The Green Bay Packers are no strangers to playing on a holiday. They have played 36 times on Thanksgiving Day, winning only 15 of them; seven times on Christmas Eve (6-1); and are undefeated in three New Year’s Day games. However, Sunday’s battle in Miami marks just the fourth time the Packers will take the field on December 25th. Here is how Green Bay’s Christmas Day games have historically fared.
2005: CHICAGO 24, GREEN BAY 17
The first Christmas Day game featuring the Packers went about the way their season went as a whole. Entering the game at Lambeau Field with a 3-11 record, Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre was in the holiday spirit, giving the Bears four interceptions without throwing for a single touchdown. Chicago’s Thomas Jones rushed for 105 yards, and the Bears won despite only getting 166 yards passing from new quarterback Rex Grossman. The win marked the 11th of the year for the playoff-bound Bears.
2011: GREEN BAY 35, CHICAGO 21
The defending Super Bowl champion Packers not only clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs by beating the Bears on Christmas Day, 2011, but they also knocked their bitter rivals out of the postseason tournament as well. Aaron Rodgers rocked the Bears’ defense for five passing touchdowns–two each to receivers Jordy Nelson and James Jones, and one to tight end Jermichael Finley.
2021: GREEN BAY 24, CLEVELAND 22
Just last season, the Packers improved to 2-1 on Christmas Day games by outlasting the Browns. Led by Rodgers’ two touchdown passes to Davante Adams, the Packers built a 24-12 lead midway through the third quarter. Cleveland’s defense stiffened and made the final score closer, but Green Bay withstood the Browns’ rally and prevailed with their 12th victory of the season. Rodgers broke Favre’s team record of 442 touchdown passes, bringing his total to 445 over his career
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