orchestrating a 46-10 triumph over the New England Patriots.
THE LAST TIME: The Packers have happy memories of their last visit to the Louisiana Superdome. It occurred on December 16, 1995, a day on which they clinched a wild-card playoff berth and put themselves on the verge of their first NFC Central Division crown in 23 years with a 34-23 win over the Saints.
Quarterback Brett Favre escorted the Packers to victory, throwing four touchdown passes, completing 21 of 30 attempts for 308 yards, without an interception.
A fellow catalyst in this project was running back Edgar Bennett, who on that occasion became the first Packer to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since 1978, when Terdell Middleton turned the trick.
Bennett closed out his performance against the Saints with 1,010 yards for the season, rushing 26 times for 80 yards.
A NEW 'RUG': Although the Louisiana Superdome's permanent playing surface is artificial turf, the Packers and Saints will be performing on a natural grass field when they meet in the spacious New Orleans venue Saturday night.
A specially-developed natural grass rug is being installed on the floor of the Superdome this week, exclusively for Saturday night's game.
Approximately 40 trucks were scheduled to begin delivering the grass to the Superdome Tuesday (August 24), with the field expected to be completely installed within a 24-hour period thereafter.
The special "rug," developed by Southern Turf Nurseries, is known as STN 2000.
THE NUMBERS GAME: The Packers, and the NFL's 30 other clubs, will be required to reduce their preseason rosters to 65 players (excluding those under NFL Europe exemptions) following next weekend's games. The first mandatory cutdown must be completed by 3 p.m. (CDT) next Tuesday, August 31.
The final reduction, to the regular-season limit of 53, must be implemented by 3 p.m. (CDT) Sunday, September 5. Teams then may establish a five-player practice squad by 3 p.m. (CDT) Monday, September 6.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
