Morning Buzz: Catching up on Packers' opponents

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com. Grab a strong cup of coffee and get caught up on everything you need to know about the Packers.

We’ll start with Gary D’Amato’s column on former NFL referee Bill Carollo, framed by a funny on-field story involving Brett Favre.

From D’Amato:

Dec. 28, 2003. Bill Carollo of Shorewood is the referee for the Green Bay Packers’ final regular-season game against Denver at Lambeau Field. In the fourth quarter, Ahman Green takes a handoff from Favre, bursts off right tackle, breaks into the clear and goes 98 yards for a touchdown.

Carollo is running down the field alongside an exuberant Favre when hilarity ensues.

“Brett keeps hitting me, ‘Carollo, give me five, give me five!’” Carollo says. “He’s trying to high-five me. I tell him, ‘I can’t give you five, Brett.’ He’s hitting me on the butt, on the shoulder, on the back. He’s yelling, ‘He’s going all the way! Give me five!’ I’m ducking away from him and yelling, ‘I can’t give you five.’ ”

Before the game, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan had asked Carollo how he could work the game, because there’s an NFL rule that a referee cannot work a game in his hometown. Carollo assured Shanahan that he lived in Milwaukee, not Green Bay.

Now he and Favre are running down the field together and a giddy Favre is trying to high-five the referee.

“We run right past Shanahan,” Carollo says, “and he holds out his hands and yells, ‘Carollo, I told you you shouldn’t be working this game!’"

Be sure to catch up on our opponent preview series:

Elsewhere, Peter Bukowski looks at what success should mean in 2018:

The Packers brand is strong, according to Colin Cowherd:

Cheesehead TV takes a look at the plans for running back by committee:

Aaron Jones was pretty impressive in at least one area last season:

The Packers sport some impressive talent along the defensive line:

Ober Sports has produced a hype video in honor of the Packers' 100 seasons:

Here’s a real throwback Thursday look at Steelers-Packers...from 1949.