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Packers-Seahawks Preseason Week 2 Dope Sheet

Green Bay opens the home portion of its preseason schedule tonight when it hosts the Seattle Seahawks. Two former Packers, Seattle Head Coach Mike Holmgren and QB Matt Hasselbeck, return to Lambeau Field for the preseason showdown. Packers-Seahawks Gameday | Download Dope Sheet Get Tickets! | 2007 Stadium Info

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*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-Seahawks Preseason Week 2 Dope Sheet:*

PACKERS RETURN HOME 1-0

-Green Bay opens the home portion of its preseason schedule Saturday night at Lambeau Field when it hosts the Seattle Seahawks.

-The Packers opened the preseason with a 13-9 victory at Pittsburgh, the first time the team had won a preseason opener on the road (excluding neutral site games) since 1981.

-Both teams head into the contest 1-0, as Seattle opened its preseason slate Sunday night in San Diego with a 24-16 victory. Seventeen fourth-quarter points helped seal the victory for the Seahawks, who went ahead for good on kicker Josh Brown's 36-yard field goal. Seattle's No. 1 offense only saw one series of action.

-Saturday marks the 58th annual Upper Midwest Shrine Game, an old-standing preseason tradition. Green Bay has won seven of the last eight Shrine contests, including a 38-10 victory over Atlanta in 2006.

GREEN BAY REBOUNDS FROM SLOW START

-The Packers' first offensive unit never got going Saturday night, failing to record a first down in its four possessions of action.

-Conversely, Green Bay's No. 1 defensive unit appeared in midseason form, holding the Steelers to just one first down on three drives. The defense also created an early turnover on a Cullen Jenkins sack when the defensive end forced and recovered a fumble.

-Head Coach Mike McCarthy got strong efforts on both sides of the ball, particularly from his defensive line, for the win in his hometown. Though he had coached against the Steelers previously in his NFL career, McCarthy had to wait until his 15th NFL season to play in his native city.

-Backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers led the offense on three consecutive scoring drives, including one touchdown, as the Packers overcame an early 9-0 deficit to record the victory.

-Rodgers executed the two-minute drill just before the half, leading the offense 75 yards in 12 plays. Kicker Dave Rayner opened the scoring with a 32-yard field goal.

-The third-year quarterback directed two more scoring drives to open the second half and put Green Bay ahead. The defensive reserves used two more second-half sacks, bringing the team's total to five, to stifle any thoughts of a Pittsburgh comeback.

FAMILIAR FACES RETURN TO LAMBEAU

-Two former Packers, Seattle Head Coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, return to Lambeau Field for a preseason showdown.

-Holmgren first returned to Lambeau Field in 1999, while Hasselbeck made his first career start in Lambeau Field in 2003.

-Holmgren joined the Seahawks after a seven-year tenure as head coach in Green Bay (1992-98), during which he led the Packers to three straight NFC Championship Games, two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl victory (XXXI).

-Hasselbeck, who continuously impressed in preseason action while with Green Bay, spent three seasons in Green Bay (1998-2000). A sixth-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, he spent one season on the practice squad before serving as Favre's backup for two seasons.

MIDWEST SHRINE GAME

-One of the NFL's longest team traditions, the Upper Midwest Shrine Game kicks off its 58th installment Saturday.

-Each season, the Packers donate a percentage of the gate to the Shriners' Hospitals for Children.

-The Shriners' facilities provide specialized medical services, helping children with birth defects and other injuries, at absolutely no cost.

-To date, the series has raised more than $3 million for the Midwest Shrine's burn centers and hospitals for crippled children.

-Green Bay is 29-25-3 all-time in the series and has never played Seattle in the annual contest.

-The series has called three separate stadiums home: Milwaukee's State Fair Park (1950-51), Milwaukee County Stadium (1952-82, 1984-94) and Lambeau Field (1983, 1995-present).

-In his first season leading the Packers, Vince Lombardi made an agreement with George Halas to play in the Shrine game annually. Green Bay and Chicago played each preseason in County Stadium from 1959-73.

-The Packers annually designate the Shrine game as the first 'Gold package' game for season-ticket holders primarily from the Milwaukee area. The team created the three-game package after moving all of its home games to Green Bay in 1995.

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:

Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks:

All-time regular season: 6-5-0

All-time preseason: 0-2-0

All-time postseason: 1-0

All-time, in Green Bay: 4-1-0

Streaks: The Packers have won three of the last four contests

Last meeting: Nov. 26, 2006, at Qwest Field; Seahawks won, 34-24

Last meeting, in Green Bay: Jan. 1, 2006, at Lambeau Field; Packers won, 23-17

Last meeting, preseason: Aug. 16, 2004, at Lambeau Field; Seahawks won, 21-3

COACHES CAPSULES

Mike McCarthy: 8-8-0, .500; second NFL season

Mike Holmgren: 159-103-0, .607; 16th NFL season

Head to Head: Holmgren 1-0

vs. Opponent: McCarthy 0-1 vs. Seahawks; Holmgren 2-3 vs. Packers

MIKE McCARTHY...Begins 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 HOLMGREN...Begins ninth year as the Seahawks' 6th head coach.

-Earned a postseason berth in 2006 for the fourth consecutive season.

-Joined the Seahawks after a seven-year tenure as head coach in Green Bay (1992-98), during which he led the Packers to three straight NFC Championship Games, two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl victory (XXXI).

-Previously served first as quarterbacks coach and then as offensive coordinator in San Francisco (1986-91).

THE PACKERS-SEAHAWKS SERIES

-The Packers and Seahawks will meet for the third time in the preseason, with Seattle holding a 2-0 advantage.

-Saturday marks the second time that the teams will meet at Lambeau Field during the preseason (2004 the other).

-The two clubs have met just 12 times, including the regular season and playoffs, since Seattle entered the National Football League in 1976.

-Other than the fact that they simply haven't played very often, which has changed with Seattle's shift to the NFC in 2002, most differences stop there. Much of Seattle's front office, their coaching staff and eve their starting quarterback inaugurated their NFL careers or built their reputations with a stop at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

-The movement west, beginning with Mike Holmgren in 1999, has reversed itself in some respects, as Packers GM Ted Thompson and personnel men John Dorsey and John Schneider have returned to Green Bay after stops in Seattle.

{sportsad300}NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Packers GM Ted Thompson spent five seasons (2000-04) as the Seahawks' vice president of football operations...Packers personnel analyst John Schneider (2000) and director of college scouting John Dorsey (1999) both worked in Seattle's front office...Green Bay assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss played his final three seasons in Seattle (1995-97) and began his coaching career with the Seahawks as defensive quality control in 1998...Seahawks assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Gil Haskell (1992-97), defensive coordinator John Marshall (1980-82), wide receivers coach Nolan Cromwell (1992-98), tight ends coach Jim Lind (1992-98), offensive assistant/quality control Gary Reynolds (1996-98) and special projects/defense coach Ray Rhodes (1992-93, 1999), coached previously in Green Bay; Rhodes (1999) was the 12th head coach in Packers history, succeeding Holmgren, who coached the Packers from 1992-98...Former Packers GM Ron Wolf selected Matt Hasselbeck in the sixth round of the 1998 draft; the quarterback spent his first three seasons in Green Bay, including his rookie campaign on the Packers' practice squad...Packers S Marquand Manuel played two seasons (2004-05) in Seattle and was a defensive starter in Super Bowl XL...Packers WR Shaun Bodiford is a Federal Way, Wash., native...Seattle vice president Lance Lopes worked in the Packers' front office from 1993-2000...Seahawks head athletic trainer Sam Ramsden worked six seasons in the Packers training room...Packers safety Alvin Nnabuife and Seahawks quarterback Erik Meyer, running back A.J. Harris and offensive tackle Jonathan Alston played for the Cologne Centurions of the defunct NFL Europa League in 2007.

INDIVIDUALLY VS. SEATTLE

Brett Favre is 3-2 in his career against Seattle. His 122.9 passer rating on Oct. 5, 2003, was his highest that season until the Monday night game at Oakland after the passing of his father (154.9)...A.J. Hawk posted a career-high 20 tackles (16 solo) in the Nov. 27, 2006, matchup...Fellow rookie linebacker Abdul Hodge recorded 12 tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown in his first career start...Also in the 2006 game, Charles Woodson recorded his second career two-INT game...Al Harris returned a Matt Hasselbeck INT 52 yards for a TD in the only NFL postseason game ended by a sudden-death defensive score, Jan. 4, 2004.

LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON

Nov. 26, 2006, Qwest Field; Seahawks won 34-24

-Four first-half takeaways, a defensive score, and a big pass play for a touchdown to open the second half gave Green Bay a tremendous chance to knock off the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks on a Monday night.

-However, missed opportunities, costly penalties, and a surprisingly porous run defense took away that chance as Seattle posted a 34-24 decision at a snowy and noisy Qwest Field.

-Charles Woodson collected two of three Packers interceptions, the first leading to the game's opening touchdown (Ahman Green 5-yard run).

-Rookie linebacker Abdul Hodge scooped a fumble and returned it 29 yards for a score to give the Packers a 14-9 lead.

-Matt Hasselbeck, who threw three touchdown passes, combined with running back Shaun Alexander (201 yards) to lead the Seahawks in a second half comeback.

LAST MEETING, PRESEASON

August 16, 2004, Lambeau Field; Seahawks won 21-3

-Seahawks backup quarterback Seneca Wallace led the offense on two long scoring drives to defeat the Packers in Green Bay's preseason opener.

-Green Bay opened the scoring in the first quarter after Favre led the Packers on a 10-play drive, culminating in a Ryan Longwell field goal.

-Seattle's first offensive unit responded with scoring drive to make the score 7-3. Neither first unit figured in any scoring for the remainder of the night.

-Two touchdowns by Seattle's backup unit, one before halftime and another in the fourth quarter, closed out the scoring.

-Both the Packers (10-6) and Seahawks (9-7) would go on to earn NFC postseason berths in 2004, with each bowing out in the NFC Wild Card round.

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