The 1980 Green Bay Packers (5-10-1)

September 7: Green Bay Packers (1-0) 12, Chicago Bears (0-1) 6 (OT)

(GREEN BAY) - A white towel draped around his middle, Chester Marcol seemed unusually tense as he squinted into the television lights and attempted to answer questions in the chaotic Green Bay Packer lockerroom. Although this was hardly a new role for him - he was twice the league scoring champion - there was no mistaking the nervousness in his voice as he described the final moments in the Packers' stunning 12-6 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears. "It's going to make believers out of people,."' he said. "I saw the exact same thing happen in 1972 (the year of the Pack's last Division title). We had a lot of young people. We didn't do well in the preseason. We won a couple big games and from then on, we believed." Still, chances are not

everyone in the crowd of 54,381 at Lambeau Field believed it. For if anyone on the Packers was going to beat the Bears with a 25-yard run, Marcol was the most unlikely candidate. But with nine minutes left in overtime, he did just that. His 35-yard field goal attempt bounced off tackle Alan Page and back into his arms. And as most of the Bears lay on the ground in disbelief, the nine-year veteran lumbered around left end and raced untouched into the end zone. "They came in as hard as I've seen anvbody," said Marcol, who almost quit football after injuring his kicking leg last November. "But the ball bounced right back in my hands, there was nobody outside. I caught it and I ran. That's all I can say. It was clear sailing." Packer Coach Bart Starr, under fire after the Packers failed to win a game during the exhibition season, said his heart almost stopped when the kick was slapped back into Marcol's arms. Meanwhile, Packer C Larry McCarren played the entire game despite undergoing hernia surgery 3 1/2 weeks earlier.

CHICAGO - 3 0 3 0 0 - 6

GREEN BAY - 0 6 0 0 6 - 12

1st - CHI - Bob Thomas, 42-yard field goal CHICAGO 3-0

2nd - GB - Marcol, 41-yard field goal TIED 3-3

2nd - GB - Marcol, 46-yard field goal GREEN BAY 6-3

3rd - CHI - Thomas, 34-yard field goal TIED 6-6

OT - GB - Marcol, 25-yard return of a blocked field goal GREEN BAY 12-6

September 14 : Detroit Lions (2-0) 29, Green Bay Packers (1-1) 7

(MILWAUKEE) - Sensational Billy Sims rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown and scored on an 87-yard pass play and rookie Ed Murray kicked five field goals to lead the Detroit Lions to a 29-7 win over the Green Bay Packers. QB Gary Danielson, playing despite the death of his 9-day-old daughter Thursday, completed 11 of 17 passes for 246 yards for the Lions. Sims, who has rushed for 287 yards in his two NFL games, set up the touchdown when he raced 22 yards around left end to the Packer 1-yard line An interception by Detroit LB Charlie Weaver set up a 43-yard field goal by Murray on the last play of the first half.

DETROIT - 3 13 6 7 - 29

GREEN BAY - 0 7 0 0 - 7

1st - DET - Eddie Murray, 32-yard field goal DETROIT 3-0

2nd - DET - Murray, 39-yard field goal DETROIT 6-0

2nd - GB - Ivery, 5-yard run (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-6

2nd - DET - Billy Sims, 1-yard run (Murray kick) DETROIT 13-7

2nd - DET - Murray, 43-yard field goal DETROIT 16-7

3rd - DET - Murray, 42-yard field goal DETROIT 19-7

3rd - DET - Murray, 23-yard field goal DETROIT 22-7

4th - DET - Sims, 87-yard pass from Gary Danielson (Murray kick) DETROIT 29-7

September 21 : Los Angeles Rams (2-1) 51, Green Bay Packers (1-2) 21

(LOS ANGELES) - Rookie Johnnie Johnson and veteran Rod Perry returned intercepted passes 99 and 83 yards for touchdowns as the Los Angeles Rams exploded for 37 points in the second quarter and went on to bury the Green Bay Packers 51-21. The 37 points was the second-greatest one quarter outburst in their history exceeded only by the 41 points they scored in the third quarter of a game against Detroit 30 years ago. The Rams turned five pass interceptions into touchdowns before a crowd of 63 850 at Anaheim Stadium. QB Vince Ferragamo hit Billy Waddy with a 33-yard scoring pass for the only scoring of the first period. Then came the Rams' explosion. Frank Corral's 29 yard field goal three seconds into the second quarter made it 10-0. Cullen Bryant ran four yards for a touchdown, three plays after Pat Thomas intercepted a pass thrown by Green Bay QB Lynn Dickey. The Packers, who fell to 1-2, scored their first touchdown shortly later on a 46-yard pass from Dickey to Eddie Lee Ivery. Then Johnson, whose $1 million contract caused several veterans to hold out from the Rams' summer training camp, picked off a pass thrown by Dickey near his goal-line and raced nearly the length of the field for his first NFL touchdown. It was the longest return of an intercepted pass in Rams' history. Two players had returned interceptions 97 yards. Later in the second quarter Elvis Peacock plunged one yard for a touchdown. Ferragamo fired a 29-yard scoring pass to Willie Miller, and Perry tallied on his interception return, making it 44-7 at halftime. LB Michael Hunt's career came to an end after he suffered a severe concussion.

GREEN BAY - 0 7 0 14 - 21

LOS ANGELES - 7 37 7 0 - 51

1st - LA - Billy Waddy, 33-yd pass from Vince Ferragamo (Frank Corral kick) LA 7-0

2nd - LA - Corral, 29-yard field goal LOS ANGELES 10-0

2nd - LA - Cullen Bryant, 4-yard run (Corral kick) LOS ANGELES 17-0

2nd - GB - Ivery, 46-yard pass from Dickey (Marcol kick) LOS ANGELES 17-7

2nd - LA - Johnnie Johnson, 99-yard interception return (Corral kick) LA 24-7

2nd - LA - Elvis Peacock, 1-yard run (Corral kick) LOS ANGELES 31-7

2nd - LA - Willie Miller, 29-yard pass from Ferragamo (Corral kick) LA 38-7

2nd - LA - Rod Perry, 83-yard interception return (Kick failed) LOS ANGELES 44-7

3rd - LA - Preston Dennard, 15-yard pass from Ferragamo (Corral kick) LA 51-7

4th - GB - Huckleby, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) LOS ANGELES 51-14

4th - GB - Ellis, 1-yard run (Marcol kick) LOS ANGELES 51-21

September 28 : Dallas Cowboys (3-1) 28, Green Bay Packers (1-3) 7

(MILWAUKEE) - Danny White passed for 217 yards and two touchdowns and ran 48 yards on a fake punt to set up another score, leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 28-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers. White completed 16 of 20 passes and directed ball-control touchdown drives of 70, 80, 90 and 48 yards. White passed five yards to Doug Cosbie for one touchdown and 20 yards to Drew Pearson for another, while Tony Dorsett and Robert Newhouse both scored on 1-yard runs for the Cowboys. The Packers, playing amid reports that club officials are close to firing Coach Bart Starr, slipped to 1-3 with their third successive defeat. Newhouse's touchdown with 1:07 left in the first half put the Cowboys ahead for good at 14-7. The Cowboys marched 70 yards in 17 plays and consumed eight minutes, 18 seconds on the drive, sparked by White passes of 19 and 15 yards to Tony Hill and 13 to Butch Johnson.

DALLAS - 7 7 7 7 - 28

GREEN BAY - 0 7 0 0 - 7

1st - DAL - Tony Dorsett, 1-yard run (Rafael Septien kick) DALLAS 7-0

2nd - GB - Atkins, 6-yard run (Marcol kick) TIED 7-7

2nd - DAL - Robert Newhouse, 1-yard run (Septien kick) DALLAS 14-7

3rd - DAL - Doug Cosbie, 5-yard pass from Danny White (Septien kick) DAL 21-7

4th - DAL - Drew Pearson, 20-yard pass from White (Septien kick) DALLAS 28-7

October 5: Green Bay Packers (2-3) 14, Cincinnati Bengals (1-4) 9

(GREEN BAY) - Lynn Dickey, downcast and slowed by a history of serious injuries, had talked of quitting professional football just two weeks earlier. The Green Bay Packers can be thankful he didn't. Dickey, still feeling effects of a broken leg suffered nearly three years ago, completed 18 of 26 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. James Lofton, Green Bay's gifted wide receiver, caught eight passes for 114 yards to help the Packers to a 14-9 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Dickey's touchdown passes covered 15 yards to Lofton and eight to Steve Atkins, while Johnnie Gray sparked the Packer defense with an interception and a pair of pass deflections, one of which saved a touchdown. The Packers, 2-3, broke a three-game losing streak after the club's board of directors had given Coach Bart Starr a vote of confidence earlier Sunday. The Bengals dropped to 1-4. "Obviously, I'm most appreciative of that," Starr said of the 45-member board's unanimous vote of support. "But I'm not concerned about me. What you have to consider is the effect on the football team. When they know they can feel secure in what they're doing, they can play better."

CINCINNATI - 6 0 0 3 - 9

GREEN BAY - 7 7 0 0 - 14

1st - CIN - Ian Sunter, 20-yard field goal CINCINNATI 3-0

1st - CIN - Sunter, 34-yard field goal CINCINNATI 6-0

1st - GB - Lofton, 15-yard pass from Dickey (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 7-6

2nd - GB - Atkins, 8-yard pass from Dickey (Marcol kick) GREEN BAY 14-6

4th - CIN - Sunter, 31-yard field goal GREEN BAY 14-9

October 12: Green Bay Packers (2-3-1) 14, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3-1) 14 (T)

(TAMPA BAY) - "After I missed that field goal, I definitely wanted another chance," Green Bay K Tom Birney said. He got that opportunity, but missed again as the Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggled through a scoreless overtime period and settled for a 14-14 tie. Birney, a substitute junior high school teacher until the Packers

re-signed him last week, missed a 24-yard field goal attempt which would have won the game in regulation. He got a chance to redeem himself with five seconds to go in the overtime but again he was off the mark. Packers Coach Bart Starr released kicker

Chester Marcol last week saying that an injury had left him without the ability to get

much distance or hang time in his kicks. "I'm not going to second guess myself," said Starr. "Who's to say anyone else would have made those field goals. We played well, but didn't win," said Starr. "A tie leaves you with an empty feeling, especially in an overtime." Tampa Coach John McKay said it would be "an understatement of the year to say we did not play well."

GREEN BAY - 7 7 0 0 0 - 14

TAMPA BAY - 0 7 0 7 0 - 14

1st - GB - Middleton, 3-yard run (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 7-0

2nd - TB - Richard Wood, 55-yd interception return (Garo Yepremian kick) TIED 7-7

2nd - GB - Coffman, 6-yard pass from Dickey (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 14-7

4th - TB - Doug Williams, 5-yard run (Yepremian kick) TIED 14-14

October 19: Cleveland Browns (4-3) 26, Green Bay Packers (2-4-1) 21

(CLEVELAND) - Brian Sipe connected with Dave Logan on an electrifying 46-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds to play to lead the Cleveland Browns to a 26-21 win over the Green Bay Packers. Sipe, who hit on 24 of 39 passes for 391 yards and two touchdowns on the day, guided an 87-yard drive in the final two minutes of the game to win it. Robert Jackson's interception of a Lynn Dickey pass killed hopes for a Green Bay comeback in the final seconds, and spoiled an otherwise respectable day for Dickey. A 42-yard Don Cockroft field goal gave the Browns a 13-0 lead with 8:47 to play in the third period, but Dickey took control of the game through the middle of the next quarter, guiding the Packers to three straight touchdowns. Dickey scrambled seven yards for the first Packers score. Steve Luke's career essentially came to an end when he came on a blitz and hit Sipe in the knee with his head. Luke collapsed to the ground and laid there for 2 minutes.

GREEN BAY - 0 0 14 7 - 21

CLEVELAND - 0 10 3 13 - 26

2nd - CLE - Don Cockroft, 40-yard field goal CLEVELAND 3-0

2nd - CLE - Mike Pruitt, 1-yard run (Cockroft kick) CLEVELAND 10-0

3rd - CLE - Cockroft, 42-yard field goal CLEVELAND 13-0

3rd - GB - Dickey, 7-yard run (Birney kick) CLEVELAND 13-7

3rd - GB - Ellis, 1-yard run (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 14-13

4th - GB - Lofton, 26-yard pass from Dickey (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 21-13

4th - CLE - Ozzie Newsome, 19-yard pass from Brian Sipe (Cockroft kick) GB 21-20

4th - CLE - Dave Logan, 46-yard pass from Sipe (Kick failed) CLEVELAND 26-21

October 26 : Green Bay Packers (3-4-1) 16, Minnesota Vikings (3-5) 3

(GREEN BAY) - Lynn Dickey threw touchdown passes of 12 yards to Paul Coffman and 4 yards to Bill Larson to give Green Bay a 16-3 victory over Minnesota for the Packers' first home triumph over the Vikings in 15 years. The last time Green Bay defeated Minnesota at Lambeau Field came in 1965 when the Packers prevailed 24-19. Dickey threw a 12-yard scoring pass to Coffman and a 4-yard strike to Larson in the fourth quarter. Tom Birney kicked a 36-yard field goal in the third quarter. Rick Danmeier kicked a 47-yard field goal for the Vikings in the third quarter. Rookie Gerry Ellis put in the best performance by a Packer running back this year, gaining 76 yards on 13 carries. Packer RB Eddie Lee Ivery appeared to score another touchdown with a little more than two minutes left, but fumbled on the 1 and S Keith Nord recovered for Minnesota. The last time the two teams met in Lambeau was Nov. 26, 1978, and the game ended in a 10-10 tie. The Packers beat the Vikings 19-7 last year in Milwaukee.

MINNESOTA - 0 0 3 0 - 3

GREEN BAY - 0 0 3 13 - 16

3rd - GB - Birney, 36-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0

3rd - MINN - Rick Danmeier, 47-yard field goal TIED 3-3

4th - GB - Larson, 4-yard pass from Dickey (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 10-3

4th - GB - Coffman, 12-yard pass from Dickey (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 16-3

November 2 : Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) 22, Green Bay Packers (3-5-1) 20

(PITTSBURGH) - The victory that snapped the Steelers' three-game losing streak was neither big nor easy. But the come- from-behind 22-20 decision over the Green Bay Packers more than satisfied Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh's usually hard-to-please coach. "We lost three games in a row. After that, any kind of victory is impressive," Noll said. "We're headed in the right direction." It took two second-half field goals of 27 and 18 yards by Matt Bahr, a 4-yard touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw to late-game substitute Rocky Bleier and some strong defense to snap the Steelers' longest losing streak since 1976. But Noll said he wasn't worried that the victory was so hard to come by. Bahr's 27-yard field goal four minutes into the third period pulled Pittsburgh to within 14-12 and his 18-yarder about six minutes later put the Steelers ahead, 15-14. With less than five minutes remaining in the game, Bradshaw hit Bleier with a 4-yard scoring pass to give the Steelers the lead, 22-14. Green Bay then

drove 84 yards in 13 plays to pull within 22-20 with 34 seconds to go on a 14-yard TD pass from Lynn Dickey to Aundra Thompson. The extra point attempt was blocked, and Green Bay tried an onside kick but Pittsburgh's Dwayne Woodruff recovered. Green Bay had taken a 14-9 halftime lead on touchdown passes of 7 and 69 yards from Dickey to Gerry Ellis. The Pittsburgh defense had been largely responsible for the team's three prior defeats, but in the first half against Green Bay it was the Steelers' offense that sputtered. Green Bay piled up 216 total yards during the first half, while the Steelers managed just 89. The Packers' halftime lead might have been larger if the Pittsburgh defense had not intercepted three of Dickey's passes, including one snared by DB J.T. Thomas in the end zone to save a touchdown. Bradshaw, meanwhile, also turned the ball over three times in the first half - once on an interception and twice on fumbles.

GREEN BAY - 7 7 0 6 - 20

PITTSBURGH - 2 7 6 7 - 22

1st - PITT - Safety, ball snapped out of the end zone PITTSBURGH 2-0

1st - GB - Ellis, 7-yard pass from Dickey (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 7-2

2nd - PITT - Lynn Swann, 7-yd pass fr Terry Bradshaw (Matt Bahr kick) PITT 9-7

2nd - GB - Ellis, 69-yard pass from Dickey (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 14-9

3rd - PITT - Bahr, 27-yard field goal GREEN BAY 14-12

3rd - PITT - Bahr, 18-yard field goal PITTSBURGH 15-14

4th - PITT - Rocky Bleier, 4-yard pass from Bradshaw (Bahr kick) PITT 22-14

4th - GB - Thompson, 14-yard pass from Dickey (Kick failed) PITTSBURGH 22-20

November 9: Green Bay Packers (4-5-1) 23, San Francisco 49ers (3-7) 16

(MILWAUKEE) - Gerry Ellis rushed for 83 yards, including an 8-yard burst for Green Bay's go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and Lynn Dickey passed for 244 yards to lead the Packers to a 23-16 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Ellis' touchdown, set up by a 37-yard pass from Dickey to James Lofton, broke a 13-13 tie with 14:57 to play. The 49ers, who dropped to 3-7 with their seventh successive defeat, closed to within 20-16 when Ray Wersching kicked a 24-yard field goal with 10:39 left. However, S Johnnie Gray preserved the victory for Green Bay when he recovered a Lenvil Elliott fumble at the Packer 22 and returned 30 yards. Due to injuries, the Packers were forced to play a unique 3-17 defensive alignment, with James Lofton playing in the secondary.

SAN FRANCISCO - 13 0 0 3 - 16

GREEN BAY - 0 13 0 10 - 23

1st - SF - Freddie Solomon, 20-yard pass from Steve DeBerg (Kick blocked) SF

1st - SF - Lenvil Elliott, 1-yard run (Ray Wersching kick) SAN FRANCISCO 13-0

2nd - GB - Birney, 50-yard field goal SAN FRANCISCO 13-3

2nd - GB - Middleton, 1-yard run (Birney kick) SAN FRANCISCO 13-10

2nd - GB - Birney, 39-yard field goal TIED 13-13

4th - GB - Ellis, 8-yard run (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 20-13

4th - SF - Wersching, 24-yard field goal GREEN BAY 20-16

4th - GB - Birney, 32-yard field goal GREEN BAY 23-16

November 16: New York Giants (3-8) 27, Green Bay Packers (4-6-1) 21

(NEW YORK) - Phil Simms and Earnest Gray hooked up for three touchdown passes to lead the New York Giants to a 27-21 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Simms, who threw three TDs last week in upsetting Dallas, completed 17-of-33 passes for 322 yards and hit Gray for scores of 50 and 20 yards in the first half. Simms flipped a 4-yard TD pass to Gray in the third period to give New York a 21-7 lead and Joe Danelo added field goals of 24 and 32 yards. In the fourth period for the Giants, who won their second game in a row after eight straight losses to raise their record to 3-8. Gerry Ellis provided Green Bay's first two touchdowns with a 2-yard run in the second quarter and a 4-yard pass from Lynn Dickey in the third period as the Packers fell to 4-6-1 and saw their playoff hopes virtually dashed. Dickey threw an 8-yard TD pass to James Lofton with 3:00 left to pull the Packers to 24-21 before Danelo's second field goal with 50 seconds left pushed New York ahead 27-21.

GREEN BAY - 0 7 7 7 - 21

NEW YORK - 7 7 7 6 - 27

1st - NY - Earnest Gray, 50-yd pass from Phil Simms (Joe Danelo kick) NY 7-0

2nd - GB - Ellis, 2-yard run (Birney kick) TIED 7-7

2nd - NY - Gray, 20-yard pass from Simms (Danelo kick) NEW YORK 14-7

3rd - NY - Gray, 4-yard pass from Simms (Danelo kick) NEW YORK 21-7

3rd - GB - Ellis, 4-yard pass from Dickey (Birney kick) NEW YORK 21-14

4th - NY - Danelo, 24-yard field goal NEW YORK 24-14

4th - GB - Lofton, 8-yard pass from Dickey (Birney kick) NEW YORK 24-21

4th - NY - Danelo, 32-yard field goal NEW YORK 27-21

November 23 : Green Bay Packers (5-7-1) 25, Minnesota Vikings (6-6) 13

(MINNESOTA) - The Green Bay Packers, playing nearly flawless football, broke

with tradition and jarred the Minnesota Vikings out of first place in their division. "It surely is exciting to be in the NFC Central Division race, isn't it?" Green Bay Coach Bart Starr asked after his club pounded out a 25-13 upset victory over the Vikings. The triumph knocked the Vikings, 6-6, out of a first-place tie with Detroit, 7-5, which defeated Tampa Bay 24-10. It also gave Green Bay its first road win in six outings this year and its first in Minnesota since 1974. Eddie Lee Ivery and Gerry Ellis supplied the ground power, teaming for 246 yards and two touchdowns, while Lynn Dickey passed for more than 200 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown strike to Aundra Thompson. Green Bay used a varied attack and aggressive defense to down the Vikings at Met Stadium for the first time in six years. It was the Packers' first season series sweep since 1965. Ellis' 1-yard TD run three seconds into the second quarter gave the Packers a 7-0 lead and after the Packers built a 10-6 halftime edge, Dickey's scoring pass to Thompson made it 16-6 early in the third period. The Vikings, who got two first-half field goals from Rick Danmeier, drew within three points on Ted Brown's 5-yard TD run midway in the third. Danmeier's field goals were 22 and 23 yards. Green Bay failed to increase its lead when a fake field goal attempt came up short at the Minnesota 5-yard line, and a genuine 30- yard attempt by Tom Birney sailed wide right in the third quarter. Birney later converted a 33-yarder with 1:57 to play. Ivery, who rushed for 145 yards on 24 carries, bolted 38 yards for the Packers' final touchdown with 56 seconds remaining. Ellis carried 15 times for 101 yards for the Packers, who hadn't seen one of their runners post a 100-yard game all year. Lofton, who upped his season totals to 59 receptions for 1,015 yards, became only the third 1,000-yard receiver in the Packers' 61-year history. Birney, who had missed three extra points and seven field goals since joining the team in October, was cut after the game and replaced by Jan Stenerud.

GREEN BAY - 0 10 6 9 - 25

MINNESOTA - 0 6 7 0 - 13

2nd - GB - Ellis, 1-yard run (Birney kick) GREEN BAY 7-0

2nd - MINN - Rick Danmeier, 22-yard field goal GREEN BAY 7-3

2nd - GB - Birney, 24-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-3

2nd - MINN - Danmeier, 23-yard field goal GREEN BAY 10-6

3rd - GB - Thompson, 35-yard pass from Dickey (Kick failed) GREEN BAY 16-6

3rd - MINN - Ted Brown, 5-yard run (Danmeier kick) GREEN BAY 16-13

4th - GB - Birney, 33-yard field goal GREEN BAY 19-13

4th - GB - Ivery, 38-yard run (Kick blocked) GREEN BAY 25-13

November 30 : Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7-1) 20, Green Bay Packers (5-7-1) 17

(MILWAUKEE) - Johnny Davis plunged one yard for Tampa Bay's go-ahead touchdown with l:58 to play after a 44-yard pass from Doug Williams to Kevin House, rallying the Buccaneers over the Green Bay Packers. House caught Williams' long pass after it had been tipped by Green Bay S Johnnie Gray, and Steve Luke tackled the Buccaneer rookie at the 1-yard line. Davis scored on the next play to cap an 80-yard, seven-play drive. The Buccaneers, who broke a three-game losing streak, preserved the victory when a 45-yard field goal by Jan Stenerud was wide to the left with 17 seconds to play. Trailing 13-3, the Packers drove 72 yards in 11 plays and scored on a 1-yard plunge by Eddie Lee Ivery 15 seconds into the final period. The score came after a 23-yard pass interference penalty against Mike Washington gave the Packers possession at the Tampa Bay 1.

TAMPA BAY - 10 0 3 7 - 20

GREEN BAY - 0 3 0 14 - 17

1st - TB - Garo Yepremian, 40-yard field goal TAMPA BAY 3-0

1st - TB - Isaac Hagins, 17-yard pass from Doug Williams (Yepremian kick) TB 10-0

2nd - GB - Stenerud, 40-yard field goal TAMPA BAY 10-3

3rd - TB - Yepremian, 20-yard field goal TAMPA BAY 13-3

4th - GB - Ivery, 1-yard run (Stenerud kick) TAMPA BAY 13-10

4th - GB - Coffman, 16-yard pass from Dickey (Stenerud kick) GREEN BAY 17-13

4th - TB - Johnny Davis, 1-yard run (Yepremian kick) TAMPA BAY 20-17

December 7: Chicago Bears (6-8) 61, Green Bay Packers (5-8-1) 7

(CHICAGO) - Vince Evans completed 18 of 22 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns and Walter Payton scored three touchdowns to lead the Chicago Bears to a crushing 61-7 win over Green Bay. Evans' long passes set up touchdown runs of 1 and 3 yards by Payton, who also broke a 14-yard scoring burst in the fourth quarter. Evans hurled touchdown passes of 53 yards to Rickey Watts, 9 yards to Robin Earl and 4 yards to Brian Baschnagel. The loss knocked the Packers out of the playoffs, while the Bears were eliminated earlier in the day when Minnesota posted a 21-10 victory over Tampa Bay. The Bears exploded for 29 points in the second quarter as Evans set up the first two Payton touchdowns with passes of 52 yards to Watts and 36 yards to James Scott. Another Bear touchdown was set up on a bad snap from Green Bay C Ken Brown with the ball sailing over punter David Beverly's head and recovered by Dave Becker on the 1-yard line. Evans then threw his first touchdown pass to Baschnagel with 29 seconds left in the half. Two more Evans' touchdown passes accounted for all the scoring in the third quarter and Len Walterscheid intercepted a David Whilehurst pass and returned it 36 yards for still another touchdown. Late in the fourth quarter. Willie McClendon broke loose on a 49-yard run and went the final yard on the next play for still another score. Payton went over 100 yards for the 41st time in his career as he carried 22 times for 130 yards. He climbed past Larry Csonka on the all-time NFL rushing list into sixth place with 8,178 yards. Evans ended the day with a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating, the only quarterback to ever do against the Packers. Evans completed 18 of 22 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns. The Bears picked up 33 first downs and 594 yards.

GREEN BAY - 0 7 0 0 - 7

CHICAGO - 0 28 13 20 - 61

2nd - CHI - Walter Payton, 1-yard run (Bob Thomas kick) CHICAGO 7-0

2nd - CHI - Payton, 3-yard run (Thomas kick) CHICAGO 14-0

2nd - CHI - Roland Harper, 1-yard run (Thomas kick) CHICAGO 21-0

2nd - GB - Lofton, 15-yard pass from Dickey (Stenerud kick) CHICAGO 21-7

2nd - CHI - Brian Baschnagel, 4-pass from Vince Evans (Thomas kick) CHI 28-7

3rd - CHI - Robin Earl, 9-yard pass from Evans (Kick blocked) CHICAGO 34-7

3rd - CHI - Rickey Watts, 53-yard pass from Evans (Thomas kick) CHICAGO 41-7

4th - CHI - Payton, 14-yard run (Thomas kick) CHICAGO 48-7

4th - CHI - Len Walterscheid, 36-yard interception return (Thomas kick) CHI 55-7

4th - CHI - Willie McClendon, 1-yard run (Kick failed) CHICAGO 61-7

December 14: Houston Oilers (10-5) 22, Green Bay Packers (5-9-1) 3

(GREEN BAY) - Earl Campbell rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns and set a personal single-season rushing mark of 1,730 yards in leading Houston to a 22-3 victory over Green Bay at Lambeau Field. Campbell scored on runs of 1 and 24 yards and carried 34 times to surpass his total of 1.697 rushing yards last season. The win left Houston with a 10-5 record and tied it with Cleveland atop the AFC Central. Green Bay slipped to 5-9-1. Kickers Chester Marcol of the Oilers and Jan Stcnerud of the Packers each kicked 27-yard field goals late in the first half. Houston added a touchdown on the final play of the game when John Corker picked a Lynn Dickey fumble and ran 43 yards to the end zone. Stenerud's field goal ended the Houston defense's streak of seven scoreless quarters. The Oilers have gone 10 successive quarters without allowing a touchdown. Marcol's return to Green Bay was mediocre, as he missed two extra points.

HOUSTON - 6 3 0 13 - 22

GREEN BAY - 0 3 0 0 - 3

1st - HOU - Earl Campbell, 1-yard run (Kick failed) HOUSTON 6-0

2nd - GB - Stenerud, 27-yard field goal HOUSTON 6-3

2nd - HOU - Chester Marcol, 27-yard field goal HOUSTON 9-3

4th - HOU - Campbell, 24-yard run (Marcol kick) HOUSTON 16-3

4th - HOU - John Corker, 43-yard fumble return (Kick failed) HOUSTON 22-3

December 21: Detroit Lions (9-7) 24, Green Bay Packers (5-10-1) 3

(DETROIT) - Detroit's Gary Danielson completed 17 of 26 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown and the Lions defense was outstanding as Detroit defeated the Green Bay Packers 24-3. The Lions, who finished 9-7 for their first winning season since 1972, got a big lift from standout DE Bubba Baker who sacked Green Bay QB Lynn Dickey three times. The Packers did not record a first down until the second quarter. Danielson gave up a pair of interceptions in the early going. But midway through the second quarter, the veteran Detroit QB marched the Lions 70 yards in six plays, finding Fred Scott all alone in the middle of the end zone for the final 8 yards and the touchdown pass. The Lions got the ball back with 55 seconds remaining before halftime and drove from their own 28-yard line to the Packers' 24 and rookie Eddie Murray booted a 41-yard field goal as time ran out. The Packers took the second-half kickoff and used up 9:12 on the clock before Jan Stenerud booted a 33-yard field goal. Detroit came right back, driving 80 yards in 11 plays with rookie Billy Sims diving the final yard on the first play of the fourth. Dexter Bussey added an 8-yard insurance touchdown late.

GREEN BAY - 0 0 3 0 - 3

DETROIT - 0 10 0 14 - 24

2nd - DT - Freddie Scott, 20-yd pass fr Gary Danielson (Eddie Murray kick) DET 7-0

2nd - DET - Murray, 41-yard field goal DETROIT 10-0

3rd - GB - Stenerud, 33-yard field goal DETROIT 10-3

4th - DET - Billy Sims, 1-yard run (Murray kick) DETROIT 17-3

4th - DET - Dexter Bussey, 8-yard run (Murray kick) DETROIT 24-3

NAME NO POS HGT WGT COLLEGE YR PR AG G HOW ACQUIRED

Kurt Allerman 60 LB 6- 2 222 Penn State 1 4 25 13 1980 FA - St.L (1979)

John Anderson 59 LB 6- 3 221 Michigan 3 3 24 9 1978 Draft - 1st round

Vickey Ray Anderson 44 HB 6- 0 205 Oklahoma 1 1 24 7 1980 FA

Steve Atkins 32 RB 6- 0 216 Maryland 2 2 24 9 1979 Draft - 2nd round

Buddy Aydelette 62 T 6- 4 250 Alabama 1 1 24 9 1980 Draft - 7th round

Bruce Beekley 58 LB 6- 2 225 Oregon 1 1 23 15 1980 FA

David Beverly 11 P 6- 2 180 Auburn 6 7 30 16 1975 FA - Houston

Tom Birney 19 K 6- 4 220 Michigan 2 2 24 7 1979 FA

Ken Brown 74 C 6- 1 245 New Mexico 1 2 26 6 1980 FA - Denver (1979)

Mike Butler 77 DE 6- 5 265 Kansas 4 4 26 16 1977 Draft - 1st round

Brian Cabral 65 LB 6- 1 224 Colorado 1 2 24 7 1980 FA - Atl (1979)

Ron Cassidy 88 WR 6- 0 185 Utah State 2 2 23 15 1979 Draft - 8th round

Paul Coffman 82 TE 6- 3 218 Kansas State 3 3 24 16 1978 FA

George Cumby 52 LB 6- 0 215 Oklahoma 1 1 24 9 1980 Draft - 1st round

Lynn Dickey 12 QB 6- 4 220 Kansas State 4 8 29 16 1976 Trade - Houston

Rich Dimler 92 DT 6- 6 260 USC 1 2 24 3 1980 FA - Cleve (1979)

Mike Douglass 53 LB 6- 0 224 San Diego State 3 3 25 16 1978 Draft - 5th round

Gerry Ellis 31 FB 5-11 216 Missouri 1 1 22 15 1980 FA

Derrel Gofourth 57 C 6- 3 260 Oklahoma State 4 4 25 16 1977 Draft - 7th round

Johnnie Gray 24 S 5-11 185 Cal St-Fullerton 6 6 27 16 1975 FA

Jim Gueno 51 LB 6- 2 220 Tulane 5 5 26 16 1976 Draft - 9th round

Leotis Harris 69 G 6- 1 267 Arkansas 3 3 25 16 1978 Draft - 6th round

Estus Hood 38 CB 5-11 180 Illinois State 3 3 24 15 1978 Draft - 3rd round

Harlan Huckleby 25 HB 6- 1 199 Michigan 1 1 22 16 1980 FA

Mike Hunt 55 LB 6- 2 240 Minnesota 3 3 23 3 1978 Draft - 2nd round

Eddie Lee Ivery 40 RB 6- 1 210 Georgia Tech 2 2 23 16 1979 Draft - 1st round

Mel Jackson 71 G 6- 1 267 USC 5 5 26 6 1976 Draft - 12th round

Charles Johnson 99 DT 6- 1 262 Maryland 2 2 23 15 1979 Draft - 2nd round

Ezra Johnson 90 DE 6- 4 240 Morris Brown 4 4 24 15 1977 Draft - 1st round

Mike Jolly 21 S 6- 3 185 Michigan 1 1 22 16 1980 FA

Terry Jones 63 DT 6- 2 259 Alabama 3 3 23 15 1978 Draft - 11th round

Bobby Kimball 85 WR 6- 1 190 Oklahoma 2 2 23 1 1979 FA

Syd Kitson 64 G 6- 4 252 Wake Forest 1 1 21 14 1980 Draft - 3rd round

Greg Koch 68 T 6- 4 265 Arkansas 4 4 25 16 1977 Draft - 2nd round

Mark Koncar 79 T 6- 5 268 Colorado 4 4 27 1 1976 Draft - 1st round

Bill Larson 87 TE 6- 4 225 Colorado State 1 4 26 9 1980 FA - Denver

Kit Lathrop 72 DT 6- 5 253 Arizona State 2 2 24 15 1979 FA - Denver

Mark Lee 22 CB 5-11 187 Washington 1 1 22 15 1980 Draft - 2nd round

Mike Lewis 66 DT 6- 4 260 Arkansas A&M 1 10 31 10 1980 FA - Atl (1979)

James Lofton 80 WR 6- 3 187 Stanford 3 3 24 16 1978 Draft - 1st round

Steve Luke 46 S 6- 2 205 Ohio State 6 6 26 16 1975 Draft - 4th round

Chester Marcol 13 K 6- 0 190 Hillsdale 9 9 30 5 1972 Draft - 2nd round

Larry McCarren 54 C 6- 3 248 Illinois 8 8 28 16 1973 Draft - 12th round

Mike C. McCoy 29 CB 5-11 183 Colorado 5 5 27 16 1976 Draft - 3rd round

Casey Merrill 78 DE 6- 4 255 Cal-Davis 2 2 23 16 1979 FA

Terdell Middleton 34 HB 6- 0 190 Memphis State 4 4 25 13 1977 Draft - 3rd round

Mark Murphy 37 S 6- 2 199 West Liberty St 1 1 22 1 1980 FA

Fred Nixon 84 WR 5-11 191 Oklahoma 1 1 21 15 1980 Draft - 4th round

Ed O'Neil 56 LB 6- 3 235 Penn State 1 7 27 12 1980 FA - Det (1979)

Steve Pisarkiewicz 19 QB 6- 2 205 Missouri 1 3 26 1 1980 FA - St.L (1979)

Paul Rudzinski 70 LB 6- 1 220 Michigan State 3 3 24 15 1978 FA

Barty Smith 33 FB 6- 3 240 Richmond 7 7 28 12 1974 Draft - 1st round

Jan Stenerud 10 K 6- 2 190 Montana State 1 14 36 4 1980 FA - K.City (1979)

Tim Stokes 76 T 6- 5 252 Oregon 3 7 30 15 1978 Trade - Washington

Karl Swanke 67 T 6- 6 251 Boston College 1 1 22 16 1980 Draft - 6th round

Aundra Thompson 89 WR 6- 0 186 E. Texas State 4 4 27 15 1976 Draft - 5th round

John Thompson 83 TE 6- 3 228 Utah State 2 2 23 7 1979 Draft - 9th round

Bill Troup 10 QB 6- 5 215 South Carolina 1 5 29 2 1980 FA - Balt (1978)

Wylie Turner 20 CB 5-10 182 Angelo State 2 2 23 12 1979 FA

Mike Wellman 65 C 6- 3 253 Kansas 2 2 24 4 1979 Trade - L. Angeles

David Whitehurst 17 QB 6- 2 204 Furman 4 4 25 2 1977 Draft - 8th round

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

CANCELLED GAMES IN NFL HISTORY

At the Hall of Fame game in 1980, the Packers and San Diego Chargers were tied 0-0 with 5:29 left when then-commissioner Pete Rozelle called it because of lightning. It was the first weather-related cancellation in NFL history. Other notable weather-related cancellations/postponements:

AUGUST 1996 - In the Bears' final preseason game against the Chiefs at Soldier Field, the heavens opened up with a deluge of rain and massive bolts of lightning striking perilously close to the stadium. The NFL officials called the game before its conclusion for safety of the fans.

AUGUST 4, 2003 - Kansas City had just taken a 9-0 lead over the Packers on a 27-yard field goal by Jose Cortez with 5:55 left in the third quarter when several lightning bolts hit near Fawcett Stadium. Play was halted for nearly one-half hour before NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue decided to cancel the remainder of the game with 5:49 remaining in the third.

2005 - The Saints played 2 pre-season games in the Louisiana Superdome before being forced to evacuate New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina. They played the rest of the season on the road, splitting their games between their temporary headquarters at San Antonio's Alamodome, and Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, and even playing their first home game at Giants Stadium.

NOVEMBER 2005 - To accommodate preparations to deal with the approach of Hurricane Wilma, the Miami Dolphins' home game against the Chiefs was moved from Sunday to Friday night. Miami had moved a 1992 game with the Patriots due to Hurricane Andrew, their 2003 game in San Diego was moved to Tempe, AZ due to wildfires, a 2004 game with the Titans was re-scheduled due to Hurricane Ivan, and later that season, a game with the Steelers was moved from 1 p.m. ET to 8:30 p.m. due to Hurricane Jeanne.

AUGUST 25, 2007 - The stadium lights dimmed while Kyle Boller's throw was in mid-air. The pass was incomplete -- just like the game. With more lightning on the way, officials decided enough was enough. The preseason game between the Ravens and Redskins was halted with 11:38 remaining in the third quarter, giving the Redskins an abbreviated 13-7 win.

SEPT 2008 - The devastation caused by Hurricane Ike forced the NFL to reschedule season opener between the Ravens and Houston for a second time, postponing the game to November 9. Ike severely damaged the roof of Houston's Reliant Stadium, making it unsafe to play. With the threat of Ike, the NFL originally pushed back the Ravens' game at Houston from Saunday afternoon to Monday night.

AND IN CANADA - 1962 GREY CUP - The game started normally on Saturday, December 1. However, by the second quarter, a thick smog started to roll in over the field, a combination of cold, moist, humid air from Lake Ontario and Toronto's pollution. The fog was thick enough that fans could not see the action on the field, receivers lost sight of the ball after it left the quarterbacks' hand, and punt returners could not find punts until they hit the ground. The fog became worse as the afternoon wore on, and with 9:29 left in the fourth quarter, the game was suspended with Winnipeg leading 28–27. The game continued the following afternoon, but there was no further scoring.