SITE: Lambeau Field
KICKOFF: 8:00 p.m. (EDT)/7:00 p.m. (CDT)
CAPACITY: 72,928
SURFACE: Grass
Closing the road portion of the 2010 preseason schedule, the Indianapolis Colts, 0-2, visit historic Lambeau Field to meet the Green Bay Packers, 1-1, on Thursday, August 26. Kickoff for the contest, telecast by ESPN, in the venerable venue is 8:00 p.m. (EDT)/7:00 p.m. (CDT).
The Colts reach the third week of preseason action by coming off a 34-21 loss last Thursday against Buffalo in a game played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada. Indianapolis opened preseason play on August 15 with a 37-17 home loss to San Francisco. Green Bay dropped a 27-24 decision to Cleveland on August 14, then won 27-24 at Seattle last Saturday. The Colts own a 5-2 preseason series edge on Green Bay, with the last preseason encounter occurring in 1996. These teams last met on October 19, 2008, with Green Bay winning at home, 34-14.
The Colts are owners of the NFL's best regular-season record (128-48) since the start of the 1999 season, while being the only team to earn 10 playoff appearances in the last eleven seasons, including a league-best eight consecutive post-season berths. Indianapolis has won 73 of its last 89 regular-season games. The Colts own a 98-29 record (counting the playoffs) since the start of the 2003 season and are 84-24 since 2004. From November, 2003 to December, 2009, the Colts produced a regular-season record of 81-19, tying New England (2003-09) for the NFL's best 100-game regular-season mark. Indianapolis' winning ways include a 38-10 record in AFC South play, while the club has owned or shared the lead in 112 of 136 weeks of the division's existence. The Colts won five AFC South championships from 2003-07, the best divisional-title streak in club history. The Colts were wire-to-wire divisional leaders during the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 seasons. The club's nine playoff berths in the 2000-09 decade tied the NFL record set by Dallas (9) in the 1970s. Indianapolis is the only team since 2002 Realignment to earn annual double-digit victory totals and playoff berths. From 2008-09, the Colts set an NFL record with 23 consecutive regular-season victories (21, New England, 2006-08). The streak was the sixth 10 -game regular-season winning streak in franchise history (23, 2008-09; 13, 2005; 11, 1964; 11, 1975-76; 11, 1999; 10, 2005-06), the fourth since 1999. Caldwell became the only NFL rookie head coach to win his first 14 games in a season, surpassing Potsy Clark (8, Portsmouth, 1931), and he surpassed Wally Lemm (10, 1961 Houston Oilers-1962 St. Louis Cardinals) for the most consecutive wins to start a career. Caldwell also became the 2nd rookie head coach since the 1978 NFL move to a 16-game season to win 14 games (George Seifert, SF, 1989). Indianapolis extended its NFL record as the only franchise to win seven or more consecutive regular-season games in six consecutive seasons (8, 2004; 13, 2005; 9, 2006; 7 and 6, 2007; 9, 2008; 14, 2009). Additionally, the Colts posted their eighth consecutive 10 -victory season, setting the 2nd-longest such streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98; 7, Dallas, 1975-81). Indianapolis earned its seventh consecutive season with 11 victories, surpassing the NFL record it had shared with Dallas (6, 1976-81). The Colts extended their league mark to seven consecutive seasons (2003-09) with 12 victories. The Colts produced 115 victories for the 2000-09 decade, surpassing the league record of 113 by San Francisco from 1990-99.
PERSONNEL REPORT: Players last week who did not participate against Buffalo were TE-Dallas Clark, C-Jeff Saturday, OTs-Andrew Tyshovnytsky and Charlie Johnson, Gs-Kyle DeVan and Jaimie Thomas, WR-Pierre Garcon, RB-Mike Hart, DBs-Ashton Hall, Jerraud Powers and Kevin Thomas, LB-Clint Session and DE-Keyunta Dawson.
TELEVISION/RADIO: ESPN telecasts with Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, Ron Jaworski, Suzy Kolber (field reporter) and Michele Tafoya (field reporter). 1070-The Fan/HANK-FM, 97.1 broadcasts with Bob Lamey, Will Wolford and Kevin Lee (field reporter).
NEXT WEEK: Indianapolis hosts Cincinnati on Thursday, September 2. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. (EDT).
WWW.COLTS.COM: Please check the official website of the Indianapolis Colts for the latest in team information and merchandise.
HEAD COACHES
JIM CALDWELL was named head coach of the Colts on January 13, 2009, and this marks his ninth season with Indianapolis. Caldwell joined the club in 2002 as quarterbacks coach before adding the title of assistant head coach prior to the 2005 season. Caldwell was promoted to associate head coach with the club prior to the 2008 season. From 2002-09, Caldwell has been a part of Colts teams that produced 10-6, 12-4, 12-4, 14-2, 12-4, 13-3, 12-4 and 14-2 records. Indianapolis is the only team to earn 12 victories in seven consecutive seasons, setting the NFL's all-time standard. Indianapolis has had eight consecutive 10 -victory seasons, setting the second-longest streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98; 7, Dallas, 1975-81), and the Colts have surpassed Dallas (1976-81) as the only franchise to earn at least eleven victories in seven consecutive seasons. The Colts also have earned an NFL-best eight consecutive playoff appearances, and Indianapolis is the only team to post double-digit victory seasons and playoff berths each season since the 2002 realignment. From 2008-09, Indianapolis set the NFL record with 23 consecutive regular-season victories (21 New England, 2006-08). Indianapolis also won 115 regular-season games from 2000-09, the most by a team in a decade in NFL history. From 2004-09, Indianapolis became the only NFL team to win at least seven consecutive games in six consecutive seasons (8, 2004; 13, 2005; 9, 2006; 7 and 6, 2007; 9, 2008; 14, 2009). In 2009, Caldwell became the 5th NFL rookie head coach to reach the Super Bowl. Caldwell joined Chuck Knox (L.A. Rams, 1973), Red Miller (Denver, 1977), Mike Martz (St. Louis, 2000) and Josh McDaniels (Denver, 2009) as the only rookie head coaches in the Super Bowl era to start 6-0. He became the fourth coach ever to start 6-0 when succeeding a head coach who won 100 games (Blanton Collier, Cleveland, 1963, succeeded Paul Brown, 111 wins; Jack Pardee, Washington, 1978, succeeded George Allen, 116 wins; Josh McDaniels, Denver, 2009, succeeded Mike Shanahan, 146 wins; Caldwell, Colts, 2009, succeeded Tony Dungy, 139 wins). Caldwell joined the Colts after serving as quarterbacks coach with Tampa Bay in 2001. Caldwell has more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. He spent 1993-2000 as head coach at Wake Forest. He served as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois (1978-80), Northwestern (1981), Colorado (1982-84), Louisville (1985) and Penn State (1986-92). Caldwell has coached in six bowl games and won a national championship with Penn State in 1986. In addition to serving on Joe Paterno's title staff, Caldwell tutored under three other coaches who won collegiate crowns (Rey Dempsey, Southern Illinois; Bill McCartney, Colorado; Howard Schnellenberger, Louisville). Caldwell was a four-year starter at defensive back at Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant for Iowa in 1977. He holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa. Caldwell was born on January 16, 1955 in Beloit, Wis.
MIKE McCARTHY became the 14th head coach in Green Bay history on January 12, 2006. McCarthy has led the Packers to 8-8, 13-3, 6-10 and 11-5 records, and his 2007 unit advanced to the NFC Championship Game. McCarthy spent 1999 with Green Bay as quarterbacks coach before spending 2000-04 with New Orleans and 2005 with San Francisco as offensive coordinator. Prior to Green Bay, he was with Kansas City 1993-98. McCarthy served collegiately at Fort Hays State and Pittsburgh. He was a two-year TE at Baker University. McCarthy is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa.
COLTS/PACKERS SERIES NOTES
The Colts-Packers preseason series dates back to 1980, and stands 5-2 in favor of the Colts. The last preseason meeting was on August 24, 1996, with the Colts taking a 30-6 home victory. Indianapolis last appeared during the preseason in Green Bay on August 19, 1995, taking a 20-17 overtime victory. The last Green Bay preseason victory over the Colts was a 41-10 home verdict on August 27, 1993. The league series is tied, 20-20-1, while Green Bay owns the only post-season decision in series history, a 13-10 overtime win on December 26, 1965 in the Western Division Playoff. These teams met twice seasonally from 1953-66, but have met only 10 times since the 1970 NFL Merger and seven times since the Colts' 1984 move to Indianapolis. In the last series meeting on October 19, 2008, Indianapolis scored touchdowns on its first and final possessions in falling at Green Bay, 34-14. Victims of 12 penalties and two interceptions returned for scores, the Colts surrendered 31 points between their touchdowns. QB-Peyton Manning was 21-42-229, but had interceptions returned 62 and 99 yards for scores in the second half. Green Bay amassed 33:46 time of possession and scored on three of eight offensive possessions. The Colts were out-rushed, 116-73, and forced no turnovers or sacks. QB-Aaron Rodgers was 21-28-186, 1 TD for Green Bay. RB-Dominic Rhodes was 20-73, 2 TDs rushing (3t; 1t). In the last meeting in Indianapolis on September 26, 2004, passing on the first 22 plays from scrimmage and totaling 35 first-half points, the Colts produced a 45-31 home victory over Green Bay. Manning (28-40-393, 5 TDs) had then the third 5 -TD game of his career, while WRs-Reggie Wayne (11-184, 1 TD), Brandon Stokely (8-110, 2 TDs) and Marvin Harrison (5-65, 1 TD) had big days. QB-Brett Favre was 30-44-360, 4 TDs, while WR-Javon Walker was 11-200, 3 TDs. The Colts led at intermission, 35-17. In Lambeau Field on November 19, 2000, Green Bay scored the game's first 19 points, then held off a Colts rally in posting a 26-24 win. The Packers scored a safety and a field goal before Favre (23-36-301, 2 TDs/1 int.) ended consecutive 87-yard drives with scoring passes (1t to TE-Tyrone Davis; 17t to WR-Antonio Freeman). The Packers reached the Colts' one-yard line without scoring as time expired in the first half. Manning (25-44-294, 3 TDs/1 int.) tossed three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter as the Colts cut the deficit to 19-17 and 26-24. KR-Allen Rossum's 92t kickoff return prior to the final Colts' score provided the deciding points. Green Bay milked the final 2:39 off the clock in earning the win. RB-Edgerrin James was 17-71 rushing/7-66 receiving. The teams met in Indianapolis on November 16, 1997 as the 0-10 Colts topped the 8-2 defending Super Bowl champion Packers in the RCA Dome, 41-38. QB-Paul Justin (24-30-340, 1 TD) directed the Colts, while Favre was 18-35-363, 2 TDs/1 int. K-Cary Blanchard's 20-yard field goal at the gun provided the win after Justin took a knee on the Packers' one on the three plays prior to the kick. It marked Green Bay's final loss until the Super Bowl. The Colts hold a 3-7 overall mark in Lambeau Field.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2009 RANKINGS (denotes ranking is tied)
RANKINGS OFFENSE RANKING DEFENSE RANKING
Total Rush Pass CONF. NFL Total Rush Pass CONF. NFL
Colts 363.1 80.9 282.2 4-16- 2 9-32- 2 339.2 126.5 212.7 9-11- 9 18-24-14
Packers 379.1 117.8 261.3 4- 5- 3 6-14- 7 284.4 83.3 201.1 1- 1- 2 2- 1- 5
BEST NFL RECORDS DURING 1999-2009 REGULAR SEASONS
COLTS ARE NFL'S WINNINGEST TEAM FROM 1999-2009: The Colts stand as the NFL's winningest team since the start of the 1999 season. The Colts own a 128-48 record during that span.
