The Green Bay Packers travel to California for a matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
While it’s the first time the Packers will play the Chargers since they moved to Los Angeles, it is the seventh away game against the Chargers, and Green Bay has won the previous six.
It is one of six games the Packers have this season against 2018 playoff teams (Chicago twice, Philadelphia, Dallas, Kansas City), with four of those contests taking place on the road. So far, the Packers are 3-1 against 2018 playoff teams.
The Packers are 10-1 all-time vs. the Chargers, a .909 winning percentage that is tops by Green Bay versus any team.
Dating back to 1990, the Packers are 11-3 during the regular season in the state of California (vs. Chargers, 49ers, Raiders, Rams).
It is the final game of a stretch of three straight games against AFC West teams, the first time the Packers have had three straight games against AFC teams since playing the AFC West in 2003 in Weeks 15-17.
Green Bay is 16-3 against AFC West teams since 2002, an .842 winning percentage that ranks No. 1 in the NFL over that span.
With the victory in Week 7 over Oakland, the Packers improved to 8-0 against the Raiders, dating back to 1990. Green Bay won four of those eight games by 28-plus points (10, 30, 31, 34, 4, 28, 13, 18). The eight-game streak is Green Bay’s longest active winning streak vs. an opponent, with the second longest being a seven-game win streak against the San Diego/L.A. Chargers, who the Packers face this week.
GOOD START
Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur is the first head coach in franchise history to win seven of his first eight NFL games. He is also the 19th NFL head coach and the first since Jim Harbaugh in 2011 to win at least seven of his first eight games (Elias Sports Bureau).
LaFleur is the first coach in Packers history to win his first three road NFL games.
With a win, LaFleur would tie Mike McCarthy (8-8) and Ray Rhodes (8-8) for the third-most NFL wins by a Packer head coach in their first season (9-7: Mike Holmgren and Mike Sherman).
Green Bay has started the season with at least seven wins in its first eight games for the first time since starting 8-0 in 2011 and the fifth time since 1970 (7-1 in 2007, 2002 and 1996).
The Packers (3-0) are one of six teams to be undefeated on the road this season. Green Bay won its first three road games for the first time since since starting 7-0 on the road in 2011.
The Packers have a plus-24 point differential on the road this season, No. 1 among teams who have played three road games or less this season and No. 7 overall.
Green Bay joins the New England Patriots (8-0), San Francisco 49ers (7-0) and the New Orleans Saints (7-1) as the only NFL teams with at least seven wins this season.
The Packers have started 3-0 in the NFC North for the first time since 2012 and for just the fourth time (2011 and 2002) since the division was formed in 2002.
Out of the 26 teams that have played multiple division games this season, Green Bay joins New England (4-0) and Dallas (3-0) as the only teams to have three division wins, and is one of eight teams with multiple wins against division opponents.
WITH THE CALL
CBS will broadcast the game to a regional audience with play-by-play man Jim Nantz and analyst Tony Romo handling the call from the broadcast booth and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sidelines.
Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in four states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play), two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) and three-time Packers Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro John Kuhn (sideline) will call the action. McCarren first joined the team’s broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 25th season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 21st season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago.
The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed).
Sports USA Radio will air the game on radio across the country with Larry Kahn (play-by-play) and Hank Bauer (analyst) calling the action and Troy West reporting from the sideline.
The game can also be seen on DirecTV channel No. 714 with NFL Sunday Ticket.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Chargers:
Regular season, all-time: 10-1-0
All-time, at Chargers: 6-0
Streaks: The Packers have won each of the last seven regular-season meetings.
Last meeting, regular season: Oct. 18, 2015, at Lambeau Field; Packers won, 27-20
COACHES CAPSULES
Matt LaFleur: 7-1, .875; 1st NFL season
Anthony Lynn: 25-18, .581 (incl. 1-1 postseason); third NFL season
Head to Head: First matchup
vs. Opponent: First matchup
MATT LAFLEUR…In his first season as the Packers’ 15th head coach.
In his 11th season in the NFL, having served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Redskins, 2010-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
Guided the Titans’ offense in 2018 to a No. 7 league ranking in rushing (126.4 ypg) as Tennessee registered 11 games with 100-plus rushing yards, tied for No. 2 in the NFL.
Helped the Rams lead the league in scoring with an average of 29.9 points per game in 2017, more than doubling their average from 2016 (14.0 ppg).
Tutored QB Matt Ryan, who led the league in passer rating (117.1) in 2016 on his way to being named NFL Most Valuable Player by The Associated Press.
Coached rookie QB Robert Griffin III with the Redskins in 2012, who became the first QB in team history to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
ANTHONY LYNN…In his third season as the Chargers’ 16th head coach.
Led the Chargers to their first playoff appearance since moving to Los Angeles by recording a 12-4 record in 2018. With seven selections, the Chargers led the league in sending players to the Pro Bowl.
As offensive coordinator and later interim head coach for Buffalo in 2016, the Bills led the league in rushing yards (2,630), rushing touchdowns (29) and rushing yards per attempt (5.3).
Spent the 2014 season as both running backs and assistant head coach with the N.Y. Jets; where the team recorded 100-plus rushing yards in 13 games, including three games with over 200 yards on the ground.
Served as running backs coach for six seasons with Jacksonville (2003-04), Dallas (05-06) and Cleveland (07-08) before his six seasons with the Jets (09-14).
Signed as an undrafted free agent with the N.Y. Giants in 1992 and later played for Denver (1994, 97-99) and San Francisco (1996-97). He won back-to-back Super Bowls with Denver in 1997 and 1998.
THE PACKERS-CHARGERS SERIES
The two teams have met 11 times in the regular season in a series that dates back to 1970, the year of the AFL-NFL merger.
The Packers have won seven straight and 10 of the 11 meetings, including a 6-0 mark while the team was located in San Diego. Sunday’s matchup will mark the first time Green Bay has played the Chargers in Los Angeles.
The Chargers were the hosts for the Packers’ first-ever appearance on Monday Night Football, on Oct. 12, 1970. The Packers won, 22-20, on a 14-yard Dale Livingston field goal with 3:39 remaining.
Their second meeting, at Lambeau Field in 1974, was won by the Packers, 34-0, and became Dan Devine’s final victory in his four-year tenure as Green Bay head coach.
One of the more bizarre contests in Packers history was played in San Diego on Sept. 14, 1978. With a temperature of 102 degrees at kickoff (tied for the highest in Packers history), the teams combined for 18 sacks, including 10 by the Chargers. The Packers also created 11 turnovers - five interceptions (four by Willie Buchanon to tie a league record) and six fumble recoveries - in a 24-3 Green Bay victory.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers CB Tony Brown was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2018…Packers WR Jake Kumerow is the cousin of Chargers DE Joey Bosa…Green Bay players with connections to California include: WR Davante Adams (Palo Alto, Fresno State), T David Bakhtiari (San Mateo), DL Kenny Clark (Rialto, UCLA), CB Kevin King (Oakland), TE Marcedes Lewis (Long Beach, UCLA), LB Blake Martinez (Stanford), QB Aaron Rodgers (Chico, University of California), and RB Jamaal Williams (Fontana)…California natives on the Packers’ coaching staff include: offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett (Fullerton), defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery (Los Angeles) and defensive backs coach Jason Simmons (Inglewood)…Packers wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted was an offensive quality control coach at UCLA…Chargers players with connections to Wisconsin include: RB Melvin Gordon III (Kenosha, Wis., University of Wisconsin), C/G Ryan Groy (Middleton, Wis., University of Wisconsin) TE Lance Kendricks (Milwaukee, Wis., University of Wisconsin) and FB Derek Watt (Pewaukee, Wis., University of Wisconsin)…Kendricks played two seasons for Green Bay (2017-18)…Chargers CB Casey Heyward Jr. was selected by Green Bay in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft and played four seasons for the Packers...Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn worked with Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine (2009-12) and outside linebackers coach Mike Smith (2010-12) while with the N.Y. Jets. Additionally, Lynn worked with Packers offensive assistant Jason Vrable in 2015 with Buffalo…Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor played for the Bills when Vrabel was on the staff...Pettine and Smith were on the N.Y. Jets staff when Chargers director of player personnel JoJo Wooden was the assistant director of player personnel and director of college scouting Kevin Kelly was a personnel scout…Hackett served as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator under Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley when he was the head coach in Jacksonville. Additionally, Lewis played for the Jaguars when Bradley was the head coach…Lewis was teammates with Chargers assistant defensive backs coach Chris Harris in Jacksonville (2012)…Chargers running backs coach Alfredo Roberts was Lewis’ position coach during his rookie season in Jacksonville (2006)…Chargers offensive assistant Dan Shamash was on the Jacksonville staff during both Hackett’s and Lewis’ tenures…Chargers senior director of pro personnel Louis Clark worked in the Jacksonville scouting department when Lewis was drafted in 2006…Packers assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus worked on the Seattle staff with Bradley in 2010 and 2011. Additionally, Butkus was on the Chargers’ practice squad in 2002...Chargers assistant special teams coach Keith Burns worked on Washington’s staff with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur in 2013…Chargers senior coaching assistant Chris Caminiti, tight ends coach Rip Scherer and assistant strength coach Tyler Judkins were on the UCLA football staff when Clark was on the Bruins team…Packers national scout Sam Seale played four seasons for the Chargers (1988-91)...Packers LB B.J. Goodson was teammates with Chargers quality control-offense Seth Ryan at Clemson…LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach in Atlanta when Chargers linebackers coach Richard Smith was defensive coordinator (2015-16)…Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga was the special teams assistant in Cleveland when Chargers quarterbacks coach Shane Steichen was the offensive quality control coach (2013)…Packers TE Jimmy Graham played with Chargers DT Brandon Mebane (2015) and RB Troymaine Pope (2016) in Seattle…Packers G/T Billy Turner played with Chargers TE Virgil Green (2016-17), G/T Michael Schofield (2017) and Sylvester Williams (2016-17) in Denver…Former college teammates include: Packers CB Tony Brown, P JK Scott and Chargers LS Cole Mazza (Alabama); Packers RB Jamaal Williams and Chargers CB Michael Davis (BYU); Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and Mebane (California); Goodson and WR Mike Williams (Clemson); Packers QB Tim Boyle and Chargers WR Geremy Davis (Connecticut); Packers WR Geronimo Allison and Chargers PK Chase McLaughlin (Illinois); Packers CB Josh Jackson, Chargers G Dan Feeney and DB Desmond King II (Iowa); Packers DL Tyler Lancaster, DL Dean Lowry , FB Danny Vitale and Chargers RB Justin Jackson (Northwestern); Packers WR Darrius Shepherd and Chargers QB Ethan Stick (North Dakota State); Packers RB Dexter Williams, Chargers DE Issac Rochell, DT Jerry Tillery and LB Drue Tranquill (Notre Dame); Packers C Corey Linsley and Chargers DE Joey Bosa (Ohio State); Clark and Chargers C/G Scott Quessenberry (UCLA); Packers G/T Adam Pankey and Chargers DB Kyzir White (West Virginia).
