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posted 08/31/99
THE GAME: One victory removed from a "perfect" preseason, the Green Bay Packers (3-0) close out their non-league agenda against the formidable Miami Dolphins (2-1) in the 39th annual Bishop's Charities Game at Lambeau Field Thursday night (Sept. 2).
As per custom, the game is a season ticket sellout (60,890), with kickoff set for 7:05, CDT (Wisconsin time).
In the wake of forging a third straight victory over the weekend - a 38-17 conquest of the New Orleans Saints - the Packers' immediate objective will be putting a successful period to their preseason exertions, a development which would place the 1999 Green and Gold in exclusive company in club annals.
Only two other Packers teams have registered all-winning preseason records in the last 32 years, the 1967 edition having posted a 6-0-0 record under the fabled Vince Lombardi in his final Green Bay season and the 1997 Packers having compiled a 5-0-0 mark under Mike Holmgren.
Although he is always about winning, regular or post-season, Head Coach Ray Rhodes also has another, longer-term goal in view - to make very sure his team is primed to launch meaningful pursuit of a playoff berth...and more...when the Packers open their 1999 National Football League regular season against the Oakland Raiders at home Sunday, September 12.
The visiting Dolphins, led by the irrepressible Jimmy Johnson, will come into Lambeau Field off a 31-10 romp over Detroit Lions and a two-game winning streak.
THE TV-RADIO COVERAGE: Kevin Harlan, veteran play-by-play broadcaster of football for CBS-TV and NBA games for TNT, will call the play-by-play for Thursday night's game along the Packers' state television network, with former Packers linebacker Brian Noble offering the analysis and Chris Roth, sports director of originating station WBAY-TV, reporting from the field. The telecast also will be carried by WISN-TV (Channel 12), Milwaukee; WISC-TV (Channel 3), Madison; and WSAW-TV (Channel 7), Wausau.
The game also will be aired along the Packer Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee handling the play-by-play and Larry McCarren providing the analysis.
THE SERIES: For the Packers, over the years, playing the Miami Dolphins customarily has been no more enjoyable than a visit to the dentist. The Floridians have won eight of nine regular-season meetings in a series dating back to 1971 and are the only team to hold a top-heavy advantage in a season series with the Packers.
At long last, the Packers ended the Dolphins' perfect regular-season record against the Green and Gold (8-0) in 1997, forging from behind to post a 23-18 victory over the Miamians.
The preseason series results have been somewhat more palatable to the Green and Gold. It stands all even going to Thursday night's contest, each team having won three of six previous non-league encounters.
THE BISHOP'S CHARITIES SERIES: The Packers have won 20 of the 38 games played in the history of the Bishop's Charities series, launched in 1961. There also has been one tie, a 31-21 standoff with the New York Giants in 1970.
The Packers enter Thursday night's contest with an 8-game winning streak in the series, including a 31-7 win over New Orleans in last year's contest.
In its 38-year history, the series has raised more than $2.5 million for the Bishop's Charities.
THE COACHES: Ray Rhodes, in his fifth year as a head coach and his 19th season in the NFL's coaching ranks, has had a longtime association with success.
It was most recently exemplified in 1995 and 1996 when he became the first head coach in Philadelphia Eagles history to lead his team into the playoffs in each of his two seasons at the helm. In the process, 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.
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.
As a head coach, he owns a 29-34-1 record, including a 20-12 mark for his first two seasons as head coach of the Eagles.
The Dolphins' Jimmy Johnson, beginning his fourth season as Miami's head coach, has maneuvered the Fish to a 27-21 overall record and back-to-back playoff appearances the past two years.
Prior to taking over the Dolphins, he had become only the third man in NFL history to coach consecutive Super Bowl winners, winning Super Bowl XXVII in 1992 and following that with a victory in Super Bowl XXVIII as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. His post-season winning percentage ranks third in NFL history among coaches with five or more post-season wins, behind only Vince Lombardi's .900 (9-1) and Mike Shanahan's .875 (7-1).
THE LAST TIME: In keeping with the history of the rivalry, the Packers' first regular season victory over the Dolphins did not come easily. Out front by a tenuous 13-12 margin at the end of three quarters, the Packers took advantage of a gamble by Miami coach Jimmy Johnson, who elected to go for it with fourth-and-11 at the Dolphins' 31-yard line late in that third period.
The Packers' Reggie Johnson, declining to "bite" on Bernie Parmalee's fake, dropped the Dolphin running back for a 2-yard gain and the Packers took possession at the Miami 34. Seven plays later, Ryan Longwell kicked his third field goal of the afternoon, a 39-yarder, to mount a 16-12 Green Bay lead.
Then, after Dan Marino and the Dolphins were stymied in the wake of a penalty-induced first down, the Packers forced a punt. Quarterback Brett Favre then proceeded to direct the Packers' longest drive of the afternoon, a 12-play, 83-yard march climaxed by his 10-yard touchdown pass to fullback William Henderson that eventually carried the day, despite a late "consolation" touchdown by the Dolphins.
THE NUMBERS GAME: In roster moves, the Green Bay Packers have traded wide receiver Derrick Mayes to the Seattle Seahawks, placed five other players on waivers and a seventh on reserve/non-football injury in reaching the National Football League's mandated roster reduction to 65 players, Executive Vice President/General Manager Ron Wolf announced Monday.
Mayes, a fourth-year pro out of Notre Dame, was dealt to the Seahawks in exchange for an undisclosed future draft choice.
In other moves, the Packers waived defensive tackle Howard Burns, linebackers Lamont Hollinquest and Louis Adams, and wide receivers Dee Miller and Zola Davis - with Burns and Miller reaching an injury settlement - and placed center Mike Newell on the non-football injury list with a back problem. Miller had been a sixth-round selection in the Packers' 1999 draft.
THE (NFL) STATISTICAL UPDATE: By dint of their six takeaways against the Saints over the weekend, the Packers now share the National Football Conference lead (with Carolina and Tampa Bay) in the takeaway-giveaway table with a plus-4 reading.
On offense, after three games, they rank third in the NFL as a whole (second in rushing and ninth in passing) and 30th on defense (26th against the run and 31st against the pass).
Individually, placekicker Ryan Longwell leads the NFL in scoring with 26 points on 11 conversions without a miss and 5 field goals in 7 attempts.
Wide receiver Bill Schroeder is pacing the NFC in receiving yards with 178 and also is tied with the New York Giants' Sean Bennett for the conference lead in total yards from scrimmage.
Rookie running back Basil Mitchell ranks second in rushing with 122 yards in 25 attempts, a 4.9-yard average.
Fellow Packers rookie Cletidus Hunt is tied for second place among NFC sack artists with three.