1965 Green Bay Packers season

1965 Green Bay Packers season
General managerVince Lombardi
Head coachVince Lombardi
Home fieldLambeau Field
Milwaukee County Stadium
Results
Record10–3–1
Division place1st NFL Western
Playoff finishWon Western Conference Playoff
(vs. Colts) 13–10
Won NFL Championship
(vs. Browns) 23–12

The 1965 Green Bay Packers season was their 47th season overall and their 45th season in the National Football League. The team finished with a 10–3–1 record under seventh-year head coach Vince Lombardi, earning a tie for first place in the Western Conference with the Baltimore Colts.

In the final regular season game at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, a late touchdown by the 49ers caused a tie and dropped Green Bay into a tie with the Colts.[1][2] Although the Packers defeated Baltimore twice during the regular season, the rules at the time required a tiebreaker playoff, played in Green Bay on December 26. With backup quarterbacks playing for both teams, the Packers tied the Colts late and won in overtime, 13–10.[3][4][5]

Green Bay then met the defending champion Cleveland Browns (11–3) in the NFL championship game, also at Green Bay. The Packers won, 23–12, for their ninth NFL title and third under Lombardi.[6][7][8] It was the last NFL championship game before the advent of the Super Bowl and the first of three consecutive league titles for Green Bay.

Known as "New City Stadium" for its first eight seasons, the Packers' venue in Green Bay was renamed Lambeau Field in August 1965 in memory of Packers founder, player, and long-time head coach, Curly Lambeau,[9][10] who had died two months earlier.[11][12]

Off-season

NFL Draft

Roster

1965 Green Bay Packers roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Rookies in italics

Preseason

Date Opponent Site Result Score

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 19 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 41–9 1–0 Pitt Stadium 38,383
2 September 26 Baltimore Colts W 20–17 2–0 Milwaukee County Stadium 48,130
3 October 3 Chicago Bears W 23–14 3–0 Lambeau Field 50,852
4 October 10 San Francisco 49ers W 27–10 4–0 Lambeau Field 50,852
5 October 17 at Detroit Lions W 31–21 5–0 Tiger Stadium 56,712
6 October 24 Dallas Cowboys W 13–3 6–0 Milwaukee County Stadium 48,311
7 October 31 at Chicago Bears L 10–31 6–1 Wrigley Field 45,664
8 November 7 Detroit Lions L 7–12 6–2 Lambeau Field 50,852
9 November 14 Los Angeles Rams W 6–3 7–2 Milwaukee County Stadium 48,485
10 November 21 at Minnesota Vikings W 38–13 8–2 Metropolitan Stadium 47,426
11 November 28 at Los Angeles Rams L 10–21 8–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 39,733
12 December 5 Minnesota Vikings W 24–19 9–3 Lambeau Field 50,852
13 December 12 at Baltimore Colts W 42–27 10–3 Memorial Stadium 60,238
14 December 19 at San Francisco 49ers T 24–24 10–3–1 Kezar Stadium 45,710

Game summaries

Week 2

1 234Total
Colts 3 707 17
• Packers 0 10010 20
Scoring summary
1BALLou Michaels 26-yard field goalColts 3–0
2GBDon Chandler 17-yard field goalTie 3–3
2GBHerb Adderley 44-yard interception return (Don Chandler kick)Packers 10–3
2BALJerry Hill 1-yard run (Lou Michaels kick)Tie 10–10
4GBDon Chandler 41-yard field goalPackers 13–10
4BALRaymond Berry 5-yard pass from Johnny Unitas (Lou Michaels kick)Colts 17–13
4GBMax McGee 37-yard pass from Bart Starr (Don Chandler kick)Packers 20–17

[13]

Playoffs

Main article: 1965 NFL playoffs
Round Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Recap
Conference December 26 Baltimore Colts W 13–10 (OT) Lambeau Field 50,484 Recap
Championship January 2, 1966 Cleveland Browns W 23–12 Lambeau Field 50,777 Recap

Standings

NFL Western Conference
W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK
Green Bay Packers 10 3 1 .769 8–3–1 316 224 T1
Baltimore Colts 10 3 1 .769 8–3–1 389 284 W1
Chicago Bears 9 5 0 .643 7–5 409 275 L1
San Francisco 49ers 7 6 1 .538 6–5–1 421 402 T1
Minnesota Vikings 7 7 0 .500 5–7 383 403 W2
Detroit Lions 6 7 1 .462 4–7–1 257 295 W1
Los Angeles Rams 4 10 0 .286 2–10 269 328 L1
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

  1. ^ Rollow, Cooper (December 20, 1965). "49ers tie Packers, 24-24; set playoff". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
  2. ^ Lea, Bud (December 20, 1965). "Packers tied 49ers; play Colts Sunday". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2, part 2.
  3. ^ "Packers win, 13 to 10, for NFL Western title". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 27, 1965. p. 1, part 1.
  4. ^ Lea, Bud (December 27, 1965). "Chandler 'kicks' Packers to title". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2, part 2.
  5. ^ Strickler, George (December 27, 1965). "Packers win, 13-10, in 'sudden death'". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
  6. ^ Strickler, George (January 3, 1966). "Green Bay wins N.F.L. crown, 23 to 12". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
  7. ^ Lea, Bud (January 3, 1966). "Packers blast Browns for title". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2, part 2.
  8. ^ Hand, John (January 3, 1966). "Green Bay's ball-control tactics beat Browns for title, 23-12". Youngstown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. p. 18.
  9. ^ "Packer board backs Lambeau Field idea". Milwaukee Journal. UPI. August 3, 1965. p. 18-part 2.
  10. ^ "'Lambeau Field' voted by council". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. August 5, 1965. p. 3-part 2.
  11. ^ "Curly Lambeau is stricken and dies of a heart attack". Lawrence (Kansas) Daily Journal World. Associated Press. June 2, 1965. p. 18.
  12. ^ "Lambeau, Packer founder, dies; led club to 6 pro league titles". Milwaukee Journal. June 2, 1965. p. 19.
  13. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com