PACKERVILLE, U.S.A.: 2022

Saturday, December 31, 2022

The Sounds of December 1967

On this 55th anniversary of the iconic “Ice Bowl” game (the 1967 NFL Championship game), we came across these items which give some context to the culture of the time. This is what would’ve been on the local jukeboxes as Packers fans celebrated into the night following the thrilling 21-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Here are the Billboard music charts from the week ending December 30, 1967. Thought maybe one or two of you might find it interesting.

Friday, December 30, 2022

Packers look to split season series with Vikings

Various sources

MINNESOTA (12-3) at GREEN BAY (7-8)

DAY/TIME/TV: Sunday, 3:25 p.m. CST, CBS

SERIES RECORD: Packers lead 64-57-3

LAST MEETING: Vikings beat Packers 23-7 in Minnesota on Sept. 11 in the season opener.

LAST WEEK: Vikings beat New York Giants 27-24 at home on Saturday; Packers won 26-20 at Miami on Sunday.

VIKINGS OFFENSE: OVERALL (12), RUSH (28), PASS (6), SCORING (7)

PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (16), RUSH (14), PASS (17), SCORING (18-T)

VIKINGS DEFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (19), PASS (32), SCORING (28)

PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (17), RUSH (27), PASS (3), SCORING (17-T)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Vikings plus-6, Packers even

Two weeks after ending the Green Bay Packers' three-year reign as NFC North champions, the Minnesota Vikings have a chance to give their division rival's playoff hopes a devastating blow. Green Bay lost 23-7 at Minnesota in the season's opening weekend as part of a 4-8 start but has since won three straight games to move back into playoff contention heading into Sundays' rematch with the Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Packers (7-8) can earn a fourth straight playoff bid if they win their final two games, and either the Washington Commanders (7-7-1) lose once or the New York Giants (8-6-1) fall twice. "We're building each week," Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb said. "And with every win, that snowball effect continues to grow, and we've just got to find a way to put ourselves in position to give ourselves a chance." The Packers can be eliminated from the playoff picture if they lose Sunday and either the Commanders win at home against the Cleveland Browns (6-9) or the Detroit Lions (7-8) win at home against the Chicago Bears (3-12). The Browns-Commanders game and Bears-Lions matchup should be finishing up right around the time the Packers and Vikings have their opening kickoff. Minnesota (12-3) is seeking its first regular-season sweep of the Packers (7-8) since 2017. The Vikings went 1-0-1 against Green Bay in 2018. "Vikings-Packers week, so everything is on the board," Vikings running back Dalvin Cook said. "It's time to go play some ball. I don't care if it was Week 20, it's time to go play some ball and live out this dream Vikings-Packers rivalry." The Vikings still have an outside chance of earning the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed and the conference's lone first-round playoff bye, but that goal might be out of reach by the time they start this game. Philadelphia (13-2) can wrap up the No. 1 seed by winning at home against New Orleans (6-9) earlier Sunday. Minnesota earned its playoff spot because of its ability to win close games. The Vikings' Sept. 11 triumph over the Packers is their only victory that was decided by more than eight points. The most notable example of the Vikings' tenacity came Dec. 18 when they clinched the NFC North title by erasing a 33-0 deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts 39-36 in overtime, completing the biggest comeback in NFL history. "You can tell they're playing with a lot of confidence," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. "They're going out there, they're competing at a high, high level. Obviously one of the best teams in the league, so we're going to have to play at our best and prepare at our best to give ourselves a chance because they've just been so consistent throughout the entire course of the season."

SMITH'S RETURN: Minnesota's Za'Darius Smith played for the Packers from 2019-21 and had a combined 26 sacks his first two seasons in Green Bay. After playing just one regular-season game and one playoff contest due to a back issue last year, Smith got released in a cap-saving move. Smith has bounced back in Minnesota with 10 sacks this year. The Packers have their own pass-rushing Smith in Preston Smith, who isn't related to Za'Darius. Preston Smith has a team-high 8½ sacks, including three in his last two games.

JEFFERSON'S RECORDS: Minnesota's Justin Jefferson already has set franchise single-season records in catches (123) and yards receiving (1,756). His record-setting season started when he caught nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings' victory over the Packers. Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander called Jefferson one of the top three receivers in the NFL, but said he was looking forward to rectifying things in Sunday's rematch. "He's a really good receiver," said Alexander, the Packers' lone Pro Bowl selection. "But at the end of the day, I'm a really good corner, we've got really good corners, we've got really good linebackers, D-line, whatever it is. You don't want to put too much focus on that one person because it's like, the first game, that was a fluke."

FORCING TURNOVERS: The Vikings have allowed the most yards passing of any NFL team. Only the Lions are giving up more overall yards per game or yards per play. Yet the Vikings are going to the playoffs in part because of a plus-6 turnover margin that ranks fifth in the league. The Packers also have done a good job of producing takeaways lately. The Packers have a plus-5 turnover margin during their three-game winning streak after being at minus-5 through their first 12 games.

WEATHER REPORT: The weather report in Green Bay calls for highs of around 37 and lows in the mid-20s. Midway through the week, the Sunday forecast didn't call for snow.

VIKINGS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Justin Jefferson. The 2020 first-round pick already has set Vikings single-season records for catches (123) and yards receiving (1,756) this year. He set the tone for his record-setting season by catching nine passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Vikings’ Sept. 11 victory over the Packers.

PACKERS PLAYER TO WATCH: CB Jaire Alexander. Green Bay’s coaching staff got plenty of criticism after the loss at Minnesota for starting in zone coverage rather than simply having Alexander cover Jefferson the entire game. The Packers’ lone Pro Bowl selection figures to spend more time lining up against Jefferson in the rematch. Alexander has a career-high five interceptions, including two in his past three games.

KEY MATCHUP: Packers offensive line vs. Vikings pass rush. The uncertainty of Green Bay’s situation at offensive tackle makes this matchup particularly intriguing. LT David Bakhtiari has missed three straight games as he recovers from an appendectomy. RT Yosh Nijman left the Dolphins game with a shoulder injury. If one or both of those tackles can’t play Sunday, the Packers could have a tough time containing Minnesota’s pass-rushing duo of Danielle Hunter (10½ sacks) and Za’Darius Smith (10). Smith, a Pro Bowl selection, played for the Packers from 2019-21 and had a combined 26 sacks from 2019-20.

MINNESOTA: OUT: C Garrett Bradbury (back), DT James Lynch (shoulder). FULL: G Ezra Cleveland (shoulder). GREEN BAY: QUESTIONABLE: CB Keisean Nixon (groin), WR Christian Watson (hip). LIMITED: T David Bakhtiari (knee/abdomen), G Elgton Jenkins (knee), RB Aaron Jones (knee/ankle). FULL: CB Jaire Alexander (forearm), LB Krys Barnes (hand), S Rudy Ford (wrist, knee), TE Marcedes Lewis (nir-rest), T Yosuah Nijman (shoulder), QB Aaron Rodgers (right thumb/knee).

SERIES NOTES: The Vikings have won three of the past four meetings. The lone Packers victory during that stretch was a 37-10 blowout in Green Bay last season that Vikings QB Kirk Cousins missed because he was on the COVID-19 reserve list. That game gave the Packers the NFC’s No. 1 seed and knocked the Vikings out of playoff contention last season. The Packers have a 34-26-3 home record against the Vikings. The Packers have gone 16-11-1 against the Vikings when Aaron Rodgers has been Green Bay’s starting quarterback. Rodgers has 57 touchdown passes and eight interception passes against the Vikings.

STATS AND STUFF: The Packers have won three straight and can reach the playoffs if they win their last two games and either the Washington Commanders lose once more or the New York Giants lose both their remaining games… The Packers would be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose to the Vikings and either the Detroit Lions beat the Chicago Bears or the Commanders beat the Cleveland Browns… Packers kicker Mason Crosby has played in 256 consecutive regular-season games. In Green Bay’s victory at Miami, Crosby overtook Brett Favre to become the franchise leader in consecutive games played and total games played (also 256)… The Packers have punted only once in each of their past two games… The Packers have a plus-5 turnover margin during their three-game win streak… Packers OLB Preston Smith has three sacks over his past two games and five over his past five… Packers CB Rasul Douglas has intercepted a pass in back-to-back games… The Vikings already have clinched the NFC North title… The Vikings are 12-3, but have only outscored opponents 378-373. Their 23-7 triumph over the Packers was their only victory with a margin greater than eight points… Cousins has thrown 27 TD passes, his eighth straight season with at least 25. The only other NFL players to throw 25-plus TD passes in at least eight straight seasons are Peyton Manning (13), Drew Brees (11), Philip Rivers (11) and Tom Brady (10)… Vikings RB Dalvin Cook rushed for 64 yards against the Giants to increase his total to 5,929 and overtake Chuck Foreman for third place on the team’s career list. The only players to rush for more yards as Vikings are Adrian Peterson (11,747 from 2007-16) and Robert Smith (6,818 from 1993-2000)This is the first Vikings-Packers matchup in which the Vikings enter the game with at least five more wins than the Packers since the final game of the 1991 season, when 8-7 Minnesota hosted 3-12 Green Bay (Packers won, 27-7)… Last week marked the ninth time this season the Vikings were trailing in the second half and came back to win, the most second-half comeback wins by any team in a single season in NFL history… Justin Jefferson has 35 receptions for 479 yards over his last three games, making him the first player in NFL history to have 35+ catches for 450+ yards over a three-game span in a single season… Aaron Rodgers has not thrown more than one interception in any of his last 22 starts against the Vikings, the longest streak by any QB against a single opponent in NFL history. Rodgers' career interception percentage against the Vikings (0.9%) is the lowest by any player in NFL history against a single opponent (minimum 400 attempts)… The Packers went nine straight games without a regulation win from Weeks 4-12 this year. No team in NFL history has had that long of a streak without a regulation win and yet still made the playoffs that season (the longest is seven straight by the 2014 Panthers)… Green Bay has notched at least one takeaway in each of its last nine games, the longest active streak in the NFL and the longest streak for the Packers since 2017 (11 straight).

WEEK 17 NFL SCHEDULE

Thursday, December 29
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans, 7:15 p.m., Prime Video

Sunday, January 1
Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots, 12:00 p.m., CBS
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants, 12:00 p.m., CBS
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 12:00 p.m., FOX
Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders, 12:00 p.m., FOX
San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders, 3:05 p.m., FOX
New York Jets at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m., FOX
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, 3:25 p.m., CBS
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers, 7:20 p.m., NBC*

Monday, January 2
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, 7:30 p.m., ESPN/ABC

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Gary Knafelc Passes Away

Gary Knafelc, longtime Green Bay Packers player, announcer, dead at 90

Story by Richard Ryman | Green Bay Press-Gazette

December 19, 2022

NOTE: We were at the Packers-Rams Monday Night Football game when we heard of the passing of the team’s former receiver, tight end, and Lambeau Field public address announcer. With the holidays, we decided to wait a little bit to post a tribute here. This article first appeared in the Green Bay Press-Gazette:

Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Gary Knafelc, whose careers as player and announcer spanned head coaches Lisle Blackbourn to Mike Sherman, died Monday at his home in Florida. Knafelc, 90, was a wide receiver and tight end for the Packers before working 40 years as stadium public address announcer in Green Bay and Milwaukee. He lived most of his post-football life in Green Bay, but moved to Florida about 10 years ago.

Knafelc signed with the Packers as a free agent two games into the 1954 season. He was native of Pueblo, Colorado, who played for the University of Colorado. The Chicago Cardinals made him the 14th overall pick in the second round of the NFL draft, but he was injured in the College All-Star Game and waived by the Cardinals after the season-opener.

Knafelc scored 23 touchdowns in his 10-year career, but three of them, all game-winners, were especially notable. His first game-winner was in 1955 on an 18-yard pass from Tobin Rote with 20 seconds left against the three-time defending Western Conference champion Detroit Lions, giving the Packers an unexpected 20-17 victory. Packers historian Cliff Christl, in his story on Knafelc, explains what happened next: “Despite there being time left on the clock, hundreds if not thousands of joyous fans stormed out of the stands at old City Stadium, surrounded Knafelc in the end zone and carried him off the field to the Packers' bench, delaying the extra point and ensuing kickoff for several minutes.” In a 1959 game, Knafelc caught what proved to be a game-winning, 21-yard pass from Lamar McHan for a 21-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, giving first-year coach Vince Lombardi three wins in his first three games.

But the touchdown current fans might most remember him for was in 1957, the first game played at what is now Lambeau Field. Babe Parilli threw a 6-yard pass between the goal posts to Knafelc to secure a 21-17 victory over the Western Conference champion Chicago Bears.

Knaflec played wide receiver before Lombardi moved him to tight end, where one of his primary duties was to block linebackers for the famed Lombardi sweep.

“The first thing Lombardi said was, ‘How much do you weigh?’” Knafelc said during a 2013 interview for Packer Plus. He was 6-foot-4 and 217 pounds, but told Lombardi he was 220. “He said, ‘You're going to play tight end for me.’ Well, I played wide receiver for the first five years. For the next five years, I played tight end. I had to work on everything; I was the smallest tight end in the league.”

Fear of Lombardi was a great motivator, he said. “I feared (Lombardi) more than anybody I faced.” I was one of his whipping boys, but he taught me to be a better football player through hard work, dedication and teamwork. Those values carried over for me and many of my teammates who went on to successful careers in business."

After playing one season for the San Francisco 49ers, Knafelc returned to Green Bay, where he owned an interior design company. He was the Packers' public address announcer from 1964 to 2004.

Lombardi proved no less demanding of his public address announcer. He found out in his debut exactly how his former coach wanted it done, Knafelc told Packer Plus. “It was the Packer intrasquad game in Lambeau and young Vince (Lombardi Jr.) was my spotter,” Knafelc said. “Paul Hornung took a pitch and ran for some nice yardage. I thought I'd add a little color and said ‘Peerless Paul Hornung’ on the carry.’” Lombardi provided immediate feedback. “Well, since it was the intrasquad game, Coach Lombardi was up in the press box, right next door to us. When Lombardi heard that, young Vince and I then heard a folding chair slam up against the tin wall. He came over and let me have it. ‘That's enough of that (expletive),’ Lombardi hollered. He wanted just the facts, nothing colorful.”

With the passing of Knafelc, Jerry Kramer is now the only surviving starter from Lombardi's first game as Packers head coach. Knafelc was a member of Lombardi championship teams in 1961 and 1962, and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1976.

A small family funeral service was held in Florida.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The piece on Knafelc’s passing that was penned by Cliff Christl, the Packers’ official team historian, can be read HERE.

2022 NFL Week 16 — Packers at Dolphins

Packers at Dolphins Game Highlights — WATCH

QB Aaron Rodgers On-Field Post-Game Interview — WATCH

CB Jaire Alexander On-Field Post-Game Interview — WATCH

Matt LaFleur 1-on-1 in the Tunnel — WATCH

Matt LaFleur Locker Room Speech — WATCH

Matt LaFleur Post-Game — WATCH

QB Aaron Rodgers Post-Game — WATCH

CB Jaire Alexander Post-Game — WATCH

RB Aaron Jones Post-Game — WATCH

DL Kenny Clark Post-Game — WATCH

CB/KR Keisean Nixon Post-Game — WATCH

Mike McDaniel Post-Game — WATCH

QB Tua Tagovailoa Post-Game — WATCH

Matt LaFleur Monday Press Conference — WATCH

WEEK 16 NFL RESULTS

Thursday, December 22

Jacksonville Jaguars 19, New York Jets 3

Saturday, December 24

Atlanta Falcons 9, Baltimore Ravens 17

Detroit Lions 23, Carolina Panthers 37

Buffalo Bills 35, Chicago Bears 13

New Orleans Saints 17, Cleveland Browns 10

Seattle Seahawks 10, Kansas City Chiefs 24

New York Giants 24, Minnesota Vikings 27

Cincinnati Bengals 22, New England Patriots 18

Houston Texans 19, Tennessee Titans 14

Washington Commanders 20, San Francisco 49ers 37

Philadelphia Eagles 34, Dallas Cowboys 40

Las Vegas Raiders 10, Pittsburgh Steelers 13

Sunday, December 25

Green Bay Packers 26, Miami Dolphins 20

Denver Broncos 14, Los Angeles Rams 51

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19, Arizona Cardinals 16

Monday, December 26

Los Angeles Chargers 20, Indianapolis Colts 3

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Packers at Dolphins Preview

Packers hoping to maintain postseason hopes vs. Dolphins

Various Sources

GREEN BAY (6-8) at MIAMI (8-6)

DAY/TIME/TV: Sunday, 12:00 p.m. CST; FOX

SERIES RECORD: Dolphins lead 10-5.

LAST MEETING: Packers defeated Dolphins 31-12 in 2018 at Lambeau Field.

LAST WEEK: Packers beat the Rams 24-12; Dolphins lost to Buffalo 32-29.

PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (13), PASS (16), SCORING (20t)

PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (29), PASS (2), SCORING (15t)

DOLPHINS OFFENSE: OVERALL (5), RUSH (27), PASS (3), SCORING (9)

DOLPHINS DEFENSE: OVERALL (23), RUSH (10), PASS (27), SCORING (26t)

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Packers minus-3; Dolphins minus-2.

Back in November, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Miami’s goal was to play in meaningful games in December and January. “When you are in those months playing meaningful football, it is something unlike any other style of football that exists,” McDaniel said. “The beginning of the season pales in comparison to that environment.” The Dolphins and the Green Bay Packers will have that type of experience when they meet on Christmas Day. Both teams are eyeing the postseason, but their scenarios to get there are quite different. The Dolphins (8-6) will make the playoffs if they win their last three games — or just their last two, against division foes New England and the New York Jets. Miami has lost three straight, though, and wants to begin its playoff push by beating Green Bay. Standing in their way is four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers. “We’re about to play Aaron Rodgers, who has been in the league for years and arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play,” safety Jevon Holland said. “So what more do you have to focus on? This is a huge challenge, especially for me. ... Playoffs are playoffs. I’ve never been to the playoffs so I wouldn’t know.” The Packers (6-8) likely need to win their last three games to make the postseason. Even if they win out, they’re not guaranteed to make it. “This is a really good football team that we’re going against,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “Obviously they’re very hungry. They’ve got a lot at stake. We’ve got a lot at stake, and it should be a playoff-type game.” McDaniel and LaFleur know each other well, having worked together as assistants with Houston, Washington and Atlanta. LaFleur said he sees some advantage in playing against a familiar coach. “I think it leads to some creativity, quite honestly,” he said, “because you might see the same concept that you have that gets ran and it’s like, OK, what wrinkle can I throw off of this, so I think there’s pluses and minuses to everything.”

THE GESICKI CONUNDRUM: One of the more surprising stories of the Dolphins’ season is how little Mike Gesicki, one of the most athletic tight ends in the NFL, has been involved in the offense. After having career highs of 73 receptions for 780 yards in 2021, Gesicki has caught 25 passes for 274 yards this year. He has only been targeted five times in the past four games and has just one catch for 5 yards during that span. “I’ve made plays in this league for a long time and I’ve proven the player I am,” Gesicki said. “There’s probably defensive coordinators that are going in and watching our film and have to put in time — or at least used to have to put in time — to ‘How are we going to affect the game plan with 88 out there?’ In my opinion, yeah, I could help, but I’m just going to go about it in the most professional way I can.” McDaniel said it’s a “failure to some degree” that he hasn’t gotten Gesicki more involved.

DISAPPOINTING DEFENSE: McDaniel said Miami’s defense is not playing to its capabilities. “I think any person in the locker room and every coach on the coaching staff would say no,” he said. “Just because they really believe in each other.” The Dolphins rank 27th in opponent third-down conversion percentage, and they rank near the bottom of the league in passing defense (27th), scoring defense (26th) and red-zone defense (25th).

A CHEETAH CHRISTMAS: Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill has never played on Christmas Day and has a few holiday-themed celebrations planned for Sunday. “It’s gonna be a fun show,” Hill said. “I’m gonna give people something to watch. It’s gonna be very entertaining.” Hill has 109 catches for 1,529 and seven TDs this season.

NIXON’S RETURNS: Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon wasn’t even the Packers’ main kick returner at the start of the season, but he now has eight kickoff returns of 30-plus yards and three of 50-plus yards to lead the NFL in both categories. Nixon has returned at least one kickoff 30-plus yards in each of his last four games, the longest such streak by any Packer since Sam Shields did it in 2010. Packers coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged after Green Bay’s Monday night victory over the Los Angeles Rams that he should have made Nixon the main kick returner earlier in the season. “In all my 18 years, I’ve never once, until tonight, seen an opposing team’s kicker kick away from one of our returners on purpose,” Rodgers said after the Rams game. “That’s fun. That’s pretty incredible.”

CLIMATE CHANGE: The Packers played Monday night with temperatures of 15 degrees — and the wind chill measured at 7 — just before the opening kickoff. They’re preparing for a much different situation Sunday, though it won’t be quite as warm as usual in Miami. The forecast calls for highs in the mid-50s.

PACKERS PLAYER TO WATCH: OLB Preston Smith. His recent surge has helped boost a pass rush that had struggled since Rashan Gary suffered a season-ending knee injury in early November. Smith had two sacks in a Monday night victory over the Los Angeles Rams and has four sacks over his past four games, improving his season total to 7½.

DOLPHINS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Jaylen Waddle is averaging 18 yards per reception this season, the best in the NFL. He caught three passes for 113 yards against Buffalo, including a 67-yard TD, the longest of his career.

KEY MATCHUP: QB Tua Tagovailoa vs Packers secondary. Tagovailoa has already surpassed his career total in yards passing with 3,238 yards, 24 TDs and just five interceptions. The Packers have one of the best passing defenses in the league, highlighted by cornerback Jaire Alexander’s four interceptions. Only the Eagles have allowed fewer passing yards than Green Bay.

INJURY REPORT (FRIDAY): GREEN BAY: DOUBTFUL: T David Bakhtiari (knee/abdomen). LIMITED: G/T Elgton Jenkins (knee), RB Aaron Jones (knee). FULL: LB Krys Barnes (hand), S Rudy Ford (wrist/knee), TE Marcedes Lewis (NIR-resting player), CB Keisean Nixon (groin), QB Aaron Rodgers (right thumb/rib). MIAMI: DOUBTFUL: WR River Cracraft (calf), T Eric Fisher (calf). QUESTIONABLE: RB Myles Gaskin (illness), T Terron Armstead (toe/pectoral/knee), LB Bradley Chubb (knee), LB Jaelan Phillips (toe), S Eric Rowe (hamstring), RB Jeffery Wilson (hip). FULL: QB Teddy Bridgewater (knee), DB Keion Crossen (knee), S Jevon Holland (neck), CB Kader Kohou (thumb), LB Duke Riley (ribs), TE Durham Smythe (quadricep).

SERIES NOTES: The Packers trail the series 10-5, but have won four of the past five meetings. ... Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and Aaron Jones ran for two touchdowns when the Packers beat the Dolphins in 2018. Brock Osweiler started at quarterback for Miami and Frank Gore rushed for 90 yards on 13 carries.

STATS AND STUFF: This is the second straight season the Packers are playing on Christmas Day. They beat the Cleveland Browns 24-22 at Lambeau Field last Christmas… This marks just the second time Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has faced the Dolphins in Miami. The previous time came in a 27-24 Packers victory in 2014… The Packers have won 14 consecutive December games. The only team ever to have a longer December winning streak was the San Diego Chargers with 18 straight December wins from 2006-09, according to the Elias Sports Bureau… This marks the Packers’ last regular-season road game. They host the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions in their final two games… Packers K Mason Crosby can set the franchise record for consecutive games played Sunday. Crosby has played 255 consecutive games to match Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre for the Packers’ longest streak… Packers WR Aaron Jones has 5,100 yards rushing and moved into third place on the franchise’s list Monday night by passing John Brockington (5,024). The Packers’ top two rushers are Ahman Green (8,322) and Hall of Fame Jim Taylor (8,207)… Packers KR/DB Keisean Nixon has at least one kickoff return of 30-plus yards in each of his past four games. He’s the first Packer to do that since Sam Shields in 2010. Nixonn has three kickoff returns of 50-plus yards and eight of 30-plus yards this season to lead the NFL in both categories… Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel were coaching colleagues with Houston (2008), Washington (2011-13) and Atlanta (2015-16)… CB Jaire Alexander was selected to the Pro Bowl and six other Packers were selected as alternates… Miami WR Tyreek Will, LT Terron Armstead and CB Xavien Howard were selected to the Pro Bowl. Five other Dolphins, including QB Tua Tagovailoa, were selected as alternates… Miami is 11-1 in its past 12 home games. The Dolphins last went 12-1 at home in the mid-1980s… The Dolphins are 2-1 all time on Christmas Day, including a double-overtime win at Kansas City in the 1971 AFC divisional round. Miami beat Detroit at home on Christmas in 1994 and lost to the Jets at home on Christmas in 2006… Miami has the NFL’s fifth-best overall offense, averaging 370.4 yards per game… The Dolphins are 21st in the league in third down conversion percentage… Tagovailoa leads the NFL in overall passer rating (107.8) and red zone passer rating (111.8)… WR Tyreek Hill has 10 receptions for 113 yards in two games against the Packers. Hill and Waddle are the NFL’s only pair of teammates with more than 1,000 yards receiving this season. Hill is second in the league with 1,529 yards. Waddle has 1,117… Miami’s defense is allowing 246.3 passing yards per game, which is 27th in the NFL… Miami had a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in the same game last week for the first time since 2018… Despite winning four of their last five meetings, the Packers are 5-10 all-time against the Dolphins. It is Green Bay's worst record against any active franchise… The Packers shut out the Rams in the fourth quarter of their 24-12 win. Since Week 8, the Packers have allowed 20 points in the fourth quarter (including four shutouts) with only the 49ers (14) allowing fewer fourth quarter points over that span… Aaron Rodgers has gone 18 consecutive starts without passing for 300 yards, six games longer than the next longest streak of his career. It is the third-longest active streak among quarterbacks with at least one start in 2022 (Justin Fields, 23, and Taylor Heinicke, 22)… The Dolphins are allowing 15.3 points per game at home this season, 16.2 points per game less than on the road (31.5). That is the largest difference in the NFL and the third largest by any team in the last 40 seasons (2018 Chiefs, 16.6, and 2009 Seahawks, 16.2)… Including last week's loss in Buffalo, Tua Tagovailoa is now 0-4 in starts when the weather is below 50 degrees with a passer rating of 71.4. In starts with a temperature of 50 degrees or higher, Tagovailoa boasts a 17-7 (.708) record with a passer rating of 98.1… Packers receiver Christian Watson is tied for the league lead in total touchdowns among first-year players with nine (Kenneth Walker III, Seattle). In the Super Bowl era, the most scrimmage touchdowns by a first-year Packer is 11, by Eddie Lacy in 2013…