Five greatest Packer teams not to win an NFL title

[esoxx]

http://www.packers.com

I still think the death of Joe Philbin's son the week before the playoff game played a role with that 2011 team. No way such an event didn't have an impact on the team and their preparation. Still, this was a somewhat flawed team b/c of the woeful defense.

[pbmax]

I love that Christl doesn't seem to believe his own pick for fifth (1997), declaring the 1995 team better but disqualifying them because they had to face a dynasty in its prime (Dallas).

[Fritz]

I think the 4th-and-26 team was one of the most balanced Packer teams I've seen. The defense wasn't great but was good. Ahman Green was a beast. Favre was still Favre.

[Patler]

When I saw the thread title, my first thought was 63. Boy that was a frustrating year, especially since it seemed like there was such an opportunity to win three in a row. It was almost like a second opportunity since they narrowly lost the 1960 championship, before winning in 61 and 62. Little did we realize that they would put together three in a row just four years later.

1963 was the only time under Lombardi when things just didn't seem to go right. The team just never played quite as well as hoped.

[Joemailman]

When I saw the thread title, my first thought was 63. Boy that was a frustrating year, especially since it seemed like there was such an opportunity to win three in a row. It was almost like a second opportunity since they narrowly lost the 1960 championship, before winning in 61 and 62. Little did we realize that they would put together three in a row just four years later.

1963 was the only time under Lombardi when things just didn't seem to go right. The team just never played quite as well as hoped.

Of course, Hornung being suspended didn't help. And of course, there were no wild cards then so the Packers failed to make the playoffs with an 11-2-1 record. Both of their losses were to the Bears who won the western conference. Bears has a great defense that year. Packers lost first game of the year to the Bears, and that was the only game they would lose with Starr at QB.

[Patler]

Of course, Hornung being suspended didn't help. And of course, there were no wild cards then so the Packers failed to make the playoffs with an 11-2-1 record. Both of their losses were to the Bears who won the western conference. Bears has a great defense that year. Packers lost first game of the year to the Bears, and that was the only game they would lose with Starr at QB.

While I was bummed out when Hornung was suspended, I didn't think they really missed him very much on offense. Tom Moore had already shown a lot filling in for Hornung in the past, and Elijah Pitts was reliable. Moore ended up having a really good that year. He did everything that Hornung had done, including option passes, and probably did it as well as Hornung had. I think Hornung was already breaking down physically at that point, and had missed quite a bit of time in 1962.

Where they missed Hornung the most was kicking fieldgoals. Kramer really struggled with it that year.

Then, there are the intangibles. They always said Hornung was unstoppable in goal to go situations, and was a key locker room guy.

[Deputy Nutz]

1. 1997
I still can't watch this game when it comes on the NFL Network. The game was just a blur at the time and I refused for a long time to accept that the game was even played. The defense just couldn't handle the Bronco's running scheme in the second half. The Packer's front seven just didn't hold up well and Favre and the offense didn't have the magic at the end of the game. When Freeman dropped that pass I think I puked in my mouth.

2. 2007
Ten years later Mike McCarthy seemed to have rejuvenated Favre, he was have a magical year and leading a high powered offense into the Playoffs as the NFC's second seed. The Packers had a home game for the NFC Championship game that was in horribly cold weather, which everyone thought was going to play nicely into the hands of the Packers until Brett Favre came out of the locker room. He was off the entire game, he was stiff and didn't have the usual zip behind his passes. The Packers managed to get the game into overtime where Favre threw a pick on the first play of overtime and set up the Giants for the game winning field goal.

3. 2011: Probably one of the most dynamic offenses in NFL history, but one of the worst defenses. Rodgers was the NFL MVP, the Packers had the #1 seed in the Playoffs, and were the defending Super Bowl Champions. Against the Giants the Packers had nothing. There defense actually played better, but the offense fell apart.

4. 1962 as mentioned above

5. 1995: This team wasn't ready yet to beat the Cowboys in the playoffs. They had Favre who was the MVP of the League, but they really couldn't slow down the Cowboys offense when it mattered. The fact is, they weren't a better team than the Cowboys.

[mraynrand]

I guess this is as good spot to air old grievances. To start:

1995: Packers block an early punt and Favre throws a TD pass, only to have it called back for a mysterious delay of game violation. I ran this play with a stop watch about 20 times and each time the ball was snapped at 39. I think I wanted to shoot Ed Hochuli.
1995: Packers actually gained the lead in the 3rd quarter with a TD pass to Robert Brooks. Soon after, Sean Jones would drop an INT deep in Cowboys territory on an attempted screen by Aikman that might have busted the game open for the Packers.
1995: A late INT with the Packers down by 4 kinda sealed this one. On that play (second down and 9 or 10 I think), Favre had a run available for a 1-2 yard gain, a pass to Chmura available for at least 4, but chose to throw into double coverage. It was his first very big NFCC game flub.