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leading receiver Javon Walker (knee). In the ensuing weeks, the teamalso lost starting halfback Green (quadricep) and several other keyoffensive performers, contributing to a 4-12 mark.Following the season on Jan. 2, saying it was time for a new faceto lead the team, Thompson dismissed Sherman.THE PRESENTThompson underwent a grueling nine-day search to tab MikeMcCarthy the franchise’s 14th head coach (Jan. 12, 2006).McCarthy guided the Packers to a resilient four-game winningstreak to close his first season as head coach with an 8-8 record,keeping the team in contention for the playoffs until the final weekendof 2006, when mere percentage points dubbed the Giants the NFC’slast postseason qualifier.McCarthy was disappointed the Packers just missed the playoffs,particularly because the team was as healthy as it had been all seasonand was playing its best football the last month. But the NFL’s youngestclub carried that momentum into 2007, winning its first four gamesand ultimately tying the franchise record for regular-season victorieswith a 13-3 mark. McCarthy also tied Sherman’s team mark for themost wins by a head coach in his first two seasons (21).With Joe Philbin taking over as offensive coordinator, Ryan Grantemerging at midseason as a feature back, and Favre enjoying a brilliantfinal season in Green Bay, the offense finished second in the league,its highest ranking since 1983.Grant then posted franchise playoff records of 201 rushing yardsand three touchdowns in a 42-20 snow-filled NFC playoff triumphover Seattle at Lambeau, but the club’s quest for a fifth Super Bowlappearance came up agonizingly short.In the third-coldest game in NFL championship history, with atemperature of minus-1 and wind chill of minus-23 at kickoff, GreenBay fell at home, 23-20, in overtime to the New York Giants in the NFCChampionship Game.In 2008, the torch was passed to Aaron Rodgers from Favre, whoretired in March with virtually every significant NFL passing record,un-retired in July and was traded to the New York Jets during the firstweek of training camp. Rodgers became just the second quarterbackin league history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in his first seasonas a starter, and the offense produced a 4,000-yard passer, 1,200-yardrusher (Grant) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Greg Jennings, DonaldDriver) for the first time in team history.On defense, the team set a franchise record with seven touchdowns,including six on interception returns, leading to Pro Bowlberths for three-fourths of the starting secondary in Nick Collins,Charles Woodson and Al Harris. But that wasn’t enough to overcomeinjuries and other shortcomings on that side of the ball, and with theteam losing seven games by four points or less, the final 6-10 markwas just the franchise’s second losing season dating back to 1992.That led to a series of changes on the coaching staff, most of themon defense, as McCarthy hired Dom Capers as his new defensive coordinatorto institute a switch to a 3-4 scheme. The players respondedfaster than most predicted in 2009, climbing all the way to No. 2 inthe league in yards allowed and No. 1 against the run for the first timein team history, setting a franchise record for fewest rushing yardsallowed per game (83.3).That defensive prowess was highlighted by Woodson winning NFLDefensive Player of the Year, rookie Clay Matthews leading the teamin sacks, and Collins joining both as Pro Bowl honorees. Combinedwith another dynamic season on offense – as the quartet of Rodgers,Grant, Jennings and Driver repeated their feat of the prior year and anew franchise record for points (461) was established – the Packerswon seven of their final eight regular-season games to finish 11-5 andearn an NFC Wild Card playoff berth.511A UNIQUE FRANCHISE• No owner (last remaining publicly owned pro sports team,4,750,937 shares, 112,120 stockholders, none of whomreceive dividend on initial investment).• Team plays in major sports’ smallest TV market – 70th(New Orleans, 53, is closest).• Packers have 14 playoff appearances in last 19 years, andwon most NFL titles (13).• Green Bay has 21 Pro Hall of Famers, second most in league.• Team has averted four financial collapses: 1921, 1922,1934 and 1950, each time gaining monetary support fromcommunity.• In a century of franchise movement, only 10 other pro sportsteams – none in football – have held same moniker insame location longer (nine baseball, one hockey).• Only two other pro sports venues have been in continuoususe longer than Lambeau Field (1957) – Boston’s FenwayPark (1912) and Chicago’s Wrigley Field (1916).• With season-ticket holders from all 50 states, as well asWashington, D.C., Canada, Japan and Australia, the team’swaiting list has nearly 100,000 names on it. People who wererecently awarded season tickets put their names on the waitinglist in the mid-1970s.• Packers have most fans in league based on recent Harrispolls, merchandise sales and website attraction. Plus, theteam sells every available seat at Lambeau Field for intrasquadscrimmage, “Family Night.”• Before radio, when Packers played on the road, as many as500 fans turned out at Legion Park to “watch” game on Playographboard (telegraph reports from press box re-createdgame on screen, complete with PA).• Packers were first to open hall of fame and museum (1967).Rodgers earned his first Pro Bowl nod and made a memorablepostseason debut, throwing for a Green Bay postseason-record 423yards and record-tying four TDs as he rallied the Packers from a21-point second-half deficit. Emerging tight end Jermichael Finleyalso set a team playoff mark with 159 yards receiving and tied a teampostseason record with nine receptions.Ultimately the Packers came up short, however, dropping a 51-45overtime heartbreaker in Arizona, the highest-scoring postseasongame in NFL history. But the disappointment fueled a determinationand the late-season surge sparked a genuine optimism heading into2010.That optimism led to high expectations, and the Packers becamea popular preseason pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.Boasting both a deep and maturing roster, and relative scheme continuityon both sides of the ball, prognosticators felt confident GreenBay was primed for a deep playoff run.The team got out to a 3-1 start in the season’s first quarter, butinjuries to key players mounted, and that perceived roster strengthwould be put to the test. Grant, a back-to-back 1,200-yard rusher,was lost for the season in Week 1. Finley, the team’s leading receiverentering Week 5, was also placed on injured reserve, as was linebackerNick Barnett, the second all-time leading tackler in franchise history.By season’s end, the Packers would allocate 15 players to the seasonendinginjured list. In what was a true testament both to Thompson’sassembly of the roster and the coaching staff’s tireless commitment togetting players ready to contribute, the Packers never blinked.Rodgers led the offense by throwing for nearly 4,000 yards andposting a quarterback rating of 101.2. Jennings picked up the slackin the absence of Finley, finishing with 1,265 yards and earning hisfirst selection to the Pro Bowl. Defensively, the Packers again thrivedunder Capers’ detailed instruction, ranking No. 2 in the NFL in scoringdefense at 15.0 points per game. Matthews proved that his rookiecampaign was no fluke and became a dominant pass rusher off theedge. Voted a Pro Bowl starter and consensus first-team All-Pro, hefinished with 13.5 sacks and was named the league’s Defensive Playerof the Year by various publications. In the secondary, Woodson followedup his stellar 2009 run with another solid season, setting careerhighs in tackles and forced fumbles and becoming the team’s emotionalleader throughout. His counterpart at corner, Tramon Williams,emerged as a standout cover man and led the team with six interceptions,earning his first bid to the Pro Bowl, where he was joined byCollins, who was chosen for the third consecutive year.Despite the constant fluidity of the gameday lineup, the Packershung tough in all 16 games. Their six losses came by a combined 20points, and they became the first team since the AFL-NFL merger in1970 to never trail a game by more than seven points over an entireseason. They finished the regular season with a 10-6 record followingCOMMUNITYTHE PACKERS STORYADMIN. &COACHESDRAFT &VETERANS FREE AGENTS 2012 REVIEWPACKERSSTORYLAMBEAUFIELD MISC.