Packers all-time tournament: 2010 (6) vs. 2007 (11)

First-round matchup in the all-time Green Bay Packers tournament — No. 6 seed 2010 vs. No. 11 seed 2007.

The regular season didn’t portend the Packers’ postseason success. Green Bay was 8-6 before back-to-back wins got them the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,922 yards and 28 TDs with four receivers topping 500 yards: Donald Driver (565, 4 TDs), Greg Jennings (1,265, 12 TDs), James Jones (679, 5 TDs) and Jordy Nelson (582, 2 TDs). The run game wasn’t as efficient, averaging just 3.8 yards a carry (which was boosted by Rodgers’ 356 yards, 5.6 average). Brandon Jackson led the backs with 703 yards (3.7 avg.) and three TDs. The defense allowed just 240 points, fewest in the NFC (only Pittsburgh with 232 had fewer). Two linebackers had over 100 tackles (Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk) and another – Clay Matthews, who had 13.5 sacks – was named All-Pro. Nick Collins, Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams anchored a solid secondary. The Packers became just the second sixth seed to win the Super Bowl, beating Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago in its run to the NFC crown before beating the Steelers, 31-25 for their first title since 1996.

These Packers were a well-balanced team which led the NFC in point differential (+144) and ran away with the NFC North (Minnesota was second at 8-8). Defensively, the Packers had a strong defensive line which pressured opposing quarterbacks often. Aaron Kampman led the way with 12 sacks, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila had 9.5 and Corey Williams seven. It would be Favre’s last year directing Green Bay’s offense and he completed 66.5% of his passes (his high with the Packers) for 4,155 yards with 28 TDs and 15 INTs. Driver had 1,048 receiving yards while Jennings had 920 yards and 12 TDs. Ryan Grant, undrafted in 2005 and acquired from the Giants in September 2007 for a sixth-round pick even though he had never played an NFL game, took over as the starting running back in Week 9 and rushed for 956 yards, all but 27 of those coming in the final 10 games. Green Bay rolled past Seattle in the divisional game but lost at home to the Giants in overtime at Lambeau Field in the NFC championship, a Favre interception – his last pass as a Packer – setting up a game-winning field goal.