Packer Central

Ranking Eight Packers-Cowboys Playoff Games

The Green Bay Packers will head back to Dallas for a wild-card game on Sunday. The teams have locked horns eight times in the playoffs, and rarely has the game not been memorable. We’ve ranked each game.

Jacob Westendorf

Ranking Eight Packers-Cowboys Playoff Games
Ranking Eight Packers-Cowboys Playoff Games /
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are back in the playoffs and will be facing a familiar foe on Sunday when they take on the Dallas Cowboys.

The matchups for the postseason span all the way back to the 1960s, when Vince Lombardi squared off against Tom Landry.

The 1990s belonged to Dallas, as it always seemed to have Mike Holmgren and Brett Favre's number.

More recently, the series has favored Green Bay, with Aaron Rodgers tormenting the Cowboys regardless of the venue.

While the teams are 4-4 in their postseason history, there is a clear winner for the best game between the two teams. Here is our ranking of the eight games.

8. Dallas Rolls Over Green Bay: Dallas 35, Green Bay 9

January 8, 1995

The 1994-95 Packers probably were just happy to be in this position.

This was their second trip to the playoffs in as many years, and their defense had just held Barry Sanders to minus-1 yard on 13 carries in the wild-card round.

Maybe the frigid temperatures from the week prior took the wind out of their sails.

Either way, this Dallas team was a juggernaut that had won back-to-back Super Bowls and looked poised to add a third.

Brett Favre struggled as Green Bay fell behind 14-3 in the first quarter and 28-9 at halftime. Favre finished 18-of-35 passing with one interception.

The Packers were starting to make some headway as an NFC contender, but this game showed just how far they had to go.

7. Another Texas Dud: Dallas 27, Green Bay 17

January 16, 1994

The Packers were riding high after a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the wild-card round against the Detroit Lions. With Brett Favre finding Sterling Sharpe in the back of the endzone at the Pontiac Silverdome, the Packers had earned the right to head to Dallas.

While this group may have been on the rise, this game was not all that competitive.

In what would be a theme in three consecutive playoff losses at Texas Stadium, the Packers fell behind early and never fully recovered.

This time, they trailed 27-10 late in the fourth quarter when Favre found Sterling Sharpe to make the score a more respectable 27-17, but Dallas was simply too much for these young Packers.

6. James Lofton's Big Day: Dallas 37, Green Bay 26

January 16, 1983

The 1980s Packers were a lot of fun. They often weren't very good because their defense was dreadful, but the offense led by Lynn Dickey was able to put up points with anyone.

The 1982 Packers became the first team to win a playoff game since the days of Vince Lombardi when they pummeled the St. Louis Cardinals 41-16.

However, Dickey could never really find his footing against Dallas' defense.

Dickey threw a touchdown pass early to James Lofton, but was victimized for three interception, including one that was returned for a touchdown.

Lofton, who was part of a prolific wide receiver corps, had a huge day. He had five catches for 109 yards and added a 71-yard touchdown run.

Lofton's heroics, however, weren't enough, and that would be the last playoff game Green Bay would play in until Mike Holmgren came to town.

5. Green Bay's Run Stopped Short: Dallas 38, Green Bay 27

January 14, 1996

The 1995 Packers probably were one year ahead of schedule.

After back-to-back playoff appearances in 1993 and 1994, the Packers appeared to take a step forward in their ascent to the top of the NFL mountain.

The entire world was expecting their season to end in the divisional round when they took on the defending champion San Francisco 49ers.

A win by San Francisco would set up a rematch between the two teams that owned the first half of the 1990s – the Cowboys and 49ers. But the Packers had other ideas. Craig Newsome returned a fumble for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and the Packers never looked back.

Unfortunately, they were staring their version of the boogeyman in the face in the NFC Championship Game.

Despite taking the lead into the fourth quarter, it was not their time, as the Cowboys showed their championship resolve. Two touchdown runs by Emmitt Smith and some suffocating defense from the Cowboys proved to be the difference.

The Packers lost 38-27 to a Dallas team that would win the Super Bowl.

Of all the losses in Texas Stadium, this would be the one that would sting the most.

4. He Went to Jared: Green Bay 34, Dallas 31

January 15, 2017

The 2016 Packers became famous for Aaron Rodgers' proclamation that, at 4-6, he believed they could run the table.

Run the table, they did, winning the NFC North and a wild-card game against the Giants to earn the right to face the top-seeded Cowboys.

The Cowboys were led by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Zeke Elliott. They boasted the NFL’s top rushing attack and the fifth-ranked scoring defense.

The Packers, however, had a red-hot quarterback coming into the game and came out firing.

The Packers jumped out to a 21-3 lead that swelled to 28-13 in the second half. However, the Cowboys mounted a second-half comeback to tie the game at 28.

That was when it became a kicker competition. Mason Crosby made a 56-yard field goal to give the Packers a 31-28 lead with 1:33 to go. Dallas’ Dan Bailey answered with a 52-yarder with 35 seconds remaining.

That set the stage for a signature moment by Rodgers.

With 12 seconds left, Rodgers spun out to his left looking for an open receiver. He found Jared Cook, who was able to keep his feet inbounds with 3 seconds remaining. Cook's 35-yard catch and tightrope act on the sideline set up Crosby to play the role of hero.

Crosby drilled a 51-yard field goal as time expired, propelling the Packers to an improbable trip to the NFC Championship Game. 

The clock would strike midnight for Green Bay's Cinderella season the following week in Atlanta.

3. Did Dez Catch It?: Green Bay 26, Dallas 21

January 11, 2015

This game marks one of the most controversial rulings in the history of professional sports.

A divisional-round game at Lambeau Field was a matchup of strength on strength. The Packers were the best home team in football, winning all eight of their games at Lambeau. Conversely, the Cowboys were just as brilliant with an 8-0 road record.

A back-and-forth affair saw the Packers take a 26-21 lead in the fourth quarter when Aaron Rodgers found Richard Rodgers in the back of the end zone.

Dallas was not done yet as it mounted a drive to get into Green Bay territory.

Facing a fourth-and-2, Tony Romo lined up a deep ball to his best receiver, Dez Bryant.

Bryant went up and made a play over Packers cornerback Sam Shields before tumbling to the ground.

Initially, the play was ruled a catch, but after Mike McCarthy threw a challenge flag, officials determined that Bryant did not maintain control of the ball to the ground. 

The Packers would pick up two first downs, capped by Rodgers finding Randall Cobb on third-and-10, to allow them to run out the clock.

2. Defense Saves The Day: Green Bay 34, Dallas 27

January 1, 1967

Before the famous Ice Bowl, there was a shootout between Green Bay and Dallas the year prior.

Bart Starr was brilliant, leading the Packers to 34 points. The offense needed to continue scoring to keep pace with a high-powered Cowboys offense that put up 27.

Late in the game, the Cowboys were inside the Packers' 10 trying to tie the game and force overtime.

Dave Robinson was instantly in the Dallas backfield and nearly sacked Dallas' great quarterback, Don Meredith. Meredith’s desperation heave was intercepted by Tom Brown in the back of the end zone.

The Packers' late defensive stand earned them the right to play in the first Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Packers, of course, would go on to win that game 35-10, setting up an opportunity to win three consecutive titles the following season.

1. The Ice Bowl: Packers 21, Cowboys 17

December 31, 1967

The easiest answer of them all. This game is iconic on so many levels, but none more so than Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr becoming the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive championships.

A 68-yard drive in the fourth quarter capped by Lombardi telling Starr to, "run it and let's get the hell out of here," gave the Packers a lead in the final seconds.

This would be the final game for Lombardi at Lambeau Field, as he would resign from his position as coach after the Packers won Super Bowl II against the Raiders.

There are few, if any, more iconic games in NFL history, so there was no way this game was getting pushed any further down the list than No. 1.

Packers-Cowboys Playoffs: Comparing the Quarterbacks

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Jacob Westendorf
JACOB WESTENDORF

Jacob Westendorf, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2015, is a writer for Packer Central, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: jacobwestendorf24@gmail.com History: Westendorf started writing for Packer Central in 2023. Twitter: https://twitter.com/JacobWestendorf Background: Westendorf graduated from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where he earned a degree in communication with an emphasis in journalism and mass media. He worked in newspapers in Green Bay and Rockford, Illinois. He also interned at Packer Report for Bill Huber while earning his degree. In 2018, he became a staff writer for PackerReport.com, and a regular contributor on Packer Report's "Pack A Day Podcast." In 2020, he founded the media company Game On Wisconsin. In 2023, he rejoined Packer Central, which is part of Sports Illustrated Media Group.

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