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.
Here are some highlights from the Week 14 Dope Sheet:
THIS WEEK'S NOTABLE STORYLINES:
-Brett Favre will play his 100th game at Lambeau Field, already a record for the legendary stadium.
-With his 400th TD pass on the horizon, Favre needs just 9 passing yards to reach 3,000 for a 14th season and break a tie for the NFL record with Dan Marino (13, 1984-92, 1994-95, 1997-98). Favre's 13 consecutive 3,000-yards seasons are already the league standard.
-At home, Green Bay has won 13 straight games over Detroit (14 including the 1994 playoffs). The 13-game streak is tied for the NFL's longest active stretch (Dallas over Arizona).
-Sunday marks the latest in the season the NFL has ever scheduled a prime-time game in Wisconsin. Previously, the latest was Dec. 8, 2002, a Sunday night contest vs. Minnesota. The early forecast calls for an overnight low of 25 degrees, light winds and a 30 percent chance of snow. The sun sets at 4:12 p.m. local time.
-Hoping to finish strong, the Packers kick off the final quarter of their season. Three of their final four are at home.
NATIONAL TELEVISION: ESPN, with play-by-play man Mike Patrick, color analysts Paul Maguire and Joe Theismann, sideline reporter Suzy Kolber, producer Jay Rothman and director Chip Dean, will air the game to a national cable audience.
-Per the NFL's continuing commitment to make every game available on free, over-the-air stations, two Wisconsin outlets will simulcast the contest to their respective markets: Green Bay's WFRV-TV (Ch. 5) and Milwaukee's WISN-TV (Ch. 12).
-Including preseason and postseason, this marks the 23rd time in the Packers' last 38 games that a network has assigned its 'A' crew, airing the contest to the largest possible national audience.
SPANISH TELEVISION: ESPN Deportes will produce the telecast, splitting off the main ESPN show with Spanish graphics and commentary. Alvaro Martin (play-by-play), Raul Allegre (analyst) and John Sutcliffe (sideline reporter) will call the action from Green Bay.
PACKERS RADIO: Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 62-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 50 markets in the upper Midwest. The broadcast also is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on packers.com.
-Plus, NFL Sirius Radio subscribers can hear the game on Channel 127.
NATIONAL RADIO: CBS Radio Sports/Westwood One will air the game from Green Bay, with Joel Meyers (play-by-play), John Riggins (color) and Rick Walker (sideline). Tommy Tighe hosts pregame and halftime shows. Mike Eaby is the on-site producer.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Detroit Lions/Portsmouth Spartans:
All-time regular season: 79-64-7
All-time, postseason: 2-0, NFC Wild Card wins in 1993 (Silverdome) and 1994 (Lambeau Field)
All-time, Lambeau Field: 22-10-3
Streaks: Packers have won 14 straight, including 1994 playoffs, in Wisconsin
Last meeting, regular season: Sept. 11, Ford Field, Lions won, 17-3
Last meeting, regular season, Green Bay: Dec. 12, 2004, Lambeau Field; Packers won, 16-13
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike Sherman: 57-41-0, .582, sixth NFL season, sixth with Packers
Dick Jauron: 35-47-0, .427, sixth NFL season, first with Lions
Head to Head: Sherman 7-1 vs. Jauron
vs. Opponent: Sherman 8-3 vs. Lions; Jauron 2-8 vs. Packers
MIKE SHERMAN...Is in his sixth year as the Packers' 13th head coach.
-Overcame several hurdles each of the past three seasons to win a trio of NFC North titles.
-Since the 1993 collective bargaining agreement, teams have made nearly 90 coaching changes and only Sherman's tenure has produced winning records in each of its first five seasons.
-Over their first five regular seasons as an NFL coach, since 1970 only Chuck Knox, George Seifert, Joe Gibbs and Mike Ditka produced better records than Sherman (53-27, .663).
-In 2004, his team became only the ninth in NFL history to reach the playoffs after a 1-4 start.
-Has led the Packers to three straight division titles and four consecutive playoff appearances.
-Is 6-1 against teams in the Super Bowl the previous season.
DICK JAURON...Named Lions interim head coach Nov. 28.
-Named Detroit defensive coordinator in 2004 after five seasons as head coach of the Chicago Bears.
-Earned 2001 Associated Press Coach of the Year after leading Chicago to its first division title since 1990 and a 13-3 record. Two of the Bears' losses that year were to Green Bay.
-From 1995-98, served as defensive coordinator in Jacksonville, where the Jaguars appeared in the playoffs three times, including the 1996 AFC Championship.
-Also coached defensive backs for both the Buffalo Bills (1985) and Green Bay Packers (1986-94).
-Selected in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft by Detroit, he played five seasons for the Lions. Started at free safety as a rookie and went to the Pro Bowl one year later after leading the NFC in punt-return average (16.8).
THE LIONS-PACKERS SERIES: No other NFL teams have played every year since 1932, when the Packers first met the Lions, then known as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans. This week marks Game No. 151 in the venerable series. Green Bay has won eight of the last 10 meetings, and nine of the last 12.
-The Packers have won 14 consecutive contests over Detroit in Wisconsin, including the '94 playoffs. The streak includes five Lions head coaches: Wayne Fontes (1992-96), Bobby Ross (1997-99), Gary Moeller (2000), Marty Mornhinweg (2001-02) and Steve Mariucci (2003-04).
-The Packers have scored more points against the Detroit franchise than any opponent (3,083).
-Before the '03 Thanksgiving loss at Detroit, the Packers had won six straight over Detroit, the longest series winning streak by either team since Detroit won 11 straight from 1949-54.
-Brett Favre in 27 regular-season games against Detroit is 18-9.
Notable connections...Detroit LBs Nate Wayne and Donté Curry, and WR Scottie Vines, all played previously for Green Bay...Jauron coached with Ray Rhodes, Jon Gruden and Andy Reid under Mike Holmgren in Green Bay during the 1990s...Defensive line coach Larry Brooks and special teams coach Chuck Priefer were previously assistants on Green Bay staffs...Linebackers coach Johnny Holland played and coached for the Packers...Green Bay DT Colin Cole spent one week on Detroit's 53-man roster in 2003, and all of the 2004 preseason with the Lions...Offensive coordinator Ted Tollner coached Packers DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila at San Diego State...The Packers mined several players from the state of Michigan, seventh-round pick William Whitticker (Michigan State), rookie free agent Roy Manning (Michigan), 2003 undrafted free agent Cullen Jenkins (Central Michigan) and newly acquired RB Noah Herron (Mattawan, Mich.).
LAST MEETING, GREEN BAY: Dec. 12, 2004, Lambeau Field; Packers won, 16-13:
-Ryan Longwell kicked a 23-yard field goal with two seconds left, moving the Packers (8-5) into first place in the NFC North by a game over Minnesota, which lost at home to Seattle. It was his third game-winning kick in five weeks.
-Trailing 13-0 at half, Brett Favre led Green Bay back with four scoring drives, including a 90-yard march into the wind for the Packers' only touchdown (after Ahman Green's 79-yard TD catch was negated by a debatable holding call on rookie center Scott Wells). Favre, who moved to 14-0 at home against the Lions, hit just 3 of 15 passes for 28 yards before intermission but went 16-for-21 for 160 yards and a TD in the second half.
-Snow flurries turned the field into what Longwell called a "swampy mess" and swirling winds with gusts up to 35 mph wreaked havoc on passes and punts.
-Longwell's decisive kick came after the Packers got the ball back at the Detroit 42 with 3:27 left and the wind at their backs.
LAST MEETING (AP): Sept. 11, 2005, Ford Field, Lions won, 17-3:
-The Lions capitalized on 14 Packers penalties and three turnovers, and Joey Harrington threw two touchdown passes, including one to rookie Mike Williams with 4:13 left, in a season-opening win.
-The game marked the fewest points Green Bay scored with Brett Favre as its starting quarterback. Tampa Bay beat the Packers 31-3 on Sept. 13, 1992, two weeks before Favre began his record streak of starting 226 consecutive games, including the playoffs. The Packers were shut out of the end zone for the first time since Sept. 17, 2000, ending a franchise-record 77-game streak, the longest in the NFL at the time.
-Favre fumbled on the opening possession of the second half, leading to Jason Hanson's 21-yard field goal. His interception midway through the fourth quarter, snagged by a diving Kenoy Kennedy, whose fumble was caught by teammate Holt, led to Williams' 3-yard TD catch. Then Green Bay drove to Detroit's 12 before Favre was sacked twice and suffered his second interception.
-Among Green Bay's 14 penalties (its most since Nov. 1, 1987), four offensive flags wiped out 75 yards in gains, including a 55-yard play in which Javon Walker was called for pass interference, two third-down defensive flags kept crucial Lions drives alive, and one special-teams whistle erased a 47-yard Antonio Chatman punt return. Ahman Green was held to 58 yards rushing, but penalties wiped out 32 yards. Cornerback Ahmad Carroll was flagged for illegal use of hands three times, including twice on one drive.
-In a game expected to be high-scoring, both teams struggled offensively. Green Bay's offense took a hit when Walker, Favre's favorite target, injured his right knee in the third quarter on the 55-yard catch in which he was penalized. An MRI the next day confirmed a torn anterior cruciate ligament, ending Walker's season before it really had a chance to start.
-Green Bay got to the Lions' 4 on the ensuing drive, but trouble with the snap aborted a field-goal attempt. On the Packers' next possession, Ryan Longwell kicked a 50-yard field goal (his 10th career of 50-plus).
