Remembering the First Overtime Game in Green Bay Packers History

The NFL introduced regular season overtime in 1974, allowing teams to play up to one full quarter if the game was still tied after 60 minutes. Initially, the first team to score in any way won the game. But the Green Bay Packers didn’t play an overtime game for the first four seasons after the rule was put in place. When they finally did, it was a huge game that had a substantial impact on the team’s playoff chances. Today, we look back at the first regular season overtime game in Green Bay Packers history.

The First Overtime Game in Packers History: The Buildup

The 1978 Packers surprised almost everybody by getting off to a 6-1 start. The previous season, the team struggled to a 4-10 record and had one of the worst offenses in the NFL. With starting quarterback Lynn Dickey out with a broken leg, second-year man David Whitehurst took over as the starting quarterback and helped the team get off to a fast start. Rookie receiver James Lofton and running back Terdell Middleton helped spark the offense while Ezra Johnson, John Anderson, and Willie Buchanon helped lead the defense.

However, entering their Week 13 game against the Vikings at Lambeau Field, the Packers were slumping badly. They had lost three straight games including one-sided losses to the Cowboys and Broncos, the teams that appeared in the Super Bowl the previous January.

With the losing streak, the Packers three-game lead in the NFC Central had evaporated as the Vikings caught up and tied them for the division lead at 7-5. Minnesota had won the previous meeting between the teams, so the Packers needed this win to prevent the Vikings from having the advantage over Green Bay if the two teams finished with identical records.

A Defensive Struggle Early

The game got off to a tough start for the Packers. On the first play from scrimmage, Middleton fumbled, and Jim Marshall recovered for the Vikings at the Green Bay nine. The Packers defense held them and forced the Vikings to settle for a 3-0 lead on a 19-yard field goal by Rick Danmeier.

Both defenses dominated and neither team could move the football consistently for the rest of the first half. The Packers finally got going after an interception by Anderson that set up a 12-play, 70-yard drive to get on the scoreboard.

Key plays included passes to Barty Smith for 12 yards and Middleton for 16. Whitehurst found Lofton for a 24-yard pass to the Minnesota three that set up a one-yard touchdown run by Middleton. The Packers led 7-3 at the half.

The First Overtime Game in Packers History: The Packers Extend Their Lead

The Packers defense came up with another key turnover late in the third quarter. Rickey Young fumbled, and defensive back Mike McCoy recovered near midfield. Whitehurst found tight end Rich McGeorge for 20 yards and Middleton for 11. But the drive stalled at the Vikings one when Middleton lost a yard on third down. Chester Marcol booted a 19-yard field goal to extend the Packers lead to 10-3 early in the fourth quarter.

The Green Bay defense kept putting pressure on Tarkenton and held Tarkenton to 35 passing yards through the first three quarters. The defense sacked the Vikings quarterback three times and picked off four passes in the game. In addition to Anderson, Buchanon, Estus Hood and McCoy picked off the future Hall of Famer.

A Last-Minute Score and Overtime

The Vikings had one last chance to tie the game in the final two minutes. Tarkenton converted a fourth down pass to Young and another to Sammy White to keep the drive alive. With 10 seconds left, Tarkenton found Ahmad Rashad for a touchdown. Danmeier added the extra point, and the game was tied 10-10.

Green Bay still almost found a way to win in regulation. Whitehurst threw deep to wideout Aundra Thompson and he ran all the way to the Vikings six where he was tackled as time expired. The game was headed to overtime with the division lead on the line.

Both teams had chances to win it in the extra session, but both kickers failed. The Vikings drove to the Green Bay four as Tarkenton finally found his rhythm. But Danmeier missed a 21-yard field goal, and the game continued.

Then, in the closing minutes of overtime, defensive tackle Dave Roller recovered a fumble at the Minnesota 43. That led to one last field goal chance for Marcol with 17 seconds left in the game. But he missed wide left, and the game ended in a 10-10 tie. This was only the third overtime game to end in a tie since the rule was introduced five seasons earlier.

The First Overtime Game in Packers History: The Aftermath

Middleton set a Packers record that still stands with 39 rushing attempts in a game. He finished with 110 yards and a touchdown. He also went over 1,000 yards for the season in this game. The Packers wouldn’t have another thousand-yard rusher until 1995.

The loss was a disappointment for the Packers because the Vikings still held the tiebreaker because they had a 1-0-1 record against the Packers. “They had us in the bag, and they couldn’t keep us there,” Tarkenton said after the game. “The number one thing we had to prevent was a loss. The number two thing was to win.” This would be the last time the Packers faced Tarkenton who retired after the season.

Head coach Bart Starr was proud of the effort his young team gave against a veteran Vikings club. “This was a darn fine effort on the part of our football team,” Starr said. “I’m proud of them. They played their hearts out and it’s a shame we didn’t win.”

Starr then added a curious quote when he said, “You know the cliché that a tie is like kissing your sister. We’ll I’ve seen some sisters I’d like to kiss.”

Both teams finished the season with 8-7-1 records, but the Vikings won the NFC Central on the tiebreaker. For the Packers, it was their first winning season since 1972 and one of only two winning seasons they’d have under Starr.