Packers all-time tournament: 1996 (3) vs. 1995 (14)

First-round matchup in the all-time Green Bay Packers tournament — No. 3 seed 1996 vs. No. 14 seed 1995.

Green Bay’s first Super Bowl winner in nearly 30 years got it done on both offense and defense. The Packers led the NFL in both points for (456) and against (210) and their plus-246 point differential was nearly 100 greater than any other team (Carolina, +149). NFL MVP Brett Favre threw for 3,899 yards and 39 touchdowns with Antonio Freeman (56 catches, 933 yards, nine TDs) his favorite target. Tight end Keith Jackson, though, had the team’s most receiving TDs (10). Edgar Bennett rushed for 899 yards but it was Dorsey Levens who was the running back who found the end zone (566 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 226 receiving yards, 5 TDs). A solid defense had only one All-Pro – safety LeRoy Butler (87 tackles, five interceptions) and two Pro Bowl selections – Butler and defensive end Reggie White (8.5 sacks) but still allowed only 3.5 yards per rush and had 26 INTs. Punt returner Desmond Howard averaged 15.1 yards per return with three touchdowns. The Packers rolled through the playoffs, winning all three of their games by 14 or more points, including in the Super Bowl against New England.

This was the first of three straight divisional titles for the Packers under head coach Mike Holmgren. Green Bay finished fourth in the NFL in points allowed and sixth in points for. Favre won his first MVP and threw for over 4,000 yards (4,413) for the first time while throwing 38 TDs and 13 INTs. Edgar Bennett ground out 1,067 yards rushing (3.4 average) and also caught 61 passes (second on the team) for 648 yards (third). Brooks had the best year of his career, catching 102 passes for 1,497 yards and 13 TDs. Butler led the team in tackles (102) and interceptions (5) while White had a team-high 12 sacks. The Packers made it to the NFC championship with wins over Atlanta and San Francisco before losing to Dallas. Their time would come a year later.