TODAY: According to the NFL, Green Bay with a win would clinch a playoff berth...However, if Green Bay loses AND Minnesota wins at Detroit, the Vikings will clinch the critical third tiebreaker in the division race - record in common games...Jacksonville makes its first franchise visit to Lambeau Field, including preseason...On his 50th birthday today, Mike Sherman could surpass No. 4 Bart Starr (53, 1975-83) on the team's all-time victory list. With a victory, Sherman would have 54 overall wins, more than any Packers coach other than Curly Lambeau (212), Vince Lombardi (98) and Mike Holmgren (84).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TODAY & IN COMING WEEKS -
BRETT FAVRE:
-Will play in a 205th consecutive game (224 including playoffs) and make his 203rd consecutive start (222 including playoffs), 87 more than the next-closest streak on the all-time quarterbacks list, 116 by Ron Jaworski (1977-84).
-Needs 520 yards passing to top No. 3 Warren Moon (49,325) on the all-time list. Favre enters the weekend with 48,806.
KABEER GBAJA-BIAMILA:
-With 1.5 sacks, would reach 10 and extend his franchise record for double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons to four (2001-04). Simeon Rice (9.0 entering the weekend) and Leonard Little (6.0) are the only NFL players who could join Gbaja-Biamila among those with double-digit sacks each year since 2001.
AHMAN GREEN:
-Needs 8 yards rushing to post a fifth 1,000-yard season and tie Jim Taylor's franchise record (both overall and consecutive, Taylor also did it five straight years, 1960-64).
-Needs 12 carries for 1,500 career.
-Needs two rushing TDs for 50 career.
-Needs four rushing TDs to surpass No. 2 Paul Hornung (50) on the all-time Packers list. Green enters the week with 47.
-Needs two overall TDs to tie No. 4 Paul Hornung (62) on the all-time Green Bay list. Green enters the week with 60.
AL HARRIS:
-Needs three passes defensed to match the single-season record held by Doug Evans (27, 1995). Harris' 24 this year already rank second.
WILLIAM HENDERSON:
-If Green gains 8 yards rushing, Henderson would break Howard Griffith's NFL record among fullbacks by blocking for a 1,000-yard rusher in a seventh overall season. Griffith blocked for Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Anthony Johnson and Jerome Bettis.
RYAN LONGWELL:
-With two points, would reach 100 and become one of three players to reach the century mark in each of his first eight NFL seasons. Jason Elam (11 to date, 1993-2003, has 96 in 2004) and Adam Vinatieri (nine to date, 1996-2004) own the longest strings.
DARREN SHARPER:
-Needs one touchdown to surpass both Bobby Dillon and Doug Hart (five) for second on the team's defensive TD list. Herb Adderley leads with seven defensive TDs. Sharper enters the week with five.
FROZEN FINALE: The Packers' 10 coldest recorded home games, ranked by kickoff temperature (since 1959; postseason games in bold):
-13, Dec 31, 1967 - Dallas Cowboys (GB), W-21-17, -46 WC
0, Dec 26, 1993 - Los Angeles Raiders (GB), W-28-0, -22 WC
2, Dec 22, 1990 - Detroit Lions (GB), L-17-24, -28 WC
3, Jan 12, 1996 - Carolina Panthers (GB), W-30-13, -17 WC
6, Nov 28, 1976 - Chicago Bears (GB), L-10-16, -16 WC
8, Dec 20, 1992 - Los Angeles Rams (GB),W-28-13, -15 WC
10, Dec 3, 1972 - Detroit Lions (GB), W-33-7, -3 WC
Dec 4, 1977 - Detroit Lions (GB),W-10-9, -3 WC
Dec 12, 1982 - Detroit Lions (GB), L-10-30, -9 WC
Dec 15, 1991 - Detroit Lions (GB), L-17-21, -18 WC
TOUGH IN CLOSE GAMES: These two clubs rank among league leaders in close games. Best NFL records in games decided by three points or less, entering today:
Atlanta , 5-0, 1.000
Green Bay, 3-0, 1.000
Pittsburgh, 3-0, 1.000
Cincinnati, 2-0, 1.000
Philadelphia, 2-0, 1.000
New England, 1-0, 1.000
Dallas, 1-0, 1.000
Oakland, 3-1, .750
Jacksonville, 4-2, .667
N.Y. Jets, 2-1, .667
San Diego, 2-1, .667
Tampa Bay, 2-1, .667
HENDERSON TO TOP BUTLER: After today, only Brett Favre will have played more games at legendary Lambeau Field than William Henderson. Most regular-season games played at the stadium (1957-2004):
93, Brett Favre, 1992-2004
77, LeRoy Butler, 1990-2001
--, William Henderson, 1995-2004
70, Frank Winters, 1990-2002
BARNETT TACKLING PACKERS HISTORY: Middle linebacker Nick Barnett has 30 tackles in his last two games and needs four to surpass the 134 he collected in 2003, his rookie season (he has 131 entering today). He's on pace for 161 this year, more than any Packers player over the last 20 years. Most total tackles, season (statistics kept since 1975):
180, Mike Douglass, 1981,
166, Rich Wingo, 1979
165, Mike Douglass, 1980
162, Mike Douglass, 1983
157, Jim Carter, 1977
151, Randy Scott, 1985
150, Steve Luke, 1978
John Anderson, 1981
PLAYOFF BERTH IN SIGHT: Green Bay needs a win to clinch a fourth straight postseason, and a 10th overall since 1993, most in the NFL. Streaks of at least four years in the salary cap era (1993-2004):
6, Green Bay, 1993-98
San Francisco, 1993-98
5, Miami, 1997-2001
Minnesota, 1996-2001
Philadelphia, 2000-04
Pittsburgh, 1993-97
4, Dallas, 1993-96
Jacksonville, 1996-99
Tampa Bay, 1999-02
NEXT WEEK: The Packers travel to Minnesota for a Christmas Eve matinee (2 p.m. Friday) that likely will decide the division champion...Jacksonville closes its home slate with Houston Sunday (1 p.m. EST).
POOL REPORTERS: Cliff Christl of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, is the home pool reporter. Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette is the alternate.
TODAY'S NATIONAL ANTHEM: Wisconsin's own Tom Green.
HALFTIME: The annual punt, pass and kick competition.
AT THE GATES: Time-Warner Cable is distributing Packers mouse pads.
