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PACKERS-VIKINGS PRESS BOX NOTES
posted 12/30/01
A .750 'BATTING AVERAGE:' Coming into this afternoon's game, the Packers own a 30-10 won-lost record for December for the 10-year span dating back to and including the 1992 season, a .750 percentage.
The Packers are 3-1 in the current December.
The New York Giants are next up with a 26-12 December mark (.684) since 1992, followed by the San Francisco 49ers with a 26-13 record (.667).
JUST FOR THE RECORD: The Packers are 5-0 in Lambeau Field and 7-0 overall this season when leading at halftime. And, dating back to the midpoint of last season, they are 12-0 when out front at the intermission. The last time they failed to capitalize on a halftime lead was October 29, 2000, when they were unable to hold a 17-7 lead at Pro Player Stadium in Miami.
SHARING THE WEALTH: The Packers and Vikings have mutually accounted for six of the last seven NFC Central Division championships. The only "exception" occurred in 1999, when Tampa Bay appropriated the Central title. The Vikings, however, recaptured the division championship last year and the Packers are in contention for this year's title at the moment.
THE VIKINGS today are making their first December visit to Lambeau Field since 1996 - the only time they have played in "Lambeau" in December in the last 13 years.
ON THE VERGE: With two games to play, the Packers defense has tied the team's single-season sack record with 50 - a total that also currently leads the NFL, one ahead of the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers, each of whom has 49. Green Bay's team record was established in 1998.
THE FAVRE FILE: Quarterback Brett Favre needs to pass for 563 yards in the Packers' last two games to reach the 4,000-yard plateau for the fourth time in his 10-year Green Bay career, which would enable him to join Dan Marino (6) and Warren Moon (4) as the only passers in NFL history to do so four or more times.
The league's leading active passer, with an 86.7 rating (third-highest in NFL history), Favre also is the most durable in league annals. He today is making his 156th consecutive start, extending his NFL record for quarterbacks, and playing in his 158th consecutive game, the fourth-longest such streak in Packers history.
RUNNING BACK AHMAN GREEN can scale another plateau in Packers history today by rushing for 53 yards, a relatively modest production by his standards. Such an effort would swell his season total to 1,308 yards, giving him the third-highest, single-season total in team annals. That niche currently is owned by Pro Hall of Famer Jim Taylor, who rushed for 1,307 yards in 1961.
Taylor also holds the club record, 1,474, set in 1962, while Green's fellow running back, Dorsey Levens, owns the second-highest, single-season rushing total, 1,435, recorded in 1997.
With six 100-yard rushing games to his credit in 2001, Green also will have an opportunity this afternoon (or against the New York Giants in next week's regular-season finale) to tie the team's single-season record of 7, set by Taylor in 1962.
Every yard Green gains - rushing or receiving - also will add to his new team season record for total yards from scrimmage, which stands at 1,813 prior to kickoff.
CLOSING IN: Flanker Antonio Freeman needs just 2 catches in the Packers' last two regular season games to join Sterling Sharpe as the only players in club history to have as many as six consecutive 50-reception seasons. Sharpe had seven (1988-94).
Freeman, only the fifth player in Packers annals to catch 400 passes in a career (413 to date), goes into action with 48 catches for 748 yards and 6 touchdowns this season.
THE END: Safety LeRoy Butler, who has played more games against the Vikings than any other current Packer, will see his streak of 23 consecutive appearances against the Purple Gang "officially" come to an end today. Butler has been sidelined since November 18, when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Quarterback Brett Favre now owns the Green and Gold's longest playing streak against the Vikings. He today will be playing against them for the 19th consecutive time, having launched his skein in the Packers' second meeting with the Vikings in 1992 (December 27).
Center Frank Winters also will be playing against Minnesota for the 19th time, but his "streak" was interrupted by an early season injury in 1997 (September 21).
SKY SHOW: The United States Air Force will stage a fly-over of Lambeau Field in connection with today's game.
A KC-135 fly-over will occur upon completion of the national anthem, to be sung by Senior Master Sergeant Butch Gray.
AIR FORCE ENLISTMENT: An enlistment ceremony for 150 young people from throughout the state of Wisconsin will take place at halftime. Major General Todd Stewart of the U.S. Air Force will preside at the ceremony.
NEXT WEEK: The Packers will close out their 2001 regular season schedule against the New York Giants at East Rutherford, N.J., next Sunday (January 6), with kickoff set for 12 noon, CST (Wisconsin time).
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