top of page
PACKERBANNER.jpg
PACKERBANNER.jpg

The 1985 Green Bay Packers - 8-8 (2ND-NFC Central Division)

Head Coach: Forrest Gregg

NFL-Packers-1980-.gif
NFL-Packers-1980-.gif

1985 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (2-2)

                                                                                                                                                               OFF     DEF

AUGUST (1-3)                              RESULT    RECORD    ATT RSH PSS RSH PSS STARTING QB         LEADING RUSHER           LEADING PASSER         LEADING RECEIVER

10 at Dallas Cowboys                     L  3-27    0- 1-0 41,847                 Randy Wright        Gary Ellerson (40)       Randy Wright (91)      Phil Epps (2-58)

17 at New York Giants                    L  2-10    0- 2-0 35,798                 Randy Wright        Gerry Ellis (27)         Randy Wright (203)     Paul Coffman (6-61)

24 M-ATLANTA FALCONS                     W 28-24    1- 2-0 49,703                 Lynn Dickey         Gerry Ellis (23)         Lynn Dickey (286)      Phil Epps (6-161)

31 G-NEW YORK JETS                       L 20-30    1- 3-0 56,753                 Randy Wright        Jessie Clark (38)        Randy Wright (256)     James Lofton (5-82)

1985 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS

SEPTEMBER (1-3)

8  at New England Patriots (0-0)         L 20-26    0- 1-0 49,488  59 146 208 202 Lynn Dickey         Jessie Clark (48)        Lynn Dickey (205)      Phil Epps (4-64)

15 G-NEW YORK GIANTS (1-0)               W 23-20    1- 1-0 56,149 126 164  76 239 Lynn Dickey         Jessie Clark (65)        Lynn Dickey (188)      James Lofton (4-88)

22 M-NEW YORK JETS (1-1)                 L  3-24    1- 2-0 53,667  71 122 106 120 Lynn Dickey         Jessie Clark (30)        Dickey/Wright (84)     Eddie Lee Ivery (3-32)

29 at St. Louis Cardinals (2-1)          L 28-43    1- 3-0 48,598 216 238 164 233 Randy Wright        Jessie Clark (112)       Lynn Dickey (175)      James Lofton (7-87)

OCTOBER (2-2)

6  G-DETROIT LIONS (3-1)                 W 43-10    2- 3-0 55,914 285 227  56 317 Lynn Dickey         Jessie Clark (74)        Lynn Dickey (126)      James Lofton (10-151)

13 M-MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-2)             W 20-17    3- 3-0 54,674 135 145  62 223 Lynn Dickey         Eddie Lee Ivery (83)     Lynn Dickey (166)      James Lofton (6-88)

21 at Chicago Bears (6-0)                L  7-23    3- 4-0 65,095  96 223 175 167 Lynn Dickey         Jessie Clark (50)        Randy Wright (179)     James Lofton (7-103)

27 at Indianapolis Colts (2-5)           L 10-37    3- 5-0 59,708  74 203 230 266 Lynn Dickey         Eddie Lee Ivery (27)     Lynn Dickey (225)      Paul Coffman (5-80)

NOVEMBER (2-2)

3  G-CHICAGO BEARS (8-0)                 L 10-16    3- 6-0 56,895  87 155 188  65 Jim Zorn            Jessie Clark (58)        Jim Zorn (179)         Jessie Clark (3-62)

10 at Minnesota Vikings (5-4)            W 27-17    4- 6-0 59,970 175 195 177 134 Jim Zorn            Eddie Lee Ivery (111)    Lynn Dickey (135)      Phil Epps (6-118)

17 M-NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-7)            W 38-14    5- 6-0 52,104 137 296  75 132 Lynn Dickey         Gerry Ellis (59)         Lynn Dickey (305)      James Lofton (5-92)

24 at Los Angeles Rams (8-2)             L 17-34    5- 7-0 52,710  78 203 187 142 Lynn Dickey         Gerry Ellis (41)         Lynn Dickey (239)      Gerry Ellis (6-34)

DECEMBER (3-1)

1  G-TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-10)         W 21- 0    6- 7-0 19,856 232 280  54  11 Lynn Dickey         Eddie Lee Ivery (109)    Lynn Dickey (299)      James Lofton (6-106)

8  G-MIAMI DOLPHINS (9-4)                L 24-34    6- 8-0 52,671 125 241  63 345 Jim Zorn            Gerry Ellis (50)         Jim Zorn (247)         James Lofton (4-91)

15 at Detroit Lions (7-7)                W 26-23    7- 8-0 49,379 173 133 137 289 Jim Zorn            Gary Ellerson (72)       Jim Zorn (159)         Gerry Ellis (3-52)

22 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-13)        W 20-17    8- 8-0 33,992 139 192  89 241 Jim Zorn            Gery Ellerson (57)       Jim Zorn (117)         James Lofton (6-95)

G - Green Bay  M - Milwaukee * - Overtime

1985 IN REVIEW

Green Bay finished at .500 for the third consecutive season, despite a passing game (197.7 net yards per game, the worst since 1979) which was hurt by the trade of John Jefferson to Cleveland and an injury-riddled season for Lynn Dickey. The 36-year old was demoted to second string for a time early in the season and went out with an injury in Week 14. Jim Zorn and Randy Wright were mostly inefficient in moving the team. Dickey would leave after the 1985 campaign, when he could not agree on a new contract. Eddie Lee Ivery, Gerry Ellis and Jessie Clark led a running game which averaged 138 yards per contest, the best since 1973. Ellis would end the season with a 5.49 yard per carry average, the best in team history. Lambeau Field also had a new look, with 72 luxury boxes being added, increasing the capacity from 56,263 to 56,926.

THE BLIZZARD OF 1985

(SOURCE: BucPower.com) Week 13 was a trip to Lambeau Field to play the Packers, not exactly world-beaters at the time themselves. And it was snowing in Green Bay. Hard. And getting worse. Six inches of snow fell the day before the game, six inches fell during the game and another foot and a half the following day. It was the worst weather Lambeau Field had seen on a game day in 30 years. Total white-out conditions at times, grounds crew trying to sweep the lines between plays and coaches and commentators alike having difficulty in seeing on to the field. And the Bucs were in white. The Bucs were outgained by the incredible margin of 512 yards to 61 and it was only two short missed field goals by Al Del Greco of the Packers (basically because he couldn't stand up straight to kick them) and a pair of fumbles that stopped the game being a total annihilation on the scoreboard. A shade under 20,000 were in the stands to see the game although probably many more were unable to travel across snowbound Wisconsin to get to Lambeau Field that afternoon. It was 30 first downs to five for the Pack and Lynn Dickey's passing performance was nothing short of unreal in the conditions. James Lofton had over 100 yards by half-time and Dickey's arm was every bit as good as Brett Favre who would follow him a decade later. Steve Young threw one out pass that sailed on the wind and flew over the receiver's head. He tried again on the next play and the wind knocked it down to fall incomplete five yards from Kevin House's feet. Backs and linemen were slipping all over the place unless they had a Packer helmet on, in which case they seemed to be playing on perfect grass. The 1985 Bucs were not 

1985PACKERS-IverySnow.jpg

a great team and they quickly realised that as soon as the Packers scored, any hope of success was beyond them. Thanks to a fumble recovery, they did get inside the Green Bay 20-yard line at the end of the third quarter but the incompetent Leeman Bennett didn't call a time out and hence had to attempt the kick at the other end of the field at the start of the fourth quarter when the teams changed ends. I don't know if Igwebuike missed left, right or short - you simply couldn't see the ball flying off his foot.  The Bucs did get out of Wisconsin on a flight that evening but several of the players had staged a protest convinced it was not safe to fly. Eventually the pilot had to come out of the cockpit to convince them that he had a wife and family and wouldn't put them at risk by taking off in dangerous conditions. "Show us the pictures" LB and current Buc radio show host Scot Brantley remembers calling out. "You could hear a pin drop when we rolled down the runway" he added. 

NAME                NO  POS  HGT WGT COLLEGE         YR PR AG  G HOW ACQUIRED

John Anderson       59   LB 6- 3 229 Michigan         8  8 29 16 1978 Draft-1st round

Don Bracken         17    P 6- 0 205 Michigan         1  1 23  7 1985 FA

Robert Brown        93   DE 6- 2 270 Virginia Tech    4  4 25 16 1982 Draft-4th round

Ronnie Burgess      39   DB 5-11 175 Wake Forest      1  1 22 11 1985 Draft-10th round

Mike Butler         77   DE 6- 5 269 Kansas           7  7 31 12 1985 FA-TB (USFL)

Mossy Cade          24   CB 6- 1 195 Texas            1  1 23 14 1985 Trade-San Diego

Mark Cannon         58    C 6- 3 268 TX-Arlington     2  2 23 16 1984 Draft-11th round

Alphonso Carreker   76   DE 6- 6 270 Florida State    2  2 23 16 1984 Draft-1st round

Chuck Clanton       23   DB 5-11 192 Auburn           1  1 23  3 1985 USFL Draft-Birm

Jessie Clark        33   FB 6- 0 233 Arkansas         3  3 25 16 1983 Draft-7th round

Paul Coffman        82   TE 6- 3 225 Kansas State     8  8 29 16 1978 FA

George Cumby        52   LB 6- 0 224 Oklahoma         6  6 29 16 1980 Draft-1st round

Tony Degrate        95   DE 6- 3 280 Texas            1  1 23  1 1985 FA

Al Del Greco        10    K 5-10 195 Auburn           2  2 23 16 1984 FA

Preston Dennard     88   WR 6- 1 183 New Mexico       1  8 29 16 1985 Trade-Buffalo

Lynn Dickey         12   QB 6- 4 210 Kansas State     9 13 34 12 1976 Trade-Houston

John Dorsey         99   LB 6- 2 235 Connecticut      2  2 25 16 1984 Draft-4th round

Mike Douglass       53   LB 6- 0 214 San Diego State  8  8 30 16 1978 Draft-5th round

Gery Ellerson       42   RB 5-11 220 Wisconsin        1  1 22 15 1985 Draft-7th round

Gerry Ellis         31   FB 5-11 225 Missouri         6  6 27 16 1980 FA

Phillip Epps        85   WR 5-10 165 TCU              4  4 26 16 1982 Draft-12th round

Tom Flynn           41    S 6- 0 195 Pittsburgh       2  2 23 15 1984 Draft-5th round

Ron Hallstrom       65    G 6- 6 289 Iowa             4  4 26 16 1982 Draft-1st round

Gary Hayes          27   CB 5-10 180 Fresno State     2  2 28 16 1984 FA

Harlan Huckleby     25   HB 6- 1 201 Michigan         6  6 27 11 1980 FA

Tim Huffman         74    T 6- 5 280 Notre Dame       5  5 26  2 1981 Draft-9th round

Donnie Humphrey     79   DE 6- 3 275 Auburn           2  2 24 16 1984 Draft-3rd round

Eddie Lee Ivery     40   RB 6- 1 210 Georgia Tech     7  7 28 15 1979 Draft-1st round

Ezra Johnson        90   DE 6- 4 259 Morris Brown     9  9 29 16 1977 Draft-1st round

Daryll Jones        43    S 6- 0 195 Georgia          2  2 23  8 1984 Draft-7th round

Greg Koch           68    T 6- 4 276 Arkansas         9  9 30 16 1977 Draft-2nd round

Mark Lee            22   CB 5-11 188 Washington       6  6 27 14 1980 Draft-2nd round

Mark Lewis          89   TE 6- 2 237 Texas A&M        1  1 24  1 1985 Draft-6th round

Tim Lewis           26   CB 5-11 191 Pittsburgh       3  3 23 16 1983 Draft-1st round

James Lofton        80   WR 6- 3 197 Stanford         8  8 29 16 1978 Draft-1st round

Charles Martin      94   DE 6- 4 282 Livingston       2  2 26 16 1984 FA

Mike McLeod         28    S 6- 0 180 Montana State    2  2 27  8 1984 FA

NAME                NO  POS  HGT WGT COLLEGE         YR PR AG  G HOW ACQUIRED

Blake Moore         60    C 6- 5 272 Wooster          2  6 27 16 1984 FA-Cin (1983)

Rich Moran          57    G 6- 2 272 San Diego State  1  1 23 16 1985 Draft-3rd round

Mark Murphy         37    S 6- 2 201 West Liberty St  6  6 27 14 1980 FA

Brian Noble         91   LB 6- 2 229 Arizona State    1  1 22 16 1985 Draft-5th round

Guy Prather         51   LB 6- 2 229 Grambling        5  5 27 16 1981 FA

Joe Prokop          11    P 6- 3 225 Cal Poly-Pomona  1  1 25  9 1985 FA

Ken Ruettgers       75    T 6- 5 267 USC              1  1 23 16 1985 Draft-1st round

Randy Scott         55   LB 6- 1 228 Alabama          5  5 26 16 1981 FA

Mark Shumate        71   NT 6- 5 265 Wisconsin        1  1 25  3 1985 FA-NY Jets

Walter Stanley      87   WR 5- 9 180 Mesa             1  1 22 14 1985 Draft-4th round

Ken Stills          29    S 5-10 185 Wisconsin        1  1 22  8 1985 Draft-8th round

Karl Swanke         67    T 6- 6 275 Boston College   6  6 27 15 1980 Draft-6th round

Maurice Turner      20   RB 5-11 199 Utah State       1  2 25 13 1985 FA-Minnesota

Keith Uecker        70    G 6- 5 270 Auburn           2  4 25  8 1984 FA-Denver (1983)

Ed West             86   TE 6- 1 236 Auburn           2  2 24 16 1984 FA

Blake Wingle        61    G 6- 2 260 UCLA             1  3 25  2 1985 FA-Pittsburgh

Randy Wright        16   QB 6- 2 194 Wisconsin        2  2 24  7 1984 Draft-6th round

Jim Zorn            18   QB 6- 2 200 Cal Poly-Pomona  1 10 32 13 1985 FA-Sea (1984)

NO - Jersey Number POS - Position HGT - Height WGT - Weight YR - Years with Packers PR - Years of Professional Football AGE - Age on September 1 G - Games  Played FA - Free Agent

1985 PACKERS DRAFT (April 30 - May 1, 1985)

RND-PCK NAME                POS COLLEGE       NOTES

1     7 Ken Ruettgers         T USC

2    42 Traded to Buffalo

3    71 Rich Moran          C/G San Diego St

4    98 Walter Stanley       WR Mesa State 

5   125 Brian Noble          LB Arizona State 

6   155 Mark Lewis           TE Texas A&M 

7a  171 Eric Wilson          LB Maryland      (A) 

7b  182 Gary Ellerson        RB Wisconsin 

8   209 Ken Stills            S Wisconsin 

9   239 Morris Johnson        G Alabama A&M 

10  266 Ronnie Burgess       CB Wake Forest 

11  294 Joe Shield           QB Trinity (CN)  

12  323 Jim Meyer             P Arizona St

A-From Minnesota in Jan Stenerud trade

Anchor 1

1985 PACKER TRADES - TRANSACTIONS

APR 26 - Traded a 1986 6th-round draft choice to DENVER for QB Scott Brunner

APR 30 - Traded a 1985 1st-round draft choice and a 1985 2nd-round draft choice to BUFFALO for a 1985 1st-round draft choice (T Ken Ruettgers) and a 1986 4th-round selection (LB Tim Harris)

AUG 20 - Traded a 1986 12th-round draft choice to BUFFALO for WR Preston Dennard

AUG 26 - Traded QB Scott Brunner to ST. LOUIS for a 1986 6th-round draft choice (LB Burnell Dent)

SEPT 4 - Traded a 1986 11th-round draft choice to CINCINNATI for G/T Mike Obrovac

SEPT 5 - Traded a 1986 1st-round draft choice and a 1987 5th-round draft choice to SAN DIEGO for DB Mossy Cade

SEPT 19 - Traded WR John Jefferson to CLEVELAND for the rights for OG Tom Robison (Browns choice in '84 USFL supplemental draft) and a 1987 7th-round pick (P Bill Smith)

bottom of page