What are Your Five Favorite Regular Season Packer Games?

You can only pick five.

A tweet from Lance Allan on Sunday got me feeling all nostalgic about Packer football.

Since there are no other sports going on and no new on-field football news happening at the moment, I decided to fully embrace my nostalgia and revisit some of my favorite games.

Generally when you think about your favorite Packer games the first ones that come to mind are the postseason successes. My earliest football memories date back to around 1992-1993, so for me that would include two Super Bowl victories and numerous fun playoff romps (the defeat of the 49ers in the Lambeau mud and Aaron Rodgers' throttling of the Falcons in Atlanta are two of my particular favorites). But the regular season games, like the Packers/Steelers contest of 1995 mentioned above, don't get brought up as frequently.

I assigned myself the task of trying to determine my five favorite regular season games I can remember in my lifetime watching as a fan. These aren't necessarily the best football games, but the ones that are particularly memorable to me for one reason or another. I'm interested in hearing other people's selections.

5. Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers, November 1997 (Packers win 45-17)

Boy did I ever despise the Cowboys as a kid. Growing up while the Cowboys were a hugely successful dynasty that routinely squashed the Packers gave me something toward which to channel all of my elementary school rage. It didn't help that there was a kid in my class who was a massively obnoxious Cowboys fan, despite having no connection to Texas whatsoever.

It felt like the Packers were always forced to travel to Dallas, so when they finally got to play in Lambeau, it was a big deal. The Packers ran them out of town on the legs of Dorsey Levens, and for young Tim it was quite the cathartic victory.

4. New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers, November 2014 (Packers win 26-21)

If we're talking about quality football games, this is one of the best games of regular season football I've ever seen between any teams. Solid offensive and defensive football on both sides, a clean game in terms of penalties and officiating, a playoff-like setting and the first ever matchup between the two greatest quarterbacks of the decade. 

This game was perhaps the best game Mike McCarthy has called in his entire career. He surprised the Patriots by using Randall Cobb heavily out of the backfield, and made rookie Davante Adams a crucial part of the passing attack. Bill Belichick gave McCarthy some well-earned, meaningful props after the game.

Let us never forget that this game provided us with this image of Tom Brady on a leash.

3. San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers, October 1996 (Packers win 23-20 in OT)

This game is memorable to me for several reasons. First, it was the first time my parents ever let me stay up to watch a primetime game. So the fact that I got to stay up late on a Monday to watch Packer football was a huge deal.

The game itself was also itnense. I've watched recordings of this game a couple times since, and it holds up quite well. There's the Don Beebe catch, roll and run for a touchdown that would have been overturned had teams been able to review plays at the time. There's Beebe going off for over 200 yards.There's Brett Favre having generally a bad game (I had to go back and look at the stats, he threw the ball 61 times and only completed 28 passes with two picks) but still going back out and sligning it undeterred. And then there's the Chris Jacke field goal to win it in overtime on what was a record 53-yarder for an OT game winner.

Hugely epic game and one that contributed to the 49ers' losing streak against the Packers in meaningful games over that several year span.

2. Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys, December 2013 (Packers win 37-36)

This game was pure, unadulterated Matt Flynn magic. Down several scores at halftime, Flynn and the Packers somehow dug deep and put together an outrageous comeback that kept the Packers' slim playoff hopes alive.

There aren't many comebacks the Packers have had in my lifetime that were as exciting as this one. And without this game (combined with the Chicago Bears' epic collapse), you wouldn't have that magical week 17 contest in Chicago ending in the Rodgers-to-Cobb game winner.

1. Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, November 2000 (Packers win 26-20)

This game would be a top contender for most fans, but it's especially special to me because it was the first game I ever watched live from the Lambeau Field stands.

My dad came home from work about a week earlier and told me he had a surprise for me. One of his coworkers had season tickets to the game but was unable to make it to the Monday Night contest against Minnesota. He gave my dad the tickets and told him to bring me, knowing I was a huge fan and had never been to a game before.

The entire day was one I'll fondly remember for the rest of my life. I got out of school early so we could make the drive up from Milwaukee to Green Bay to walk around and take in the gameday atmosphere. We took in some tailgate food, saw the Packer Hall of Fame (at the time in a different building) and just walked around and soaked it in. The game was chilly and rainy, but it didn't matter. We had a great view of a couple of the touchdowns, including one to Ahman Green. And then, of course, you all know how the game ends. "He did WHAT?!"

We drove back to Milwaukee late that night after the game, and I remember falling asleep to the radio postgame shows, where people were still trying to make sense of what they just witnessed.

I have hopefully many years left of Packer fandom in me, but I'm not sure there'll ever be anything that tops this game for me, for purely sentimental reasons.

 

So those are mine. What are your five favorite regular season games?

 

 

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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.

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Comments (19)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Leatherhead's picture

June 08, 2020 at 03:13 pm

1980 or so. Pack and Bears end in a 6-6 tie. With time running out in overtime, the Pack lines up for a chip shot FG. Blocked, right back into the arms of the Polish Messiah who ran left for the TD in a 12-6 win.

1983, a 48-47 win over the Skins on MNF when a long desperation FG misses. Third man in the booth? OJ Simpson.

In the early 2000s, we played a game in Chicago during an unimaginable rainstorm , and just absolutely beat the snot out of them. I don’t even remember the final score but it was a lot against a little

And I’d include the Rodgers-to-Rodgers Hail Mary. I still don’t believe that happened

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4thand1's picture

June 08, 2020 at 05:56 pm

I was at the MNF skins game. Lost my voice for a few days, it was great!

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dobber's picture

June 08, 2020 at 09:21 pm

"In the early 2000s, we played a game in Chicago during an unimaginable rainstorm "

The Halloween Monsoon. October 31, 1994. Packers win 33-6. Favre rumbles for a long TD run.

Should be on just about every Packer fan's list.

http://archive.jsonline.com/sports/packers/229783091.html/

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murf7777's picture

June 09, 2020 at 07:56 am

Staying with the Bears, top 5 for me was playing the bears the last game of 2010 to get into the playoffs. GB wins 10-3, get the wild card spot and go on to win the SB! I went to that SB and provided me with a great experience I’ll never forget.

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Dave Van Allen's picture

June 09, 2020 at 08:51 pm

My favorite Packer game was the 1994 Packers Lions playoff game where Reggie White and co. held Barry Sanders to -1 yards rushing.

Recall that this was the year Sanders rushed for more than 1800 yards. Great game!

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TheVOR's picture

June 08, 2020 at 03:23 pm

How did the Packers not re-sign Matt Flynn after he was canned by Seattle. Flynn ran into a Buzz saw in the form of the rookie Russell Wilson, and never really recovered, but the dude was a real gamer in relief of Rodgers. That was a guy you could win with in relief of your starter. Holds the franchise record for TD's in a single game with 6. Also had some monster performances in relief.

He's arguably one of the best backups we ever had in GB.

http://archive.jsonline.com/packerinsider/records-fall-and-so-do-the-lio...

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TheKanataThrilla's picture

June 08, 2020 at 04:09 pm

Although it was a blowout, the game after Brett's dad died against the Raiders to me is one of the best moments in sports, let alone football.

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wildbill's picture

June 08, 2020 at 07:14 pm

I go to Lambeau for a Packer regular season game each year. Those are my favorites. Ok so it’s more than five, lol

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PatrickGB's picture

June 08, 2020 at 09:20 pm

Those five listed are most of my favorites. I would also add beating the Bears in the playoff game in Chicago. Bak blocked Peppers, Rodgers threw to Cobb and it seemed that no Bear player noticed it until Cobb had scored.

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dobber's picture

June 08, 2020 at 09:27 pm

Always a great watch...

youtube.com/watch?v=YXq8C5sbRzU

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Leatherhead's picture

June 08, 2020 at 10:08 pm

Well, that Raji interception.

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4thand1's picture

June 09, 2020 at 06:37 pm

Kuuuhnnnn blocked Peppers, can still hear McCarren........................he's got Cobb!!!

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Curt's picture

June 08, 2020 at 10:03 pm

Best two games against the Bores - early season game GB wins 33-6 .... means have to give 27 points for game two.

Pack wins 40-3. Doesn't get much better than that! Up $50 besides.

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Bure9620's picture

June 09, 2020 at 12:40 am

The opener against the Saints in 2011 was a pretty incredible game. Back and forth, terrific offensive execution, the rookie Randall Cobb with a huge return.

NFC Championship game against the Bears 2011, with the BJ pick six was a great game.

Also, an underrated snowy game, the Playoff game against Seattle in 2004. The Packers go down early 13-0. They then dominate the rest of the game at Lambeau.

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splitpea1's picture

June 09, 2020 at 12:49 pm

That opener is one of my least-favorite Packer wins--a portend of things to come for our defense that season....

My favorite regular season game of all time is the NYG-SF (both teams coming in at 10-1) Monday nighter at Candlestick in 1990, won by SF, 7-3. I like to see the points REALLY earned.

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Flow49's picture

June 09, 2020 at 01:55 am

I was at the 2013 Cowboys game, I was joking (Half joking) with the Cowboys fans at half time that even though they were up 23-3 or something like that we all knew Romo would blow it. Also the Lombardi Pope sat right behind us which added a little extra awesome to the day.

Packers Vikings in 2010 at Lambeau was exciting although maybe a little sloppy. Also it is the only game I’ve seen at Lambeau, so maybe I’m just grading it on a curve.

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Doug_In_Sandpoint's picture

June 09, 2020 at 10:18 am

Being born in 1963, I vaguely remember the Lombardi years, so I grew up with a fresh start with Bart. The 70’s and 80’s were not kind to a Packers/Badgers fan. My high school didn’t win a game for my first 3 years there. We had County Stadium season tickets though, so I got to see games in person. 2 games I attended that gave me a glimpse of the success to come:

The 1983 playoff game against the Cardinals. I believe it was my 1st game at Lambeau and the first playoff win in years. After the game when people were trying to tear down the goalposts, we went up to the top row and looked out at GB (there were no skyboxes at that time). A great day.

Also a December game at Soldier Field in 1989. Below zero wind chill and Majik beat the Bears for the second time that season (the first being the instant replay game). We swept the series and had bragging rights for the first time in my memory. Packer fans stayed around afterwords and Majik came out for a curtain call. Glorious!

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splitpea1's picture

June 09, 2020 at 11:30 am

Two that come to mind occurred in our last two Super-Bowl winning seasons: the 38-10 thumping of the Vikings in 1996 to give us home-field throughout, and the 9-0 victory over the Jets in 2010. Neither quarterback had a good day because of the wind, but I love shutouts--especially when they come on the road.

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fish's picture

June 09, 2020 at 04:14 pm

Bears halloween game.
Favre vs Raiders after his father passed away.
Favre enters for Majik and hits Kitrick Taylor for TD on last minute come from behind win.
Majkowski replay game.
MNF vs Redskins.

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