*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 Packers-Broncos Week 8 Dope Sheet:*
PACKERS FACE BRONCOS ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
-Green Bay comes off the bye week with a primetime contest against the Denver Broncos.
-The Packers have never won in Denver, a streak that extends beyond their 0-5 regular-season record. They also are 0-5 in preseason play in the Mile High city, including a 1946 loss to the Washington Redskins. The team makes its first-ever appearance at INVESCO Field.
-Green Bay comes into the Monday night contest winners of nine of its last 10 games, including four straight road victories.
-Winners of their last three games against AFC West teams, the Packers have won six of their last eight against the division, dating back to a 1996 victory over Denver.
-For the 15th straight season (1993-2007), the Packers make an apperarance on Monday Night Football. In the NFL, only Monday night's opponent, Denver (16, 1992-2007), has a longer streak.
-Green Bay stands in first place in the NFC North, but still has a long way to go in the race for the division crown - four division games remain.
*-Kickoff will move to 6:05 p.m. MDT/7:05 p.m. CDT in the event of a World Series Game 5*
WITH THE CALL
-ESPN enters its second season as host of the most successful series in sports television history, Monday Night Football. Play-by-play man Mike Tirico is joined by analysts Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser. Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya serve as the sideline reporters.
-The contest also will air as a simulcast locally on WBAY (Ch. 2) in Green Bay and WISN (Ch. 12) in Milwaukee.
-ESPN Deportes, with Alvaro Martin, Raul Allegre and John Sutcliffe, will broadcast in Spanish. ESPN International will air the contest in three languages to over 180 countries.
-Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 56-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) calling the action. The network covers 47 markets in six states.
-Westwood One will air the game across the country. Dave Sims (play-by-play) and Bob Trumpy (analyst) will call the action. Jim Gray hosts pregame and halftime shows.
-For out-of-town listeners, the broadcast is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on www.packers.com as well as on Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 123 WTMJ feed) as part of the network's NFL Sunday Drive.
-DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game on channel 206 (HD ch. 73).
TOUGH AFTER THE BYE
-In games immediately following the bye, the Packers have won eight of their last 11, including a hard-earned victory at Miami last season. McCarthy called the win in scorching temperatures a turning point of the 2006 season.
-Recent history shows that the Packers have been an improved club after the bye. The much-needed time off has provided valuable rest and recovery, as well as a refocus on fundamentals.
-"The bye week emphasis, number one, was to get healthy," McCarthy said regarding the schedule he created for the bye week. "And number two, to make sure we're totally detailed on the things we need to improve on and the direction that we're going to go as we move forward. And we'll highlight those. When we come back, Monday and Tuesday's practices we'll have a little more individual time than normal so we can work those fundamental things."
-In 2003, Green Bay went 7-2 (.778) after the bye. Only three teams posted better marks, including the Super Bowl champion Patriots.
-Last season, seven of their eight wins were after the bye.
-This decade (since 2000), the Packers over the balance of their season after the bye are a combined 43-24 (.642).
Picks Just Keep Coming
-A second-quarter interception against Washington quarterback Jason Campbell - courtesy of Charles Woodson - marked the 12th straight game the Packers have intercepted at least one pass.
-The 12-game interception streak is the longest current streak in the NFL.
-Over the course of the streak, the Packers have intercepted 21 passes. Woodson has a team-high 7 interceptions during that period.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Denver Broncos:
All-time regular season: 4-5-1
All-time postseason: 0-1
All-time, in Denver: 0-5-0
Streaks: The Packers have won three of the last four regular-season meetings.
Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 28, 2003, at Lambeau Field; Packers won, 31-3
Last meeting, regular season, in Denver: Oct. 17, 1999; Broncos won, 31-10
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 13-9-0, .591; second NFL season
Mike Shanahan: 134-84-0, .615; 15th NFL season (13th Broncos)
Head to Head: Never met
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 0-0 vs. Broncos; Shanahan 2-2 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY...In second 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.
-Led the Packers to an 8-8 finish and near playoff berth, losing a tiebreaker with the New York Giants, who also finished 8-8.
-Spent six seasons as an offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints (2000-04) and San Francisco 49ers (2005).
-Began his coaching career as a college assistant at Fort Hays State (1987-88) and at the University of Pittsburgh (1989-92) before breaking into the NFL as a quality control assistant with the Chiefs in 1993.
Mike Shanahan...In 13th year as the Broncos' 11th head coach.
-Has guided the Broncos to two World Championships, seven trips to the postseason and nine winning seasons in his tenure as head coach.
-Entered the 2007 campaign with the 17th most career wins (139) by a head coach in NFL?history.
-Spent three seasons as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers (1992-94), including a victory in Super Bowl XXIX, before being hired by Denver.
-Previously served as head coach for the Oakland Raiders (1988-89) and as an assistant with the Broncos (1984-87, 1989-91).
THE PACKERS-BRONCOS SERIES
-The Packers first met the Broncos in 1971, Denver's 12th year of existence as an NFL franchise. A Week 2 showdown, Green Bay defeated Denver, 34-13, at County Stadium in Milwaukee.
-Green Bay is undefeated in the series in games played in Wisconsin (4-0-1) but has yet to win a game in the series outside of its home state.
-The Packers make their first appearance at Invesco Field at Mile High, as Green Bay makes its first trip to the city since 1999. Hoping a change of scenery will change their luck, the Packers bid for their first win in the Mile High City. Winless in 10 all-time excursions to Denver, Green Bay is 0-5 in the regular season and 0-5 in preseason, including a 1946 loss to the Washington Redskins.
-Four-time Super Bowl loser Denver recorded its first-ever win in the NFL's title game with a dramatic 31-24 victory over Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXII in what many call the greatest quarterback match-up in Super Bowl history.
-This marks the third game in the series played on Monday Night Football. Denver has won the two previous meetings, including a 17-14 victory in 1984 played in blizzard conditions.
-Green Bay has won three of the four regular-season games against Denver with Brett Favre under center. Their only loss came in 1999.
{sportsad300}NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
-Packers cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington spent two of his 15 NFL seasons playing cornerback for the Broncos (1995-96)...Four current Denver assistants previously coached in Green Bay: Jim Bates, Bob Slowik, Joe Baker and Charlie Jackson...Bates served as defensive coordinator for the Packers in 2005, while Slowik spent five seasons in Green Bay (2000-04), his final season as defensive coordinator...Baker was a secondary/safeties coach for the Packers in 2005, and Jackson served as quality control/defensive assistant in Green Bay that same season...Baker also spent five seasons on the New Orleans coaching staff (2000-04) along with Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy, assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss, tight ends coach Ben McAdoo, offensive quality control coach Ty Knott and wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson...Broncos special teams coordinator Scott O'Brien coached with McCarthy at the University of Pittsburgh (1989-90)...Packers assistant special teams coach Shawn Slocum spent several seasons with Broncos defensive line coach Bill Johnson on the Texas A&M coaching staff (1992-97)...Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings and Broncos linebacker Ian Gold are first cousins; Jennings' mom and Gold's mom are sisters...Jennings was drafted by the Packers in the second round in the 2006 NFL Draft, nine selections before the Broncos drafted his teammate at Western Michigan, tight end Tony Scheffler...Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker spent four seasons (2002-05) in Green Bay...Packers kicker Mason Crosby spent the past four years at the University of Colorado (2003-06)...Packers guard/center Jason Spitz was teammates at the University of Louisville with Broncos defensive lineman Elvis Dumervil...Rookies DeShawn Wynn (Green Bay) and Jarvis Moss (Denver) led Florida to the BCS National Championship last season.
INDIVIDUALLY VS. DENVER BRONCOS
-In four regular-season games against Denver, Favre is 3-1 in his career despite his struggles; his 51.8% completion percentage and 57.3 quarterback rating are his lowest career numbers against any NFL team...Favre has passed for 751 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions in his previous regular-season games against the Broncos...Perhaps his best performance against Denver came in the postseason, when he threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns in a heartbreaking loss in Super Bowl XXXII...Cornerback Al Harris intercepted a pass in the 2003 meeting...Tight end Bubba Franks also caught a touchdown pass in that meeting.
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Dec. 28, 2003, at Lambeau Field; Packers won 31-3.
-Ahman Green reeled off a team-record 98-yard TD run and Favre threw a touchdown pass the same week he buried his father as the Packers captured the NFC North title.
-An unmistakeable roar came from the crowd at the 2-minute warning as the Arizona Cardinals completed an amazing comeback to beat Minnesota, handing Green Bay the division title.
-Green established a new franchise record for rushing yards (1,883) and touchdowns (20) after finishing the day with the 98-yard scamper.
LAST MEETING, AT DENVER
Oct. 17, 1999; Broncos won 31-10.
-A defensive battle in the first half, the teams traded field goals before Denver erupted for four second-half touchdowns.
-Ed McCaffrey caught two touchdown passes in the third quarter, the second from 78 yards out, as the Broncos took a commanding lead.
-The Packers got a rushing touchdown from Dorsey Levens to keep the game within reach, but two rushing touchdowns from Olandis Gary and Brian Griese sealed the victory for Denver.
-The loss moved Green Bay to 3-2 in a year it eventually would finish 8-8 and miss the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
