Brett Favre joined the Packers in 1992 and helped the team end more than two decades of frustrating football. Favre led the Packers to a winning season in his first year with the team and led them to the playoffs 11 times in 16 seasons. He won three straight NFL MVP Awards and led the Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XXXI.

But which of the 16 Packers teams Favre quarterbacked was the best? Here is a look at the five best Packers teams during the Favre Era. Teams are ranked by a combination of their regular season record, postseason performance and overall talent level.

  1. 2003 Record 10-6-0, Won NFC North; Lost Divisional Round Playoffs

Mike Sherman’s team won their final four games to finish 10-6 and win the NFC North Division. They got a little help from the Arizona Cardinals who beat the Vikings on the final play of the season finale to give the Packers the title.

This team was dangerous offensively. Favre threw for 3,361 yards and 32 touchdowns while running back Ahman Green set a Packers record that still stands when he gained 1,883 yards on the ground. Green averaged 5.3-yard per attempt and scored 15 rushing touchdowns and 20 total touchdowns on the season.

The receiving corps was balanced as Donald Driver led the team with 52 catches, Green had 50, Javon Walker added 41 and Robert Ferguson had 38.

Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila led the team with 10 sacks while Darren Sharper had five interceptions to pace the team.

Al Harris’ pick-six in overtime helped the Packers beat Seattle in dramatic fashion in the wild card game before the Eagles converted a 4th-and-26 to force overtime and beat the Packers 20-17 in the second playoff round.

This team had talent on both sides of the ball and could beat you through the air or on the ground. Green’s outstanding season gave this team a slight edge over the 1998 squad that finished 11-5 but didn’t win a playoff game.

  1. 1995 Record 11-5-0, Won NFC Central; Lost NFC Championship Game

The 1995 season was a breakthrough year for the Packers. They won their first NFC Central Division title in a non-strike shortened season in 23 years and reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the Ice Bowl when they upset the 49ers 27-17 in San Francisco to end the monopoly the 49ers and Cowboys had atop the NFC.

Favre won his first MVP award while the offense was 6th in the NFL in points scored and the defense ranked 4th in points allowed.

The Packers finished strong, winning six of their last seven games and clinched the division in the season finale against Pittsburgh when Yancey Thigpen dropped a pass in the end zone to end a late Steelers rally.

Favre passed for 4,000 yards in a season for the first time in his career and threw 38 touchdowns while Reggie White recorded 12 sacks and earned Pro Bowl honors along with Favre and tight end Mark Chmura.

The Packers lost in the NFC Championship Game to the Cowboys after leading after three quarters and the team seemed poised to be an elite team going forward.

  1. 2007 Record 13-3-0, Won NFC North, Lost NFC Championship Game

Favre and the Packers surprised everybody with a strong, bounce-back season in 2007, going 13-3-0. The offense ranked second in yards gained while the defense was 11th in that category.

The Packers won 10 of their first 11 games while Favre, Donald Driver, Aaron Kampman and Al Harris all made the Pro Bowl.

After Ryan Grant ran past the Seahawks in the “Snow Globe Game” in the opening round of the playoffs, the Packers lost the NFC Championship Game to the New York Giants in overtime on a frigid day at Lambeau Field. Favre threw an interception in OT that set up the winning field goal and ended his career with the Packers.

  1. 1997 Record 13-3-0, Won NFC Central, NFC Champions

Favre won his second straight MVP Award and the Packers reached the Super Bowl for the second straight season only to fall to John Elway, Terrell Davis and the Broncos in a close game 31-24.

The Packers finished second in the NFL in points scored and fifth in points allowed as they continued to be dominant on both sides of the ball.

Dorsey Levens had his first career 1,000-yard season and gained over 1,800 combined yards rushing and receiving that year while scoring 12 touchdowns.

Favre, Levens, Chmura, White and LeRoy Butler all made the Pro Bowl and the Packers closed out the regular season by winning 10 of their last 11 games.

The Packers beat the division rival Bucs in the opening round of the playoffs and then beat the 49ers on the road in the NFC Championship Game to reach their second straight Super Bowl.

  1. 1996 Record 13-3-0, Won NFC Central, Won Super Bowl

The Packers clicked on all cylinders in 1996, overcoming a series of injuries to their receiving corps to dominate the league and win their second straight NFC Central Division title.

The Packers led the league in points scored and points allowed. The offense was fifth in total yards while the defense gave up the fewest number of yards in the league. The special teams were outstanding, too, led by return specialist Desmond Howard who returned three punts for touchdowns that season.

Favre won his second straight MVP while White, center Frank Winters, Butler and tight end Keith Jackson all went to the Pro Bowl.

The Pack won their first three games by a combined score of 115-26 and never looked back.

Eugene Robinson led the team with six interceptions but Butler and Doug Evans were close behind with five each. White had 8.5 sacks and led a defense that was tough to run and pass against.

The Packers beat the 49ers in the mud in their first playoff game then overcame an early deficit to trounce the Panthers 30-13 in the NFC Championship Game.

They captured their first Super Bowl in 29 years when they beat Bill Parcells’ Patriots 35-21 in New Orleans as Howard became the only special teams player to win Super Bowl MVP.

 

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