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1983 Green Bay Packers season

NFL team season

NFL team season

FieldValue
teamGreen Bay Packers
year1983
record8–8
division_place2nd NFC Central
coachBart Starr
stadiumLambeau Field
Milwaukee County Stadium
playoffs*Did not qualify*
shortnavlinkPackers seasons

Milwaukee County Stadium The 1983 Green Bay Packers season was their 65th season overall and their 63rd in the National Football League. The team finished with an 8–8 record under ninth-year head coach Bart Starr to finish second in the NFC Central division. The team set an NFL record for most overtime games played in one season with five, winning two and losing three. On Monday Night Football in October, Green Bay defeated the Washington Redskins, 48–47, in what was at the time the highest-scoring game in MNF history. Redskins quarterback Joe Theisman and his counterpart Lynn Dickey threw for a combined 785 yards. Each team punted just once in the entire game. It was voted one of the ten best Packer games and is featured on the NFL Films collection, "The Green Bay Packers Greatest Games."

Green Bay hovered around the .500 mark all season. Entering their final regular season game on December 18 at Chicago, the Packers (8–7) could secure a playoff berth with a victory. Green Bay scored a touchdown to take a one-point lead with just over three minutes in the game, and Chicago running back Walter Payton was sidelined with a wrist injury. The Bears returned the kickoff to their 38 and drove fifty yards, down to the Packer twelve, with 1:17 remaining. Although Green Bay had all three of its timeouts, they opted not to use any, and the Bears kicked a winning 22-yard field goal with ten seconds on the clock. Green Bay fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, and the Los Angeles Rams (9–7) gained the final playoff slot.

Starr was fired the following day by team president Robert Parins, ending a 26-year association with the team as a player and coach. Former player Forrest Gregg, the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, was hired before the end of the week, announced on Christmas Eve. Gregg had led the Bengals to Super Bowl XVI two years earlier, but had less success in his four seasons in Green Bay, then left for his alma mater SMU in Dallas in January 1988.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1983 NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

PlayerPositionCollege
Tom BishopDefensive endAsland
Jim EttariNose tackleThe Citadel
Joe RudzinskiLinebackerNotre Dame

Personnel

Staff

  • President – Robert J. Parins
  • Corporate assistant to the president – Bob Harlan
  • Director of player personnel – Dick Corrick
  • Head coach – Bart Starr
  • Offensive coordinator – Bob Schnelker
  • Offensive backs – John Brunner
  • Receivers – Lew Carpenter
  • Offensive line – Ernie McMillan
  • Assistant offensive line – Bill Meyers
  • Defensive coordinator – John Meyer
  • Defensive line – Doc Urich
  • Linebackers – Monte Kiffin
  • Defensive backs – Ross Fichtner
  • Special teams – Dick Rehbein

Roster

Preseason

Green Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"WeekGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"DateGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"OpponentGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"ResultGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"RecordGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"VenueGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"Recap1234
[Cleveland Browns](1983-cleveland-browns-season)**L** 20–210-1Lambeau Field[Recap](http://www.packershistory.net/1983PACKERS.html)
at [Seattle Seahawks](1983-seattle-seahawks-season)**L** 21–280-2Kingdome[Recap](http://www.packershistory.net/1983PACKERS.html)
at [Philadelphia Eagles](1983-philadelphia-eagles-season)**L** 14–270-3Veterans Stadium[Recap](http://www.packershistory.net/1983PACKERS.html)
[St. Louis Cardinals](1983-st-louis-cardinals-season)**W** 39–271-3Lambeau Field[Recap](http://www.packershistory.net/1983PACKERS.html)

Regular season

Schedule

Green Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"WeekGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"DateGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"OpponentGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"ResultGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"RecordGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"VenueGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"AttendanceGreen Bay Packersyear=1983border=2}}"Recap12345678910111213141516
September 4at [Houston Oilers](1983-houston-oilers-season)**W** 41–38 (OT)1–0Astrodome44,073[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
September 11[Pittsburgh Steelers](1983-pittsburgh-steelers-season)**L** 21–251–1Lambeau Field55,154[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
September 18[Los Angeles Rams](1983-los-angeles-rams-season)**W** 27–242–1Milwaukee County Stadium54,037[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
at [New York Giants](1983-new-york-giants-season)**L** 3–272–2Giants Stadium75,308[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
October 2**[Tampa Bay Buccaneers](1983-tampa-bay-buccaneers-season)****W** 55–143–2Lambeau Field54,272[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
October 9at **[Detroit Lions](1983-detroit-lions-season)****L** 14–383–3Pontiac Silverdome67,738[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
[Washington Redskins](1983-washington-redskins-season)**W** 48–474–3Lambeau Field55,255[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
October 23**[Minnesota Vikings](1983-minnesota-vikings-season)****L** 17–20 (OT)4–4Lambeau Field55,236[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
October 30at [Cincinnati Bengals](1983-cincinnati-bengals-season)**L** 14–344–5Riverfront Stadium53,349[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
November 6[Cleveland Browns](1983-cleveland-browns-season)**W** 35–215–5Milwaukee County Stadium54,089[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
November 13at **Minnesota Vikings****W** 29–216–5Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome60,113[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
November 20**Detroit Lions****L** 20–23 (OT)6–6Milwaukee County Stadium50,050[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
November 27at [Atlanta Falcons](1983-atlanta-falcons-season)**L** 41–47 (OT)6–7Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium35,688[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
December 4**[Chicago Bears](1983-chicago-bears-season)****W** 31–287–7Lambeau Field51,147[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
December 12at **Tampa Bay Buccaneers****W** 12–9 (OT)8–7Tampa Stadium50,763[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)
December 18at **Chicago Bears****L** 21–238–8Soldier Field35,807[Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/green-bay-packers/results/1983)

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1 at Oilers

First quarter

  • GB – Paul Coffman 25-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick), 10:31. ''Packers 7–0. '''Drive:'''''
  • HOU – Florian Kempf 49-yard field goal, 6:30. ''Packers 7–3. '''Drive:'''''
  • HOU – Tim Smith 47-yard pass from Archie Manning (Florian Kempf kick), 2:40. ''Oilers 10–7. '''Drive:''''' Second quarter
  • GB – John Jefferson 5-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick), 8:55. ''Packers 14–10. '''Drive:'''''
  • GB – John Jefferson 13-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick), 0:51. ''Packers 21–10. '''Drive:'''''
  • GB – Gerry Ellis 11-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick), 0:30. ''Packers 28–10. '''Drive:''''' Third quarter
  • HOU – Earl Campbell 7-yard run (Florian Kempf kick), 9:08. ''Packers 28–17. '''Drive:'''''
  • GB – Jan Stenerud 46-yard field goal, 4:36. ''Packers 31–17. '''Drive:''''' Fourth quarter
  • HOU – Earl Campbell 8-yard run (Florian Kempf kick), 11:05. ''Packers 31–24. '''Drive:'''''
  • HOU – Earl Campbell 1-yard run (Florian Kempf kick), 4:23. ''Tie 31–31. '''Drive:'''''
  • GB – James Lofton 74-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick), 4:13. ''Packers 38–31. '''Drive:'''''
  • HOU – Larry Moriarty 2-yard run (Florian Kempf kick), 0:48. ''Tie 38–38. '''Drive:''''' Overtime
  • GB – Jan Stenerud 42-yard field goal, 9:05. ''Packers 41–38. '''Drive:''''' ;Top passers
  • GB – Lynn Dickey – 27/31, 333 yards, 5 TD, int
  • HOU – Archie Manning – 22/34, 348 yards, TD, 2 int ;Top rushers
  • GB – Eddie Lee Ivery – 12 rushes, 71 yards
  • HOU – Earl Campbell – 27 rushes, 123 yards, 3 TD ;Top receivers
  • GB – James Lofton – 8 receptions, 154 yards, TD
  • HOU – Tim Smith – 8 receptions, 197 yards, TD

Lynn Dickey completed 27 of 31 passes, including 18 straight at one point during the game, for 333 yards and four touchdowns and Jan Stenerud's 42-yard field goal with 9:05 left in overtime give the Packers a successful opening day victory.

Week 16 at Bears

;First quarter

  • CHI – Willie Gault 35-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Bob Thomas kick), 9:24. Bears 7–0.
  • GB – Lynn Dickey 1-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick), 8:10. Tie 7–7. ;Second quarter
  • GB – James Lofton 31-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick), 3:05. Packers 14–7. ;Third quarter
  • CHI – Dennis McKinnon 22-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Bob Thomas kick), 6:35. Tie 14–14. ;Fourth quarter
  • CHI – Jim McMahon 6-yard run (kick failed), 4:34. Bears 20–14.
  • GB – Paul Coffman 5-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Jan Stenerud kick), 3:08. Packers 21–20.
  • CHI – Bob Thomas 22-yard field goal, 0:10. Bears 23–21. ;Top passers
  • GB – Lynn Dickey – 10/30, 262 yards, 2 TD, 4 int
  • CHI – Jim McMahon – 14/25, 162 yards, 2 TD, 2 int ;Top rushers
  • GB – Jessie Clark – 7 rushes, 61 yards
  • CHI – Walter Payton – 30 rushes, 148 yards ;Top receivers
  • GB – Paul Coffman – 4 receptions, 122 yards, TD
  • CHI – Willie Gault – 2 receptions, 50 yards, TD

Standings

Statistics

Passing

Lynn Dickey48428959.7%44589.2175322987.3

Receiving

Gerry Ellis5260311.6256

Rushing

Harlan Huckleby501823.6420

Defensive

Randy Scott0.011212.0012

Records

  • Lynn Dickey, club record, most passing yards in one season, 4,458. First NFC Quarterback to ever throw for over 4,000 yards
  • NFL record, most overtime games played in one season, (5)

References

References

  1. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 388
  2. Skiba, Justin. (2016-11-18). "Packers-Redksins: 1983 MNF Classic".
  3. Feuerherd, Vic. (December 19, 1983). "Bears end playoff bid by Packers". Milwaukee Sentinel.
  4. Lea, Bud. (December 19, 1983). "Defeat clouds Starr's future". Milwaukee Sentinel.
  5. Feuerherd, Vic. (December 20, 1983). "Sad Starr said Pack set to win". Milwaukee Sentinel.
  6. Lea, Bud. (December 20, 1983). "Parins shows he runs Pack". Milwaukee Sentinel.
  7. (December 25, 1983). "Gregg replaces Starr at Green Bay". Lakeland Ledger.
  8. Salituro, Chuck. (December 25, 1983). "Gregg shortened Parins' search". Milwaukee Journal.
  9. Perkins, Eddie. (January 15, 1988). "The rebuilding starts for SMU, Packers". Milwaukee Journal.
  10. "All Time Coaches Database". Packers.com.
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