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The Packers last got the chance to opt out of the Wildcard Round in 2021; since then, all three of their playoff appearances have involved getting some work in during the opening round of the NFL’s playoff bracket.
Who owns the best performances during those games? I’m glad you asked. Here are the best of the best from the Wildcard Round in Packers history.
(Note: All of the years referenced are referring to the year of the season in which these games took place, not the year in which the games took place. For example, Aaron Rodgers’ big passing performance against the Cardinals technically happened in 2010, but it was a part of the 2009 season)
Most passing yards – 423 (Aaron Rodgers, 2009)
There’s really only one juggernaut passing performance from the Wildcard Round in Packers history: Aaron Rodgers’ 423-yard outing against the Cardinals at the end of the 2009 season. In a 51-45 overtime shootout, Rodgers led the Packers back from 31-10 deficit only to narrowly miss Greg Jennings on what likely would have been an 80-yard game-winning pass on the first play of overtime. A few plays later, Rodgers was strip-sacked (and facemasked) and the Cardinals returned the fumble for a game-winning score of their own, sending Rodgers home empty-handed after what was otherwise a great game.
Rushing yards – 123 (James Starks, 2010)
A little-used sixth round pick in 2010, James Starks burst onto the scene in the Packers’ 2010 Wildcard Round win over the Philadelphia Eagles. On 23 carries, Starks piled up 123 yards but didn’t find the end zone, allowing Tom Crabtree to score his only career postseason touchdown instead. Starks never crossed the 100-yard mark in the rest of his playoff career.
Receiving yards – 159 (Jermichael Finley, 2009)
Jermichael Finely and Greg Jennigs both broke the 130-yard mark during the aforementioned shootout with the Cardinals in 2009, but Finley got top honors with his 159-yard effort. It was, to that point, just the second 100-yard receiving game of Finley’s career.
Romeo Doubs should get an honorable mention here, too. In the Packers’ 48-32 romp over the Cowboys at the end of the 2023 season, he piled up 151 yards on six catches and scored a touchdown, becoming just the second player in Packers history to cross the 150-yard threshold in the Wildcard Round. Personally, I’d love to see him do that again this weekend.
Points – 18 (three players)
Points are a more obscure metric in modern football, but you’ll like the payoff here. Three players have scored 18 points in a Wildcard Round game: Aaron Jones with three touchdowns against the Cowboys in the Romeo Doubs game mentioned above, Randall Cobb with three touchdowns against the Giants in the 2016 playoffs (including a half-ending Hail Mary), and Sterling Sharpe with three touchdowns against the Lions in the 1993 playoffs.
Sharpe takes the top spot here, in my opinion, not because of anything spectacular he did, but because of the throw that...
