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 15 Dope Sheet:
THIS WEEK'S NOTABLE STORYLINES:
-According to the NFL, Green Bay with a win would clinch a playoff berth, regardless of any other NFC outcome.
-Jacksonville makes its first franchise visit to Lambeau Field, including preseason. The early forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of snow.
-On his 50th birthday Sunday, Mike Sherman could surpass No. 4 Bart Starr (53, 1975-83) on the team's all-time victory list. With a victory Sunday, Sherman would have 54 overall wins, more than any Packers coach other than Curly Lambeau (212), Vince Lombardi (98) and Mike Holmgren (84).
-The Packers can take the division by winning their next two games - vs. Jacksonville Sunday and at Minnesota Friday, Dec. 24.
NATIONAL TELEVISION: CBS Sports, with play-by-play man Dick Enberg, color analyst Dan Dierdorf, sideline reporter Armen Keteyian, producer Mark Wolff and director Bob Fishman. The broadcast is expected to be available to approximately 92 percent of the country.
LOCAL RADIO: Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 62-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and Larry McCarren (color). The broadcast also is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on packers.com.
NATIONAL RADIO: Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports, with Ted Robinson (play-by-play) and Rick Walker (color).
LONE APPEARANCE ON CBS: For the second straight season, the Packers make just one appearance on CBS. In 2003, the network aired the memorable Dec. 28 game vs. Denver, in which the Packers won the NFC North at the wire.
-Green Bay has won its last five games on CBS, the last two of which have been at home in December. The streak includes a 2000 win vs. Indianapolis, 2001 wins vs. Baltimore and Cleveland, a 2002 victory vs. Buffalo, and last year's Denver game.
-The last time Green Bay lost on the network was Sept. 3, 2000, 20-16 at home to the N.Y. Jets in Mike Sherman's debut as a head coach.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars:
All-time regular season: 2-0-0
ALLTEL Stadium meetings:
Dec. 3, 2001, Packers won, 28-21
Sept. 24, 1995, Packers won, 24-14 (Teams have never met in Green Bay)
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike Sherman: 53-29-0, .646, fifth NFL season, fifth with Packers
Jack Del Rio: 12-17-0, .414 second NFL season, second with Jags
Head to Head: First meeting
vs. Opponent: Sherman 1-0 vs. Jaguars; Del Rio 0-0 vs. Packers
MIKE SHERMAN...Is in his fifth year as Packers head coach, and fourth as executive vice president and general manager. Sherman also:
-Earned his 50th career win Nov. 14, tied with Mike Martz for 18th fastest in NFL history and second in Green Bay annals to Lombardi.
-Inspired his players with a passionate speech on the eve of an Oct. 17 win at Detroit. The Packers, 1-4 at the time, then won six in a row.
-After Tom Rossley underwent a heart angioplasty Oct. 12, stepped forward and has served as primary play caller since.
-A Red Sox fan since his youth, is hoping Green Bay can rebound from an early deficit the way Boston did in climbing out of a three-game hole to defeat the Yankees, and eventually win the World Series.
-Became the last active head coach (minimum one season) to experience a three-game losing streak, on Oct. 3.
-Since 1970, only George Siefert, Chuck Knox and Joe Gibbs have posted a better regular-season mark over their first four years.
JACK DEL RIO...Is the second head coach in Jacksonville history, following Tom Coughlin. He also:
-Played four seasons (1992-95) for the Vikings. In that span, Del Rio's Vikings were 6-2 against the Packers (4-0 in Minnesota).
-Spent six seasons as an assistant before earning his current post, including 2002 as Carolina's defensive coordinator. He won a Super Bowl as a Baltimore assistant in 2000.
-Played 11 seasons with the Saints, Chiefs, Cowboys and Vikings.
-Is the NFL's second-youngest head coach, behind Jon Gruden.
THE PACKERS-JAGUARS SERIES: The Packers have played the Jaguars twice overall, both times in Jacksonville (1995, 2001). Green Bay played the Jags' fourth franchise game, Sept. 24, 1995, a 24-14 Packers win. The victory gave 3-1 Green Bay sole possession of first place in the NFC Central for the first time in 17 years. In 2001, Favre's late touchdown run gave Green Bay a 28-21 win.
Notable connections...The late Mark Hatley helped to scout Del Rio for the Saints, before New Orleans drafted the future Pro Bowl linebacker in 1985...Jaguars CB Juran Bolden played three games for the Packers in 1998...G Marco Rivera and Jacksonville TE Kyle Brady played together at Penn State...DE Aaron Kampman and Jags C Brad Meester are products of fertile Aplington-Parkersburg (Iowa) High School...Special teams coordinator John Bonamego was on the Jags' staff from 1999-2002.
LAST MEETING: Monday night, Dec. 3, 2001, at Jacksonville; Green Bay won, 28-21.
-Brett Favre threw for three TDs and ran for the game-winning score with 1:30 left - his first rushing TD in 51 games (and last entering '04). Favre's season-high 362 passing yards helped rally the Packers from a 21-7 deficit in the final 18 minutes.
