| Team: | Green Bay Packers |
| Year: | 1995 |
| Record: | 11–5 |
| Division Place: | 1st NFC Central |
| Owner: | Green Bay Packers, Inc. |
| President: | Bob Harlan |
| Coach: | Mike Holmgren |
| General Manager: | Ron Wolf |
| Stadium: | Lambeau Field |
| Playoffs: | Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Falcons) 37–20 Won Divisional Playoffs (at 49ers) 27–17 Lost NFC Championship (at Cowboys) 27–38 |
| Pro Bowlers: | QB Brett Favre TE Mark Chmura DE Reggie White |
| Shortnavlink: | Packers seasons |
The 1995 season was the Green Bay Packers' 75th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 77th overall. The Packers finished with an 11–5 record in the regular season and won the NFC Central, their first division title since 1982. In the playoffs, the Packers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 37–20 at home and the defending champion San Francisco 49ers 27–17, on the road before losing to the Dallas Cowboys 38–27, in the NFC Championship Game.[1] Packers' quarterback Brett Favre (who had the best season of his entire career) was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player, the first of three such awards he would win.[2] This was the first season that the Packers played home games exclusively at Lambeau Field, after playing part of their home slate at Milwaukee County Stadium since 1953. After losing their home opener to St. Louis, the Packers would win an NFL-record 25 consecutive home games between the rest of 1995 and early in 1998.
| Additions | Subtractions | |
|---|---|---|
| QB Jim McMahon (Browns) | LB Bryce Paup (Bills) | |
| WR Mark Ingram Sr. (Dolphins) | DT Don Davey (Jaguars) | |
| LB Joe Kelly (Rams) | SS Tim Hauck (Broncos) | |
| TE Keith Jackson (Dolphins) | QB Mark Brunell (Jaguars) | |
| QB T. J. Rubley (Rams) | TE Ed West (Eagles) | |
| TE Jeff Thomason (Bengals) | DT Matt Brock (Jets) | |
| C Mike Arthur (Patriots) | CB Terrell Buckley (Dolphins) | |
| LS Mike Bartrum (Chiefs) | ||
| WR Milt Stegall (Bengals) |
See main article: article and 1995 NFL expansion draft.
| Round | Overall | Name | Position | Expansion Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 11 | Mark Williams | Linebacker | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 21 | 41 | Marcus Wilson | Running back | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 27 | 53 | Reggie Cobb | Running back | Jacksonville Jaguars |
See main article: 1995 NFL draft. With their third pick (66th overall) in the 1995 NFL draft, the Packers selected future All-Pro fullback William Henderson,[3] a player who would remain with the Packers for over 13 seasons.[4]
| Lee Becton | Running back | Notre Dame | |
| Matthew Dorsett | Cornerback | Southern | |
| Stephen Henley | Linebacker | Mankato State | |
| Joe Nedney | Kicker | San Jose State | |
| Oscar Wilson | Defensive tackle | Cal State Northridge |
The Packers finished with an 11–5 record, clinching the NFC Central crown by a slim 1-game margin over the Detroit Lions.[1]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 3 | St. Louis Rams | L 14–17 | 0–1 | Lambeau Field | 60,104 | |
| 2 | at Chicago Bears | W 27–24 | 1–1 | Soldier Field | 64,855 | ||
| 3 | September 17 | New York Giants | W 14–6 | 2–1 | Lambeau Field | 60,117 | |
| 4 | September 24 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | W 24–14 | 3–1 | Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | 66,744 | |
| 5 | Bye | ||||||
| 6 | October 8 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 24–34 | 3–2 | Texas Stadium | 64,806 | |
| 7 | October 15 | Detroit Lions | W 30–21 | 4–2 | Lambeau Field | 60,302 | |
| 8 | October 22 | Minnesota Vikings | W 38–21 | 5–2 | Lambeau Field | 60,332 | |
| 9 | October 29 | at Detroit Lions | L 16–24 | 5–3 | Pontiac Silverdome | 73,462 | |
| 10 | November 5 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 24–27 | 5–4 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 62,839 | |
| 11 | November 12 | Chicago Bears | W 35–28 | 6–4 | Lambeau Field | 59,996 | |
| 12 | November 19 | at Cleveland Browns | W 31–20 | 7–4 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 55,388 | |
| 13 | November 26 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 35–13 | 8–4 | Lambeau Field | 59,218 | |
| 14 | December 3 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 24–10 | 9–4 | Lambeau Field | 60,318 | |
| 15 | December 10 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 10–13 | 9–5 | Tampa Stadium | 67,557 | |
| 16 | at New Orleans Saints | W 34–23 | 10–5 | Louisiana Superdome | 50,132 | ||
| 17 | December 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 24–19 | 11–5 | Lambeau Field | 60,649 | |
| Playoff Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Game Site | NFL.com recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | December 31, 1995 | Atlanta Falcons (6) | W 37–20 | 1–0 | Lambeau Field | Recap | |
| Divisional | January 6, 1996 | at San Francisco 49ers (2) | W 27–17 | 2–0 | Candlestick Park | Recap | |
| NFC Championship | January 14, 1996 | at Dallas Cowboys (1) | L 27–38 | 2–1 | Texas Stadium | Recap |