Ranking the Green Bay Packers' 10 Best Season Finales
The Green Bay Packers head into this season's final game against the Detroit Lions this Sunday with the NFC North title on the line. With that in mind, here is a look back at the 10 best season finales in the long and glorious history of the Packers.
These contests are ranked on the importance of the game to the Packers at the time, the game's historical significance, how close and exciting the game was and on any outstanding or significant performances that took place during the contest.
Keep in mind that this list includes all of the Packers' history in the NFL, dating back to 1921.
Feel free to comment on any of the games listed here or to mention a contest you feel belongs on this list but was omitted. As always, please indicate why you feel the way you do. You can also share any personal memories you may have of these games.
Honorable Mentions
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December 24, 1994: Packers 34, Buccaneers 19
The Packers needed a win to reach the playoffs, and they won handily, downing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-19 in Tampa to clinch a wild-card berth.
The win was bittersweet, however, because the Packers lost wide receiver Sterling Sharpe to what turned out to be a career-ending neck injury. Sharpe went out in style, catching three touchdown passes from Brett Favre while catching nine passes for 132 yards.
Edgar Bennett rushed for exactly 100 yards and a score while the Packers outgained the home team 433-214.
With the win, the Pack reached the playoffs for the second straight year for the first time since Vince Lombardi's final two seasons in Green Bay, 1966 and 1967.
December 18, 1988: Packers 26, Cardinals 17
The Packers entered the final game of 1988 with a 3-12 record and a chance at the first overall pick in the 1989 draft. The big prize was quarterback Troy Aikman out of UCLA. The Packers ruined any chances they had of drafting Aikman when they beat the Phoenix Cardinals.
Ron Pitts got the Pack started when he returned a punt 63 yards for the first score of the game. Don Majkowski threw for 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Larry Mason led the Packers with 57 yards rushing and also caught a touchdown pass in the game.
The Packers settled on the second pick in the 1989 draft and chose offensive tackle Tony Mandarich of Michigan State. Mandarich turned out be one of the biggest busts in NFL history.
December 24, 1989: Packers 20, Cowboys 10
The Packers entered this game with a chance to qualify for the playoffs in a non-strike season for the first time since 1972. Although they struggled at times, they came away with a 20-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The loss dropped the Cowboys to 1-15-0 in coach Jimmy Johnson's first season.
A 14-yard touchdown pass from Majkowski to wide receiver Jeff Query helped Green Bay take a 10-3 halftime lead, but the Cowboys evened the score on a 57-yard fumble recovery by linebacker Jack Del Rio in the third quarter.
Majkowski answered back, however, and led Green Bay on a scoring drive that culminated with a five-yard scoring toss to tight end Ed West.
Chris Jacke booted a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to give the Pack some insurance.
Unfortunately, the Packers missed the playoffs when the Minnesota Vikings won their season finale on Monday Night Football. The Pack finished the season with a 10-6-0 record but missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker.
10. January 1, 2012: Packers 45, Lions 41
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The Packers had already clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, so coach Mike McCarthy decided to rest starter Aaron Rodgers in the season finale and went with backup Matt Flynn. Flynn delivered with a record-setting performance that put a bow on a 15-1-0 season for Green Bay.
Flynn threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns to help the Packers edge the Detroit Lions 45-41 in a wild shootout that went down to the final minute. Lions starter Matthew Stafford also had a big day statistically, finishing with 520 yards and five touchdowns in a losing effort.
Jordy Nelson caught nine passes for 162 yards and three scores to pace the Packers receivers.
The winning score came late in the fourth quarter. Flynn found tight end Jermichael Finley for a four-yard scoring pass with 1:10 left to put Green Bay ahead 45-41.
That left Stafford with one last chance to give Detroit back the lead, but Sam Shields came up with a big interception that sealed the win for Green Bay.
The 15 wins represented the most regular-season wins in franchise history.
9. December 13, 1959: Packers 36, 49ers 14
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The Green Bay Packers overcame a 14-0 deficit to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 36-14. The win was the third straight for the Pack and guaranteed the team would finish with a winning record (7-5-0) in Vince Lombardi's first season as head coach. Green Bay hadn't had a winning season in 12 years.
Paul Hornung scored three touchdowns to pace the comeback, while Lew Carpenter rushed for 113 yards.
The Packers tied the game on a 22-yard pass from Bart Starr to Gary Knafelc in the second quarter. Starr completed 20 of 25 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
The momentum turned in the third quarter when Bill Forester tackled 49ers quarterback Y.A. Tittle in the end zone for a safety. That put Green Bay ahead 16-14, and the Pack never looked back after that.
The Green Bay offense gained 479 yards in the game, its best output of the season.
The two teams finished tied for third place in the Western Conference. The strong finish to the season was a positive one for the Packers.
Lombardi was quick to praise his players. "This team had great determination," Lombardi told Newsday. "They took every defeat the hard way, but they never quit. They came back when things were the toughest."
Quote taken from microfilm—no link available.
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8. December 3, 1939: Packers 12, Lions 7
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The Packers entered the final game of 1939 against the Detroit Lions needing at least a tie to clinch the Western Conference title and earn a berth in the NFL Championship Game against the New York Giants.
In the first half, the Packers struggled. A 16-yard field goal by Tiny Engebretsen gave Green Bay a 3-0 lead, but the Lions bounced back and took a 7-3 halftime lead on a 15-yard run by Dwight Sloan.
Hall of Famer Don Hutson got the Packers closer when he blocked a punt by Johnny Pingel which went out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
In the fourth quarter, the Pack started a final drive in an attempt to win the game. Clarke Hinkle was the key performer in this 46-yard drive, running off the left side for 24 yards to set up 1st-and-goal at the Lions 6.
The Lions defense stiffened, stopping Hinkle twice and then bringing down Joe Laws a half-yard short of the goal line.
On fourth down, the Packers ran a reverse out of the T-formation, and Hinkle managed to reach the end zone for the go-ahead score.
The Green Bay defense played well, limiting the Lions to seven first downs and 153 yards for the game.
Green Bay defeated the New York Giants 27-0 the following week to win the fifth NFL title in franchise history.
7. December 28, 2003: Packers 31, Broncos 3
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While this was one of the most exciting days in Packers history, the game itself was more or less anticlimactic. The real drama was taking place more than a thousand miles away.
The Packers needed a win over the Denver Broncos coupled with a loss by the Minnesota Vikings in their game with the Arizona Cardinals to qualify for the playoffs.
Green Bay cruised to a 31-3 win over the Broncos, who had already clinched a playoff berth and were resting many of their starters.
Ahman Green rushed for a franchise-record 218 yards and two touchdowns, including a 98-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter that gave the Pack a comfortable 24-3 lead.
Meanwhile, the Vikings held a seemingly secure 17-6 lead over the Cardinals with two minutes left. But Arizona staged an improbable comeback. As time expired, Josh McCown hit Nathan Poole on a 28-yard touchdown pass that gave Arizona an 18-17 win and gave the Packers the NFC North title.
The Packers invited Poole to their playoff game at Lambeau Field a week later. The fans gave him a standing ovation.
6. December 8, 1929: Packers 25, Bears 0
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The Green Bay Packers clinched the first championship in franchise history by defeating the Chicago Bears 25-0 in Chicago.
The idea of an NFL title game was still a few years away in 1929, so the team with the best record during the regular season was named champion for that season. Ties weren't counted back then, so the Packers needed to win the season finale to claim the championship.
Eddie Kotal caught a pair of touchdown passes in the game, while Verne Lewellen ran for one score and threw a touchdown pass for the Pack.
The win over the Bears gave the Packers a 12-0-1 record against NFL opponents. The New York Giants finished second with a 13-1-1 mark. Their only loss was a 20-6 defeat at the hands of the Packers at the Polo Grounds back on November 24.
The win over the Bears gave the Packers a sweep of the three-game series against Chicago. The Pack outscored the Bears 62-0 in those games.
The Packers went on to win titles in 1930 and 1931. No other team would win three consecutive titles until Vince Lombardi's teams did it from 1965-1967.
5. November 30, 1941: Packers 22, Redskins 17
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The Packers needed a win in their final game of the season against the Washington Redskins to force a playoff for the Western Conference title, but things didn't get off to a good start.
Sammy Baugh threw for one score and led Washington to a 17-0 halftime lead.
The Packers rallied in the second half behind the duo of Cecil Isbell and Don Hutson. Hutson caught two scoring passes from Isbell in the third quarter and another in the fourth to give the Packers a 20-17 lead.
The Packers added another two points on a safety when Washington's Ray Hare stepped out of the back of the end zone and clinched a 22-17 win.
Isbell set a new NFL record during the game with 1,479 passing yards for the season, breaking Baugh's old mark. Meanwhile, Hutson led the league with 738 receiving yards.
The win set up a one-game playoff with the Chicago Bears for the Western Conference title. Unfortunately, Chicago won this one 33-14.
4. December 17, 1960: Packers 35, Rams 21
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The Packers clinched their first division title under Vince Lombardi by beating the Los Angeles Rams 35-21 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Bart Starr led the way, completing eight of nine passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. The first came on a 57-yard pass to Max McGee and the second a 91-yard bomb to Boyd Dowler.
Paul Hornung ran for one score and threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to McGee on a halfback option.
The other Green Bay touchdown came when backup halfback Paul Winslow recovered a blocked punt in the end zone.
Green Bay had a 28-7 halftime lead and held on for the win despite a pair of fourth-quarter scores by the Rams, including one by future Packer receiver Carroll Dale.
After the game, the Packers players carried their coach off the field on their shoulders to celebrate.
The following week, the Pack met the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Championship Game. A late rally fell short, and the Packers lost 17-13. That would be the only playoff game Lombardi would ever lose as coach of the Packers.
3. January 2, 2011: Packers 10, Bears 3
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The Packers needed a win in their final game of the 2010 regular season to qualify for the postseason. They got it in a close 10-3 victory over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field.
The game turned out to be a defensive struggle. The Packers sacked Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler six times and limited the Bears to 227 total yards of offense.
The Bears took a 3-0 lead at halftime on a 30-yard field goal by Robbie Gould. Green Bay answered in the third quarter on a 23-yard boot by Mason Crosby.
Aaron Rodgers threw the only touchdown pass of the game in the fourth quarter when he found tight end Donald Lee on a one-yard score. Rodgers finished the game with 19 completions in 29 attempts for 229 yards.
Chicago started its final drive at its own 2 with less than five minutes left in the game. Cutler led the Bears downfield until Nick Collins intercepted a pass deep in Green Bay territory to clinch the win and a playoff berth for the Packers.
The Packers and Bears met again three weeks later for the NFC Championship Game in Chicago. Green Bay won that game as well and later defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to win Super Bowl XLV.
2. December 24, 1995: Packers 24, Steelers 19
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The Green Bay Packers needed a win in their final game of the 1995 season to capture their first NFC Central title (in a non-strike season) since 1972. The team had reached the playoffs as a wild card the previous two seasons but needed a division win to take the next step in its development.
The Packers led 24-19 late in the game. But the Pittsburgh Steelers were driving, and the lead was slipping away. Neil O'Donnell drove the Steelers deep into Green Bay territory with a chance to win the game.
It all came down to a 4th-and-goal from the Green Bay 6. O'Donnell threw for wide receiver Yancey Thigpen on fourth down in the end zone, but the ball bounced off Thigpen's hands and fell to the ground. The Packers were division champions.
"Merry Christmas, Green Bay," Thigpen told The Associated Press (as reported by The New York Times). "That's their Christmas present. Santa Claus came a day early."
Favre threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns for the Pack. He was briefly replaced by backup Jim McMahon when he took a hard sack in the second half but managed to return to the game.
"There must have been some kind of divine intervention," Packers head coach Mike Holmgren told The Associated Press. "You know Reggie White plays for us. When a play like that happens, you say 'Thank you' to someone."
The Packers hosted the Atlanta Falcons the following week in the opening round of the playoffs. After beating the Falcons, the Pack upset the San Francisco 49ers and advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the first of three straight appearances.
All quotes taken from microfilm. No links available.
1. December 29, 2013: Packers 33, Bears 28
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The 2013 season was a difficult one for the Green Bay Packers. They were off to a solid 5-2-0 start when starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with a fractured collarbone that sidelined him until the season's final game. Without Rodgers, the Packers sputtered, going just 2-5-1.
But Rodgers was back for the Week 17 meeting with the Chicago Bears, and incredibly enough, the winner of this game would win the NFC North title.
The game was a close one with the lead changing hands six times. Green Bay trailed 28-20 early in the fourth quarter when Jay Cutler connected with wide receiver Brandon Marshall on a five-yard touchdown pass.
But Rodgers found a way to lead his team back. A six-yard touchdown run by rookie Eddie Lacy pulled the Pack to within one point. The Green Bay defense held and set up Rodgers and the offense for one final drive.
The game came down to one last play. The Packers faced a 4th-and-8 at the Chicago 48-yard line with just 38 seconds left on the clock. Rodgers was pressured but eluded the rush, extended the play and found a wide-open Randall Cobb for the game-winning score. It was Cobb's second touchdown pass of the game. The veteran wide receiver had been out of the lineup since Week 6 with an injury.
Rodgers finished the game with 318 yards and two touchdowns. Jordy Nelson led all Green Bay receivers with 10 catches for 161 yards.
"This is a special group of guys who've been through a lot," Rodgers told The Associated Press' Andrew Seligman (via Yahoo Sports). "It's been a roller coaster."
The division title was the third straight for the Packers who had reached the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
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