THE PACKERS' APPEARANCE here today essentially marks the 20th "anniversary" of their very first visit to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, which occurred on Nov. 3, 1983, a day that saw them post a 29-21 victory over the Vikings, then under the direction of the legendary Bud Grant.
The Metrodome had opened a year earlier but the Packers' debut in the new indoor venue was delayed a season because the 1982 campaign was interrupted by a 57-day player strike and, in the process, the Packers' initial scheduled visit was expunged by the work stoppage.
QUARTERBACK BRETT FAVRE, with a win tonight, can reach a new level among the premier field generals in NFL history. A victory would pad his career total to 119 and tie him with the storied Johnny Unitas for fourth place on professional football's career list of most prolific winners.
Immediately ahead: Fran Tarkenton, third all-time with 125 victories. John Elway is the leader with 148, followed by Dan Marino with 147.
IF FAVRE THROWS A TD PASS tonight, it would extend his current streak to 17 games, tying him for the third-longest skein in Packers history - a niche he already holds, having previously authored a TD pass in 17 straight games over the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
Favre also owns the second-longest such streak in team annals, 18 consecutive games throwing a TD pass, a string forged over the 1997 and 1998 seasons.
Cecil Isbell, who assembled his streak over the 1941 and 1942 seasons, holds the club record, having thrown a TD pass in 22 straight games.
FAVRE ATTAINS ANOTHER durability milestone tonight when he makes his 181st consecutive start, extending his NFL record for quarterbacks. It also remains the league's longest current starting streak at any position and is the 10th longest starting streak on record.
Favre also is playing in his 183rd consecutive game, leaving him only 4 shy of the club record, 187, held by Forrest Gregg (1956, '58-70).
GREEN POISED TO ADVANCE: Ahman Green would seem to be a "can't miss" tonight in bidding to take over second place in combined rushing and receiving yards for a running back in Packers history. He enters the game with 6,311 yards, just 29 fewer than the current second place tenant, Gerry Ellis (6,340).
Green goes into action with 4,536 yards rushing, already good for third place in Packers career rushing, and 1,775 yards receiving.
Jim Taylor is the team's all-time leader with 9,712 combined yards (8,207 rushing and 1,505 receiving). Ellis compiled his second-place total (6,340) with 3,826 yards rushing and 2,514 receiving.
GREEN, IN ONLY HIS FIFTH PACKERS SEASON, has already vaulted into the club's all-time Top 20 in scoring. Currently leading the NFC in non-kicker scoring with 60 points, Green is tied with Bill Howton for 19th place in team annals with 258 points on 43 touchdowns.
With a touchdown in tonight's contest, the former Nebraska Cornhusker could pass Don Chandler (261 points) and Al Del Greco (262) and take over 17th place on the Packers' career list.
GREEN NEEDS ONLY 37 yards in tonight's game to reach the 1,000-yard mark in total yards from scrimmage for the season. He enters the contest ranking second in the NFC in TYG with 963 (734 rushing and 229 receiving).
Green also is the team's leading receiver, his 30 catches - going into action - matching his jersey number.
GREEN, INCIDENTALLY, has averaged 112.5 yards of total offense in six appearances against the Vikings since joining the Packers in 2000. He has rushed for 457 yards in 108 attempts, including 161 in the Packers' 33-28 victory here in the Metrodome Dec. 17, 2000, and has caught 32 passes for 218 yards.
HE'S A HALL OF FAMER NOW: Packers long snapper Rob Davis became a Hall of Famer during the Packers' bye weekend. He was inducted in the Shippensburg University Athletic Hall of Fame and also had his jersey number, 86, retired - the first number to be retired in any sport in the institution's history.
Davis, who was the first Shippensburg alumnus to play in the NFL when he made the Chicago Bears roster in 1996 and played in all 16 games, was honored in a special induction ceremony between halves of the Shippensburg-Clarion football game Oct. 25. He had been a four-year starter (1988-89, 1991-92) and two-time All-American at defensive tackle for Shippensburg's Red Raiders as a collegian, graduating as the school's all-time leading tackler (353) among defensive linemen.
NEXT WEEK: The Packers make a second straight prime time appearance, entertaining the Philadelphia Eagles in Lambeau Field on ABC's "Monday Night Football," with kickoff set for 8 p.m. CST on Nov. 10.
