1978: Vikings Tie Packers in NFC Central Showdown

The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers were in a battle for control in the NFC Central as they faced off on November 26, 1978.

The Vikings, coached by Bud Grant, had been the dominant team in the division and had a string of five consecutive first place finishes on the line. 38-year-old QB Fran Tarkenton (pictured above) was still a formidable competitor, even if he lacked arm strength, and there were capable wide receivers in Ahmad Rashad and Sammy White. FB Chuck Foreman was showing signs of wear while HB Rickey Young was proving to be a productive receiver out of the backfield. The once-formidable defense was slipping as aging became a factor. Following a slow 3-4 start, they had reeled off four straight wins and were at 7-5 coming into Green Bay, a team they had already beaten at home.

Green Bay had gotten off to a fast start under Head Coach Bart Starr, reaching 7-2 before losing three straight contests to also be 7-5. Second-year QB David Whitehurst had taken over for the injured Lynn Dickey with promising results, HB Terdell Middleton was a surprisingly effective ground gainer, and rookie WR James Lofton added a deep threat to the attack. The defense was especially effective at rushing opposing passers.

There were 51,737 fans in attendance at Lambeau Field, where snow surrounded the playing field. The home team immediately ran into trouble on its first play from scrimmage when Terdell Middleton fumbled and Minnesota DE Jim Marshall recovered at the Green Bay 9. The Vikings didn’t reach the end zone, picking up seven yards in three plays, but took the early 3-0 lead on a 19-yard Rick Danmeier field goal.

From the beginning, defensive ends Mike Butler and Ezra Johnson consistently put pressure on Minnesota’s Fran Tarkenton, thus keeping the visitors in check, although Green Bay was also unable to move the ball effectively. Late in the second quarter, and following an interception by LB John Anderson, the Packers finally put together a long drive of 70 yards in 12 plays. David Whitehurst had key completions to FB Barty Smith for 12 yards, Middleton for 16, and James Lofton for 24 yards to the Minnesota three. Middleton (pictured at left) crashed over from a yard out for a touchdown and Marcol added the extra point to give Green Bay a 7-3 halftime lead.

The Vikings got a break in the third quarter when Middleton again fumbled in Green Bay territory, but they failed to capitalize when Danmeier missed a 32-yard field goal attempt. Late in the period, CB Mike McCoy of the Packers recovered a fumble by Rickey Young at the Green Bay 49. Whitehurst passed to TE Rich McGeorge for 20 yards and to Middleton for 11 as the Packers drove 49 yards in 10 plays. But on the first play of the fourth quarter, Middleton lost a yard in a third down situation at the Minnesota one and the Packers settled for a 19-yard Marcol field goal that nevertheless extended the lead to 10-3.

Another Packer fumble, this time by Barty Smith, gave the Vikings the ball at the Green Bay 25 with 5:27 left in regulation, but they were unable to move and Tarkenton’s fourth down pass into the end zone fell incomplete. With two minutes remaining in regulation, the Vikings had one more shot and put together a 57-yard drive in 11 plays, all passes. They converted a fourth-and-three play at the Green Bay 29 when Tarkenton connected with Young along the sideline for six yards and, facing fourth-and-six at the 19, Tarkenton found Sammy White for 14 yards. With ten seconds left on the clock, Tarkenton threw to Ahmad Rashad, who made a leaping catch for a five-yard touchdown and Danmeier’s point after tied the score.

Following the ensuing kickoff, the Packers had one last desperate shot in regulation and came through with the longest pass play of the game as Whitehurst connected with WR Aundra Thompson for 50 yards, but he was brought down at the Minnesota six and time expired.

Both teams had opportunities to win in overtime. At one point, facing third-and-short at midfield, Barty Smith was stopped and the Packers punted. The Vikings advanced from their 21 to the Green Bay four in seven plays, helped along by Tarkenton completions to Rashad for 18 yards, TE Bob Tucker for 14, and Young for 25, but Danmeier failed on a 21-yard field goal. With time running out in the extra period, Green Bay DT Dave Roller recovered a fumble at the Minnesota 43. But with 17 seconds left on the clock, Marcol came on to attempt a 40-yard field goal that missed well to the left. The final verdict was a 10-10 tie.

The Packers led in total yards (318 to 293) and also had the edge in first downs (16 to 15). The sloppy contest featured eight turnovers, with five by the Vikings and three for Green Bay. Missed field goals hurt both clubs, with Rick Danmeier missing two of three and Chester Marcol booting one and failing on another at the end. Green Bay’s David Beverly had a poor punting game, averaging just 30.5 yards on 10 kicks while Greg Coleman of the Vikings was far more effective, averaging 44.0 yards on six punts, and that affected the battle for field position.

Fran Tarkenton, who passed for only 35 yards in the first three quarters, completed 20 of 37 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown, but also gave up four interceptions. Chuck Foreman was held to 52 yards on 24 carries and caught five passes for 35 yards. Rickey Young (pictured at right) contributed a team-leading 6 pass receptions for 63 yards as well as 35 yards on 14 rushing attempts. Ahmad Rashad ended up catching four passes for 38 yards and a TD.

For the Packers, David Whitehurst was successful on 11 of 23 throws for 175 yards with no TDs or interceptions. Terdell Middleton ran the ball 39 times for 110 yards and a touchdown and also had 20 yards on two pass receptions. Barty Smith had three catches for 28 yards along with his 39 yards on 12 carries and Rich McGeorge also caught three passes, for 35 yards. With his long reception at the end of regulation, Aundra Franklin led the team’s receivers with 68 yards on two catches. James Lofton managed just one reception for 24 yards.

“This was a darn fine effort on the part of our football team,” said Coach Starr of the Packers. “I’m proud of them. They played their hearts out and it’s a shame we didn’t win.”

“I thought we should have won,” said Fran Tarkenton. “But the tie doesn’t hurt us a bit.”

The tie left the clubs with identical 7-5-1 records but gave Minnesota the advantage in tiebreakers due to the better head-to-head record (1-0-1). It proved to be decisive as the teams remained even the rest of the way, winning the next week and then losing the final two games. At 8-7-1, the Vikings were Central Division champs while Green Bay was in second and out of the playoff picture. Minnesota lost to the Rams in the Divisional playoff round.

In his last season, Fran Tarkenton achieved career highs in pass attempts (572), completions (345), yards (3468), and on the downside, interceptions (32) which all also topped the NFL.  Rickey Young led the league with 88 pass receptions, for 704 yards and five TDs, while also rushing for 417 yards and another touchdown.

1968: Sayers Runs for 205 Yards & Bears Defeat Packers on Free Kick

The Green Bay Packers had won three straight NFL Championships but were struggling at 3-3-1 as they hosted their biggest rivals, the Chicago Bears, on November 3, 1968. Vince Lombardi had stepped down as head coach in favor of long-time defensive assistant Phil Bengtson, and age and injuries were catching up to the once-great club. To be sure, QB Bart Starr was still formidable at age 34, if also more prone to injury, and flanker Carroll Dale a dependable receiver. The defense remained tough and contained familiar names like MLB Ray Nitschke, CB Herb Adderley, and FS Willie Wood. But there were holes inadequately filled and the lack of a dependable placekicker to succeed the retired Don Chandler was one of them.

The Bears had a new head coach as well in Jim Dooley, with George Halas having finally retired from sideline duty (he remained the owner). They had gotten off to a poor start but were winners of their last two games and had a 3-4 record coming into Green Bay. Young and mobile QB Virgil Carter was performing well since taking over the starting role initially vacated by the injured Jack Concannon, but the key to the offense was outstanding HB Gale Sayers (pictured above).

There were 50,861 fans in attendance at Lambeau Field. In the first quarter, the Packers had the first shot as Bart Starr threw to HB Donny Anderson, who gained 26 yards before being tripped up by SS Richie Petitbon. But they came up empty when, four plays later, Errol Mann missed a 44-yard field goal attempt. Green Bay missed another opportunity midway through the second quarter as Mann again failed on a field goal attempt, this time from 29 yards.

The Bears were not getting near scoring territory until, late in the second quarter, Gale Sayers broke away as he ran wide to the right and then cut against the grain for a 63-yard carry to the Green Bay 17. That set up a 10-yard Mac Percival field goal for the first points of the game and gave the Bears a 3-0 lead at halftime.

Sayers returned the second half kickoff 46 yards to give Chicago favorable starting field position at the Green Bay 44. Eleven plays later, Virgil Carter bootlegged the last two yards for a touchdown, taking advantage of the defense keying on Sayers. Percival added the extra point and the visitors were ahead by 10-0.

Down by ten points, the Packers put together an 81-yard drive in seven plays, culminating in Starr throwing long to Carroll Dale, who beat FS Roosevelt Taylor for a 50-yard TD. Chuck Mercein, normally a fullback but relieving the injured and ineffective Errol Mann, added the point after and the score was narrowed to 10-7. The Packers got a break when Chicago next had to punt and Jon Kilgore’s shanked 17-yard kick gave them the ball at their 41. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Mercein tied the score with a 19-yard field goal.

On the ensuing kickoff, WR Dick Gordon muffed the ball and had to scramble into the end zone to recover it. But while two officials initially signaled a safety, the play was ruled a touchback and the Bears started out at the 20. The Packers regained possession when CB Bob Jeter intercepted a Carter pass at midfield, but on the series that followed Anderson fumbled when hit by LB Dick Butkus and LB Jim Purnell recovered at the Chicago 42.

The Bears had the next opportunity when a 21-yard Sayers run moved them into scoring territory, but LB Lee Roy Caffey blocked Percival’s field goal attempt from 29 yards. Green Bay received a further break when, on the next possession by the Bears, Sayers fumbled at the Chicago 39 and Herb Adderley recovered and returned it to the 14. Anderson ran the ball three times and Mercein tried for a field goal from the 22, but it missed wide.

There was an exchange of punts before a Donny Anderson kick into the wind from deep in his own territory traveled only 28 yards. WR Cecil Turner of the Bears called a free catch at the Green Bay 43 and, with 26 seconds left on the clock, Chicago chose to attempt a rare free kick from the point of the catch. Percival came through with a 43-yard field goal and the Bears won by a final score of 13-10.

Chicago had the edge in total yards (328 to 242) and first downs (18 to 12). While completing only five passes, the Bears gained 291 yards on the ground. However, they also turned the ball over three times, to one by Green Bay, and were flagged for 10 penalties as opposed to two called on the Packers. Green Bay was also hurt by a combined three missed field goals in four attempts by Errol Mann and Chuck Mercein.

Gale Sayers had a big performance, rushing for 205 yards on 24 carries, with 118 on 10 attempts in the first half alone, although he also fumbled three times. Virgil Carter completed 5 of 14 passes for 51 yards and gave up two interceptions, but ran the ball 11 times for 56 yards and a touchdown. HB Brian Piccolo, who gained a modest seven yards on five rushing attempts, was Chicago’s leading pass receiver with a mere two catches for 19 yards.

For the Packers, Bart Starr was successful on 10 of 18 throws for 154 yards and a TD with no interceptions. HB Elijah Pitts ran for 43 yards on 10 attempts in addition to catching four passes for 33 yards. Carroll Dale gained a team-leading 74 yards on three pass receptions that included a touchdown.

“He’s fantastic,” said Green Bay’s Coach Bengtson of Gale Sayers. “I’ve seen him have good days, but this has to be the best.”

Sayers extended his NFL rushing total to 824 yards with his career-high performance against the Packers, but disaster struck the following week against the 49ers when he went down with a season-ending knee injury. The Bears faltered but remained in the Central Division race until suffering a one-point loss to Green Bay in the season finale that left them in second place with a 7-7 record. That was still better than the Packers, who suffered their first losing season in ten years, ending up at 6-7-1.

1963: Bears Shut Down Packers to Win Season-Opening Game

The Chicago Bears faced a formidable task as they took on their arch-rivals, the Green Bay Packers, in a season-opening game on September 15, 1963. The Packers were coming off of two consecutive NFL Championships, going a combined 24-4 during the regular season in so doing, and had beaten Chicago in five straight contests. The defending champs were two-touchdown favorites to keep the streak going at home.

Head Coach Vince Lombardi was commencing his fifth year with Green Bay and the club was as formidable on both sides of the ball as their record would imply. QB Bart Starr was highly efficient and FB Jim Taylor had unseated Cleveland’s Jim Brown as the rushing leader in ’62 while also scoring a record 19 touchdowns. The receivers were good and the line excellent. If there was a major concern, it was over the loss of HB/PK Paul Hornung for the year due to a gambling suspension. Likewise on defense, the Packers had five returning players who had received at least some first-team All-NFL recognition and Lombardi felt secure enough to trade two aging veterans, DE Bill Quinlan and CB Johnny Symank, during the offseason.

The Bears, under the direction of 68-year-old owner and Head Coach George Halas, were coming off of a 9-5 record and looked to be a potential challenger in the Western Conference. QB Bill Wade (pictured above) was an able passer, there were good receivers in flanker Johnny Morris and TE Mike Ditka, and a fair stable of running backs. However, the defense, under the guidance of assistant coach George Allen, was especially impressive and contained stalwarts in DE Doug Atkins, MLB Bill George, and safeties Roosevelt Taylor and Richie Petitbon. 

There were 42,327 fans in attendance at Green Bay’s City Stadium. The Packers had to punt following the game’s first series and the Bears nearly provided some excitement when Johnny Morris returned the kick 44 yards to the Green Bay 38, but it was all for naught when Chicago was flagged for clipping. Now starting from their 13, the visitors made one first down before having to punt in return.

Jim Taylor ran for eight yards but LB Larry Morris managed to force a fumble and SS Richie Petitbon recovered at the Green Bay 33. Carries by HB Ronnie Bull and FB Rick Casares picked up 11 yards before the defense was able to halt the advance. Bob Jencks came on to kick a 32-yard field goal and Chicago had a 3-0 lead.

CB Herb Adderley nearly broke the ensuing kickoff return but was tripped up by FB Joe Marconi. Taylor and HB Tom Moore ran for a total of 17 yards and Bart Starr completed passes to TE Ron Kramer and Moore to get to the Chicago 34. The drive halted there and Jerry Kramer tied the score with a 41-yard field goal.

The teams exchanged punts as the game entered the second quarter. The Bears then mounted a drive that covered 66 yards in 14 plays that included Wade running for 10 yards and passing to Bull for 22 to the Green Bay four. However, on second down Wade fumbled when hit hard by DT Dave Hanner and DT Henry Jordan recovered to end the threat. Each team came up with an interception before the first half ended as CB Jesse Whittenton picked off a Wade pass and Petitbon grabbed one for the Bears, and the score remained tied at the intermission.

Following a short series by the Bears to start the third quarter, Green Bay commenced a drive in which Taylor gained 15 yards on two carries and Starr threw to Moore for 18 to the Chicago 47. But following two short running plays, Starr’s pass intended for flanker Boyd Dowler bounced off the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by FS Roosevelt Taylor.

The Bears proceeded to put together a 68-yard drive in 10 plays. Wade completed passes to Bull for 21 yards and Marconi for 16 to the Green Bay 18 and, two plays later, he connected with split end Bo Farrington to the two. From there, Marconi (pictured at left) ran off-tackle for a touchdown and Jencks converted to put Chicago ahead by seven with less than four minutes remaining in the period.

Following an exchange of punts, the Packers began to move the ball again early in the fourth quarter. Starr made throws to Ron Kramer for 11 yards and split end Max McGee for 10 to reach the Chicago 36, but the drive halted there and, facing fourth-and-one, they punted.

The Bears were able to hold onto the ball with the help of a roughing-the-kicker penalty and the clock was down to 6:59 when Green Bay finally regained possession. CB Dave Whitsell intercepted a Starr throw and Chicago advanced into scoring position, but a Jencks field goal try was wide with 1:56 remaining to play. However, any lingering hopes for the Packers ended when Bill George picked off a short pass by Starr and Chicago pulled off the upset by a final score of 10-3.

Chicago’s domination was total as the Bears led in total yards (231 to 150) and first downs (15 to 9) and ran 59 plays to Green Bay’s 43. The point total was the lowest for the Packers since 1959, Lombardi’s first season, and they turned the ball over five times, to two by Chicago.

Bill Wade kept the passes short and completed an efficient 18 of 24 for 129 yards while giving up one interception. He also ran the ball 8 times for 26 yards, placing just behind Rick Casares, who gained 27 yards on five carries, as Chicago’s leading rusher. In addition to gaining 23 yards on 12 rushing attempts, Ronnie Bull (pictured below) led the team by pulling in 6 catches for 48 yards.

For the Packers, Bart Starr had an uncharacteristically rough outing as he succeeded on 11 of 22 throws for 83 yards and was intercepted four times. Jim Taylor was held to 53 yards on 12 carries and Tom Moore, who ran 9 times for 24 yards, gained 32 yards on a team-leading four pass receptions. Ron Kramer picked up 35 yards on his three catches. Jerry Norton, the team’s new punter obtained from the Cowboys, boomed five punts for a 48.6-yard average.

“We had nothing going,” summed up Vince Lombardi in defeat. “We couldn’t even get our hands on the ball. We were lucky to get away 10-3.”

The first week battle set up a tight race between the Bears and Packers that lasted the entire season. Chicago swept the series between the clubs and that was the difference as the Bears finished first in the Western Conference at 11-1-2 and Green Bay in second with an 11-2-1 record. The Bears came away with the NFL Championship, their first since 1946, by defeating the New York Giants.  

Chicago’s defense remained stifling and led the league in ten categories, including fewest points allowed (144) and fewest total yards (3176) which included both the lowest rushing (1442) and passing (1734) yards allowed. Fittingly, five members of the defensive unit were consensus first-team All-NFL selections, including Doug Atkins, Bill George, OLB Joe Fortunato, Roosevelt Taylor, and Richie Petitbon.

1962: Starr’s 5 TD Passes Lead Packers to Win Over College All-Stars

The 29^th College All-Star Game on August 3, 1962 featured the Green Bay Packers, NFL Champions of the previous season, facing a group of All-Stars under the direction of Otto Graham, who was back at the helm for the fifth consecutive year.

Coached by Vince Lombardi, the Packers had the league’s most prolific scorer, HB Paul Hornung, plus FB Jim Taylor to fuel the running attack and QB Bart Starr (pictured at right) was an accurate passer, all operating behind an outstanding line. The defense was also strong from front to back and contained players coming off of All-Pro performances such as DT Henry Jordan, OLB Bill Forester, and CB Jesse Whittenton.

The All-Stars had future pro standouts on the roster that included QB John Hadl and HB Curtis McClinton of Kansas, QB Roman Gabriel from North Carolina State, HB Lance Alworth of Arkansas, and Utah State DT Merlin Olsen. However, they were missing two running backs due to illness: Baylor HB Ronnie Bull and, far more seriously, HB Ernie Davis, the Heisman Trophy winner from Syracuse, who was in the early stages of the leukemia that, tragically, would end his life the following year.

There were 65,000 fans in attendance on a 79-degree Friday night at Chicago’s Soldier Field. The All-Stars took the opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in 13 plays with John Hadl behind center. Hadl, typically rolling out to take advantage of his mobility, completed all four of his passes along the way, including one that was partially deflected by DE Willie Davis but was still hauled in by Lance Alworth for a 22-yard gain. FB Earl Gros from LSU (who was also Green Bay’s first-round draft pick) dove into the end zone from a yard out on a third down play for a touchdown. Greg Mather of Navy added the extra point.

CB Herb Adderley returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards and the Packers responded with a 67-yard scoring series in seven plays, although hindered by two holding penalties. Bart Starr completed three passes to flanker Boyd Dowler, for 49, 26, and 22 yards, the last of which was good for a TD. Paul Hornung converted to tie the score at 7-7.

That was it until midway through the second quarter when the All-Stars got a break on a turnover. HB Lew Carpenter of the Packers fumbled a punt and Kentucky center Irv Goode recovered at the Green Bay 27. The turnover resulted in three running plays and a 26-yard Mather field goal that put that collegians back in front by 10-7.

Once again it appeared that the Packers would respond with a score until Notre Dame CB Angelo Dabiero intercepted a Starr pass intended for split end Max McGee at the goal line and returned it 37 yards. However, any hopes the All-Stars had of adding to their lead were extinguished when LB Dan Currie picked off a sideline pass by Roman Gabriel and ran it back 31 yards to the All-Star 27. With less than a minute remaining in the first half, Starr connected with Dowler for 23 yards down the middle and then, rolling out to his right, fired a pass to TE Ron Kramer for a four-yard touchdown. Hornung added the PAT and the Packers were ahead by 14-10 at the half. Neither team had distinguished itself on the ground in the first thirty minutes of play, with Green Bay, known for its outstanding running game, gaining just 17 yards and the All-Stars, who had 104 yards through the air, being held to a net total of minus one yard.

Once again the pro champs turned the ball over on a kick when Adderley fumbled the second half kickoff and Oregon State HB Hank Rivera recovered and returned it to the Green Bay 25. Following a run by Gros for three yards, Hadl threw to Ohio State end Charlie Bryant, who outmaneuvered SS John Symank for a 22-yard TD. With the successful Mather conversion, the All-Stars were once again in the lead by a 17-14 margin.

The Packers came back with a 10-play, 67-yard drive. Starr hit Dowler (pictured at left) for a 22-yard touchdown and, with Hornung’s kick, Green Bay was back in front by 21-17. A personal foul helped the All-Stars along on their next possession that reached the Green Bay three before the defense held and Mather kicked a 14-yard field goal to make it a one-point contest. 

Up by just 21-20 heading into the fourth quarter, the Packers finally pulled away in the final period. It started on the second play of the quarter when Starr completed a five-play, 64-yard series with a touchdown pass to McGee from 20 yards out and Hornung booted the point after.

Shortly thereafter, a 28-yard punt return by FS Willie Wood gave Green Bay the ball in All-Star territory and it took just two plays to score again. Starr passed to McGee along the sideline for a play that covered 35 yards for a TD. Hornung converted once again.

The All-Stars had to turn the ball over on downs and, with their reserves in the game, the Packers advanced to one more score, going 44 yards in 10 plays. The drive was helped along by a roughing-the-kicker call on a McGee punt. HB Elijah Pitts, just returned from Army duty, capped the scoring with a three-yard carry around end with less than two minutes remaining in the contest. Hornung kicked his game-record sixth extra point and what had been a close game for three quarters resulted in a 42-20 win for the Packers.

Green Bay led in total yards (380 to 237) and first downs (16 to 11). The Packers turned the ball over three times, to two suffered by the collegians.

Bart Starr completed 13 of 22 passes for 255 years and his five touchdown passes set an All-Star Game record. John Hadl (pictured at right), who was named MVP for the All-Stars, completed 6 of 10 passes and averaged 48.8 yards on five punts.

The win by the Packers gave the pro champs a lead of 19 to 8 in the series, with two ties, and it was the third for Green Bay. They went on to repeat as NFL Champions in 1962, going 13-1 to top the Western Conference and then defeating the Giants for the second straight year in the league title contest.

John Hadl joined the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League and went on to a 16-year pro career, also spending time with the Rams, Packers, and Oilers and throwing for 33,503 yards and 244 touchdowns. He was selected to four AFL All-Star Games and two Pro Bowls.

1978: Packers Ride 28-Point First Quarter to Win Over Seahawks

The Green Bay Packers were off to a 5-1 start as they played the Seattle Seahawks in Milwaukee on October 15, 1978. For a team that had endured five straight losing seasons, the last three under Head Coach Bart Starr, it was a tremendous turnaround. Second-year QB David Whitehurst was playing very well in place of the injured Lynn Dickey, RB Terdell Middleton (pictured at right) was spearheading the ground game, and rookie WR James Lofton showed flashes of the ability that made him a first-round draft choice. The defensive line had fine pass rushers in ends Ezra Johnson and Mike Butler, and CB Willie Buchanon was an established star in the backfield.

Seattle, coached by Jack Patera, was 3-3 and coming off of an upset of the Vikings. QB Jim Zorn, a mobile lefthander, provided plenty of excitement and WR Steve Largent was highly reliable. FB Sherman Smith and HB David Sims were capable runners. The Seahawks, in their third year of existence, were an opponent to take seriously.

There were 52,712 fans in attendance at County Stadium, where there was a chilly light rain falling. Things started off quickly for the Packers when WR Steve Odom returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Chester Marcol added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead. Two plays following the ensuing kickoff, Jim Zorn fumbled and Green Bay recovered at the Seattle 35. It took just two plays for the Packers to capitalize as Terdell Middleton ran for 11 yards and David Whitehurst (pictured below) threw to James Lofton for a 24-yard TD. Marcol again kicked the point after and, with the game less than three minutes old, the home team held a 14-0 advantage.

The contest settled into an exchange of punts until HB Rufus Crawford of the Seahawks muffed a David Beverly kick and DB Estus Hood recovered for the Packers at the Seattle 20. Four plays later Middleton ran for a five-yard touchdown, Marcol converted, and the Green Bay lead was up to 21-0.

There was 2:36 remaining in the opening period as the Seahawks took over on offense, but Sherman Smith fumbled on first down and Ezra Johnson fell on it for the Packers at the Seattle 30. Whitehurst threw to TE Rich McGeorge for seven yards, FB Barty Smith ran up the middle for nine more, and Middleton carried for a 14-yard TD. Marcol added the PAT and Green Bay held a 28-0 advantage after a quarter of action.

The Seahawks fought back gamely in the second quarter. A seven-play, 72-yard series that featured a Zorn pass to TE Ron Howard for 42 yards concluded with the quarterback scrambling around right end for a 12-yard touchdown. Efren Herrera kicked the extra point. A successful onside kick allowed Seattle to retain possession, but the resulting series ended with Zorn fumbling the ball away. However, Whitehurst, throwing long from the Seattle 37, was picked off by SS Autry Beamon and on the next play Zorn connected with Steve Largent for a 48-yard TD. Herrera’s extra point made it 28-14 and less than four minutes had been used up in the period.

The Packers put together an eight-play, 58-yard drive in response that featured a Whitehurst screen pass to FB Jim Culbreath that picked up 17 yards. An apparent touchdown pass to Lofton in the end zone was nullified by offensive pass interference, but the Packers picked up another three points when Marcol booted a 22-yard field goal.

The next few short possessions resulted in punts, fumbles, or interceptions, but no points, and the score remained unchanged at 31-14 after Herrera’s 45-yard field goal attempt at the end of the half sailed wide to the left.

The Seahawks quickly ran into more trouble on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter when Zorn fumbled and LB Mike Hunt recovered for the Packers at the Seattle 37. Five plays later, and after a Whitehurst pass to Lofton picked up 19 yards, Middleton ran for a two-yard TD, Marcol converted, and Green Bay was up by 38-14.

Seattle responded with a 75-yard drive in six plays that included a Zorn pass to Largent for 24 yards and concluded with Sherman Smith running for a nine-yard touchdown. But the Packers came right back with another scoring series of 65 yards in eight plays. Whitehurst completed passes to Lofton for 16 yards and Barty Smith for 19 and Middleton ran for a nine-yard TD, his fourth of the day. The Seahawks managed one more score early in the fourth quarter when David Sims ran for a two-yard touchdown, but Green Bay’s third quarter scores had extinguished any hopes for a Seattle comeback. The Packers won by a final tally of 45-28.  

The point total was the highest for the Packers in nine years. Seattle, playing catch-up throughout the game, led in total yards (483 to 369) and first downs (23 to 20). Both teams did well running the ball, with the Seahawks edging Green Bay by 194 yards to 190. However, Seattle also turned the ball over seven times, to devastating effect, and with three of them coming in the first quarter. The Packers had three turnovers. They also accounted for the game’s three sacks, two of them (unofficially) by Ezra Johnson. The Seahawks were penalized 9 times, at a cost of 65 yards, to six penalties for 50 yards on Green Bay.

Terdell Middleton had a big day as he rushed for 121 yards on 23 carries and scored four touchdowns. David Whitehurst completed 12 of 19 passes for 179 yards and a TD while giving up one interception. James Lofton had 5 catches for 98 yards and a score. In addition to his touchdown on the kickoff return, Steve Odom returned a punt 48 yards.

For the Seahawks, Jim Zorn was successful on 17 of 31 throws for 308 yards and a touchdown, but gave up two interceptions. He also ran for 28 yards and a TD on five carries. Steve Largent (pictured at right) caught 6 passes for 127 yards and a TD. David Sims rushed for 104 yards on 22 attempts that included a score and Sherman Smith contributed 12 carries for 62 yards and a score.

“We just didn’t play a very solid game,” summed up Seattle’s Coach Patera. “When you’re down 28 points, people start pressing a little. You just have to play hard and hope the breaks change and come your way. They didn’t today.”

The win marked the season’s high water mark for the Packers. They lost to Minnesota the next week and, with the offensive productivity dropping off, won just two more games the rest of the way, finishing at 8-7-1 and second to the Vikings in the NFC Central. Seattle recovered to win six of the remaining nine games and end up at 9-7, the franchise’s first winning record, placing third in the very competitive AFC West.

David Whitehurst passed for 2093 yards with 10 touchdowns but also 17 interceptions, and while he showed poise and promise, he ultimately became a career backup. Terdell Middleton rushed for 1116 yards and 11 TDs, receiving Pro Bowl recognition in what was easily the most productive season of his career. James Lofton, whose career track would be far more impressive, also was chosen to the Pro Bowl after catching 46 passes for 818 yards (17.8 avg.) and six touchdowns.

Jim Zorn led the AFC with 248 completions and 3283 yards, although he was also sacked a league-high 44 times. Steve Largent topped the conference with 71 pass receptions and his 1168 yards ranked second in the NFL. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of an eventual seven times.

1968: Vikings Defeat Error-Prone Packers

A promising team, the Minnesota Vikings, took on the defending NFL Champions, the Green Bay Packers, in the second week of the NFL season on September 22, 1968. Both had won their openers comfortably, with the Vikings thrashing the Falcons 47-7 and the Packers defeating the Eagles 30-13.

The Vikings, coming off of a 3-8-3 record in Head Coach Bud Grant’s first year, had the makings of a good young defense and there was talent on offense as well, although the passing game was a concern. QB Joe Kapp (pictured above) joined Minnesota from the CFL early in ’67 and provided toughness and fiery leadership, if not great throwing talent. QB Gary Cuozzo was obtained from New Orleans at a high price in the offseason to provide another option, but it was Kapp behind center to start the season. It was hoped that one of the second-year wide receivers, Gene Washington or Bob Grim, would step up while the corps of running backs, operating behind a good line, was productive. However, the team’s top rusher of 1967, HB Dave Osborn, was out with a knee injury.

Green Bay was coming off of three straight NFL Championships and wins in the first two Super Bowls. Head Coach Vince Lombardi had stepped aside in favor of former assistant coach Phil Bengtson, although he stayed on as general manager. Many key veterans, starting with QB Bart Starr, remained and the lineup contained younger talent such as HB Donny Anderson and guard Gale Gillingham, but age and attrition were concerns.

There were 49,346 fans on hand at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. The Vikings had the first possession and advanced 67 yards, but after reaching the Green Bay six, a pass by Joe Kapp was tipped by MLB Ray Nitschke and OLB Dave Robinson intercepted it in the end zone. While WR Tom Hall managed to knock the ball loose as he slammed into Robinson, CB Bob Jeter recovered for the Packers.

Bart Starr had a 21-yard pass completion to Donny Anderson nullified by a penalty and, the next time he went to the air, FS Paul Krause intercepted to regain possession for the Vikings at the Green Bay 34. Ten plays later, FB Bill Brown (pictured below) ran for a one-yard touchdown and Fred Cox added the extra point.

The Packers came up empty on their next series and, following a punt, the Vikings again put together a solid drive of 74 yards in eight plays. Brown again finished the series off with a TD run, this time covering 10 yards, and Cox converted for a 14-0 lead.

The Packers, starting from their own 26 after the kickoff, were moved back to the 11 due to an offensive pass interference penalty and then Starr, fading back into his end zone, was tackled by DT Alan Page and DE Jim Marshall for a safety. The score remained 16-0 at the half.

The Packers started off the third quarter with an 11-play, 66-yard drive. Starr, under heavy pressure, rolled out and completed a pass to WR Boyd Dowler for 18 yards to the Minnesota 31 and, five plays later, the veteran quarterback got Green Bay on the board by running out of the pocket for a 10-yard touchdown. Jerry Kramer’s extra point attempt hit the right upright and was unsuccessful, but the Packers were now down by just ten points and showing signs of life.

A key play came on the next Minnesota series after Bill Brown came up inches short on a third down run to his own 26. The Vikings elected to try and convert on fourth down and Kapp kept the ball himself and plowed into the middle of the line. He was hit by Nitschke, moved to his right, and fought for distance before being stopped standing up. The crowd as well as the Green Bay defense thought Kapp had been stopped short, but a measurement showed that he got the first down by the barest of margins. Seven plays later, HB Clint Jones ran four yards for a touchdown and Cox again converted to put the visitors up by 23-6.

It proved to be the clinching series of the game for Minnesota. With the defense keeping the Packers in check and the offense controlling the ball, the Vikings added to the margin before the period was over when Cox kicked a 29-yard field goal. Green Bay was able to score a late, meaningless touchdown in the fourth quarter as Starr connected with Dale from seven yards out, and Kramer added the point after.  Minnesota won by a final score of 26-13.

The teams were even at 242 yards apiece in total yards with the Vikings holding the edge in first downs (20 to 18). The Packers turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by Minnesota, and were penalized eight times at a cost of 90 yards, typically at critical times, while the Vikings were flagged four times.

Joe Kapp didn’t go to the air often, completing 9 of 15 passes for 138 yards and no touchdowns while giving up an interception. Bill Brown rushed for 74 yards on 17 carries that included two TDs while FB Jim Lindsey contributed 33 yards on 11 attempts. WR Gene Washington topped the Minnesota receivers with three catches for 67 yards.

For the Packers, Bart Starr was successful on 14 of 22 throws for 148 yards and a TD while being intercepted twice. Donny Anderson (pictured above) ran for 37 yards on 9 carries and caught three passes for 24 yards. Carroll Dale had 5 catches for 48 yards and a touchdown.

The game marked something of a passing of the torch between the Central Division rivals. Green Bay, which had won five NFL titles under Vince Lombardi and finished no lower than second place in any of the preceding eight seasons (which meant the entire Western Conference prior to the introduction of the divisions in 1967), struggled to a 6-7-1 record that placed third in the division. The Vikings, who swept the season series with the Packers, initially had problems as well but won five of their last seven games to go 8-6 and capture the franchise’s first division title ever. Minnesota went on to dominate the Central Division over the next decade, and while Green Bay had a postseason appearance in 1972, the Packers endured seven losing records during the same time span.

1981: Falcons Erupt in 4th Quarter, Overcome 17-Point Deficit to Defeat Packers

The Green Bay Packers hosted the Atlanta Falcons in the second week of the 1981 NFL season on September 13. Both teams had won in the first week against division rivals, with Green Bay defeating the Bears by a 16-9 tally and the Falcons shutting out New Orleans 27-0.

Expectations were greater for the visiting Falcons, who topped the AFC West in ’80 with a 12-4 record before losing a close NFC Divisional-round playoff game to the Cowboys. Coming into their fifth season under Head Coach Leeman Bennett, Atlanta had a productive offense guided by QB Steve Bartkowski (pictured above) and also featuring all-purpose FB William Andrews, wide receivers Alfred Jenkins and Wallace Francis, and TE Junior Miller. The defense was particularly strong at linebacker, including Al Richardson and Buddy Curry, who both received Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1980.

Green Bay, coached by Bart Starr, was a disappointing 5-10-1 the previous year. QB Lynn Dickey was an able passer when healthy and had an excellent receiver available in WR James Lofton. TE Paul Coffman was also noteworthy and FB Gerry Ellis was an effective runner and receiver. The defense had been riddled by injuries in 1980 and improvement was anticipated, with the biggest concerns regarding the defensive backfield.

There were 55,382 fans in attendance at Lambeau Field and for the first three quarters, they saw their team control the game. In the first quarter, OT Karl Swanke, lined up as an eligible receiver, caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Lynn Dickey. Jan Stenerud added the extra point. Dickey tossed another scoring pass in the second quarter, this time to Gerry Ellis from 11 yards out, and Stenerud again converted.

With time running out in the first half, Ellis ran 10 yards to the Atlanta six and the field goal unit quickly took the field. However, Stenerud’s 32-yard kick was nullified because Swanke was not yet properly set on the line at the snap. Still, the home team took a 14-0 lead into halftime. Lynn Dickey had completed 16 of 20 passes for 208 yards and two TDs, and the Packers outgained the Falcons by 288 yards to 173 and appeared to be very much in command. In addition, Steve Bartkowski was playing with a painful rib injury after a hard hit by DE Mike Butler in the first quarter.

The Packers turned conservative in the third quarter. The only scoring came late in the period when Stenerud kicked a 44-yard field goal to add to Green Bay’s lead. The Falcons finally got on the board early in the fourth quarter when Mick Luckhurst kicked a 32-yard field goal, but it hardly seemed of concern to the home fans.

The Packers had to punt on their next series and Ray Stachowitz kicked a line drive that traveled 43 yards and was returned by WR Reggie Smith, who raced past three defenders, picked up blockers as he reached the right sideline, and gained 53 yards to the Green Bay two. William Andrews plunged through the line for a touchdown on the next play and, with Luckhurst adding the point after, it was a 17-10 game with 10:35 to play.

The ferocious blitzing of the Falcons again kept the Packers in check on a three-and-out series and, getting the ball back, it took Atlanta just two plays to advance 52 yards. Bartkowski threw to Alfred Jenkins twice, first for 22 yards and then for a 30-yard TD, and Luckhurst’s conversion tied the game at 17-17.

The time remaining was eight minutes as the reeling Packers regained possession, and Dickey, under heavy pressure, attempted a short and poorly-thrown pass that was intercepted by LB Fulton Kuykendall (pictured at left), who returned it 20 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Luckhurst added the point after and, in a span of 4:24, the Falcons had scored 24 points to take a seven-point lead.

Green Bay still had a shot at tying the game, but after a Dickey throw to WR James Lofton picked up 27 yards, RB Terdell Middleton fumbled after catching a short pass and LB Joel Williams picked up the loose ball and ran 57 yards for the clinching touchdown. Luckhurst’s PAT capped the stunning Atlanta rally which resulted in a total of 31 fourth quarter points to win by a final tally of 31-17.

The Packers had the edge in total yards (396 to 335) and first downs (22 to 19), but crucially, they netted only seven rushing yards in the second half. Green Bay also turned the ball over five times, with two leading directly to touchdowns in the final period, while the Falcons suffered four turnovers. Atlanta recorded five sacks, to three by the Packers.

Steve Bartkowski completed 16 of 30 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, although he was intercepted four times. William Andrews rushed for 87 yards on 19 carries that included a TD. Alfred Jenkins had five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown and WR Wallace Francis also pulled in five passes, for 88 yards.

For the Packers, Lynn Dickey was successful on 30 of 44 throws for 342 yards and two TDs, but was picked off three times. Gerry Ellis (pictured below) gained 59 yards on 9 rushing attempts and also caught 8 passes for 47 yards and a score. James Lofton gained 179 yards on his 8 pass receptions. LB Rich Wingo had 13 tackles as part of a defensive effort that stymied the Falcons for three quarters.

“It all starts with Reggie’s return,” said Steve Bartkowski, referencing the long punt return by Reggie Smith that led to Atlanta’s first touchdown. “When you’re 17 points down, one big play is not going to win for you. But that got us started.”

“We simply came apart at the seams there for a few minutes,” said Green Bay’s Coach Starr. “It’s one thing to have points scored against you. It’s another thing to have them scored like they did after that long punt return, that interception and that long pass (to Jenkins).”

“The tide of a game is going to turn sometimes,” summed up Lynn Dickey. “What happened to us today was a tidal wave.”

The Falcons won again the next week to reach 3-0 before dropping four of their next five contests on the way to a disappointing 7-9 record that placed them a distant second to the 49ers in the AFC West. Green Bay continued to struggle and was 2-6 at the season’s halfway point before breaking out with six wins in the remaining eight games to break even at 8-8.

Steve Bartkowski had another Pro Bowl year, throwing for 3829 yards and 30 touchdowns, which made him the first NFL quarterback since Y.A. Tittle in 1962-63 to reach 30 TD passes in consecutive seasons. However, he also gave up 23 interceptions and was sacked 37 times. Alfred Jenkins was a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection, leading the league with 1358 pass receiving yards and 13 touchdowns among his 70 catches.  William Andrews placed second in all-purpose yards with 2036 and earned his second Pro Bowl selection.

1968: Starr-to-Dale TDs Lead Packers to Win Over College All-Stars

The Green Bay Packers, defending champions of the NFL, were under a new head coach as they faced the College All-Stars on August 2, 1968 for the benefit of Chicago charities. Vince Lombardi, having led the club to five league titles, including the last three in a row (and wins in the first two Super Bowls), handed over the reins to defensive assistant Phil Bengtson, although he remained Green Bay’s general manager and was watching from the press box. After having been upset by an All-Star squad in 1963, the Packers had thrashed the collegians by a combined score of 65-0 in 1966 and ’67.

Green Bay still had an effective, if aging, veteran core, with the offense directed by QB Bart Starr (pictured above) behind a solid line and the defense containing stalwarts such as DE Willie Davis, DT Henry Jordan, MLB Ray Nitschke, CB Herb Adderley, and FS Willie Wood. If there was a major question at this early stage, it was who would handle the placekicking following the retirement of Don Chandler.

Norm Van Brocklin, former star quarterback in the NFL and first head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, coached the College All-Stars. The roster contained the usual assortment of future pro stars that included C Bob Johnson from Tennessee, USC tackle Ron Yary, TE Charlie Sanders of Minnesota, and running backs Larry Csonka from Syracuse and MacArthur Lane of Utah State on offense, while the defense had Tennessee State DE Claude Humphrey, DT Curly Culp of Arizona State, and Texas-El Paso LB Fred Carr.

There were 69,917 fans in attendance for the Friday night game at Soldier Field. Getting the ball for their second series of the game, the Packers were pinned deep at their three yard line after a 55-yard punt by Jerry DePoyster of Wyoming. However, Bart Starr faked a handoff and then threw to HB Elijah Pitts down the middle. Pitts broke away for a 72-yard gain to the All-Star 26, finally being hauled down by Fred Carr (Green Bay’s first-round draft pick). Six plays later, HB Donny Anderson scored the first touchdown of the game from a yard out and Jerry Kramer kicked the extra point.

Twenty seconds into the second quarter, Starr threw to flanker Carroll Dale (pictured at left) for a 20-yard TD to conclude a 12-play, 89-yard drive. Kramer again added the point after. Later in the period, the Packers went 73 yards in four plays, with Starr connecting with Dale for another touchdown, this time covering 36 yards. Kramer’s third PAT made it a 21-0 score.

The All-Stars, who relied heavily on the running of Syracuse FB Larry Csonka in the first half, responded by driving to a 22-yard field goal by DePoyster. It wasn’t much, but it was the first time a group of All-Stars had put points on the board in three years. Green Bay scored once more at the end of the half as newly-acquired PK Wade Traynham kicked a 30-yard field goal.

In the third quarter, the All-Stars got a break when Green Bay FB Jim Grabowski fumbled the ball away at his own 37. After Csonka pounded away for a total of 30 yards, QB Gary Beban, a scrambler out of UCLA, threw a fourth down pass to WR Earl McCullouch from USC for a seven-yard touchdown. DePoyster kicked the extra point and Green Bay’s lead was narrowed to 24-10.

The Packers came back with another score, however, with Starr once again connecting with Dale on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 13-yard TD. Kramer converted. Later Kramer, who missed on a 45-yard field goal attempt, was good from 47 yards out, setting a new record for the All-Star Game and giving Green Bay a commanding lead.

Down 34-10, the All-Stars fought back, advancing 76 yards with Massachusetts QB Greg Landry throwing to McCullouch (pictured below) for a 24-yard touchdown. DePoyster kicked the point after, and while it brought cheers from the crowd, it proved to be the game’s last score. The Packers won handily by a final tally of 34-17.

The Packers led in total yards (381 to 312), although the All-Stars outgained Green Bay on the ground by 206 yards to 88. The pro champs also had the edge in first downs (20 to 17). The All-Stars turned the ball over four times, to one suffered by Green Bay.

Bart Starr completed 17 of 23 passes, including ten in a row at one point, for 288 yards and three touchdowns with none intercepted. Carroll Dale had 6 catches for 103 yards and three touchdowns. Donny Anderson led the Packers with 64 rushing yards on 11 attempts, one of which was good for a TD.

Greg Landry was successful on 7 of 14 throws for 79 yards and a TD with one picked off and Gary Beban went three of six for 27 yards and a touchdown but also gave up two interceptions. Larry Csonka rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries.

“He had a terrific night,” said Coach Van Brocklin of the All-Stars regarding Bart Starr’s performance. “He picked us apart.”

Green Bay’s win put the pro champs ahead in the series by 24 to 9 with two ties. It was the sixth win in eight appearances for the Packers, and would turn out to be their last. High expectations for the team to remain at the top were dashed as the Packers slipped to 6-7-1 with age and injuries, including one to Starr’s arm, ultimately taking a toll.

Larry Csonka joined the Miami Dolphins of the AFL and, after a slow start, went on to rush for 8081 yards in the AFL and NFL, gain selection to five Pro Bowls, and ultimately earn enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Earl McCullouch had the more immediate pro success with the Detroit Lions, earning consensus Rookie of the Year honors after catching 40 passes for 680 yards and five touchdowns (two of which came against the Packer). His career took a downward course thereafter and he ended up with just 124 pass receptions in seven NFL seasons.

1967: Late Chandler FG Allows Mistake-Prone Packers to Edge Bears

The Green Bay Packers had won back-to-back NFL Championships in 1965 and ’66, but were facing problems as they hosted the Chicago Bears on September 24, 1967. Age and injuries were catching up to many of the key players who had helped to produce four NFL titles since the arrival of Vince Lombardi as head coach and GM in 1959. For instance, gone was the great backfield combination of HB Paul Hornung and FB Jim Taylor, and QB Bart Starr, the league’s MVP in ’66, was playing hurt. But there were still plenty of savvy veterans on the roster combined with some promising younger talent. Nevertheless, the Packers had been shaky in a season-opening game against Detroit the previous week, rallying to salvage a 17-17 tie and with time running out before they could attempt a long field goal. Starr had tossed more interceptions in that one game (4) than he had given up in all of 1966 (3).

The Bears, coached by 72-year-old owner George Halas, “the Papa Bear”, were coming off a 5-7-2 record and had lost badly to the Steelers the week before coming to Green Bay. Key players on the team were all-purpose HB Gale Sayers on offense and MLB Dick Butkus on the defensive side, but there were many question marks elsewhere, notably at quarterback where Larry Rakestraw was to start but it was hoped that Jack Concannon, obtained in an offseason trade from Philadelphia for discontented star TE Mike Ditka, would ultimately step in.  

There were 50,861 fans in attendance on a sunny afternoon at Lambeau Field and they saw Green Bay’s first two possessions end with interceptions. Going for a quick throw to TE Marv Fleming, Bart Starr’s first pass of the game was intercepted by SS Richie Petitbon. On the next series, LB Doug Buffone tipped a Starr pass into the air and pulled it in for another Chicago pickoff. However, the Bears were unable to take advantage of either turnover, giving the ball up once themselves with an interception, and the first quarter was scoreless.

In the second quarter, Green Bay came through with a big play when HB Donny Anderson, back to punt, instead took off on a 40-yard run to the Chicago 10. Two plays later, FB Jim Grabowski (pictured at left) plowed for two yards off tackle to score a touchdown. Don Chandler (pictured at top) converted to make it a 7-0 contest.

Late in the second quarter, the Packers put together another scoring drive, moving from their 30 to the Chicago 13 and being helped by a pass interference penalty on CB Curtis Gentry that enraged George Halas. However, Grabowski came up a yard short on a third down carry and Chandler kicked a 20-yard field goal.

A short kickoff gave the Bears possession at their 32 and QB Larry Rakestraw made a big gain with a 20-yard run to the Green Bay 42, taking advantage of the Packers dropping back into pass coverage on defense rather than mounting a rush. The first half ended with Mac Percival attempting a 49-yard field goal that fell short and the score remained 10-0 in favor of Green Bay.

The third quarter started off with another Petitbon interception of a Starr pass, and he returned it 35 yards to the Green Bay 16. Sayers ran for five yards, but FB Andy Livingston was held to no gain and Jack Concannon, replacing Rakestraw at quarterback, was sacked by LB Lee Roy Caffey for a four-yard loss. Chicago settled for a 22-yard field goal by Percival that cut the home team’s lead to 10-3.

Two more interceptions and a pair of fumbles stymied the Packers, but the defense continued to keep Chicago in check. Late in the third quarter, and with the ball at the Green Bay 31, the Bears tried to convert a fourth-and-one situation but Sayers was stopped short.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, the Packers were inside the Chicago ten and looking to take control of the game, but Grabowski fumbled the ball away at the five. Their inability to build on the lead came back to haunt them when Dick Butkus recovered another fumble, this time at the Green Bay 36. Following two nine-yard scrambles by Concannon, the Bears scored when Sayers ran around left end for a 13-yard touchdown. Percival added the extra point to tie the score with 3:30 remaining in the contest.

The climactic drive started for the Packers at their 39. A short pass from Starr to HB Elijah Pitts picked up 15 yards to get into Chicago territory and then Grabowski ran for nine yards. Kicking into the wind, Chandler’s 46-yard field goal attempt was successful with 1:03 left on the clock. Green Bay came away with a hard-earned 13-10 win.

Belying the closeness of the score, the Packers dominated Chicago in total yards (365 to 159) and first downs (24 to 6). A further contrast was that Green Bay rushed for 233 yards while the Bears netted just 19 yards through the air. The Packers never punted during the course of the game, with the fake by Anderson wiping out the only occasion in which they lined up to do so. However, Green Bay also turned the ball over a staggering eight times, to just one suffered by the visitors.

Bart Starr had another rough performance as he completed 10 of 19 passes for 113 yards and no touchdowns while being intercepted five times. Jim Grabowski ran for 111 yards on 32 carries that included a TD, and while the attempts set a then-club record and it was his first 100-yard rushing game in the NFL (he had one other), he also fumbled three times. Thanks to the long run out of punt formation, Donny Anderson gained 68 yards on 7 attempts. WR Carroll Dale led the Green Bay receivers with four catches for 58 yards.

For the Bears, Gale Sayers rushed for 63 yards on 15 carries that included a TD and also was the team’s top receiver with just two receptions for 12 yards. Larry Rakestraw managed to complete three of his seven passes for 16 yards and had one intercepted. Jack Concannon, who finished the game in relief, went two-of-five for a mere seven yards but ran for 22 yards on five carries. Richie Petitbon (pictured at right) starred on defense with three interceptions that he returned for 41 yards.

“We’re having a hell of a time, apparently,” said Coach Lombardi after a second tough game. “But it’s more tribute that they can still come back.”

Green Bay recovered from the slow start to win eight of its next ten contests and topped the Central Division of the newly realigned NFL at 9-4-1. The Packers went on to win the NFL Championship and a second Super Bowl with a victory over the Oakland Raiders, champions of the AFL. The Bears continued to have trouble scoring points and were 2-5 before catching fire in the second half of the season and ending up second in the division with a 7-6-1 record, losing the rematch with the Packers in Chicago.

Bart Starr gave up nine interceptions in the first two games of the ’67 season and ended up throwing 17 in all, but while he had lesser statistics than in past seasons, in the end he was named Super Bowl MVP for the second consecutive year.

Jim Grabowski went down with a season-ending knee injury in the ninth week but still led the Packers in rushing with 466 yards. The player who was drafted to replace the great Jim Taylor returned to rush for 518 yards in 1968, but injuries ultimately shortened his career.

Don Chandler went on to tie his career best with 19 field goals out of 29 attempts (65.5 %) and added another four in the Super Bowl victory. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the only time in what was his last season.

1960: Packers Overcome 20-Point Deficit, but Rams Get Late FG to Win

The Los Angeles Rams were sporting a mediocre 2-5-1 record as they took on the Green Bay Packers in Milwaukee on November 20, 1960. Two of the franchise’s former great players had taken over leadership positions, with Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch as general manager and Bob Waterfield as head coach. After an 0-4 start, Waterfield began shifting personnel and giving talented rookies more playing time. The Rams rolled up big scores in wins over the Lions and expansion Cowboys before losing in the rematch with Detroit the week prior to facing the Packers.

Green Bay, in its second year under Head Coach Vince Lombardi, was 5-2 and fighting it out with the Colts, winners of the last two NFL titles, for primacy in the Western Conference. QB Bart Starr was a rising talent and HB Paul Hornung was proving to be a scoring machine. FB Jim Taylor was a solid inside runner, but was listed as doubtful coming into the game due to a leg injury. The defense was tough and the Packers clearly had the look of a club on the rise.

There were 35,763 fans in attendance at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. The Packers broke out to an early lead when Hornung kicked a field goal to cap an 11-play, 70-yard drive. DT Henry Jordan then recovered a fumble by Los Angeles QB Bill Wade, giving the Packers possession at the LA one yard line. Two plays later, and after Taylor, who clearly was not in top form, lost a yard, Hornung ran in from two yards out for a touchdown. “The Golden Boy” also added the extra point that made the score 10-0 in favor of the home team.

The Rams, in danger of being left in the dust, reached Green Bay territory on the next series before CB Jesse Whittenton intercepted a Wade pass at his own six. However, the Packers couldn’t move the ball from there and LA made a big play when DT John LoVetere blocked a Boyd Dowler punt. The Rams capitalized by scoring a touchdown on a Wade pass to end Del Shofner from 17 yards out.

The Packers responded by moving into Los Angeles territory, at which point Hornung was briefly knocked out of the game after being hit by LB Jack Pardee and CB Ed Meador. Hornung returned to try for a 36-yard field goal, but LoVetere again came through with a blocked kick for the Rams. Meador picked up the loose ball and ran all the way to the Green Bay 21 before Starr pulled him down. The Packers dug in on defense but the Rams ended up with a field goal of their own, by Danny Villanueva from 23 yards, thus tying the score at 10-10.

It quickly got worse for the Packers when flanker Lew Carpenter fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return. CB Carl Karilivacz recovered for the Rams at the Green Bay 11 and Los Angeles again made the Packers pay. Villanueva kicked another field goal, from 17 yards, to put LA in front.

Three plays later, an interception by safety Will Sherman set up another score for the Rams. LA took possession at the Green Bay 47, and this time reached the end zone. Wade threw to rookie end Jim Phillips (pictured at top) for a nine-yard touchdown, the receiver catching the ball on one knee in the corner of the end zone. The Rams took a 20-10 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, backup QB Lamar McHan came in for Starr and he overthrew a pass that was picked off by safety Charley Britt at the Green Bay 41. Wade went long for Phillips right away, who had a step on the aging great safety Emlen Tunnell, and it was good for the 41-yard touchdown. With Villanueva’s extra point, the Rams were up by 27-10.

It continued to go badly for the Packers as end Max McGee, after gaining 16 yards on an end-around, fumbled and the ball was recovered by DT George Strugar. The Rams continued to make Green Bay pay for mistakes, going seven plays on a series that ended with another Villanueva field goal, from 31 yards. LA was ahead by a remarkable 30-10.

Down by 20 points, the Packers came alive on offense. Rookie Tom Moore (pictured below), in for the injured Taylor at fullback, took a pitchout on the fourth play of the next series and ran down the left sideline, broke to the middle where he outmaneuvered Pardee and Britt, and continued on for a 59-yard TD. Not only did it pick up the team, but the crowd came back to life as well.

The Rams were forced to punt by the inspired Green Bay defense, and the Packers moved 55 yards on a possession that ended with Hornung throwing to Dowler on a halfback option pass in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Once more the Packers forced a short LA series and punt. After a 10-yard run by Moore, Starr connected with Hornung for a 33-yard gain and, two plays later, it was Hornung running over for a touchdown from two yards out. Adding the extra point, the Packers were up by a point with ten minutes to play and appeared to have capped an amazing comeback – but there was still plenty of time.

Ahead by 31-30, the Packers were ferocious on defense. When the Rams once again went three-and-out, they had managed only 13 plays and one first down over the course of four possessions that resulted in punts as Green Bay surged back.

Following that punt, the Packers took over at their own 41. It appeared that the home team was moving in for a clinching touchdown as Starr threw to McGee for a 24-yard gain to the LA 17, but the drive stalled and TE Ron Kramer couldn’t hold onto a pass at the goal line. Hornung then missed a 22-yard field goal attempt that would have forced the Rams to have to score a touchdown rather than a field goal to win.

The Rams couldn’t get anywhere on offense once again, and Shofner’s punt traveled only 25 yards. The Packers had another shot but, facing second-and-five at the LA 35, Hornung ran for four yards but then fumbled the ball away, with Britt recovering for the Rams.

The clock was down to 2:40 and the Rams had the ball at their 40 with Frank Ryan now at quarterback. Twice Ryan scrambled away from Green Bay defenders to keep a drive going that reached the Packers’ two. Nearly sacked by DT Dave Hanner, the nimble Ryan took off for a 12-yard gain to the Green Bay 40 and followed up by firing a 15-yard completion to end Carroll Dale. HB Jon Arnett lost two yards but then broke away for a 22-yard gain to the Green Bay four. After FB Ollie Matson couldn’t plow into the end zone, Villanueva kicked the winning nine-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining. The Rams came away with a stunning 33-31 upset.

Green Bay led in total yards (384 to 205), with 203 of that total coming on the ground, and first downs (20 to 12). However, sloppy play on the part of the Packers helped the Rams along, who took advantage of two blocked kicks and five turnovers to score points, while turning the ball over just twice themselves. The Packers recorded six sacks, while Los Angeles didn’t get to the Green Bay quarterbacks at all.

Bill Wade completed 14 of 26 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns with one intercepted, while Frank Ryan, appearing in the climactic series, was one-of-three through the air for 15 yards and ran effectively for 13 yards on two carries. Jim Phillips caught 5 passes for 88 yards and two TDs. The anemic running game was led by rookie HB Dick Bass, with 20 yards on two attempts. Jon Arnett had just 14 yards on 8 carries and Ollie Matson ran the ball 10 times for only 13 yards, although he also had three pass receptions for 36 yards. Danny Villanueva (pictured above) did his part by connecting on all four of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner.

For the Packers, Tom Moore had a great performance, especially in relief of Jim Taylor in the second half as he gained 105 yards on 11 carries that included the long scoring run. Paul Hornung ran 16 times for 47 yards, caught two passes for 45 more yards, and tossed an 18-yard TD pass as he accounted for a total of 19 points, but his critical missed field goal try and fumble in the fourth quarter dampened the performance. Bart Starr was successful on 10 of 20 throws for 163 yards and gave up one interception. Max McGee led the receivers with four catches for 71 yards.

The loss put the Packers a game behind the Colts with four contests remaining, and Green Bay would be on the road for all four. However, Baltimore was in the process of a complete collapse and, after losing the next week at Detroit, Green Bay rallied to win the last three games and top the Western Conference at 8-4. The finale, which clinched the title, was at Los Angeles. The Packers lost the NFL Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams, meanwhile, ended up sixth in the conference with a 4-7-1 record.

Paul Hornung went on to set a league scoring record of 176 points that lasted until 2006. He tallied 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 41 extra points and was a consensus first-team All-NFL honoree as well as Pro Bowl selection.

Jim “Red” Phillips had a fine first year, catching 52 passes for 883 yards (17.0 avg.) and scoring eight TDs. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl. Third-year QB Frank Ryan, who masterminded the last scoring drive that put the Rams over the top, saw considerable action in relief of Bill Wade and threw for 816 yards and seven touchdowns with nine interceptions. He would eventually achieve stardom – but not until he was dealt to the Cleveland Browns following the ’62 season.