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BENGTSON PERIODFollowing the third consecutive title in 1967, Lombardi turnedover the head-coaching duties to Phil Bengtson and one year laterannounced that he was leaving Green Bay to become coach/GM of theWashington Redskins. Bengtson coached the Packers from 1968-70,compiling a 20-21-1 record. He resigned in December 1970.THE DEVINE DAYSDan Devine, one of the nation’s most successful college coaches,succeeded Bengtson as head coach and general manager in January1971. After settling for a 4-8-2 record during his first year, Devineand the Packers appeared on the road to new heights when 1972produced a 10-4 record and the team’s first Central Division title since1967. But the Packers’ Super Bowl hopes dissolved in the second halfof 1973 and they slipped to 5-7-2. They continued their recession in1974, going 6-8, and Devine resigned.THE STARR TREKThe most successful field general in pro football history, winningfive world championships from 1961-67, Bart Starr accepted thechallenge to lead the Packers out of the NFL wilderness, agreeingto a three-year contract as head coach and general manager, Dec.24, 1974. Starr asked for “the prayers and patience of Packer fanseverywhere…We will earn everything else.”Although he had a 4-10 record in 1975, the baptismal season ofa massive rebuilding project, Starr gave fans new hope by assemblinga sound organization and restoring a positive attitude, underscored bythree victories in the last five games of the ’75 season. He continuedthe resurgence in 1976, leading the Packers to a 5-9 record, highlightedby a three-game, mid-season winning streak. Major and keyinjuries slowed the comeback in 1977 but a strong finish produced a4-10 mark. Hopes soared in 1978 when the Packers posted their firstwinning slate since 1972, an 8-7-1 record, only tobe temporarily dampened in 1979 by a record rashof injuries which spawned a 5-11 mark. Anotherinjury epidemic, one which saw 27 players oninjured reserve during the course of the season,struck in 1980, forcing the Packers to settle fora 5-10-1 record.Rebounding strongly in 1981, they rallied froma disappointing 2-6 start to mount one of the mostdramatic comebacks in team history, closing with a6-2 rush (an 8-8 mark), one win shyof the playoffs.The Packers continued theupsurge in 1982, when they qualifiedfor the playoffs for the firsttime since 1972 by going 5-3-1during the strike-interrupted season.They then embellished that performanceby routing St. Louis 41-16in the first round of the NFL’s SuperBowl Tournament, before bowing toDallas (37-26) despite a record-setting,466-yard offensive effort. Starrwas relieved of his head-coachingduties Dec. 19, 1983, after thePackers finished the season 8-8 andmissed the playoffs in the season’sfinal week.THE GREGG ERAOn Dec. 24, 1983, Forrest Gregg, a formerStarr teammate and one of the premier offensivetackles in football history, became the Packers’ninth head coach. Gregg had led Cincinnati intoSuper Bowl XVI following the 1981 season.Gregg, whose 19-6 Cincinnati record over the1981-82 seasons was the best in pro football,received a five-year contract.In taking over, he declared: “I tookthis job to field a winning team. Thatwill happen.”Gregg’s prediction began to bearfruit in the second half of the 1984season when the Packers reboundedfrom an injury-ridden 1-7 start to winseven of their last eight.Because of injuries and other complications,however, 1985 followed the’84 script, the Packers getting off toa 3-6 start before mounting a strongfinish to again close at 8-8, winning509five of their last seven.Gregg, convinced the time had come to rebuild a team that was8-8 three straight years, and was “starting to get old,” made sweepingpersonnel changes in 1986. The young Packers, their task complicatedby injuries to key performers, got off to an 0-6 start, then beganto mature in midseason and finished 4-12.Following the 1987 season, when the club finished third in theNFC Central (5-9-1), Gregg resigned (Jan. 15, 1988) to become headcoach at his alma mater, Southern Methodist University.INFANTE SIGNS ONNineteen days later (Feb. 3), Cleveland Browns offensive coordinatorLindy Infante, recognized throughout the NFL as a brilliant innovator,signed a five-year contract. Plagued by turnovers and kickingproblems, Infante’s first team, in 1988, was 4-12, but left fans withhopes for the future by winning its last two games.Building on that positive note, Infante in 1989 led the Packersto a 10-6 record — their best in 17 years — and within one gameof the playoffs, spicing that turnabout with a league-record fourone-point victories.In 1990, subsequent high hopes for the team’s first postseasonberth in a non-strike year since 1972 evaporated when the Packers —with a contending, 6-5 record after 11 games — ended the year withfive straight losses.The Packers continued to decline in 1991 (4-12). New ExecutiveVice President/General Manager Ron Wolf dismissed Infante on Dec.22. Green Bay had hired Wolf on Nov. 27, and gave him full footballoperationsauthority.THE HOLMGREN ERAWolf named Mike Holmgren, offensive architect of San Francisco’sfour-time Super Bowl champions, to succeed Infante, Jan. 11, 1992.Holmgren, sought by five other clubs, got a five-year contract.In his first season, 1992, the former USC field general directedthe Packers to a 9-7 record and within sight of the playoffs. Hebecame only the third Packers head coach with a winning record inhis first season, punctuated by a six-game winning streak, the team’slongest since 1965.Holmgren took his team to the playoffs in 1993 – despite losingfour starters to injury. Forging a second straight 9-7 record – againsta considerably more demanding schedule – Green Bay got its firstplayoff berth in 10 years. In the first round, the Packers came frombehind in the last minute to eliminate Detroit, 28-24. They then fell atDallas, 27-17, in the divisional round.In 1994, the Packers registered a third consecutive 9-7 mark andsecond straight playoff trip – the first time that had happened sincethe Titletown days of the ’60s. Riding a three-game winning streakinto the postseason, they parlayed a record defensive performanceand a turnover-free offensive effort into a 16-12 victory over Detroit– their first home playoff game since the 1982 season – holding theincomparable Barry Sanders to minus-1 yard in 13 attempts. ThePackers advanced without the services of All-Pro receiver SterlingSharpe, whose neck injury, diagnosed after the regular-season finale,ended his brilliant Green Bay career. For the second straight year, thePackers’ run ended in Dallas, 35-9.Closing ranks with great results following Sharpe’s loss, theFIRST QUARTERBACKSThe Green Bay Press-Gazette, in editions following theinaugural league game Oct. 23, 1921, vs. Minneapolis, listedAdolph Kliebhan as the first starting quarterback in teamhistory. Kliebhan, however, played his only career leaguegame that afternoon, and didn’t see many plays.While Kliebhan was the first starter, Curly Lambeau wasreally the team’s first “field general.” Lambeau would havestarted the Marines game had he not kept himself out afterstarting each of the four non-league contests. Lambeauthrew both Packers passes that day. In fact, he started four ofthe team’s remaining five games. (Art Schmael started thePackers’ second game, vs. Rock Island, Oct. 30, 1921; Lambeaustarted the last four.)Toward the end of Lambeau’s playing days, he turnedmainly to Red Dunn. However, Arnie Herber, who playedfrom 1930-40 and like Lambeau hailed from Green Bay,was the team’s first pure passer. Don Hutson, credited withinventing pass patterns, formed the Herber-to-Hutson combination,which terrified opponents from 1935-40.From Lambeau to Bart Starr, Brett Favre and AaronRodgers, more than 125 Packers have attempted a pass,many in the 1920s when the snap usually went to the halfback,who also called the cadence.COMMUNITYTHE PACKERS STORYADMIN. &COACHESDRAFT &VETERANS FREE AGENTS 2012 REVIEWPACKERSSTORYLAMBEAUFIELD MISC.