Packers head south to Raymond James Stadium in position to sweep this always-interesting rivalry for the third time in 4 seasons and the sixth time in the 1990s.

Two months ago on a Sunday evening (ESPN) at Lambeau Field (Week 5), a see-saw affair saw Green Bay with a 19-16 lead with less than six minutes to play before Buccaneers FB Mike Alstott ran 22 yards for a score to give Tony Dungy's club a 23-19 edge with just 1:45 remaining. But Packers QB Brett Favre, who finished the night with 390 yards passing and two touchdowns, connected with WR Antonio Freeman for a 21-yard score with only 1:05 to play to give Ray Rhodes' team a wild 26-23 win..

Including playoffs, the Packers have now nearly doubled the Buccaneers' win total (27-14-1) in this rivalry and have prevailed in 16 of the last 19 meetings dating back to the teams' second encounter in 1990.

As for the Packers' last trip to Raymond James Stadium (Week 14 of '98), Buccaneers QB Trent Dilfer completed just 9-of-22 passes for 181 yards (1 INT), 126 yards coming on scoring strikes to WRs Jacquez Green (64 yards) and Bert Emanuel (62 yards), while the Tampa defense sacked Favre 8 times as Tony Dungy's club held on for a 24-22 triumph.

Despite last year's loss, the Packers are 4-2 in their last 6 visits to Tampa dating back to 1993.

Numbers: Including playoffs, Packers QB Brett Favre is 13-2 in 16 career games (15 starts) vs. the Buccaneers, throwing for 3,847 yards, 31 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions while being sacked 38 times. After throwing 145 touchdown passes and just 56 interceptions in 64 games (1994-97), Favre has thrown 50 TD passes and 43 interceptions in his last 30 contests (1998-99). Since 1995 (88 games, including playoffs), Favre is 62-26, throwing for 149 touchdowns and just 48 interceptions in his 62 wins compared to 33 scores and 45 interceptions in 26 losses. Favre has thrown for 22,329 yards in those 88 games. The Packers have scored 189 points in seven wins, 109 points in seven losses in '99. They have forced 19 turnovers in seven wins, but have totaled just 17 takeaways in seven losses in '99. The Packers have committed 10 turnovers in seven wins, 21 turnovers in seven losses in '99. They have forced two or more turnovers in nine straight games. They have committed two or more turnovers in three straight games. They have limited the opposition to fewer than 100 yards rushing in three straight games.

The Buccaneers have totaled 19 takeaways in their last seven games (6-1), this after forcing just six turnovers in their first seven contests (3-4) in '99. The Buccaneers have forced 41 turnovers in 17 wins, 10 turnovers in 13 losses dating back to '98. They have been outscored a combined 89-31 in the first quarter in 14 games in '99. They have returned 1,433 kickoffs in their 24-year history (1976-99) and have never scored a touchdown on a kickoff return.

Things to look for: Just a few years removed from consecutive Super Bowl appearances, the Packers are barely alive for the playoffs and will need plenty of help to get in even if they manage to win their final 2 games. Meanwhile, any Super Bowl talk in Tampa ended abruptly last Sunday after the Bucs suffered their worst loss in team history. Sloppy play should be the prevailing theme in this contest.

Etc.: The Buccaneers are 9-5 for second time in three seasons (1997-99) and with a victory, will tie the franchise record for most victories in a season (10), set in 1979 (under since-departed head coach John McKay) and 1997 (under current head coach Tony Dungy).

The Packers are 8-7 vs. divisional rivals dating back to 1998 (4-3 in '99), this after going a combined 15-2 (including playoffs) vs. NFC Central rivals in 1996 (7-1) and '97 (8-1). The Buccaneers have won six straight home games. Packers QB Brett Favre (232) needs four touchdown passes to tie George Blanda (236) for 14th place on the NFL's all-time touchdown passes list.