GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- It's almost impossible for Ray Rhodes or George Seifert to go a full week in the NFL season without facing coaches who got their start in San Francisco.

But Rhodes, whose Green Bay Packers will play host to Seifert's Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and Seifert hang especially close together on the branches of the 49ers' coaching tree.

They had a collaboration of more than a dozen years that began when Rhodes was a defensive back for the 49ers and Seifert was his position coach. When Seifert became the 49ers' defensive coordinator, he picked Rhodes to fill his old position.

"He was one of the more skilled, emotional players I've ever been around, and he's brought that to coaching," Seifert said. "You can see it in his players now."

They were back together in 1994 when Seifert, who had since become the 49ers' head coach, picked Rhodes as his defensive coordinator.

"George is one of the best teachers I've ever been around," Rhodes said. "He's a detail guy. He can scheme with the best of them."

Seifert will be trying to coax a rebound out of his team after a crushing 34-21 loss to St. Louis last week that all but knocked the Panthers out of the playoff picture. The Rams clinched the NFC West title at Ericsson Stadium as the Panthers allowed three quick touchdowns and never caught up.

"There's still a little bit of a hangover, because there were great expectations," Seifert said. "We felt like we could play better, and we didn't. It's hard to shake it."

Carolina (5-7) missed a chance to return to .500 for the first time in two years, and now the Panthers must return to the site of the 1997 NFC championship game, where two markedly different teams wearing the same uniforms battled for a Super Bowl berth.

Green Bay won 30-13 in a wind-chill of minus-17 degrees at Lambeau Field. The weather isn't expected to be nearly that bad on Sunday, when the Packers (7-5) will try to extend their three-game winning streak and keep pace with division leaders Detroit and Tampa Bay.

But Rhodes has spent the week making sure his team doesn't overlook the Panthers, with crucial road games against the Vikings and Buccaneers in the next two weeks. Carolina's big-play offense has the full attention of the Packers defense.

"They've got guys on that roster who can beat you before you know what hit you," linebacker Anthony Davis said. "It's kind of amazing they're only 5-7 with all that talent. We respect them a great deal."

In fact, the teams' offenses have many similarities, right down to their coordinators: Sherman Lewis and Gil Haskell, who worked together in Green Bay for four seasons under Mike Holmgren.

Both teams rely on a wealth of skill players to offset suspect offensive lines. The teams' strongest pass rushers _ Green Bay's Keith McKenzie and Carolina's Kevin Greene _ could have field days, and in Brett Favre and Steve Beuerlein, both teams have quarterbacks used to taking punishment.

Rhodes said the Packers will need a strong pass rush to keep Beuerlein in trouble. Beuerlein is tough but not real mobile, and when he has been allowed to sit in the pocket this season, he has consistently found receivers Muhsin Muhammad, Patrick Jeffers and Wesley Walls.

Likewise, Seifert said the Panthers' inconsistent defense needs big games from Sean Gilbert and Greene to keep Favre from picking them apart. Favre, his hand injury almost forgotten, has played three strong games and looks to be in top form.

"Since I've been here, we've always made a push in December," Favre said. "This year, we didn't leave ourselves any room in the first eight games to lose any late."

CAROLINA Season schedule and results

GREEN BAY Season schedule and results

September 12 @New Orleans L 10-19 September 19 Jacksonville L 20-22 September 26 Cincinnati W 27-3 October 3 @Washington L 36-38 October 17 @San Francisco W 31-29 October 24 Detroit L 9-24 October 31 @Atlanta L 20-27 November 7 Philadelphia W 33-7 November 14 @St. Louis L 10-35 November 21 @Cleveland W 31-17 November 28 Atlanta W 34-28 December 5 St. Louis L 21-34 December 12 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET December 18 San Francisco 4:15pm ET December 26 @Pittsburgh 1:00pm ET January 2 New Orleans 1:00pm ET

September 12 Oakland W 28-24 September 19 @Detroit L 15-23 September 26 Minnesota W 23-20 October 10 Tampa Bay W 26-23 October 17 @Denver L 10-31 October 24 @San Diego W 31-3 November 1 Seattle L 7-27 November 7 Chicago L 13-14 November 14 @Dallas L 13-27 November 21 Detroit W 26-17 November 29 @San Francisco W 20-3 December 5 @Chicago W 35-19 December 12 Carolina 1:00pm ET December 20 @Minnesota 9:00pm ET December 26 @Tampa Bay 4:15pm ET January 2 Arizona 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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