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12th Packers Fan Hall Of Fame Honoree Sought

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:46:21 CST

Packers Story: Nominate a fan -- click here!

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Nominations Accepted Nov. 8 Through Dec. 7

The annual search for the next honoree for the Packers FAN Hall of Fame begins Sunday, Nov. 8.

The first professional football team to have its own hall of fame, the Green Bay Packers enhanced that distinction in 1998 by establishing a Packers FAN Hall of Fame. It was founded for the purpose of annually honoring a devout and longtime Packers fan. FAN Hall of Fame sponsors are the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Stein Gardens and Gifts, Best Buy and Verizon Wireless.

Nominees are being sought for recognition by a selection committee. The late Mel Knoke of Appleton was chosen as the inaugural honoree in the FAN Hall of Fame. The 91-year-old Knoke, who died between the time of his election and recognition, was honored posthumously in 1999.

In addition to Kno..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 6

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:28:09 CST

Packers Story: (What happened with T.J. Lang?)
T.J. Lang, he torqued his rib area. It's listed as an oblique injury. I think he'll be OK to go in the game, but they just felt it was important to rest him today.

(Who do you plan on starting at tackles?)
We'll see how T.J. is, and obviously Chad Clifton I think is ready to go. The plan was to go through Wednesday and Thursday, see how he felt today. He feels good today. So those are options there, and also with Mark Tauscher and Allen Barbre. The combination of all four is something we're looking at.

(Who played left tackle the latter part of practice?)
Allen Barbre took a lot of reps today at left tackle.

(Did you back Clifton down by design?)
Did we back him down? Well, this is his normal work week. Based on coming off of the four surgeries off the season and then also having the ankle sprain, Dr. McKenzie felt that it would be best to get him bac..

Packers Hall Of Fame Offers Scout Patch Program

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:15:01 CST

Packers Story: Boy And Girl Scout Troops Can Earn Exclusive Patch By Completing Educational Tour

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame now offers a program for Boy and Girl Scout troops that awards them an exclusive Packers helmet patch that can be added to their uniform after successful completion of a tour.

"We enjoy visits from various groups in the Hall of Fame, and the opportunity to connect with scout troops in an educational and meaningful way, and to offer something unique to their patch program was very exciting for us," said Krissy Zegers, Packers Hall of Fame and Stadium Tours manager. "We worked with a couple of local troops to learn more about their programs and were able to put together a program that can be used by all the troops as they come through."

Scout troops have two options for the program, completing an educational guidebook or following a Packers-themed scavenger hunt.

The guidebook, "What's Your Game Plan for becoming a Pro?" ..

Tagliabue And Vogel Keynote Speakers For Sport And Society Conference Hosted By St. Norbert College And The Green Bay Packers

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:04:55 CST

Packers Story: Former National Football League commissioner Paul Tagliabue and sports, media and entertainment mogul Carl Vogel will be the featured speakers at the academic conference "A Mirror of our Culture: Sport and Society in America."

This national conference will be hosted by St. Norbert College and the Green Bay Packers May 26-28, 2010.

Tagliabue will speak on Wednesday, May 26, from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. at the Walter Theatre in the Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts at St. Norbert College. He will address "Sport in American Society."

Vogel will speak during dinner on Thursday, May 27, between 7 and 9 p.m. in the Legends Club Room at Lambeau Field. He will discuss "The Future of American Sports."

Paul Tagliabue is senior of counsel with Covington & Burling LLP in the firm's Washington, D.C., and New York offices and advises clients on strategic matters in the communications and media, technology, and international sectors.

Tagliabue serv..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 5

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:27:15 CST

Packers Story: (Are you happy with Tauscher and Clifton at this point? Do they look good physically?)
I think Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton have put together two good practices. Once again, we're going to take the whole week's work. But we're definitely further ahead than the past two weeks, as far as their availability and the production. I think they've done a good job.

(What's been your impression of Matt Flynn this week? How important have these last two days been for him?)
The snaps that Matt Flynn has taken the last two days are invaluable for any quarterback. Anybody that's played the position knows how hard it is to get snaps during the season. In-season snaps are very precious for a quarterback. This has been great work for Matt. I actually thought he had a very good day today. He's throwing the ball with more velocity. It's nice to see the improvement that he's made from year one to year two. The ability to throw with more velocity, playing..

Havner Is Hall Of Fame's Featured Player Of The Week

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:54:27 CST

Packers Story: Packers tight end Spencer Havner has been chosen as the Packers Hall of Fame Featured Player of the Week in recognition of his performance against the Minnesota Vikings. The exhibit contains memorabilia from the Packers-Vikings game, including a game ball autographed by Havner.

Havner recorded his first two-touchdown game in the NFL against the Vikings, one week after finding the end zone for the first time as a professional in the victory at Cleveland. Havner caught TD passes from Aaron Rodgers of 16 yards and 5 yards during the Packers' third-quarter rally. Havner now has six receptions for 110 yards (18.3 avg.) with the three scores on the season. He also is among the Packers special teams leaders with eight tackles on the season.

The Hall of Fame's weekly exhibit, The Hall of Fame Featured Player of the Week, contains memorabilia from each week's game, including a game ball autographed by a featured player of the week.

Each Monday (or in the case of a M..

John Baker Of Menomonee Falls High School Named Green Bay Packers High School Coach Of The Week

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:42:37 CST

Packers Story: John Baker, of Menomonee Falls (Wis.) High School, has been named Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week, the organization announced Wednesday.

Baker's Indians improved to 10-1 on the 2009 season after beating previously undefeated and defending state champion Homestead, 27-7, last Saturday. The Indians travel to Sun Prairie to face the Cardinals this coming Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

"First off, I would like to commend our coaches," Baker said. "They've done a great job of building the program. Their dedication is the reason why we've been so good week-in and week-out this year. Along with the coaches, our outstanding senior leadership has brought everyone together as one team."

Baker, who is also the school's physical education and health teacher, began his coaching career in 1996 as an assistant coach at Platteville (Wis.) High School. After spending just two years at Platteville, Baker accepted an assistant coaching position at Menomonee Fal..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 4

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:23:04 CST

Packers Story: (With so many starters out, how was practice?)
I thought practice was good today. It always starts with the tempo. There is some new learning for our football team, no different than every Wednesday when you present the game plan. We only had a couple of repeated plays, but it was great to get outside. I thought it was solid practice. We'll see what the film shows.

(What is the plan with Rodgers this week?)
Well, he did not participate today. He was there. He was involved in the drills, but they just feel with the foot sprain and the toe sprain, as much time as you can to let it settle down. So we'll look at him tomorrow. I would project he'll probably go Friday. Tomorrow maybe limited and have him work Friday, but I fully anticipate him playing in the game.

(Where are you at with the offensive line?)
Offensive line, just going to take the week and work through it. Mark Tauscher had a lot of work today with th..

Packers-Buccaneers Week 9 Dope Sheet

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:01:06 CST

Packers Story: 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.

A complete edition of the Dope Sheet will be available each week during the season in PDF format, located in the Packers.com Game Centers.

This is an abbreviated version of the Packers-Buccaneers Week 9 Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by clicking here.

Here are some highlights from the Packers-Buccaneers Week 9 Dope Sheet:

GREEN BAY (4-3) at TAMPA BAY (0-7)
Sunday, Nov. 8 - Raymond James Stadium - 1 p.m. EST
..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 2

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:17:46 CST
Packers Story: OK, I'll start with the injuries. We had a number of players banged up from the game, but the one significant injury, Brandon Chillar had a broken hand. He will have surgery today, and with the information that will come out of the surgery, the forecast will probably be a couple of weeks, and I think he'll then be able to play with a club. With that I'll take your questions.

(Anybody else who might be in danger of missing practice time this week?)
Yeah, I'll just go through. Nick Collins, he had the ankle contusion. I think if he does miss it will be minimal. Donald Driver had the stinger. Knowing Donald he'll practice every day. John Kuhn just had a knee bruise. We'll see how he is on Wednesday. Derrick Martin with the concussion. They say he's fine. And Aaron Rodgers has a toe sprain on one foot and has the foot sprain on the other. So Aaron will probably miss some time this week.

(Do you think you'll have Finley this week?)
J..

Mike McCarthy Post-Game Press Conference Transcript - Nov. 1

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:09:28 CST
Packers Story: (Mike, what do you say to your team after a first half like that?)
I'll tell you exactly what I told them. I told them at halftime that this second half was going to be a turning point in our season. It was important for us to go out there and turn this game around and make a run and win this game. I felt that was happening there in the third quarter. We played very poorly in the first half on special teams and offense. I thought the defense played well outside of Johnny Jolly's personal foul down there that extended the drive. I thought there was a lot of positive things...I thought we didn't tackle as well in the first half as we could.

(Having said that, going into the second half, losing the game, what are your feelings now, going forward?)
It stings. You know, losing at home doesn't taste good. I felt terrible for our fans. I thought they were tremendous tonight. I thought the way they were behind this football team... And I'll go ..

Army LTCs Keith And Mary Krueger And Family Recognized Sunday For 'Operation Fan Mail'

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:25:43 CST
Packers Story: Army LTC. Keith Krueger, his wife, Army LTC. Mary Krueger, and their family were recognized by the Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Insurance at today's game vs. the Minnesota Vikings for 'Operation Fan Mail.'

Keith, a Wausau, Wis., native, enlisted in the Army in 1986 as a high school senior and now is in his 23rd year of service, including his 18th year of commissioned service. He currently is the Army Engineer for NORAD and US NORTHERN Command, which is located in Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He recently returned from his third combat tour, which was with Multi-National Corps Iraq as the Chief of Engineer Operations. This 13-month tour was on the heels of a tour with Special Forces in Afghanistan. He is the recipient of numerous decorations, including the Bronze Star. A Packers fan, Keith holds all his badges with a Packers lanyard and has a collection of Packers bobble-head dolls on his desk.

Mary, a physician, is now in her 14th year of active service and se..

Packers-Vikings Press Box Notes

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:48:31 CST
Packers Story: GREEN BAY-MINNESOTA HEADLINES WEEK 8 SCHEDULE
- The attention of football fans around the globe will be transfixed on Lambeau Field today, as the Packers host the archrival Vikings in a pivotal NFC North showdown.

- All eyes will be on Vikings QB Brett Favre, who makes his return to Lambeau Field after 16 seasons in Green and Gold.

- For the border neighbors, this marks the latest twist to a rivalry which will see Game No. 98 in the all-time series.

- Both franchises opted for new head coaches in '06, and thus far Head Coach Mike McCarthy has a 5-2 advantage over Vikings coach Brad Childress.

- It was under four weeks ago that the two teams met in the Metrodome on a Monday night. The largest audience in the history of cable television saw the Vikings defeat the Packers 30-23 behind eight sacks.

- Matching the top two teams in the NFC North, today's game could have far-reaching implications in the division race.

Packers Defeat Vikings In Red Kettle Challenge

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:43:25 CST
Packers Story: Packers, Fans Raise $11,501 To Top Vikings' $5,192; Overall, Packers Collect $13,987

Packers fans came out in full force Friday afternoon at the Lambeau Field Atrium and through their efforts the Packers' wide receivers more than doubled the amount raised by the Minnesota Vikings' defensive line, $11,501 to $5,192, to gain victory in The Salvation Army Red Kettle Challenge.

Hundreds of fans came through the Atrium to donate money, get an autograph, take pictures and wish the players good luck in Sunday's matchup against the Vikings. Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Brett Swain and Jake Allen were on hand while Vikings defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and members of the team's defensive line simultaneously rang bells at Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis.

In the "warm-up" hour before the ring-off, $2,486.08 was raised, bringing the grand total for the Salvation Army to $13,987.08.

The Green Bay Packers and ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 30

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:52:46 CST
Packers Story: (How's Finley doing?)
Jermichael Finley is doing a lot better. He's moving around fine. He's in all the meetings and so forth. He's definitely improving.

(What's the plan with him this weekend?)
Work him out Sunday. If he can clear one of the tests tomorrow he'll be a pre-game workout candidate. If he doesn't come out of his rehab tomorrow, the session they put him through, then obviously he'll be down.

(So you haven't closed the door on him?)
Not at all. He's making a lot of progress.

(If you do play him, are you worried about re-injury and possible long-term effects?)
We would never put someone in that position. That's the way we operate. They have to first be cleared by Dr. McKenzie, so he has the final say on that. A player would have to overcome some type of situation like that, but I'm not going to put Jermichael in a situation where we feel he can further hurt himself.
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Bill Turnquist Of West De Pere High School Named Green Bay Packers High School Coach Of The Week

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:31:47 CST
Packers Story: Bill Turnquist, of West De Pere High School, has been named Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week, the organization announced Thursday.

Turnquist, a 42-year veteran of coaching, is in his 35th season as the head coach at West De Pere. Last Tuesday night, Turnquist led his team to its ninth straight victory with a convincing defeat of Clintonville in the first round of the WIAA state playoffs. West De Pere came out sharp, scoring 35 unanswered points through the first three quarters of the game en route to a 35-7 final. The Phantoms now travel to Notre Dame High School on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m to face the Tritons.

"Our players have really been playing some good football when our backs have been against the wall," Turnquist said.

A physical education teacher at West De Pere, Turnquist previously coached for six years in Hayfield, Minn., before being named to his current position. He earned a degree in physical education and mathematics at the ..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 29

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:51:47 CST
Packers Story: (Did the Sitton thing happen today?)
Carryover from yesterday. It's not an issue. He took every rep in team.

(What did he do exactly?)
He has a bruised hand.

(Would he have to play with anything on it?)
He'll be fine. He'll be fine. We're just filling out the reports properly. We like to hold our money in our pockets.

(Is there any difference in the way Aaron Rodgers is moving in practice?)
Yeah, Aaron's foot, he has a foot sprain. There's certain things that bother it, and we're just being smart through Wednesday and Thursday. Tomorrow's practice is obviously different than the way we practiced these last two days. It's very similar to where he was last week.

(Was this Tauscher's first full practice?)
Correct.

(How did it go?)
It went well. I thought he did OK. I haven't seen the film yet, but it looked like he's moving around..

QB Aaron Rodgers Named NFC Offensive Player Of The Month For October

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:05:02 CST
Packers Story: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, safety Darren Sharper of the New Orleans Saints and kick returner-wide receiver Johnny Knox of the Chicago Bears are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for October, the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB AARON RODGERS, GREEN BAY PACKERS
Rodgers led the Packers to a 2-1 record and posted an NFL-best 123.9 passer rating during the month.

He passed for 988 yards in October and averaged a league-high 329.3 yards per game.

Rodgers completed an NFC-best 74.5 percent of his passes (70 of 94) during October and his 10.51 yards per attempt mark led the league.

He had a passer rating of at least 110 in all three games, including a near-perfect 155.4 mark in Week 7 at Cleveland, the highest single-game total in franchise history.

Rodgers has now posted a 110+ rating in four consecutive games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer BAR..

Mike McCarthy Press Conference Transcript - Oct. 28

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:49:20 CST
Packers Story: (Is Aaron's foot injury still sore?)
He's having some tenderness with it. There's just some particular movements where it bothers him, so we'll be smart with him today and tomorrow.

(Is that at all related to his foot injury from two years ago?)
No, totally different. This is a sprain.

(Why didn't Wells go today?)
Scott Wells was absent from work today. He had a personal reason he was attending to, a very positive one, so he'll be back tomorrow.

(How would you like to see the fans react to Favre on Sunday?)
I think once the ball is kicked off the Green Bay Packer fans will be the great fans that they always are. Our fans have a lot of class. I think they'll be appropriate. I was here in '99. I remember when Mike Holmgren came back. I think our fans our first class. I think they'll handle it appropriate.

(Brett said earlier today that maybe things worked out the best f..

Phillip Wisneski Is Winner Of VIP Packers-Vikings Tickets Package On Packers.com

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:10:18 CST
Packers Story: Green Bay Resident Drawn From Nearly 60,000 Entries

Phillip Wisneski of Green Bay is the winner of the Packers.com VIP ticket package for Sunday's Packers-Vikings game, the team announced today.

Wisneski's name was randomly chosen Oct. 26 from nearly 60,000 entries in the contest. He'll receive two general seating tickets, two pregame field passes, a Saturday 'Meet-and-Greet' session with Packers alumni and a two-night stay at the Wingate by Wyndham Green Bay Hotel.

"It's unbelievable. I was happy for sure," Wisneski said upon hearing the news via a phone call from the Packers. "You don't expect winning a contest to happen to you, so this is definitely going to be a lot of fun."

Packers Forced To Turn Page Right Away

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:29:42 CST
Packers Story: Unfortunately, the Green Bay Packers were in a similar position a month ago. They had just lost a hard-fought game to NFC North rival Minnesota but were looking at an upcoming matchup against a struggling team that would give them the opportunity to get back on the winning track.

Only this time, the Packers had to turn the page much quicker.

After losing to the Vikings back on Oct. 5, the Packers headed into their bye week. They had all kinds of time to lick their wounds before preparing for back-to-back contests against Detroit and Cleveland, and they took care of business in both instances to get back above the .500 mark.

This week, the team that awaits is the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Packers had to put last Sunday's loss to the Vikings behind them right away and immediately turn their attention forward. There was no time to waste, and the players said they didn't wallow in any misery this week, no matter how frustrating the two losses to the..

Friday Injury Update

Tom Fanning, Packers.com — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:25:35 CST
Packers Story: Linebacker Brandon Chillar (hand), wide receiver Jordy Nelson (knee), tight end Jermichael Finley (knee) and center/guard Jason Spitz are out for Sunday.

Tackle T.J. Lang, who has started the last two games at left tackle in place of an injured Chad Clifton, was added to the injury report on Friday with an oblique injury and is questionable for Sunday. Head Coach Mike McCarthy said the medical staff thought Lang would be OK for the game, but they wanted him to get rest on Friday.

Clifton did not participate on Friday, but was a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday as part of his normal work week. He is listed as probable and is expected to play for the first time since re-injuring his ankle in Week 6 vs. Detroit.

"Now, how long, durability, those are the things you look at," McCarthy said. "Chad's situation is different than Mark Tauscher's, but you have to be smart on how you use these individuals. Just to throw them in there and think they're going ..

Packers Fan Memories

Packers Fan Memories — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:07:02 CST
Packers Story: Read the 'Packers Fan Memories' archives or Submit your own favorite memory

This Week's Photos

Hey Packers fans, here's your chance to share your favorite memories of the green and gold with other fans from around the world! This week's edition includes a family's first training camp, the recent Packers/Vikings game and a newborn Packers fan.

Each week, Packers.com will post a feature called 'Packers Fan Memories.'

Watch 'The Colledge Experience' With Aaron Rodgers!

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:06:14 CST
Packers Story: Green Bay Packers guard Daryn Colledge takes fans to locations throughout Lambeau Field, interviewing his teammates one-on-one in 'The Colledge Experience.' Fans are able to participate in the webisodes by submitting questions for Colledge to ask his guests of the week. Topics covered on the program, now in its second season, will range from personal to football, and anything else fans come up with.

In last week's webisode, Colledge interviewed cornerback Tramon Williams. From the Lambeau Field sewing room, Williams discussed playing for the "Green Machine" basketball team with other Packers players, his past part-time job shoveling coal, and explained why he wears eye black under only one eye.

This week, 'The Colledge Experience' welcomes back quarterback Aaron Rodgers for his second appearance on the show. Interviewed from the Lambeau Field loading dock, seated in a Gator, Rodgers talks about starting up his own record label, his preseason moustache tradition, an..

Notebook: Bucs Wearing 'Throwback' Orange On Sunday

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:25:02 CST
Packers Story: When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take their home field on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers wearing their "throwback" orange uniforms, you may wonder when the last time was that the Packers faced their old NFC Central Division foe in those duds in the Florida sunshine.

Well, it was actually a somewhat significant game in the history of both franchises. It was the 1996 season opener, played on Sept. 1 in Tampa, when the Packers thrashed the Buccaneers, 34-3.

Not only did that game start Green Bay on its run to an eventual Super Bowl championship, it also marked the first game for Tampa Bay with Tony Dungy as head coach. Dungy would eventually lead Tampa Bay back to respectability, qualifying for the playoffs four times in six seasons after taking over a team that had been sub-.500 for 13 straight years prior to his arrival.

This Sunday, the Buccaneers are wearing their throwbacks in honor of their 1979 team that reached the NFC Championship Game and also to ..

Flynn Making Most Of Extra Practice Snaps

Tom Fanning, Packers.com — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:29:21 CST
Packers Story: For the second straight day on Thursday, backup quarterback Matt Flynn led the first-team offense in practice with starter Aaron Rodgers sidelined with injuries to his feet. Although Rodgers is expected to play Sunday at Tampa Bay, Flynn's time with the first unit has been valuable experience.

As Flynn leads the offense in practice in preparation for the Buccaneers, it also takes him back to the site of his NFL debut as a rookie last season, one made in less-than-ideal circumstances.
In a Week 4 contest at Raymond James Stadium, Rodgers sprained his throwing shoulder on a third-quarter run as he tried to extend the ball to get the first down. Rodgers came back on the field for the next offensive series and threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings to cut Tampa Bay's lead to 20-14, but was clutching his shoulder as he came off the field.

After an interception for a score by cornerback Charles Woodson gave the Packers a 21-20 lead, Flynn entere..

Packers To Get First Look At Bucs QB Freeman

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:23:25 CST
Packers Story: By the time Week 9 rolls around in an NFL season, an upcoming opponent's preseason game tapes are rarely requested, let alone needed.

But the Green Bay Packers have almost no choice but to hunt some down this week, with Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Josh Freeman slated to make his first NFL start on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Freeman, a first-round draft pick out of Kansas State, has played in just one regular-season game thus far, coming in late for mop-up duty in a 35-7 loss two weeks ago to New England over in London. The 0-7 Buccaneers had their bye week after that, during which first-year head coach Raheem Morris announced Freeman would be his new starting quarterback, Tampa Bay's third in eight games this season.

"We're going to our future," Morris said in a conference call with Wisconsin media on Wednesday. "We drafted Josh to lead this franchise for the next five or 10 years. It's his time to go. In this game the quarterback..

Notebook: Veteran Tackles Getting Healthy

Tom Fanning, Packers.com — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:24:34 CST
Packers Story: Head Coach Mike McCarthy said that he will once again take the full week of practice before making a final decision on the starting offensive line, but there is a chance that the tackles at Tampa Bay could be two players who have been mainstays on Green Bay's line for much of this decade.

Mark Tauscher, who re-signed with the team on Oct. 12 after rehabbing a torn ACL sustained in Week 14 last season vs. Houston, took the majority of the first-team snaps at right tackle on Wednesday for the first time since re-joining the Packers. Allen Barbre has started all seven games at right tackle thus far this season.

The Packers have brought Tauscher along slowly, limiting his reps in practice the first two weeks before working him into team drills last week. He was active for the first time this season on Sunday against Minnesota, but did not play.

"I think he feels like he has his legs totally underneath him," McCarthy said. "The plan that we have gone through for..

Vikings' Big Plays Haunt Defense Again

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:20:56 CST
Packers Story: In many ways, the second meeting this season with the Minnesota Vikings went much like the first.

The Packers played from behind most of the contest. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked too often while his counterpart, Brett Favre, played practically mistake-free. And the Packers had some chances in their second-half comeback attempts they let slip away.

But the similarities didn't end there.

Heading into last week's rematch, defensive coordinator Dom Capers lamented that in the first meeting, the Vikings struck on four big plays of 20-plus yards, totaling 124 of their 334 yards of offense.

On Sunday, that penchant for giving up the explosive play to Minnesota bit Green Bay again, as three pass plays and two runs for 20-plus accounted for 169 of the Vikings' 355 yards, or nearly half of their production on less than 10 percent (five of 60) of the snaps.

"It was kind of the mirror of the first game," Capers said. "We have to take away a fe..

Day-After Notes: Consistency Still Elusive

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:19:46 CST
Packers Story: Head Coach Mike McCarthy has spoken often this season about the peaks and valleys the 2009 Packers seem to go through on a regular basis, and that inconsistency during the course of an individual game haunted them again on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Offensively, the ups and downs were obvious. The Packers went from gaining just 47 yards and three first downs with a gift field goal in the first half to putting up 304 yards, 17 first downs and 23 points in the second.

Defensively the roller coaster was evident as well. The defense was put in bad spots in terms of field position throughout the game, and that didn't help. But at one point the defense was rising up to stop the Vikings on fourth-and-1 near the goal line, and two possessions later they're allowing the Vikings to go 70 yards in two plays for a touchdown, the first a third-and-17 conversion.

"There are so many more positives to our football team in my view than the negatives, but the thin..

Two Kickoff Returns Loom Large In Defeat

Tom Fanning, Packers.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:12:45 CST
Packers Story: The Packers had done a good job of preventing many explosive kickoff returns in the first six games this season, but on Sunday, Vikings rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin picked up big yardage on two returns that loomed large in the final outcome.

Entering the game against Minnesota, Green Bay had allowed its opponents an average of just 21.6 yards on 28 kickoff returns, good for the No. 9 ranking in the league. Only two times had the Packers allowed a 40-plus yard return, a 42-yarder from Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola in Week 3, and a 41-yarder last Sunday at Cleveland by wide receiver Joshua Cribbs.
But on Sunday, the Packers were facing the No. 1 kickoff return man in the league in Harvin (29.8 avg.), who was coming off of an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last Sunday at Pittsburgh, his second kickoff return score of the year to become the first player in Vikings history to post two kickoff return touchdowns in the same season.

Even though the Pack..

In Position To Take Lead Late, Opportunity Slips Away

Tom Fanning, Packers.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:12:23 CST
Packers Story: Despite trailing 24-3 early in the third quarter against Minnesota on Sunday at Lambeau Field, the Packers looked to be in good position to take the lead with just under six minutes remaining, but a crucial sack factored in a big way.

Green Bay was trailing 31-26, with a little over 10 minutes remaining, when the Vikings drove into Green Bay territory behind a 21-yard run from running back Adrian Peterson. After a 4-yard run by running back Chester Taylor on first down from the Green Bay 46, linebacker Clay Matthews hit quarterback Brett Favre as his deep pass to tight end Jim Kleinsasser fell short. Matthews got pressure on Favre again on third down, along with defensive end Cullen Jenkins, as Favre's pass intended for wide receiver Percy Harvin over the middle went behind Harvin.

Green Bay took over at its own 19, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers found fullback John Kuhn with a short pass over the middle that picked up 14 yards. On second down with Rodgers working ou..

Game Notes: Havner Keeps Finding End Zone

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:11:57 CST
Packers Story: It's unclear at the moment how long Packers tight end Jermichael Finley is going to be sidelined by his sprained knee, but Spencer Havner is filling in pretty well.

Havner recorded his first two-touchdown game in the NFL on Sunday, one week after finding the end zone for the first time as a professional.

Havner caught TD passes from Aaron Rodgers of 16 yards and 5 yards during the Packers' third-quarter rally, giving him three TDs now in Finley's place.

"Both of them were kind of on broken plays," Havner said of the TD catches, his only receptions of the game. "One was on a post route and he scrambled to his left, and the one was a slant route and I kind of just sat in the hole, and he got it to me."

Havner caught the first one with a diving grab while cutting across the end zone. On the second one, he waited patiently in a clearing just across the goal line and Rodgers hit him in the chest. The back-to-back touchdowns brought the Packers within 24..

Game Review: Rally For Naught As Vikings Control Division Race

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:11:36 CST
Packers Story: Brett Favre made a triumphant return to Lambeau Field for the Minnesota Vikings, and much will be made of that, to be sure.

But the more lasting impact of Sunday's 38-26 decision was on the NFC North Division race.

Falling to the Vikings for the second time in a month after a valiant second-half comeback fell short, the Packers at 4-3 have dropped two games behind the 7-1 Vikings in the loss column and face a daunting uphill climb if they want to capture the division crown.

This loss essentially puts Green Bay three games behind Minnesota because the Vikings will own any tiebreaker scenario based on the season sweep, and that's the part that hurts the Packers the most, far more than seeing their former quarterback win on the turf he called home for 16 seasons.

"These division games are worth a game and a half, sometimes two," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "This was a tough one. No doubt about it. It was a tough one for everybody."

Things ..

AP Game Summary: Vikings Defeat Packers At Lambeau 38-26

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:46:22 CST
Packers Story: Brett Favre jogged out of the tunnel in a purple helmet. He might as well have been wearing a black hat.

No, Favre didn't seem to relish playing the villain in his return to Lambeau Field. But it was going to take more than a chorus of boos to throw him off his game.

For the second time in less than a month, Favre sliced up his former team and stuck it to the franchise that cast him aside as the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers 38-26 at Lambeau on Sunday. Despite being jeered repeatedly by Packers fans who once cheered his every move, Favre completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.

"Packer fans cheer for the Packers first," Favre said. "I know that. But I hope that everyone in the stadium watching tonight said, 'I sure hate those jokers on the other side, but he does play the way he's always played.' "

High-stakes, emotional drama aside, this much is clear: The Vikings (7-1) took a firm hold on..

Halftime Recap: Packers Trail Vikings 17-3

Tom Fanning, Packers.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:04:11 CST
Packers Story: The Vikings lead the Packers, 17-3, at halftime at Lambeau Field.
The Packers got on the board first with a 37-yard field goal from Mason Crosby with just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Green Bay took over at the Minnesota 21 after a fumbled shotgun snap from center John Sullivan to quarterback Brett Favre was recovered by defensive end Johnny Jolly, but quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked on third down to force the field goal.

Minnesota answered right back with good field position provided by Percy Harvin's 77-yard kickoff to Green Bay's 13. On third down at the 9, linebacker Nick Barnett stopped running back Chester Taylor for a 3-yard loss on his reception in the right flat, but Jolly was flagged for head butting Taylor after the play to give the Vikings first-and-goal. Peterson scored on a 1-yard plunge on fourth down to put the Vikings up 7-3.

The Vikings extended their lead to 14-3 after Favre led them on a seven-play, 51-yard drive tha..

Off The Field: Tramon Williams

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:16:01 CST
Packers Story: Favorite TV show...Martin, The Jamie Foxx Show

Favorite movies...Transformers

Favorite music group/artist...Various groups/artists. I like R&B, hip hop. I like it all, really.

Hobbies...I like playing Xbox and PlayStation. In the offseason I like to play a lot of basketball.

First car...1986 Cutlass when I was 21.

First job...Stocking shelves at a supermarket called Payless when I was 16.

Favorite meal...Steak.

Favorite restaurant...T.G.I. Friday's.

First thing you bought when you signed your first contract...Probably my truck, a Cadillac Escalade. That's about all I got.

Greatest influence on you growing up...My parents. They were always there for me, so you can't ask for much more than that.

Favorite athlete in another sport...LeBron James..

Packers Fan Memories

Packers Fan Memories — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:38:20 CST
Packers Story: Read the 'Packers Fan Memories' archives or Submit your own favorite memory

This Week's Photos

Hey Packers fans, here's your chance to share your favorite memories of the green and gold with other fans from around the world! This week's edition includes a 50th birthday surprise, die hard Packers fans from California and a sixth grade field trip.

Each week, Packers.com will post a feature called 'Packers Fan Memories.'

Notebook: Starting Offensive Line Still Unknown

Tom Fanning, Packers.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:56:36 CST
Packers Story: As Head Coach Mike McCarthy said on Friday, the Packers have some options on the offensive line with veteran tackles Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher both potentially available for the NFC North showdown with Minnesota, but who will start on Sunday is up in the air.

Clifton was a full participant in practice Friday for the first time since re-injuring his ankle in Week 6 vs. Detroit, and is listed as questionable for Sunday. He and rookie T.J. Lang, who started his first career game last Sunday at Cleveland, both took reps with the first offense during the jog-through portion of Friday's practice.

Whoever starts on Sunday, they will be matched up with one of the top pass rushers in the league in Jared Allen, who ranks fourth in the league with 7 sacks. Lang saw time at left tackle against Allen in the Week 4 matchup after left guard Daryn Colledge, sliding over for an injured Clifton, left the game with a knee injury.

"I think it helped a lot," Lang said. "I..

Key Matchups Changing In Second Meeting

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:57:21 CST
Packers Story: The two teams just played each other less than a full month ago, but neither the Minnesota Vikings nor the Green Bay Packers will look the same in the rematch on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Injuries and other factors have led to lineup changes that will affect some of the key personnel matchups on Sunday, matchups that produced several of the game-turning plays in the first meeting, a 30-23 Minnesota victory.

Here's a rundown of the changes, both expected and potential ones depending on the injury report, compared to the teams' first showdown this season.

VIKINGS PASS OFFENSE VS. PACKERS PASS DEFENSE
The biggest change here is the return of Atari Bigby as a starting safety for the Packers. Bigby missed three straight games after injuring his knee in the season opener, the Minnesota contest the last in that streak.

His replacement at the Metrodome, Derrick Martin, was either out of position or missed the tackle on at least three criti..