TODAY: Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy meets his former pupil Marc Bulger (the two Pittsburgh natives worked together in New Orleans very early in the quarterback's career) and his former head coach Jim Haslett (McCarthy was Haslett's offensive coordinator in New Orleans from 2000-04)...The Rams make their fourth trek to Wisconsin since the franchise moved from Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1994. The teams also met at Lambeau Field in 1995, 1997 and 2004 - Brett Favre's 200th consecutive start...In six seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator (2000-05), McCarthy is 6-2, including playoffs, against the traditionally high-scoring Rams...St. Louis brings into the contest an NFL-leading plus-10 turnover ratio. Since 2000, when committing one turnover or less, the Packers own the NFL's best record (40-5, .889).
HONORARY CAPTAIN: Former Packers running back Dorsey Levens, a member of the Super Bowl XXXI Championship team, will serve as honorary captain for today's game.
-As part of the organization's season-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Super Bowl win, General Manager Ted Thompson has invited members of the 1996 team to serve as honorary captains for each of the Packers' remaining home games.
-Levens also was at the Packers Pro Shop yesterday. Today from 10:15 to 11 a.m., he will be visiting with fans on the Associated Bank Club Level.
ROSTER MOVES: The Packers this week released CB Ahmad Carroll (No. 28), signed from the practice squad CB Patrick Dendy (43), placed DT Kenderick Allen (97) on injured reserve and re-signed LB Tracy White (59).
PREGAME INFORMATION: The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band (from the University of Southern Mississippi, Brett Favre's alma mater), will perform our national anthem. On the heels of the presentation, four U.S. Air Force T-38 talons will fly by the stadium. The aircraft, from Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas, are supersonic trainers, used to help pilot astronauts keep up their flight skills.
POOL REPORTERS: As appointed by the Professional Football Writers of America, Cliff Christl of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Mike Vandermause (alternate) of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
NEXT WEEK: The Packers observe a Week 6 bye, resting up for a stretch in which they'll play three of their next four games on the road...Credential applications for the Oct. 22 contest at Miami are due in the Packers' PR department by noon on Monday, Oct. 16...St. Louis, meanwhile, hosts defending NFC champion Seattle on Sunday.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TODAY & IN COMING WEEKS -
THE PACKERS OFFENSIVE LINE:
-Has 99 straight pass plays without allowing a sack (last: early in the fourth quarter vs. New Orleans, Sept. 17). Green Bay enters the weekend having allowed a sack on just 2.9 percent of its passing plays (five sacks, 173 plays), the third-best mark in the league behind San Diego (1.4) and Chicago (2.3).
80 DONALD DRIVER:
-Has 27 career TD receptions from Brett Favre. On the team's all-time combination list, needs one more to match No. 8 Bart Starr-Boyd Dowler (28), two to tie No. 7 Arnie Herber-Don Hutson (29), and five to reach No. 5 (tie) Lynn Dickey-James Lofton and Favre-Robert Brooks?(both 32).
-Has a reception in 68 consecutive games, the franchise's second-longest streak behind Sharpe's 103 (1988-94).
-Needs 47 receiving yards for 5,000 career.
-Needs one TD reception to reach 30 career. In team history, only 10 players have reached the milestone. Bubba Franks enters with 29.
4 BRETT FAVRE:
-Is expected to start his 226th consecutive game, extending the NFL record for a quarterback. This week, Favre appeared on an injury report for the 45th time during the streak.
-Needs 381 passing yards to reach 25,000 career at Lambeau Field.
-By throwing for four TDs in two games, would match Dan Marino's NFL career mark, 21. Favre has 19 career games of at least four TD passes.
88 BUBBA FRANKS:
-Needs two TD receptions at Lambeau Field to tie No. 3 Robert Brooks (17) and five to tie No. 2 Sterling Sharpe (20) on the stadium's all-time list. Franks enters with 15 Lambeau Field TD receptions.
-Needs one TD reception to reach 30 career. In team history, only 10 previous players have reached the milestone. Donald Driver enters with 29.
30 AHMAN GREEN: On Green Bay's all-time rushing list...
-Needs two rushing TDs to tie No. 2 Paul Hornung (50). Green enters with 48.
-Needs 41 receiving yards to surpass No. 1 Gerry Ellis (2,514) on the team's all-time offensive backs list. Green enters with 2,473. William Henderson enters with 2,360.
-Needs one overall TD to surpass No. 4 Paul Hornung (62) and five to surpass No. 3 Sterling Sharpe (66). Green enters with 62 in a Packers uniform.
-Needs eight points to surpass No. 10 Clarke Hinkle (379), nine to surpass No. 9 Ted Fritsch (380), 25 to surpass No. 8 Sterling Sharpe (396) and 84 to surpass No. 7 Fred Cone (455). Green enters with 372.
-Needs 111 yards from scrimmage to surpass No. 1 James Lofton (9,901). Green enters with 9,791.
Green also:
-Needs one rushing touchdown for 50 career.
-Needs one 100-yard rushing game for 30 in a Packers uniform.
-Needs 209 yards from scrimmage for 10,000 in a Packers uniform. Green enters with 9,791 (7,318 rushing, 2,473 receiving).
31 AL HARRIS:
-Needs to return one interception for a touchdown to tie No. 5 Charley Brock, Doug Hart and Ken Ellis (all with three) on Green Bay's all-time career list. With a second TD on an interception, would match No. 4 Johnny (Blood) McNally, who returned four. Harris enters with two.
16 DAVE RAYNER:
-Enters having converted all five of his NFL?field-goal attempts under 50 yards. From 50-plus, he's 1-for-4, including his rookie 2005 season with Indy.
9 JON RYAN:
-In every game this season, has hit two punts of at least 50 yards (eight overall punts), including a 66-yarder at Detroit (Sept. 24) and a 60-yarder at Philadelphia (Oct. 2).
