The Green Bay Packers stay on the road for their second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field
The last time the Packers played a preseason game on a Sunday was on Aug. 13, 2000, at the Denver Broncos.
Due to Major League Baseball moving the San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates from a day game to a night game, the kickoff time for the Packers and Steelers was changed from 6 p.m. CDT to noon CDT.
It will be the first time since 1995 that the Packers have played a preseason game that kicked off at noon CDT. During the 1995 preseason, Green Bay played three of four games at noon CDT, including a game at Pittsburgh on Sunday, Aug. 13.
Dating back to 1990, it will be the 16th time Green Bay has played a preseason game that kicked off prior to 5 p.m. CDT and just the fifth time since 2000.
Of the prior 15 preseason games the Packers have played that kicked off before 5 p.m. CDT since 1990, only five have taken place outside the state of Wisconsin.
It will be the 25th preseason meeting between Green Bay and Pittsburgh but just the sixth since 1970. The Packers lead the preseason series 14-9-1, and have won each of the last three matchups.
The 14 wins are the most Green Bay has against any AFC team during the preseason.
Both teams are led by head coaches that have won a Super Bowl and rank in the top five among active coaches (min. 50 games) in regular-season winning percentage.
Overall, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin have faced each other as head coaches five times, with McCarthy coming out victorious in a preseason contest and Super Bowl XLV and Tomlin winning both regular-season contests. All five games were decided by a touchdown or less (four points, one point, six points, seven points).
The Packers’ next preseason contest comes on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. CDT, when they host the Philadelphia Eagles at Lambeau Field. It will be the preseason home opener and the 66th annual Upper Midwest Shrine Game, in which the Packers donate a percentage of the gate to the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children.
WITH THE CALL
Flagshipped by Milwaukee’s WTMJ-TV and in conjunction with WGBA-TV in Green Bay, the game will be televised over the 16-station Packers TV Network throughout the state of Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, northeastern Minnesota, the Quad Cities, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo in Iowa, Omaha in Nebraska, Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau in Alaska and Honolulu in Hawaii.
The top-notch broadcast team includes CBS’s Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) alongside fellow CBS broadcaster Rich Gannon (analyst), with Rod Burks of WTMJ-TV and Olivia Harlan serving as the sideline reporters. An informative half-hour pregame show will air prior to the game, hosted by Lance Allan of WTMJ-TV, and featuring former Packers tackle Mark Tauscher.
In addition to WTMJ-TV (Milwaukee) and WGBA-TV (Green Bay), preseason games will be televised over WKOW/ABC, Madison, Wis.; WAOW/ABC, Wausau/Rhinelander, Wis.; WXOW/ABC, La Crosse, Wis.; WQOW/ABC, Eau Claire, Wis.; WLUC/NBC, Escanaba/Marquette, Mich.; KQDS-TV/FOX, Duluth/Superior, Minn.; KGCW-TV/CW, Davenport, Iowa (Quad Cities); KWWL-TV/NBC, Cedar Rapids/Waterloo, Iowa; KCWI-TV/CW, Des Moines, Iowa; KMTV-TV/CBS, Omaha, Neb.; KYUR/ABC, Anchorage, Alaska; KATN/ABC, Fairbanks, Alaska; KJUD/ABC, Juneau, Alaska; and KFVE-TV in Honolulu, Hawaii.
In its fourth season, in conjunction with the Packers TV Network, Telemundo Wisconsin (WYTU-TV in Milwaukee, WACY-TV/My32 in Green Bay/Appleton and on Charter Cable elsewhere in Wisconsin) will broadcast four preseason games with Kevin Holden (play-by-play) and Epigmenio (Epi) Guerrero (analyst) calling the action.
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 five states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) call the action. McCarren first joined the team’s broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 21st season calling Packers’ games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 17th season of broadcasts together.
PACKERS WIN PRESEASON OPENER
Green Bay opened its preseason slate last Thursday night at New England. The Packers came out victorious (22-11) against the defending Super Bowl champions at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
It was Green Bay’s first victory in the preseason opener since beating the Cleveland Browns at Lambeau Field in 2009.
The Packers scored at least a field goal in all four quarters while only giving up points to the Patriots in the second quarter.
All four of Green Bay’s quarterbacks played, combining to complete 27 of 43 passes (62.8 percent) for 295 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 98.5.
QB Aaron Rodgers recorded a team-high 117 passing yards and QB Scott Tolzien and QB Brett Hundley both completed a touchdown pass and finished with a passer rating above 100.0.
The Packers’ starting offense, led by Rodgers, played a total of three drives in the first quarter, controlling the ball for 12:19 by having two drives of 14 and 15 plays that traveled more than 70 yards each.
Green Bay’s backup offensive units produced three touchdowns in the final three quarters.
The Packers recorded 406 total net yards on 80 plays (5.1 avg.) while limiting New England to 211 total net yards on 59 plays (3.6 avg.).
Green Bay completed passes to 16 different players, with nine recording multiple receptions.
The Packers totaled 133 rushing yards on 34 attempts (3.9 avg.) and were led by rookie RB Alonzo Harris , who registered 41 yards on seven carries (5.9 avg.), including a 25-yard touchdown.
RB Eddie Lacy led Green Bay's running backs in yards per carry, averaging 7.2 yards on five attempts (36 yards).
Seven different Packers defenders combined for seven sacks and a loss of 52 yards.
DE Datone Jones led the way with two sacks while LBs Jake Ryan , Adrian Hubbard , Carl Bradford and Jermauria Rasco each had one and LBs Jayrone Elliott and Andy Mulumba combined for one.
Elliott led Green Bay’s defense with seven tackles (three solo) while Ryan finished with a team-high two tackles for loss and was second on the team with six tackles (three solo).
Rookie CB Quinten Rollins recorded two passes defensed to lead Green Bay.
The Patriots’ only touchdown came on a 55-yard run by RB Jonas Gray. Outside of the TD run, the Packers defense held New England to 39 yards on 17 carries (2.3 avg.).
K Mason Crosby connected on a 25-yard field goal and made his only extra-point attempt of the game.
P Tim Masthay landed two of three punts inside the 20-yard line.
The Packers had 13 players not play in the game due to injury: WR Adrian Coxson, WR Javess Blue , CB Damarious Randall , CB Tay Glover-Wright , S Sean Richardson , CB Demetri Goodson , T Vince Kowalski , LB Clay Matthews , LB Nick Perry , DT Mike Daniels , WR Jared Abbrederis , LB Mike Neal and DTLetroy Guion .
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Steelers:Regular season, all-time: 18-15
Preseason, all-time: 14-9-1
Preseason, all-time, in Pittsburgh: 3-2, All-time, postseason:1-0
Streaks: The Packers won the past three preseason meetings.
Last meeting, regular season Dec. 22, 2013; Steelers won, 38-31, Lambeau Field
Last meeting, preseason: Aug. 11, 2007; Packers won, 13-9, Heinz Field
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 101-55-1, .643 (incl. 7-6 postseason); 10th NFL season
Mike Tomlin: 87-50, .635; (incl. 5-4 postseason); 8th NFL season
*Head to Head: 2-2
*vs. Opponent: McCarthy 2-2 vs. Steelers; Tomlin 2-2 vs. Packers
(*includes pre, regular and postseason games)
MIKE McCARTHY…Is in his 10th 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.
Led the Packers to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance last season, joining New England as the only two NFL teams to do so over that span. Has also led the team to seven playoff appearances in the last eight years (2007, 2009-14).
Has guided the Packers to top-10 finishes in scoring each of the past eight seasons (2007-14), joining the Patriots as the only other team to accomplish the feat; Packers finished first overall in scoring in 2014.
His .656 winning percentage during the regular season (94-49-1) ranks No. 3 among active NFL coaches (min. 50 games).
Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
MIKE TOMLIN…Is in his ninth year as the Steelers’ 16th head coach.
Has led Pittsburgh to two Super Bowl appearances. Became the youngest head coach (36 years, 323 days) in NFL history to win a Super Bowl when the Steelers defeated the Cardinals, 27-23, in Super Bowl XLIII.
By winning the Super Bowl in only his second season as a head coach, he also became the fastest to win a Super Bowl title in Steelers history.
Is the only coach in Steelers history to win division titles in each of his first two seasons.
His .641 winning percentage during the regular season ranks No. 5 among active coaches (min. 50 games).
Was the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator in 2006 after spending the previous five seasons (2001-05) as defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
THE PACKERS-STEELERS SERIES
This will be the 25th preseason contest between the two clubs.
The two teams first met in the preseason in 1945 (Hershey, Pa). The first time the Packers visited Pittsburgh was in 1947. This will be Green Bay’s sixth preseason trip to Pittsburgh and first since 2007.
Green Bay owns a 14-9-1 preseason record vs. Pittsburgh, having won its last meeting, 13-9, at Pittsburgh (2007).
The Packers have won the past three preseason meetings as well as the last three preseason contests at Pittsburgh.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy grew up in Greenfield, a neighborhood just outside of downtown Pittsburgh. He also coached at the University of Pittsburgh for four seasons (1989-92)...Packers FB John Kuhn entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Steelers in 2005 and played in nine games for Pittsburgh in 2006; he is also a York, Pa., native and played his college ball at Shippensburg University (Pa.)…Packers EVP/GM/Dir. of Football Operations Ted Thompson played with Pittsburgh’s OL coach Mike Munchak with the Houston Oilers while Green Bay’s equipment manager Red Batty was on staff in 1982...Packers DC Dom Capers held the same job with the Steelers from 1992-94...Packers special teams coordinator Ron Zook (1996-98) held the same position in Pittsburgh and secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry coached DBs for four seasons (2003-06) and played seven seasons (1992-98) with the Steelers, starting in Super Bowl XXX. Perry was coaching while Pittsburgh’s OLB coach Joey Porter was a player for the Steelers (1999-06) and both were a part of the 2006 Super Bowl XL Championship team. Perry was a teammate of Steelers DBs coach Carnell Lake in Pittsburgh and Capers coached Lake in both Pittsburgh and Jacksonville when he was the DC with those clubs. Lake served as a coaching intern with the Packers in 2010...Packers assoc. HC/offense Tom Clements was born in McKees Rocks, Pa., and served as the QBs coach under Bill Cowher from 2001-03...Packers QBs/WRs coach Alex Van Pelt is a Pittsburgh native and played QB at the University of Pittsburgh from 1989-92. He was drafted by the Steelers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. Van Pelt and Clements coached alongside Pittsburgh’s RBs coach James Saxon and special teams coordinator Danny Smith in Buffalo in 2005...Packers asst. special teams coach Jason Simmons (1998-2001) played for the Steelers...Capers coached Porter while he was the DC in Miami in 2007...Packers college scout John Wojciechowski served as a player personnel assistant from 1996-97 with Pittsburgh; he was also born and resides in Pittsburgh...Packers assistant OL coach Mike Solari was the OC/OL coach for the University of Pittsburgh in 1986...Pittsburgh’s WRs coach Richard Mann served as WRs/TEs coach from 1986-99 while Packers Clay Matthews’ father, Clay Jr., played LB for the Browns. Mann was also the WRs coach from 1999-00 while Packers RBs coach Sam Gash played FB for the Baltimore Ravens. Mann handled the WR duties in Kansas City while Solari coached the OL in 2001...Packers dir. of player engagement Rob Davis also played at Shippensburg University (Pa.)…Packers S Chris Banjo participated on a tryout basis at rookie minicamp in 2012 with the Steelers...Packers T/G Don Barclay attended Seneca Valley High in Harmony, Pa., and played at West Virginia...Packers offensive quality control coach Luke Getsy was born in Munhall, Pa. and went to Steel Valley High School...Packers asst. LBs coach Scott McCurley was a four-year letterman (1999-02) at LB at the University of Pittsburgh, and was born in New Castle, Pa. ...Green Bay’s G Matt Rotheram played at the University of Pittsburgh (2011-14)...Former college teammates include Barclay and Steelers LB Terence Garvin and FB Will Johnson (West Virginia), Packers DT Letroy Guion and Steelers LB Lawrence Timmons (Florida State), Packers CCorey Linsley and Steelers LB Ryan Shazier, DE Cameron Heyward, CB Doran Grant, and OT Mike Adams (Ohio State), Packers LB Julius Peppers and Steelers LS Greg Warren (North Carolina), Packers FB Aaron Ripkowski and Steelers QB Landry Jones (Oklahoma) and Packers S Chris Banjo and Steelers G Kelvin Beachum (SMU).
LAST MEETING, PRESEASON
Aug. 11, 2007, at Heinz Field; Packers won, 13-9.
QB Aaron Rodgers threw for 168 yards and one touchdown on 18-of-27 passing (95.9 passer rating).
WR James Jones led the Packers in receiving with a team-high six catches and 58 yards.
QB Brian St. Pierre saw the most action as he completed 10 of 23 pass attempts for 99 yards. QB Charlie Batch completed 3 of 5 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown.
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