MEETING NO. 177 BETWEEN PACKERS, BEARS
-On the heels of being eliminated from playoff contention, Green Bay heads to Chicago to face its oldest rival on Monday Night Football.
-With another close loss last Sunday at Jacksonville, the Packers dropped their third consecutive game by four points or less.
-Since the bye week -- when the club was 4-3 and tied for first place in the NFC North -- the Packers have dropped six of seven games. Five of those losses have come by four-or-fewer points.
-Their lone win in that stretch came in dominating fashion, 37-3, against the archrival Bears. The Packers will search for the season sweep Monday in meeting No. 177 in the venerable series. No two clubs have met on the gridiron more than the Packers and Bears.
-For the ninth time in the rivalry, the teams will square off under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.
-Green Bay leads the Monday night series 5-3, which includes five straight Packers wins. The last came on Sept. 29, 2003, a 38-23 Green Bay victory at Soldier Field.
-Though they lost last year's game at Chicago, the Packers have won 12 of the last 15 meetings at Soldier Field.
-The Packers will look to keep up their success in the Windy City against a rested Chicago team. The Bears defeated the Saints 27-24 in OT last Thursday and have won three of four since the loss to Green Bay.
-With two division opponents remaining on the schedule, Green Bay can still finish with the best division record in the NFC North.
COLLINS, WOODSON EARN PRO BOWL HONORS
-S Nick Collins and CB Charles Woodson learned Tuesday that they will represent the NFC as starters in the 2009 Pro Bowl.
-For Collins, this marks his first career Pro Bowl selection. The fourth-year pro is tied for the lead in the NFC with five interceptions and ranks first among all NFL players with three interception returns for scores and 230 interception return yards. Collins ranks second on the team with 93 tackles and third in passes defensed with 11.
-Woodson earns his fifth career Pro Bowl selection and first with Green Bay. He also is tied for the NFC lead with five interceptions, two of which he has returned for touchdowns. This season, he has established a career high with three sacks, ranks fourth on the team in tackles (72) and leads the club with 17 passes defensed. The 11th-year pro is making his first trip to the Pro Bowl since 2001.
GREEN BAY ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
-The Bears contest marks the final of three appearances this season on ESPN's Monday Night Football.
-This is the 16th consecutive season with an appearance on Monday night for Green Bay, the NFC's longest MNF appearance streak. In the NFL, only Denver (1992-2008) now has a longer streak.
-Head Coach Mike McCarthy is an even 2-2 on Monday night in Green Bay, which is on par with the franchise's remarkably even record in Monday night games. Its all-time record stands at 26-26-1.
-On Kickoff Weekend, the Packers bested the Vikings, 24-19, on Monday night. In Week 12, they had their most lopsided defeat of the season, a 51-29 loss at New Orleans. Green Bay also hosted MNF at Lambeau Field for the preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.
PACKERS TRIO TOUGH TO THROW ON
-Tramon Williams has continued his rapid ascension into a play-maker at the NFL level, joining teammates Nick Collins and Charles Woodson atop the NFC leaderboard with five interceptions.
-Green Bay is the only NFL team with three players at five or more interceptions, while its 18 interceptions is tied for fifth highest most in the NFL.
-It is the first time since 1996 that the Packers have had three players with five interceptions in a season. In '96, Eugene Robinson picked off six passes and LeRoy Butler and Doug Evans each posted five.
LULL IN RECORD-BREAKING RETURNS
-DE Jason Hunter returned a fumble 54 yards for a score against Chicago in Week 11, the team's last return touchdown.
-Green Bay established new franchise records for return touchdowns (nine) and defensive touchdowns (seven) with Hunter's return, all of which were accumulated in the season's first 10 games.
-The Packers have not had a return touchdown, either on defense or special teams, over the last four games, its longest drought of the year.
-Still, the Packers lead all NFL clubs in return touchdowns (9), defensive touchdowns (7) and interception returns for touchdowns (6).
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WHAT TO WATCH FOR
36 NICK COLLINS
-First NFL safety to have three interception return TDs since Kansas City's Lloyd Burruss in 1986.
-Needs one INT TD to match the NFL record.
-Tied with Herb Adderley (1965) for team single-season record with three interception returns for touchdowns.
-Third in team history with 230 interception return yards, trailing only Darren Sharper (233 in 2002) and Bobby Dillion (244 in 1956).
2 MASON CROSBY
-With 115 points, matches No. 7 Jan Stenerud (1983) on the team's single-season scoring list.
-For his career, has hit 36-of-39 field goals from 39 yards and closer.
-Has hit 14-of-19 field goals from 40-49 yards.
-Has hit 6-of-10 field goals from 50-plus yards.
80 DONALD DRIVER
-For the seventh time has 50-plus receptions, joining James Lofton and Sterling Sharpe (both seven seasons) on top of the team's all-time list.
-Has a reception in 109 consecutive games, besting the franchise's previous long streak of Sharpe's 103 (1988-94).
25 RYAN GRANT
-Needs 8 rushing yards for 2,000 career; earned his first career 1,000-yard season last week.
-When he carries the ball 20-or-more times, the Packers are 8-2.
85 GREG JENNINGS
-Ranks sixth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,153), tied for first in 20-plus yard catches (19) and tied for first in 40-plus yard catches (seven).
-Has caught a pass in 41 consecutive games.
74 AARON KAMPMAN
-His 37 sacks since 2006 ranks third among all NFL players.
12 AARON RODGERS
-Has seven games with a passer rating over 100.0 this season.
