StaTuesday: Packers single-game playoff records

Last year we took a look at where current Green Bay players are on the Packers’ and NFL’s all-time playoff statistical lists.

(Aaron Rodgers needs 285 passing yards to pass Brett Favre for most in Green Bay postseason history.)

With the Packers set to appear in their first 2020 playoff game Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, we thought we’d take a look at the all-time best single-game performances in Green Bay playoff annals. Against a tough Rams defense, some of these might be tough to reach.

Heading into Saturday’s divisional playoff matchup, Green Bay has appeared in 55 playoff games (since 1940).

The Green Bay record for most touchdowns scored in a game is three, and it has been done three times. Sterling Sharpe was the first to do it, at Detroit on Jan. 8, 1994. Over a decade later, Ryan Grant had the trifecta vs. Seattle on Jan. 12, 2008. Randall Cobb was the last to accomplish the feat nearly 10 years later against the New York Giants on Jan. 8, 2017.

When it comes to passing touchdowns, the Packers playoff bar is set at four. Bart Starr did it back on Jan. 1, 1967 against Dallas (helping Green Bay make Super Bowl I). Lynn Dickey had four against the St. Louis Cardinals on Jan. 8, 1983. Rodgers has the other two, Jan. 10, 2010 at Arizona and Jan. 8, 2017 vs. the Giants.

Not surprisingly, Rodgers holds several Packers playoff passing records: 31 completions (twice, Jan. 15, 2011 at Atlanta and last season against San Francisco), 46 pass attempts (Jan. 15, 2012 vs. the Giants) and 423 passing yards (Jan. 10, 2010 at Arizona).

Rodgers has the top-four postseason passing yards in Packers history. In all, there have been 12 300-yard games (half have come against Dallas!).

On the receiving end, there have been 31 games with a player accumulating 100+ yards, including last year’s record-setting 160 by Davante Adams against Seattle.

There have been 10 other games where a Packers receiver has 130+ yards in a playoff game.

The most receptions in a Green Bay playoff game is nine – and it was first done by a running back, Edgar Bennett on Jan. 16, 1994. The other two occasions were in Super Bowls: Antonio Freeman vs. New England in Super Bowl XXXI and Jordy Nelson against Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.

Bennett and Dorsey Levens, who is the only Packers running back with a 100+-yard receiving game in the postseason, each also have rushed for over 100 yards in a playoff contest. Interestingly, there have been only 10 100-yard rushing performances by a Green Bay player (and none have occurred later than Jan. 12).

Levens owns three of the 10 while Ryan Grant is the only to top 200. The last to do it was Eddie Lacy, six years ago.

Defensively, Henry Jordan has the most sacks in a Packers playoff game – 3.5 vs. the Rams on Dec. 23, 1967. Willie Davis (Super Bowl II) and Reggie White (Super Bowl Super Bowl XXXI) had three.

Four players have two interceptions in a game – and two occurred in 2011. Eugene Robinson was the first two do it, on Jan. 4, 1997 vs. San Francisco. Tramon Williams (Jan. 15 at Atlanta) and Sam Shields (Jan. 23 at Chicago) did it eight days apart in ’11. Finally, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix also had a pair of picks at Seattle on Jan. 18, 2015.

Antonio Freeman was the first to have a punt return for a touchdown, doing it against Atlanta on Dec. 31, 1995. Desmond Howard owns the other special teams touchdown returns: On a punt vs. San Francisco on Jan. 4, 1997 and the only kick return TD in the franchise’s postseason history, which helped net him MVP honors in Super Bowl XXXI.