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Packers seek first 9-1 start in 45 years

Nov 18, 2007 - 11:26 AM Carolina (4-5) at Green Bay (8-1) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- The last time the Green Bay Packers started 9-1, Brett Favre was not even born.

The Packers, who have opened a two-game lead in the NFC North, seek their first 9-1 start in 45 years on Sunday, when they host the Carolina Panthers.

The contest begins a busy stretch for the Packers, who will play three games in a 12-day span.

After hosting Carolina, Green Bay visits Detroit on Thanksgiving, then plays another Thursday game the following week at Dallas.

Green Bay and Dallas (8-1) remain tied for the best record in the NFC.

Last week, the Packers blanked the Minnesota Vikings, 34-0, for their fourth straight victory. That win, coupled with Detroit's 31-21 loss at Arizona, left the Packers with a two-game lead over the Lions.

At 8-1, the Packers have matched their best start under Favre, also winning eight of their first nine games in 1996 and 2002.

Green Bay's last 9-1 start came in 1962, when the Vince Lombardi-led Packers finished 13-1 and beat the New York Giants in the NFL championship game.

Against the Vikings, Favre passed for 351 yards and three touchdowns - his sixth 300-yard game of the season. He also joined Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks to pass for more than 60,000 yards.

A bigger key for the Packers, however, may have been the emergence of Ryan Grant, who became the first running back this season to rush for more than 100 yards against the Vikings.

Still ranked last in the NFL in rushing, the Packers have been searching for a running game all season. They finally may have found it, as Grant gained 119 yards on 25 carries against Minnesota.

It was the second 100-yard game in three weeks for Grant, who became the Packers' primary back when DeShawn Wynn suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

The reeling Panthers have dropped three in a row and are facing major quarterback issues. Last week, Carolina suffered a 20-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons as Joey Harrington threw a game-winning 30-yard TD pass to Alge Crumpler with 20 seconds remaining.

With David Carr sidelined due to a concussion, 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde was back in as the Panthers' starter. He could not rally the Panthers, completing only 13-of-28 passes for 153 yards.