It's Tuesday, and it's time for another series history post.
Today, I will be detailing the games in Green Bay and Milwaukee against the Vikings. I mentioned this in Part 1, and you can find the series overview here in Part 3.
After the jump, I will be describing the Packers' history in home games against the Vikings.
The Packers began playing games in Green Bay against the Vikings in 1961, and of their first five home games against Minnesota, the Packers won four. However, the Vikings won the 1964 game partially due to a missed extra point, and the 1965 game was close (24-19 final score) compared to the road game at Metropolitan Stadium that same year (a 38-13 Packers win).
From 1966-1977, the Vikings won 11 of 12 games against the Packers in Green Bay or Milwaukee. The only Packers home win in this period was the 1970 game. Then, in 1978, the Packers and Vikings went into overtime in Green Bay. The game ended in a 10-10 tie, but the Vikings had the tiebreaker due to an earlier win in Minnesota and wound up winning the division when both teams finished the season with 8-7-1 records.
From 1979-1990, the Packers reversed their fortuned in Green Bay and Milwaukee, winning 9 of 12 games. Curiously, this occurred when the Packers were themselves not a very good team (more on this in Part 3) and routinely lost more games than they won.
After the Vikings recorded two wins in Green Bay in 1991 and 1992 (the 1992 game being Mike Holmgren's first game as Packers head coach) and a third win in Milwaukee in 1993, the Packers started winning home games against the Vikings. Green Bay won eight of nine home games from 1994-2002, but that one home loss hurt.
The 1998 game, which the Vikings won 37-24, snapped Green Bay's 24-game home unbeaten streak in the regular season, going back to the opening game of the 1995 season. Two years later, the Packers scored an improbable home victory against the Vikings in overtime when Antonio Freeman, lying on his back, cradled the ball against his chest and then ran into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. This play prompted Al Michaels to blurt out "He did WHAT?"
Since then for the most part, the teams have traded wins in Green Bay. The Packers have won five of eight home games against the Vikings since the beginning of the 2003 season. The Vikings won the first game at the new Lambeau Field, but the Packers later won the game in the Metrodome. In 2004, the Packers hosted the Vikings in their first playoff game between the rivals, but the Vikings won 31-17. Following the 2005 season, the Packers have won four of five home games against Minnesota.
Currently, the Packers lead the regular season series in Green Bay and Milwaukee 27-22-1, with the Vikings leading 1-0 in playoff encounters. Of these home games, the Packers lead the series in Milwaukee 9-6 and the series in Green Bay 18-16-1.
On Thursday or Saturday, depending on my schedule, I will post the third part of this series. This will be a general overview of the series history between then Packers and Vikings.
What are your memories of the Packers playing the Vikings in Green Bay or Milwaukee?