September 12: San Francisco 49ers (1-0) 26, Green Bay Packers (0-1) 14
(GREEN BAY) - Jim Plunkett fired two scoring passes to Willie McGee, and Delvin Williams sparked San Francisco's ball-control offense with 121 yards rushing, leading the 49ers to a 26-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Williams' 59-yard scoring dash 2:13 before halftime gave the 49ers the lead to stay at 13-7. The Packers had scored on the second scrimmage play when S Johnnie Gray picked off a Plunkett pass and raced 15 yards to the end zone. The 49ers, stopped on their first two scoring threats, got a break when Jim O'Bradovich recovered a fumble by Green Bay's Will Harrell on a punt return at the Packer 39. Five plays later, Plunkett passed over the middle to McGee on a 24-yard scoring play.
SAN FRANCISCO - 0 13 6 7 - 26
GREEN BAY - 7 0 0 7 - 14
1st - GB - Gray, 15-yard interception return (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - SF - Willie McGee, 24-yd pass fr Jim Plunkett (S. Mike-Mayer kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - SF - Delvin Williams, 59-yard run (No kick, bad snap) SAN FRANCISCO 13-7
3rd - SF - McGee, 29-yard pass from Plunkett (Kick failed) SAN FRANCISCO 19-7
4th - SF - Williams, 1-yard run (Mike-Mayer kick) SAN FRANCISCO 26-7
4th - GB - Taylor, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) SAN FRANCISCO 26-14
September 19: St. Louis Cardinals (2-0) 29, Green Bay Packers (0-2) 0
(ST. LOUIS) - Jim Bakken kicked five field goals to help the Cardinals capitalize on three fumbles and two pass interceptions. Bakken's four first half field goals - two after Packer fumbles - gave the Cardinals a 12-0 lead. Then Roger Wehrli picked off Lynn Dickey's first pass of the second half to set up Bakken's fifth kick, a 25-yarder which gave St. Louis a 15-0 lead. LB Ray White nabbed Dickey's first pass of the final quarter and returned it to the Green Bay 18. A Jim Hart-to-Ike Harris pass put the ball at the two and Terry Metcalf scooted around right end for the first Cardinal touchdown of the game. Green Bay's Willard Harrell fumbled a St. Louis punt minutes later and Lee Nelson recovered for the Cardinals at the three. Steve Jones hurdled over on the next play for the final St. Louis score. Green Bay finished with only 62 yards rushing and converted just 2-of-13 third down conversions. Dickey hit 10-of-26 passes for 140 yards and three interceptions while Hart finished 15-for-29 for 207 yards. Metcalf led Cardinal rushers with 73 yards in 15 carries.
GREEN BAY - 0 0 0 0 - 0
ST. LOUIS - 6 6 3 14 - 29
1st - STL - Jim Bakken, 28-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 3-0
1st - STL - Bakken, 41-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 6-0
2nd - STL - Bakken, 32-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 9-0
2nd - STL - Bakken, 30-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 12-0
3rd - STL - Bakken, 26-yard field goal ST. LOUIS 15-0
4th - STL - Terry Metcalf, 2-yard run (Bakken kick) ST. LOUIS 22-0
4th - STL - Steve Jones, 1-yard run (Bakken kick) ST. LOUIS 29-0
September 26: Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) 28, Green Bay Packers (0-3) 7
(CINCINNATI) - DB Ken Riley raced 53 yards with an intercepted pass for a touchdown, and Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin enjoyed his finest professional outing with 78 yards, powering the Cincinnati Bengals to a 28-7 win over the Green Bay Packers. The Bengals spotted Green Bay a 7-0 lead in the first quarter then overcame a rain-swept first half to boost their record to 2-1. Riley's 32nd career interception allowed the Bengals to tie the game, and a fumble recovery by veteran DE Coy Bacon on the Packers' six set up the go-ahead score. Griffin, the all-time major college rushing leader from Ohio State, carried 20 times, scoring his first NFL regular season touchdown on a brilliant second-effort, nine-yard play in the third period. S Tom Casanova picked off a pass by backup QB Carlos Brown and returned it 33 yards for the final touchdown with just over one minute to play. A stingy Cincinnati defense limited the winless Packers to 71 yards rushing and minus 35 passing for a net total of 36. The Bengals sacked quarterback Lynn Dickey and Brown a total of five times, limiting the Packers to only two third-down conversions in 13 attempts.
GREEN BAY - 7 0 0 0 - 7
CINCINNATI - 0 14 7 7 - 28
1st - GB - Dickey, 7-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
October 3: Green Bay Packers (1-3) 24, Detroit Lions (1-3) 14
(GREEN BAY) - Steve Odom caught a 40-yard scoring pass from halfback Will Harrell and set up two other touchdowns with a kickoff return and flanker reverse, leading the Green Bay Packers to a 24-14 win over the Detroit Lions. Lynn Dickey's two- yard touchdown pass to reserve Bert Askson gave the Packers the lead to stay at 17-14 with 12 minutes to play and pave the way to their first victory after three losses. The score came two plays after Odom took a handoff from Harrell and scampered 17 yards to a first down at the Lions' one-yard line. Odom raced behind Lem Barney to haul in Harrell's option pass with 8:06 left to clinch the victory. He raced 88 yards to the Lions' two with the opening kickoff and Barty Smith pounded over the goal two plays later. The Packers made it 10-0 on their next possession as Chester Marcol kicked a 35-yard field goal. A 56- yard run by Harrell to the Detroit 27 sparked the drive. Harrell finished with 111 yards rushing in 17 carries. The Lions, 1-3, closed to within 10-7 on a seven-yard scoring run by Dexter Bussey three plays into the second quarter. Detroit took a 14-10 halftime advantage as Greg Landry tossed a three-yard TD pass to Ray Jarvis with 5::06 to go in the second period.
DETROIT - 0 14 0 0 - 14
GREEN BAY - 10 0 0 14 - 24
1st - GB - B.Smith, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
1st - GB - Marcol, 35-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-0
2nd - DET - Dexter Bussey, 7-yd pass from Greg Landry (Errol Mann kick) GB 10-7
2nd - DET - Ray Jarvis, 3-yard pass from Landry (Mann kick) DETROIT 14-10
4th - GB - Askson, 2-yard pass from Dickey (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 17-14
4th - GB - Odom, 40-yard pass from Harrell (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 24-14
October 10: Green Bay Packers (2-3) 27, Seattle Seahawks (0-5) 20
(MILWAUKEE) - Lynn Dickey passed for 215 yards, including 66 to Steve Odom for a touchdown, while Barty Smith rushed for 84 yards and two other scores to rally the Green Bay Packers to a 27-20 victory over winless Seattle. Smith scored the tying touchdown from six yards out with 7:42 to play and Chester Marcol's extra point made it 21-20. A 21-yard pass from Dickey to Ken Payne to the Seahawks' 15 set up the score. Will Harrell scored an touchdown on a six-yard run with 2:42 remaining.
SEATTLE - 0 13 7 0 - 20
GREEN BAY - 7 0 7 13 - 27
1st - GB - B.Smith, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - SEA - Steve Raible, 26-yard blocked punt return (John Leypoldt kick) TIED 7-7
2nd - SEA - Leypoldt, 48-yard field goal SEATTLE 10-7
2nd - SEA - Leypoldt, 44-yard field goal SEATTLE 13-7
3rd - SEA - Ralph Nelson, 1-yard run (Leypoldt kick) SEATTLE 20-7
4th - GB - B.Smith, 6-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 21-20
4th - GB - Harrell, 6-yard run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 27-20
October 17: Green Bay Packers (3-3) 28, Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) 13
(GREEN BAY) - Green Bay's Lynn Dickey passed for 226 yards, including scoring bombs of 44 yards to Ken Payne and 69 yards to Will Harrell, to lead the revived Packers to a 28-13 win over Philadelphia. Barty Smith scored on a pair of one-yard runs as the Packers mounted a 21-6 halftime lead en route to their third successive victory after three losses. DT Dave Roller led a pressure defense. He tackled Eagle quarterback Mike Boryla three times for 24 yards in losses. Dickey's scoring pass to Payne, who beat Al Clark on a fly pattern down the left sideline, gave Green Bay the lead for good at 7-3 with just over 10 minutes gone.
PHILADELPHIA - 3 3 0 7 - 13
GREEN BAY - 7 14 0 7 - 28
1st - PHIL - Horst Muhlmann, 26-yard field goal PHILADELPHIA 3-0
1st - GB - Odom, 44-yard pass from Dickey (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-3
2nd - PHIL - Muhlmann, 26-yard field goal GREEN BAY 7-6
2nd - GB - B. Smith, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-6
2nd - GB - B. Smith, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 21-6
4th - PHIL - Mike Boryla, 1-yard run (Muhlmann kick) GREEN BAY 21-13
4th - GB - Harrell, 69-yard from Dickey (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 28-13
October 24: Oakland Raiders (6-1) 18, Green Bay Packers (3-4) 14
(OAKLAND) - Ken Stabler's three second-quarter touchdown passes, including the longest of his career on an 88-yard play to Cliff Branch, gave the Oakland Raiders .an 18-14 victory over Green Bay in a penalty-filled game. The underdog Packers drew 17 penalties including those refused.by Oakland and trailed 18-7 after three periods. But Willard Harrell ran four yards for a Green Bay touchdown with 6:34 left in the game and it took an interception by Oakland CB Skip Thomas at the Raiders' 19-yard line to stop a final Green Bay drive. Stabler increased his NFL-leading touchdown pass total to 14 as he hit TE Dave Casper on a 27-yarder, Branch on the longest bomb, and Fred Biletnikoff on a 10-yard play. The Oakland quarterback totaled 202 yards passing in the first half but had little success in the second. Packers' quarterback Lynn Dickey, who fired a 57-yard touchdown pass to Ken Payne in the first quarter, aimed for Rich McGeorge on his final attempt of the game. The tight end slipped and fell near the right sideline and Thomas was there to make the crucial interception.
GREEN BAY - 7 0 0 7 - 14
OAKLAND - 0 18 0 0 - 18
1st - GB - Payne, 57-yard pass from Dickey (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - OAK - Dave Casper, 27-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Kick blocked) GB 7-6
2nd - OAK - Cliff Branch, 88-yd pass from Stabler (Kick blocked) OAKLAND 12-7
2nd - OAK - Fred Biletnikoff, 10-yd pass from Stabler (Kick failed) OAKLAND 18-7
October 31: Detroit Lions (4-4) 27, Green Bay Packers (3-5) 6
(DETROIT) - Veteran Ray Jarvis enjoyed his finest day as a wide receiver by catching six Greg Landry passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Detroit Lions past the Green Bay Packers 27-6. Landry completed 12-of-19 passes for 211 yards and the two touchdowns. His 74-yard TD pass to Jarvis with 10:12 to play in the first quarter was the longest Lion score by passing or running in three seasons, since Landry threw an 86-yard scoring strike in 1973. When Jarvis caught a 13- yard scoring pass from Landry with 3:30 left in the first half, it hiked Detroit's lead to 24-3 and assured the Lions' vengeance for a 24-14 loss the Packers hung on them a month ago which cost Rick Forzano his job as head coach two days later.
GREEN BAY - 0 3 3 0 - 6
DETROIT - 10 14 0 3 - 27
1st - DET - Benny Ricardo, 34-yard field goal DETROIT 3-0
1st - DET - Ray Jarvis, 74-yard pass from Greg Landry (Ricardo kick) DET 10-0
2nd - GB - Marcol, 39-yard field goal DETROIT 10-3
2nd - DET - Lawrence Gaines, 26-yard run (Ricardo kick) DETROIT 17-3
2nd - DET - Jarvis, 13-yard pass from Landry (Ricardo kick) DETROIT 24-3
3rd - GB - Marcol, 37-yard field goal DETROIT 24-6
4th - DET - Ricardo, 39-yard field goal DETROIT 27-6
November 7: Green Bay Packers (4-5) 33, New Orleans Saints (2-7) 27
(MILWAUKEE) - Willard Harrell scampered 32 yards to the New Orleans seven-yard line, then swept over from the two with 4:47 to play, rallying the Green Bay Packers to a 32-27 victory over the Saints. Lynn Dickey's 13-yard pass to Ken Payne ignited the decisive drive and Harrell broke off tackle for his run on the next play. The Packers added an insurance safety with 2:48 left when Saints OG Terry Stieve was called for clipping in the New Orleans end zone. The Saints had taken a 27-23 lead as Bobby Douglass' passing set up touchdown runs of one yard by Tony Galbreath and Mike Strachan in the third quarter. The Saints' comeback followed Fred Carr's 10-yard touchdown return with an interception as Green Bay took a 23-13 lead on the second play of the third quarter. Green Bay strung together 17 points in a 94-second span late in the first half and in the first moments of the second. The Packers gained a 13-13 tie 1:12 before halftime when Rich McGeorge caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Lynn Dickey. Warren Capone, a New Orleans reserve LB, fielded the ensuing kickoff and tried to lateral to running back Alvin Maxson, who fumbled. Rookie Steve Wagner recovered for the Packers at the Saints' 29, setting up a 38-yard field goal by Chester Marcol four seconds before halftime.
NEW ORLEANS - 0 13 14 0 - 27
GREEN BAY - 6 10 7 9 - 32
1st - GB - Torkelson, 8-yard run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 6-0
2nd - NO - Richie Szaro, 30-yard field goal GREEN BAY 6-3
2nd - NO - Szaro, 32-yard field goal TIED 6-6
2nd - NO - Jim Merlo, 45-yard interception return (Szaro kick) N. ORLEANS 13-6
2nd - GB - Marcol, 38-yard field goal GREEN BAY 16-13
3rd - GB - Carr, 10-yard interception return (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 23-13
3rd - NO - Tony Galbreath, 1-yard run (Szaro kick) GREEN BAY 23-20
3rd - NO - Mike Strachan, 7-yard run (Szaro kick) NEW ORLEANS 27-23
4th - GB - Harrell, 2-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 30-27
4th - GB - Safety, New Orleans clip in the end zone GREEN BAY 32-27
November 14: Chicago Bears (5-5) 24, Green Bay Packers (4-6) 13
(CHICAGO) - Walter Payton scored one touchdown and became the first back to gain 1,000 yards in the NFL this season leading the Chicago Bears to a 24-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Payton gained 109 yards on 18 carries for 1,008 yards so far this season. He scored on a two-yard run in the first period to put the Bears ahead to stay and then went over the 1,000 mark when he broke a 42-yard run late in the final period. The Bears turned a pair of Green Bay fumbles into first period touchdowns and then saw the Packers creep within one point before Roland Harper scored on a 16-yard run in the third quarter. Bob Thomas' 46-yard field goal in the fourth quarter capped the Bears' fifth victory against five losses while Green Bay dropped to 4-6. Any hopes the Packers had of coming back disappeared when Lynn Dickey left the game with a bruised shoulder with 8 1/2 minutes left to play. Dickey completed 13 of 24 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown to keep the Packers' in contention.
GREEN BAY - 0 10 3 0 - 13
CHICAGO - 14 0 7 3 - 24
1st - CHI - Walter Payton, 2-yard run (Bob Thomas kick) CHICAGO 7-0
1st - CHI - Mike Adamle, 4-yard pass from Bob Avellini (Thomas kick) CHI 14-0
2nd - GB - Payne, 27-yard pass from Dickey (Marcol kick) CHICAGO 14-7
2nd - GB - Marcol, 19-yard field goal CHICAGO 14-10
3rd - GB - Marcol, 27-yard field goal CHICAGO 14-13
3rd - CHI - Roland Harper, 16-yard run (Thomas kick) CHICAGO 21-13
4th - CHI - Thomas, 46-yard field goal CHICAGO 24-13
November 21: Minnesota Vikings (9-1-1) 17, Green Bay Packers (4-7) 10
(MILWAUKEE) - Fran Tarkenton threw two scoring passes, including an 11-yarder to Ahmad Rashad 44 seconds into the fourth quarter, and the Minnesota Vikings intercepted four passes to beat the Green Bay Packers 17-10 and clinch their fourth straight NFC Central title. The Vikings drove 88 yards for the winning score after the Packers had tied the game on John Brockington's one-yard run as Minnesota won its eighth divisional crown in nine years. DT Mike McCoy recovered a fumbled snap to set up Green Bay's only first half score, a 23-yard field goal by Chester Marcol. Later in the first quarter, Minnesota's Nate Allen picked off a pass at the Vikings 45 and, nine plays later Fred Cox tied the score with a 41-yard field goal. Dropped passes plagued both teams for most of the first half, although the Vikings penetrated to the Packers 32 midway through the second quarter. Then, however, LB Fred Carr blocked Cox' 48-yard field goal attempt. Later in the game, Carr blocked a 33-yard attempt - his sixth block and the Packers' eighth this season. With just 1:58 left in the second quarter, Tarkenton took charge and led the Vikings 48 yards to the Green Bay 4. With six seconds left, Tarkenton scrambled, then hit Robert Miller with a touchdown pass and the Vikings led 10-3. Tarkenton, throwing mainly to his backs, threw 29 passes in the first half, completing 15 for 115 yards. Overall, he hit on 23 of 43 for 180 yards. Carlos Brown, making the first start filling in for Dickey, completed 11 of 25 passes for 82 yards. He threw three interceptions, two of them tipped by receivers.
MINNESOTA - 3 7 0 7 - 17
GREEN BAY - 3 0 7 0 - 10
1st - GB - Marcol, 23-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
1st - MINN - Fred Cox, 41-yard field goal TIED 3-3
2nd - MINN - Robert Miller, 4-yard pass from Fran Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 10-3
4th - MINN - Ahmad Rashad, 11-yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) MIN 17-10
November 28: Chicago Bears (6-6) 16, Green Bay Packers (4-8) 10
(GREEN BAY) - Bob Thomas kicked three field goals and the Chicago Bears held on in the closing seconds to defeat the Green Bay Packers 16-10 Thomas put the Bears ahead for good at 13-10 with a 22-yard field goal late in the third quarter and moments after CB Allan Ellis picked off his second pass of the day, Thomas connected form 25 yards with 9:46 left in the game. The Packers, who trailed 10-3 at the half, tied the game on Carlos Brown's 11-yard TD pass to Ken Payne early in the third quarter. Reserve quarterback Randy Johnson replaced Brown and led the Packers to the Bears' 39 in the final minute. But the drive ended there, preserving the Bears' victory. The Bears spurted to an early 10-0 lead on Thomas' 40-yard field goal and Bob Avelhni's 49-yard pass to James Scott. On the touchdown, Scott beat cornerback Willie Buchanon, then caught the pass on his fingertips on the Packers' 10.
CHICAGO - 10 0 3 3 - 16
GREEN BAY - 0 3 7 0 - 10
1st - CHI - Bob Thomas, 40-yard field goal CHICAGO 3-0
1st - CHI - James Scott, 49-yard pass from Bob Avellini (Thomas kick) CHI 10-0
2nd - GB - Marcol, 45-yard field goal CHICAGO 10-3
3rd - GB - Payne, 11-yard pass from Brown (Marcol kick) TIED 10-10
3rd - CHI - Thomas, 22-yard field goal CHICAGO 13-10
4th - CHI - Thomas, 25-yard field goal CHICAGO 16-10
December 5: Minnesota Vikings (10-2-1) 20, Green Bay Packers (4-9) 9
(MINNESOTA) - Chuck Foreman scored on a pair of one-yard runs in the fourth quarter to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 20-9 victory over the Green Bay Packers at cold, snow-covered Metropolitan Stadium. Foreman's first scoring run came with two minutes gone in the final quarter, capping a 72-yard drive. The touchdown gave Minnesota a 13-6 lead before Chester Marcol booted a 24-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter. Robert Miller set up Foreman's second touchdown, his 14th of the year, with a 36-yard run to the Green Bay two with less than three minutes left in the game. Miller carried the ball 13 times for 95 yards. Foreman, who rushed 18 times for 42 yards, broke his club record of 1,070 yards rushing set last season. The versatile back now has 1,077 yards rushing. Minnesota trailed early in the third quarter, 6-3, before Fred Cox kicked a 30-yard field goal. Fran Tarkenton hit on 23 of 32 passes for 196 yards despite the snowy, 16-degree weather. The Packers, who lost to the Vikings 17-10 earlier in the season in Milwaukee, took a 6-3 halftime lead on Carlos Brown's 12-yard touchdown pass to Ollie Smith in the first quarter. The snap from center was high on Marcol's extra point attempt and the kick was blocked by Bobby Bryant. The Packers held Minnesota scoreless until Fred Cox booted a 34-yard field goal with 3:33 to go in the half.
GREEN BAY - 6 0 0 3 - 9
MINNESOTA - 0 3 3 14 - 20
1st - GB - O. Smith, 12-yard pass from Brown (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 6-0
2nd - MINN - Fred Cox, 34-yard field goal GREEN BAY 6-3
3rd - MINN - Cox, 30-yard field goal TIED 6-6
4th - MINN - Chuck Foreman, 1-yard run (Cox kick) MINNESOTA 13-6
4th - GB - Marcol, 24-yard field goal MINNESOTA 13-9
4th - MINN - Foreman, 1-yard run (Cox kick) MINNESOTA 20-9
December 12: Green Bay Packers (5-9) 24, Atlanta Falcons (4-10) 20
(ATLANTA) - Eric Torkelson scored on a one-yard plunge with only 2:20 left to play to give the Green Bay Packers a 24-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in a rain-soaked season finale. The Packers, who had fallen behind 20-10 in the third period, had cut the gap to three points with 11:20 left in the contest on a one-yard plunge by John Brockington, his last touchdown as a Packer. The Packers next got possession of the ball at their own 31 yard line with 9:26 left to play and launched a 69-yard drive featuring the running of quarterback Randy Johnson, who was given the start, Willard Harrell and Brockington. But Torkelson swept the final yard to the score. Willie Buchanon sealed the Green Bay victory when he intercepted a Scott Hunter pass at the Packers' 25-yard line with a little over a minute to go. The Falcons had broken out of a 10-10 halftime tie when Billy Pritchett scored on a seven-yard run early in the third period began and then widened their lead when Nick Mike-Mayer kicked a 44-yard field goal with 41 seconds left in the period.
GREEN BAY - 0 10 0 14 - 24
ATLANTA - 0 10 10 0 - 20
2nd - ATL - Nick Mike-Mayer, 19-yard field goal ATLANTA 3-0
2nd - GB - Marcol, 40-yard field goal TIED 3-3
2nd - ATL - Mike Esposito, 36-yard run (Mike-Mayer kick) ATLANTA 10-3
Bruce Van Dyke 61 G 6- 2 255 Missouri 3 11 32 14 1974 Trade - Pittsburgh
Steve Wagner 21 S 6- 2 208 Wisconsin 1 1 22 11 1976 FA
Gary Weaver 52 LB 6- 1 225 Fresno State 2 4 27 14 1975 FA - Oak (1974)
Clarence Williams 83 DE 6- 5 255 Prairie View 7 7 29 14 1970 Trade - Dallas
Don Zimmerman 80 WR 6- 3 195 NE Louisiana 1 4 26 2 1976 Trade - Phil
NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games Played FA - Free Agent
SEASON REVIEW - The Packers of 1976 were a prime example of why Bart Starr had asked the fans for patience at his first press conference as head coach. Except for a four-game stretch in October, the team was nearly as ineffective as its counterparts from the year before. The team made a one-game improvement in its record (5-9), yet finished at the bottom of the NFC Central Division for a second year in a row. Offensively, the team dropped from 23rd to 26th, coming in ahead of only the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. Defensively, the team improved two notches to 14th overall, but allowed opponents to score more points in 1975. When the Packers generated more rushing yards than their opponents, they usually won. In all but one instance, the team with the most rushing yards emerged victorious. The lone exception, the Vikings, who slipped past the Packers 17-10 on November 21 despite being outrushed 146-100 yards.
3 G-DETROIT LIONS (1-2) W 24-14 1- 3-0 54,758 Dickey
10 M-SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-5) W 27-20 2- 3-0 54,983 Dickey
17 G-PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-3) W 28-13 3- 3-0 55,115 Dickey
24 at Oakland Raiders (5-1) L 14-18 3- 4-0 52,232 Dickey
31 at Detroit Lions (3-4) L 6-27 3- 5-0 74,582 Dickey
14 at Chicago Bears (4-5) L 13-24 4- 6-0 52,907 Dickey
21 M-MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-1-1) L 10-17 4- 7-0 53,104 Brown
28 G-CHICAGO BEARS (5-6) L 10-16 4- 8-0 56,267 Brown
DECEMBER (1-2)
5 at Minnesota Vikings (9-2-1) L 9-20 4- 9-0 43,700 Brown
12 at Atlanta Falcons (4-9) W 24-20 5- 9-0 23,116 Brown
1976 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (2-4) - JULY
31 G-CINCINNATI BENGALS L 17-23 0-1-0 50,245
AUGUST
7 M-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS W 10- 6 1-1-0 53,421
15 at New England Patriots W 16-14 2-1-0 28,448
20 at Buffalo Bills L 0-37 2-2-0 33,706
28 G-NEW YORK GIANTS L 16-20 2-3-0 56,267
SEPTEMBER
3 M-ATLANTA FALCONS L 7-26 2-4-0 54,989
1976 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS (5-9) - SEPTEMBER (0-3)
12 G-SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (0-0) L 14-26 0- 1-0 54,628 Dickey
19 at St. Louis Cardinals (1-0) L 0-29 0- 2-0 48,842 Dickey
26 at Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) L 7-28 0- 3-0 44,103 Dickey
OCTOBER (3-2)
the multi-year deal to kill speculation he was playing out his option, entered the game in the third quarter with Buffalo on top 16-0 and hit wide receiver Bob Chandler with scoring passes of nine and four yards. Gary Marangi, who has been Ferguson's backup the last two seasons, directed Buffalo to its first half lead. The Bills overpowered the Packers as they marched up and down Rich Stadium for 34 first downs while limiting Green Bay to seven. The final Bills' TD came on the last play of the game when Ike Harrison intercepted a pass by Green Bay's Dennis Shaw and ran it back 36 yards.
(GREEN BAY) - Halfback Gordon Bell hit off tackle, broke to the right sideline and
scored on an 11- ard run with 43 seconds left to play Saturday night to give the New York Giants a victory over the Packers. The loss before 56,267 fans at Lambeau Field in the 16th annual Bishop's Chanties game left the Packers with a 2-3 exhibition record The Giants are 4-1. The Packers started the game by repeating last week's pattern of ineptitude. Derrick Williams couldn't handle the opening kick off and ended up falling on the ball at the 10 yard line Then after quarterback Lynn Dickey scrambled for a first down, the offense was guilty of two consecutive penalties. Willard Harrell and defensive back Johnnie Gray were named most valuable players on offense and defense respectively. Harrell caught four passes for 43 yards, picked up 54 yards in 11 rushing attempts and had two punt returns for 29 yards.
NY GIANTS - 3 3 0 14 - 20
GREEN BAY - 3 3 10 0 - 16
1st - NYG - George Hunt, 37-yard field goal NY GIANTS 3-0
1st - GB - Marcol, 36-yard field goal TIED 3-3
2nd - NYG - Hunt, 34-yard field goal NY GIANTS 6-3
2nd - GB - Marcol, 39-yard field goal TIED 6-6
3rd - GB - Odom, 24-yard pass from Dickey (Danelo kick) GREEN BAY 13-6
3rd - GB - Danelo, 43-yard field goal GREEN BAY 16-6
4th - NYG - Gordon Bell, 11-yard run (Hunt kick) NY GIANTS 20-16
September 3: Atlanta 27, Green Bay (2-4) 6
(MILWAUKEE) - Steve Bartkowski passed for two touchdowns and Nick Mike-Mayer kicked two field goals to lead the Atlanta Falcons to a 26-7 victory over the Packers at the Annual Midwest Shrine game Friday night. Mike-Mayer kicked field goals of 41 and 34 yards and Bartkowski passed 28 yards to Dave Hampton in the second period and 37 yards to Wallace Francis in the fourth in a game dominated by the Atlanta offense. The final Falcon touchdown came on a 16-yard interception return of a Lynn Dickey pass by linebacker Tommy Nobis.
ATLANTA - 3 0 7 14 - 27
GREEN BAY - 7 9 7 3 - 6
1st - ATL - Nick Mike-Mayer, 41-yard field goal ATLANTA 3-0
2nd - ATL - Dave Hampton, 28-yd pass from Steve Bartkowski (Kick failed) ATL 9-0
3rd - ATL - Mike-Mayer, 34-yard field goal ATLANTA 12-0
(GREEN BAY) - Ed Williams ran two yards with just 15 seconds left to lead the Bengals over the Packers. Williams' run came after a 76-yard drive by quarterback Ken Reaves. Mirro Roder kicked the extra point. Green Bay's new quarterback, Lynn Dickey, completed 12 of 15 passes for 145 yards and one touchdown. After rookie M.C. McCoy returned the opening kickoff to the 32, Dickey led the Packers to a touchdown in a 14- play drive that consumed more than eight minutes. On the next play, Brockington scored on a one-yard plunge. Joe Danelo kicked the first of two extra points. The Packers scored again on Dickey's 32-yard pass to Eric Torkelson.
CINCINNATI - 0 3 13 7 - 23
GREEN BAY - 7 7 0 3 - 17
1st - GB - Brockington, 1-yard run (Danelo kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
2nd - GB - Torkelson, 32-yard pass from Dickey (Danelo kick) GREEN BAY 14-0
2nd - CIN - Mirro Roder, 17-yard field goal GREEN BAY 14-3
3rd - CIN - Ed Williams, 1-yard run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 14-9
(MILWAUKEE) - Reserve Don Milan ted a pair of scoring drives and an interception by Perry Smith blunted a Tampa rally, lifting the Green Bay Packers over the young Buccaneers Saturday night. Milan directed a 52-yard second-quarter drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Barty Smith as the Packers took the lead to stay at 7-0. Will Harrell carried seven times for 28 yards to spark the march. Milan passed for gains of 11 and 18 yards to Eddie Bell and to rookie Jessie Green for 15, as the Packers marched to a first down at the Tampa nine early in the third quarter before settling for a 24-yard field goal by Joe Danelo.
TAMPA BAY - 0 0 6 0 - 6
GREEN BAY - 0 7 3 0 - 10
2nd - GB - Barty Smith, 1-yard run (Danelo kick) GREEN BAY 7-0
3rd - GB - Danelo, 24-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-0
3rd - TB - Vince Kendrick, 1-yard run (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 10-6
August 15 : Green Bay (2-1) 16, New England 14
(NEW ENGLAND) - The toe of Chester Marcol and a touchdown pass from Carlos Brown to Steve Odom enabled the Green Bay Packers to outlast the New England Patriots Sunday night. Marcol, who missed all but the opening game last season because of a leg injury, booted field goals of 37, 36 and 32 yards and kicked an extra point to lead the Packers' scoring. The kicks and Brown's 56-yard toss came in the first half of the game. The Patriots also completed their scoring in the first two quarters on a 46-yard pass from quarterback Steve Grogan to veteran Randy Vataha and an eight-yard burst up the middle by Sam Cunningham. Green Bay Coach Bart Starr alternated five running backs throughout the game but used Brown throughout. It was Brown's first start in 2 1/2 years with the Packers.
GREEN BAY - 3 13 0 0 - 16
NEW ENGLAND - 0 14 0 0 - 14
1st - GB - Marcol, 37-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
2nd - GB - Marcol, 36-yard field goal GREEN BAY 6-0
2nd - GB - Odom, 56-yard pass from Brown (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 13-0
2nd - NE - Randy Vataha, 46-yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick) GB 13-7
2nd - GB - Marcol, 32-yard field goal GREEN BAY 16-7
2nd - NE - Sam Cunningham, 8-yard run (Smith kick) GREEN BAY 16-14
August 20: Buffalo 37, Green Bay (2-2) 0
(BUFFALO) - Quarterback Joe Ferguson, having signed a new contract earlier in the day, threw a pair of touchdown passes Friday night to lead the Buffalo Bills past the Packers Friday night. Ferguson, who signed
1976 PACKERS DRAFT (April 8-9, 1976)
RND-PCKNAMEPOSCOLLEGE
1a 8 Traded to Los Angeles in John Hadl trade
1b 23 Mark Koncar (A) OT Colorado
2 39 Traded to Los Angeles in John Hadl trade
3a 70 Traded to Pittsburgh in Bruce Van Dyke trade
3b 72 Mike C. McCoy (B) DB Colorado
4a 101 Tom Perko LB Pittsburgh
4b 117 Traded to Houston in Lynn Dickey trade (C)
5 132 Aundra Thompson RB East Texas State
6 166 Traded to Houston in Paul Robinson trade
7 192 Traded to Cincinnati in Pat Matson trade
8 218 Jim Burrow DB Nebraska
9 245 Jim Gueno LB Tulane
10 274 Jessie Green WR Tulsa
11 301 Curtis Leak WR Johnson C. Smith
12 328 Mel Jackson OG USC
13 355 Bradley Bowman DB S. Mississippi
14 386 John Henson RB Cal Poly-SLO
15 413 Jerry Dandridge LB Memphis State
16 440 Mike Timmermans OG Northern Iowa
17 467 Ray Hall TE Cal Poly-SLO
A-From Oakland for Ted Hendricks (1975) B-From Kansas City in MacArthur Lane trade (1975) C-Acquired from Philadelphia in Bill Lueck trade (1975)
Bold Italics - Played for the Green Bay Packers
1976 Packers Yearbook
1976 Packers Media Guide
Bengals at Packers Program - 31 July
Giants at Packers Program - 28 August
Lions at Packers Program - 3 October
Bears at Packers Program - 28 November
1976 PACKER TRADES - TRANSACTIONS
MAR 30 - Lost WR Barry Smith (Tampa Bay), LB Ken Hucherson (Seattle) and S Al Matthews (Seattle) in the NFL expansion draft
APR 1 - Signed RB Ken Grandberry (S.CALIFORNIA-WFL), RB Cliff Taylor (CHICAGO), CB Derrick Williams (LOS ANGELES), OT Steve Knutson (ATLANTA), G Larry Butler (CHARLOTTE-WFL), OT Phil Brazeau (PORTLAND-WFL), DT Chris Stecher (PORTLAND-WFL), WR Steve Haggerty (HAWAII-WFL) and RB Howard Strickland (S.CALIFORNIA-WFL)
APR 2 - Traded QB John Hadl, DB Ken Ellis, a 1976 4th-round draft choice (through Philadelphia-WR Steve Largent) and a 1977 3rd-round choice (RB Tim Wilson) to HOUSTON for QB Lynn Dickey
JUN 11 - Acquired WR Earl Thomas from ST. LOUIS for an undisclosed draft choice. Signed RB Tom Jakubowski, LB Jerry Dandridge (15th round), K Tim Black, OT Larry Johnson and P-K Bruce Barnes
JUL 15 - Released RB Tim Jakubowski
JUL 20 - Waived K Tim Black and RB Ken Grandberry
JUL 30 - LB Larry Hefner retired
AUG 2 - Signed WR Ron Mayo. OG Jim Miller retired. Placed DT Chris Stecher (knee) and LB Jerry Dandridge (knee) on injured reserve. Released P-K Bruce Barnes, C Bill Cooke, WR John Green, TE Ray Hall (17th round) and DE Larry Johnson (59 player - 2 All-Stars)
AUG 3 - Placed WR Earl Thomas (did not report) on reserve list (61 players - 2 All-Stars)
AUG 13 - Released WR Curtis Leak (11th round)
AUG 18 - Traded a 1977 4th-round draft choice (C Ted Petersen) to PITTSBURGH for DE Bob Barber
AUG 23 - Waived RB Terry Wells, DE Drew Taylor, WR Ron Mayo, WR Nate Hawkins and LB Tom Hull. Placed WR Gerald Tinker (knee) on injured reserve and DB Jim Burrow (knee) on 15-day inactive list (51 players)
AUG 26 - Traded a 1977 12th-round draft choice (LB Rod Martin) to OAKLAND for WR Ollie Smith
AUG 31 - Traded OG Bill Bain to DENVER for a 1977 3rd-round draft choice (G Rick Scribner)
SEPT 6 - Traded K Joe Danelo to NEW YORK GIANTS for a 1978 10th-round draft choice (C Mark Totten) and a 1977 7th-round (C Derrel Gofourth). Placed LB Jim Carter (broken arm), WR Aundra Thompson (back), DB Derrick Williams (broken leg), OL Keith Wortman and QB Don Milan (wrist) on injured reserve. Waived DT Steve Okoniewski and RB John Henson (14th round) (43 players)
SEPT 15 - Traded an undisclosed draft choice to PHILADELPHIA for WR Don Zimmerman
SEPT 21 - Purchased LB Don Hansen from SEATTLE for cash
During the last swine flu outbreak, in 1976, the government tried to convince every American to get vaccinated. And in Wisconsin, that effort included showing the above public service announcement featuring Johnnie Gray and Steve Luke of the Packers.
