*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 WEEK'S NOTABLE STORYLINES:
-The Packers return to Cincinnati, site of one of their strangest games in recent memory last Oct. 30, for their first 2006 national television appearance.
-It's the first of four 2006 games in which the Packers are guaranteed to play on national television. Two of the others also are ESPN Monday Night Football contests, at Philadelphia (Oct. 2) and at Seattle (Nov. 27). The fourth is a Thursday night affair on the NFL Network, vs. Minnesota (Dec. 21). In addition, NBC could select the Packers to play on a Sunday night during the last half of the season, with the league's new flexible scheduling option.
-RB Ahman Green (quadriceps) and LB Brady Poppinga are expected to play in their first game since injuries ended their respective 2005 seasons. In addition, unrestricted free agent S Marquand Manuel (calf) is expected to make his unofficial Packers debut.
-Projected regular-season starters are expected to see their most action of the preseason, customary for Week 3.
-The Packers have seven days in between preseason Games 2-3, before concluding the preseason on just three days "rest" vs. Tennessee (Sept. 1).
-Following the contest, the Packers need to make their first roster reduction, to 75 players (by 3 p.m. CDT Aug. 29). All exemptions also expire on the first date, unlike previous years.
NATIONAL TELEVISION: Monday Night Football, the most successful series in sports television history, moves to ESPN under an eight-year agreement between the network and the NFL starting this season.
-The network's new broadcast crew, anchored by play-by-play man Mike Tirico, includes analysts Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser, sideline reporters Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya, producer Jay Rothman and director Chip Dean in the truck, along with statistician Alex Stern from Elias Sports Bureau.
-The contest also will air as a simulcast locally on WBAY (Ch. 2) in Green Bay and WISN (Ch. 12) ion Milwaukee.
-What's more, ESPN International will air the contest in three languages to over 180 countries.
-The new agreement calls for 17 regular-season Monday night games per season on ESPN - featuring a new 7:30 p.m. CT telecast time (7:40 p.m. kickoff) - plus four preseason contests.
PACKERS RADIO: Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 57-station Packers Radio Network, with versatile Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color). Spanning five states, the network covers 47 markets in six states throughout the upper Midwest. The broadcast also is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on packers.com.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals:
All-time regular season: 5-5-0
All-time, preseason: 4-9-1
All-time, in Cincinnati: 1-3-0
Streaks: Bengals' win last year ended Packers' three-game winning streak
Last meeting, regular season: Oct. 30, 2005, Paul Brown Stadium, Bengals won, 21-14
Last meeting, regular season, Lambeau Field: Dec. 3, 1995, Packers won, 24-10
Last meeting, preseason: Aug. 24, 1991, Milwaukee County Stadium, Bengals won, 19-16 (OT)
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 0-0, first NFL season
Marvin Lewis: 27-22, .551, fourth NFL season, fourth with Bengals
Head to Head: (never met)
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 0-0 vs. Bengals; Lewis 1-0 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY...Is in his first year as the Packers' 14th head coach.
-Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
-One of those previous 13 years was with the Packers, as quarterbacks coach in 1999.
-Spent the past six seasons as an offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints (2000-04) and San Francisco 49ers (2005).
-Has never been a head coach at any level, having begun his coaching career as a college assistant at Fort Hays State (1987-88) and the University of Pittsburgh (1989-92) before breaking into the NFL as a quality control assistant with the Chiefs in 1993.
MARVIN LEWIS...Is in his fourth year as the Bengals' ninth head coach.
-In 2005, the Bengals reached the playoffs for the first time since 1990, going 11-5 and losing in the AFC Wild Card Game to eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh.
-In 2003, the Bengals were the NFL's most improved team (six-game increase), and Lewis finished second in Associated Press voting for NFL Coach of the Year while also being named Rookie Coach of the Year by Football Digest.
-Prior to his arrival, Lewis directed the NFL's fifth-ranked defensive unit with the Washington Redskins (2002).
-He spent six seasons (1996-2001) as defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens, a tenure that included a Super Bowl victory following the 2000 season. In the 2000 regular season, Lewis' Baltimore defense set the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game campaign (165). Prior to joining Baltimore, he spent four seasons (1992-95) with Pittsburgh as linebackers coach.
THE PACKERS-BENGALS SERIES: These clubs have met 10 times, splitting the contests.
-Prior to last year, the Packers owned a three-game winning streak in the series (24-23 in 1992 and 24-10 in 1995, both in Green Bay, and 13-6 in 1998 at Cincinnati). That 1998 meeting is the Packers' lone win in Cincinnati in franchise history.
-The series launched at Lambeau Field in 1971, when the legendary Paul Brown was head coach of the Bengals, a team he had founded three years earlier as a member of the then American Football League. The Packers got off to a winning start in the rivalry, posting a 20-17 victory in their first meeting, with a Lou Michaels field goal providing the victory margin.
-Perhaps the most memorable game in the series came in 1992 when Brett Favre, summoned to replace an injured Don Majkowski at quarterback in the first period, proceeded to direct the Packers to an electrifying, 24-23 come-from-behind victory, forged when he hit wide receiver Kitrick Taylor with a 35-yard scoring pass as only 13 seconds remained in the game. Chris Jacke's subsequent conversion settled the issue.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS: Lewis and McCarthy were both assistant coaches at the University of Pittsburgh in 1990 and 1991...Bengals LB Hannibal Navies played two seasons with the Packers, in 2003 and 2004...Another LB, Marcus Wilkins, originally signed as a rookie free agent with Green Bay in 2002 and played his first two seasons with the Packers...Ohio State products include LB A.J. Hawk (Centerville High School), DE/DT Kenny Peterson (Canton McKinley High School), and DT Ryan Pickett ...FB William Henderson (Green Bay) and RB Rudi Johnson (Cincinnati) are cousins...Packers RB Arliss Beach is from nearby Ashland, Ky. ...New Green Bay CB Antonio Malone is from Portsmouth, Ohio, just miles from Ashland...Bengals WR Antonio Chatman played the last three seasons for the Packers...Bengals WR Reggie McNeal and Packers DT Johnny Jolly were teammates at Texas A&M and were both drafted in the sixth round in April 2006...Packers LB Roy Manning and Bengals RB Chris Perry were teammates at Michigan...Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes was an assistant coach at Wisconsin from 1995-98...Packers public relations coordinator Sarah Quick is a native of Middletown, Ohio, and graduated from Ursuline Academy...Cincinnati S Kevin Kaesviharn also originally signed as a rookie free agent with Green Bay, in 2001, and returned an INT that year for a touchdown in the Family Night scrimmage.
INDIVIDUALLY VS. CINCINNATI: In last year's game at Cincinnati, three Packers defenders set their career highs in various categories -- linebacker Nick Barnett with 15 solo tackles, defensive tackle Colin Cole with seven total tackles, safety Nick Collins with three passes defensed. Also in that game, tight end Bubba Franks tied his career-high with 62 receiving yards (on seven receptions)...Favre has 1,181 career passing yards in four career games against the Bengals, his most against an AFC opponent.
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON: Oct. 25, 2005, Paul Brown Stadium, Bengals won, 21-14.
-In one of the strangest endings to any game, the Packers drove from deep in their own territory in the final minute with the help of a 48-yard pass interference penalty. Going without a huddle against a reeling defense, the Packers had a play blown dead from the Bengals' 28 when a fan jumped out of the stands and ran onto the field. The man grabbed the ball out of Favre's hand and eluded security, which needed several minutes to tackle and arrest him. The long delay broke the Packers' momentum, Favre was sacked on the next play and then threw a desperation pass from beyond the line of scrimmage on the final snap.
-Favre passed John Elway for second all-time in passing attempts and passing yards but threw a regular-season high five interceptions. His touchdown pass to Bubba Franks, following an Ahmad Carroll interception and 88-yard drive, pulled the Packers within a touchdown with 3:11 left in the fourth quarter.
-Odell Thurman's second interception, off a tip by Deltha O'Neal, came one play before Carson Palmer's 27-yard TD pass to Jeremi Johnson, giving the Bengals a 21-7 lead. Palmer threw for three TDs on the day.
LAST MEETING, PRESEASON: Aug. 24, 1991, Milwaukee County Stadium, Bengals won, 19-16 (OT).
-Jim Breech kicked a game-saving, 31-yard field goal with three seconds in regulation, then connected on a 43-yard game-winner in OT.
-The Packers built a 13-0 lead on a pair of Brad Daluiso field goals and Sterling Sharpe's 25-yard TD reception from Don Majkowski.
