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There's nothing like being home for the holidays.
Just ask the Green Bay Packers.
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Since 1992, no NFL team has been more dominant at this time of year while entertaining guests from other cities.
On Sunday, with the Denver Broncos paying a visit, the Packers will try to raise
their overall record to 23-2 in December since 1992.
That statistic includes only one loss at venerable Lambeau Field, since the
streak takes into account games played at Milwaukee's County Stadium during
the 1992-94 season.
Otherwise, it has been perfection.
"It's part of the organization's mystique," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan
said.
And throughout those 12 Decembers, there has been one constant besides all the
winning in Green Bay: quarterback Brett Favre.
Steve Beuerlein, a 17-year NFL veteran, says there's some cause and effect in
that regard. After all, Favre didn't earn three Most Valuable Player awards
for doing nothing.
But in deciphering the Packers' late-season dominance, the Denver quarterback
also credits the Packers' Cheeseheads, who bundle up each winter and scream
through the holes in their ski masks - between bites of bratwurst - to rally
their team.
"Their fans are there through thick and thin, and they're proud of their
history. They're proud of the Pack," Beuerlein said. "They know how
to be cold-weather fans, and the team obviously has a lot of experience playing
in that kind of situation and they have a lot of confidence at home.
"It's just a tough, tough place to play."
But, as Beuerlein helped prove, it's not an impossible task, either.
He was at the helm for the Carolina Panthers during a 33-31 win at Lambeau in
1999 that still represents Green Bay's only blemish in the loss column there
during December. His sneak from 5 yards accounted for the winning touchdown
as time expired, helping keep Carolina's playoff hopes alive.
The stakes will be equally as high Sunday, but mostly for the home team. The
Packers (9-6) still have designs on an NFC North title and could be eliminated
from the postseason altogether with a loss to Denver (10-5). The Broncos already
have a postseason spot clinched and can do no better than move up to the No.
5 seed from their current position at No. 6. To do so, it'll take a Broncos
win and a loss by Tennessee or Indianapolis.
But there doesn't appear to be much benefit to moving up. In all likelihood,
they still will have to travel for three playoff games, so they figure to liberally
play their backups.
Favre missed a lot of film work this week while attending his father's funeral
in Mississippi, though he might not recognize some of the combinations he'll
see, even if he had seen the film.
Denver players such as cornerbacks Ryan McNeil and Willie Middlebrooks, safety
Chris Young and defensive end Dor- sett Davis could play more than they have
all season on defense. The same holds true with wide receiver Charlie Adams
and Adrian Madise, guard Steve Herndon and tight end Patrick Hape on offense,
with the primary objective staying healthy.
Another sign reinforcing that thought process came Friday, when the Broncos
activated practice-squad players Nate Jackson and Cecil Sapp. It's unlikely
either would have been brought up merely to be deactivated.
A smaller consideration for Denver heading into Week 17 is retaining its late-season
focus after four consecutive victories. The Broncos are coming off arguably
their best performance this season in a 31-17 victory at Indianapolis and don't
want to take a step back.
"The whole team is peaking," Denver defensive end Trevor Pryce said.
"We've gotten better in the last two weeks. I know that. And I don't know
why or what it is, but it seems like we're playing with a lot of confidence
right now. And that's what we wanted."
The forecast for Sunday is everything the Broncos could have hoped for, as well.
There should be no frozen tundra to navigate or snowflakes to dodge. The terrain
could be muddy, though. The forecast calls for a temperature of about 40 degrees
and a 60 percent chance of rain.
"I thought it was going to be 20 below when I saw the schedule in the off-season,"
Shanahan said.
Beuerlein, on injured reserve because of a broken finger, believes it's still
going to be a tough situation for the Broncos, regardless of field or weather
conditions. All it takes is one look at the standings, and the calendar, to
figure that one out.
"They have to win," he said of the Packers. "That's definitely
an advantage they'll have. Us knowing we're already in the playoffs, you can
build the story line that maybe there's some complacency. But I would expect
none. Whoever's out there is going to be out there expected to win. And I think
Mike Shanahan and the coaching staff would be disappointed if everybody wasn't
ready to play."