Week 17 vs. Detroit Game Release.indd - NFL.com

LIONS AT PACKERS - WEEK 17
PICKING PACK
For the sixth straight season, Green Bay finds itself in familiar territory
when it comes to interceptions.
Through Week 16, the Packers check in among the league leaders in all
three interception categories:
Team
Interceptions
1. Green Bay 29
2t. San Francisco, Seattle 21
4t. Buffalo, Detroit 20
Team
Interception TDs
1t. Buffalo, Detroit 5
3t. Green Bay, Seattle 4
Team
INT Return Yards
1. Green Bay 462
2. Seattle 429
3. Detroit 428
The Packers have finished in the top six in the league in INTs every
season under Head Coach Mike McCarthy. Last season, Green Bay
checked in at No. 2 with 24 interceptions, and in 2009, the Packers led
the league with 30 interceptions.
The Packers' 29 interceptions this season are the third most in a season
by a Green Bay team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger:
Season
Interceptions
1t. 1981 30
1t. 2009 30
3. 2011 29
Green Bay is the only team in the league to have six players with
three or more interceptions this season. The last time the Packers had
six or more players each post three-plus INTs was 1981 (seven players).
The Packers’ two INTs for touchdowns in Week 9 at San Diego gave
them three for the season, their franchise-record fourth straight season
recording at least three interception returns for TDs.
The last NFL team to register four straight seasons with at least three INT
returns for TDs was the Los Angeles Rams from 1983-86.
A look at where Green Bay ranks in several categories since 2008:
Team
Interceptions
1. Green Bay 105
2. Baltimore 82
3. Philadelphia 77
Team
Interception TDs
1. Green Bay 16
2. Buffalo 12
3. Baltimore 11
Team
INT Return Yardage
1. Green Bay 1,942
2. Baltimore 1,287
3. Tampa Bay 1,165
KEEPING THEM OUT
Since 2010, the Packers have been one of the best defenses in the league
when it comes to keeping their opponents out of the end zone.
The Packers ranked No. 2 in the league in scoring defense last season,
allowing the opposition an average of just 15.0 points per game, as
they trailed only Pittsburgh (14.5) in the category. This season, Green
Bay is tied for No. 12 in the NFL in scoring defense (21.2).
Since 2010, Green Bay ranks No. 4 in the league in scoring defense
at 18.0 points per game:
Team
Points Allowed Per Game
1. Pittsburgh 14.5
2. Baltimore 16.8
3. San Francisco 17.7
4. Green Bay 18.0
5t. Atlanta, Chicago 19.8
Including last year’s playoffs, the Packers have allowed 17 or fewer
points in 17 of their last 35 games (15-2 record in those contests).
Green Bay allowed just 24 TDs last season, the fewest by the Packers
since 19 in 1996, and that total was No. 2 in the NFL behind only the
Steelers (22).
STIFLING SIGNAL-CALLERS
Over the past two seasons, no defense has been better than the Packers
when it comes to opponent passer rating.
Since 2010, opposing quarterbacks have completed 650-of-1,105 passes
for 7,401 yards and 40 touchdowns with 53 interceptions against the
Packers. The 73.0 passer rating registered by opposing signal-callers
ranks No. 1 in the NFL over that span:
Team
Oppponent Passer Rating
1. Green Bay 73.0
2. Baltimore 73.1
3. Pittsburgh 73.6
4. N.Y. Jets 73.8
5. Chicago 78.4
This season, oppposing quarterbacks have recorded a passer rating of
78.3 against the Packers, which ranks No. 8 in the league.
With the opponent passer rating of 78.3 and Green Bay’s offensive
passer rating of 120.9, the Packers rank No. 1 in the league in
passer-rating differential this season:
Team
Passer-Rating Differential
1. Green Bay 42.6 (120.9-78.3)
2. Houston 25.7 (91.9-66.2)
3. New Orleans 21.3 (108.2-86.9)
4. Detroit 19.2 (96.6-77.4)
5. New England 16.9 (105.1-88.2)
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