Green Bay Packers: Some stats to get you started
Clay Matthews eyes Colin Kaepernick. This will be a matchup to watch this coming Sunday.
It’s the start of the football season around Wisconsin with the Badgers and high school teams kicking off over the past couple of weekends and the Green Bay Packers heading to San Francisco to take on the 49ers for the second time in the past eight months.
We are looking forward to many things as the Packers prepare to hit the field: Eddie Lacy; Datone Jones; Micah Hyde; Jordy Nelson; and, of course none other than Aaron Rodgers.
But we also can’t forget about Johnny Jolly and Clay Matthews and Nick Perry. And, OMG! What about Seneca Wallace? Well, let’s hope he doesn’t have to place one toe on the turf and Candlestick Park or any other stadium this year. We’re happy with Aaron Rodgers, thank you.
So, as we await the countdown to kickoff, going about our daily business before Sunday rolls around, I went out and looked for some statistics that might be of interest. These are stats that you may have never seen. Stats that may bring a smile or raise an eyebrow.
Either way, I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed compiling them.
Here’s a list of the top five most successful teams of the past 10 years put together by Jason Wilde of ESPN Radio Milwaukee:
"1. New England Patriots (126-34, nine playoff berths, four Super Bowl berths, two championships.)2. Indianapolis Colts (112-48, nine playoff berths, two Super Bowl berths, one championship.)3. Pittsburgh Steelers (103-57, six playoff berths, three Super Bowl berths, two championships.)4. Green Bay Packers (98-62, seven playoff berths, one Super Bowl berth, one championship.)5. Baltimore Ravens (97-63, seven playoff berths, one Super Bowl berth, one championship.)"
The Green Bay Packers “Dope Sheet,” provides a weekly statistical compilation of everything dealing with each week’s particular matchup. Here are some interesting tidbits from this week’s game against the 49ers:
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports photograph
• Under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers have won five of their last six season openers, which is tied for the No. 2 mark in the NFL with Baltimore over that span behind only New England (6-0 since 2007).
• Opening on the road has been a rare occurrence dating back even further. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the Packers have opened their season at home 32 times while opening on the road just 12 times. Since 1986, 23 of Green Bay’s season openers have been at home, making Sunday’s game just the fifth time in the past 28 years that the Packers have gone on the road to start their season.
• Under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, Green Bay has been one of the most successful teams in the league early in the season. Over the past four seasons, the Packers are tied for the second-best mark in the league in September.
• Although this will only be the second time under Head Coach Mike McCarthy (2010 at Philadelphia) that the Packers have played away from Lambeau Field in Week 1, they have had success in their first road contest of the season.
• Green Bay has won its first road game in six of seven seasons under McCarthy, with last season at Seattle in Week 3 the lone exception. The Packers have an all-time record of 53-37-2 (.596) in road openers, the most wins and third-best winning percentage in the NFL. With a six-game winning streak in the first road game of the season from 2006-11, McCarthy joined Vince Lombardi (eight straight, 1960- 67) as the only coaches in team history to win six or more consecutive road openers.
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 80-42-0, .656, (incl. 6-4 postseason); 8th NFL season
Jim Harbaugh: 27-9-1, .743, (incl. 3-2 postseason); 3rd NFL season Head to Head: Harbaugh 2-0 vs. Opponent: McCarthy 3-2 vs. 49ers; Harbaugh 2-0 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY…Is in his eighth year as the Packers’ 14th head coach. Joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only coaches to guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title with a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
Has led the Packers to playoff appearances in five of his seven seasons at the helm, and the team’s five postseason berths over the past six seasons are the most by an NFC team.
Led Green Bay to 47 regular-season victories from 2009-12, the second most in the NFL over that span and the second most in franchise history over a four-year period.
His .656 winning percentage (including playoffs) ranks No. 3 among active NFL coaches (min. 50 games) entering the 2013 season. Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
Became the first Packers coach since Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season (2007).
JIM HARBAUGH…Is in his third year as the 49ers’ 17th head coach. In his first two seasons at the helm, has led the 49ers to two NFC West titles, two NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl appearance.
San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY
Is just the second NFL coach to win consecutive division titles in his first two seasons after inheriting a team with a losing record. Earned NFL Coach of the Year honors from The Associated Press in 2011 after leading the 49ers to a 13-3 record in his rookie campaign. Was previously the head coach at Stanford (2007-10), where he led the Cardinal to its first BCS game appearance and victory in the Orange Bowl, in 2010.
Also was the head coach at the University of San Diego (2004-06).
Began his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant with the Oakland Raiders (2002-03). Played QB for 15 seasons in the NFL with the Bears, Colts, Ravens, Chargers and Panthers.
Green Bay Packers’ roster
BY AGE (as of Sept. 8)
• 21-24, 25 players;
• 25-28, 19 players;
• 29-32, 7 players; and
• 33-plus, 2 players
BY EXPERIENCE
• R-1, 13 players;
• 2-3, 12 players;
• 4-5, 15 players;
• 6-9, 11 players; and
• 10-plus, 2 players
BY DRAFT ROUND
• 1st, 7 players;
• 2nd/3rd, 8 players;
• 4th/5th, 12 players;
• 6th/7th, 8 players; and
• Undrafted, 18 players