The 2015 season was the Green Bay Packers' 95th in the National Football League (NFL), their 97th overall and their 10th under head coach Mike McCarthy. With a Week 15 win over the Oakland Raiders, the Packers clinched a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive season, but failed to win their fifth consecutive NFC North title after a Week 17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, the 5th seed Packers traveled to Washington to face the 4th seed Redskins in the wild card round. They beat the Redskins 35–18, and then traveled to Arizona for a rematch against the second-seeded Arizona Cardinals, where the Packers' season ended as they lost to the Cardinals in overtime, 26–20. One highlight of the Packers' season was a stunning come-from-behind victory over their division rivals Detroit Lions, which resulted in a 61-yard game-winning Hail Mary pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to tight end Richard Rodgers as time expired.
Although the Packers finished the season with a 10–6 record and made the playoffs, their offense struggled throughout the entire season after Jordy Nelson suffered a torn ACL in the preseason. The team started the season 6–0, but went 4–6 in their next 10 games. Second year wide receiver Davante Adams struggled throughout the season, leading for calls to give snaps to Jeff Janis. The offense finished the season 23rd in yards, their worst since Lindy Infante’s final season.
Offseason
Free agents PositionPlayerFree agencytagDate signed2015 team QB Matt Flynn* UFA June 11, 2015 New England Patriots QB Scott Tolzien UFA March 8, 2015 Green Bay Packers RB DuJuan Harris ERFA March 19, 2015 Minnesota Vikings FB John Kuhn UFA April 13, 2015 Green Bay Packers WR Jarrett Boykin RFA March 27, 2015 Carolina Panthers WR Randall Cobb UFA March 7, 2015 Green Bay Packers OT Don Barclay RFA April 9, 2015 Green Bay Packers OT Bryan Bulaga UFA March 10, 2015 Green Bay Packers NT Letroy Guion UFA March 30, 2015 Green Bay Packers NT B. J. Raji UFA March 30, 2015 Green Bay Packers ILB Jamari Lattimore UFA April 1, 2015 New York Jets CB Jarrett Bush UFA CB Davon House UFA March 10, 2015 Jacksonville Jaguars CB Tramon Williams UFA March 16, 2015 Cleveland Browns SS Sean Richardson RFA April 13, 2015 Green Bay Packers FS Chris Banjo ERFA April 17, 2015 Green Bay Packers
Draft
Notes The Packers received two compensatory selections in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. The Packers traded picks No. 166 and No. 247 to receive No. 147 from the New England Patriots.
Undrafted free agents Name Position College Bernard Blake Cornerback Colorado State Javess Blue Wide receiver Kentucky Ricky Collins Wide receiver Texas A&M-Commerce Adrian Coxson Wide receiver Stony Brook John Crockett Running back North Dakota State Tavarus Dantzler Linebacker Bethune–Cookman Fabbians Ebbele Tackle Arizona LaDarius Gunter Cornerback Miami (FL) Alonzo Harris Running back Louisiana-Lafayette Mitchell Henry Tight end Western Kentucky Lavon Hooks Defensive end Ole Miss Jimmie Hunt Wide receiver Missouri Larry Pinkard Wide receiver Old Dominion Jermauria Rasco Linebacker LSU Marcus Reed Guard Fayetteville State Matt Rotheram Guard Pittsburgh James Vaughters Linebacker Stanford
Staff
Final roster
Starters
Regular season
Offense POSNameGSNameGSQB Aaron Rodgers 16 RB Eddie Lacy 12 James Starks 3FB John Kuhn 6 James Starks 1WR Randall Cobb 15 WR James Jones 15 WR Davante Adams 12 Ty Montgomery 3TE Richard Rodgers 12 Andrew Quarless 1LT David Bakhtiari 14 LG Josh Sitton 16 C Corey Linsley 13 J. C. Tretter 3RG T. J. Lang 15 Lane Taylor 2RT Bryan Bulaga 12 Don Barclay 5
Defense POSNameGSNameGSNameGSDE Mike Pennel 5 Letroy Guion 1 DE Mike Daniels 16 Mike Neal 2 NT B. J. Raji 15 Letroy Guion 3 OLB Mike Neal 12 Nick Perry 1 OLB Julius Peppers 16 ILB Clay Matthews III 16 Jake Ryan 5 ILB Nate Palmer 11 Sam Barrington 1 CB Sam Shields 12 Damarious Randall 9 CB Casey Hayward 11 Quinten Rollins 4 Micah Hyde 2SS Morgan Burnett 11 Micah Hyde 5 FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix 16 S Sean Richardson 1 Chris Banjo 1
Playoffs
Offense POSNameGSNameGSQB Aaron Rodgers 2 RB Eddie Lacy 2 FB John Kuhn 1 WR Randall Cobb 2 Jared Abbrederis 1WR James Jones 2 TE Richard Rodgers 2 LT J. C. Tretter 1 David Bakhtiari 1LG Josh Sitton 2 C Corey Linsley 2 RG T. J. Lang 2 RT Bryan Bulaga 2
Defense POSNameGSNameGSDT Mike Daniels 2 NT B. J. Raji 2 OLB Mike Neal 2 OLB Julius Peppers 2 ILB Clay Matthews III 2 ILB Jake Ryan 2 CB Quinten Rollins 1 Sam Shields 1CB Casey Hayward 2 CB Damarious Randall 2 SS Morgan Burnett 2 FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix 2
Standings
Division
Conference
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 August 13 at New England Patriots W 22–11 1–0 Gillette Stadium Recap 2 August 23 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 19–24 1–1 Heinz Field Recap 3 August 29 Philadelphia Eagles L 26–39 1–2 Lambeau Field Recap 4 September 3 New Orleans Saints W 38–10 2–2 Lambeau Field Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 September 13 at Chicago Bears W 31–23 1–0 Soldier Field Recap 2 September 20 Seattle Seahawks W 27–17 2–0 Lambeau Field Recap 3 Kansas City Chiefs W 38–28 3–0 Lambeau Field Recap 4 October 4 at San Francisco 49ers W 17–3 4–0 Levi's Stadium Recap 5 October 11 St. Louis Rams W 24–10 5–0 Lambeau Field Recap 6 October 18 San Diego Chargers W 27–20 6–0 Lambeau Field Recap 7 Bye 8 November 1 at Denver Broncos L 10–29 6–1 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 9 November 8 at Carolina Panthers L 29–37 6–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap 10 November 15 Detroit Lions L 16–18 6–3 Lambeau Field Recap 11 November 22 at Minnesota Vikings W 30–13 7–3 TCF Bank Stadium Recap 12 November 26 Chicago Bears L 13–17 7–4 Lambeau Field Recap 13 at Detroit Lions W 27–23 8–4 Ford Field Recap 14 December 13 Dallas Cowboys W 28–7 9–4 Lambeau Field Recap 15 December 20 at Oakland Raiders W 30–20 10–4 O.co Coliseum Recap 16 December 27 at Arizona Cardinals L 8–38 10–5 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 17 January 3, 2016 Minnesota Vikings L 13–20 10–6 Lambeau Field Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Postseason
Playoff round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap Wild Card January 10, 2016 at Washington Redskins (4) W 35–18 1–0 FedExField Recap Divisional at Arizona Cardinals (2) L 20–26 1–1 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap
Game summaries
Regular season
Week 1: at Chicago Bears
The Packers opened their season against their famed arch-rival, the Bears. The Bears, behind the strong running of Matt Forte, had the early lead against the Packers, but the Packers were able to gain the advantage in the second half behind Aaron Rodgers' three touchdown passes, two of which were to James Jones, who had been cut by the New York Giants just a week prior. The Packers clinched the win with a Clay Matthews interception, followed by an Eddie Lacy touchdown run, giving the Packers their tenth win over the Bears in the rivals' 12 most recent games.
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Packers' home opener featured a rematch of the 2014 NFC Championship Game between the Packers and the Seattle Seahawks, who had won in their previous three meetings with the Packers, all of them in Seattle. The Packers got the early 13–3 lead, helped by James Jones' 3rd touchdown reception in only two games, but the Seahawks were able to rally back on two Russell Wilson touchdown passes, giving Seattle a 17–13 lead in the third quarter. The Packers then scored 14 unanswered points, aided by two Seahawks turnovers and shut down the Seahawks offense, holding their star running back, Marshawn Lynch, to only 42 yards rushing with a 2.7 yards per carry average. The Packers won 27–17, building up a 2–0 record and adding to a ten-game winning streak at Lambeau Field.
Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs came in as one of only two teams in the NFL, the other being the Houston Texans, who have never lost at Lambeau Field (until Week 13 of the 2016 NFL season.) The Packers dominated the Chiefs for most of the game, with Aaron Rodgers throwing five touchdown passes, though the Chiefs managed to outscore the Packers 21–14 in the second half. The Packers' 38–28 victory ended the Chiefs' being undefeated at Lambeau and extended the Packers' own home winning streak to eleven games.
Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers
This game was the Packers first trip to Levi's Stadium, which opened in .
With the win, the Packers improved to 4–0. The Packers not only got their first win over the 49ers since 2010, but it was also the Packers' first victory over Colin Kaepernick.
Week 5: vs. St. Louis Rams
Aaron Rodgers threw his first interception at home since 2012, which was picked off by James Laurinaitis. The Packers' defense intercepted St. Louis quarterback Nick Foles four times, one of them returned for a touchdown by Quinten Rollins for 45 yards.
The Packers went to 5–0 for the first time since 2011.
Week 6: vs. San Diego Chargers
The Packers wore new throwback uniforms, replicas of their uniforms from the 1940s, for their game against the Chargers.
The Packers took another early lead, helped by James Starks' two touchdown runs, but the Chargers came back, with Philip Rivers hitting key passes to Keenan Allen. The two teams traded points in the second half, with the Chargers able to keep pace with the Packers. In the last play of the game, Packers rookie cornerback Damarious Randall has deflected what could have been a game-tying touchdown pass from San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers.
With the win, the Packers entered their bye week at 6–0. It is also the second time the Packers started 6–0 after the 2011 season.
Week 8: at Denver Broncos
The Packers flew to Denver for a duel with Peyton Manning and the undefeated Denver Broncos. The Broncos wore their alternate blue uniforms with white pants as worn in Super Bowl XXXII.
Packers cornerbacks Sam Shields and rookie cornerback Quinten Rollins suffered a shoulder injury in the game and their returns were questionable.
The Broncos took the lead early in the first quarter when Ronnie Hillman scored a 1-yard touchdown.
In the second quarter, Hillman scored another touchdown and the Broncos led 14–0. The Broncos lead became 17–0 when Brandon McManus made a 50-yard field goal. Von Miller was injured during the second quarter. The Packers struck back when Eddie Lacy scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. They trailed 7–17 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Packers cut Denver's lead to seven when Mason Crosby made a 56-yard field goal. Denver extended their lead to 24–10 when C. J. Anderson made a 28-yard run. Denver responded with McManus kicking a 24-yard field goal and DeMarcus Ware sacking Aaron Rodgers for a safety, making the score 29–10.
The Packers defense finally recorded an interception when Damarious Randall picked off Peyton Manning. In this game, the Broncos held Rodgers to 77 yards passing, the lowest of his starting career in a game where he hasn't come off with injury.
Week 9: at Carolina Panthers Green Bay would travel to Charlotte to take on the undefeated Panthers. The Panthers would lead all game. The Panthers would lead 37–14 at one point. Green Bay would try to come back, but ultimately fell short, as Carolina hung on for the win. Despite the loss, Aaron Rodgers would throw 4 touchdown passes with only 1 interception.
With the loss, the Packers fell to 6–2.
Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions
For the first time since 1991, the Packers lost to the Lions at home.
Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings