| 1978 Green Bay Packers season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Bart Starr |
| Home field | Lambeau Field Milwaukee County Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–7–1 |
| Division place | 2nd NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
The 1978 Green Bay Packers season was their 60th season overall and their 58th season in the National Football League. The team posted an 8–7–1 record under coach Bart Starr, earning them a second-place finish in the NFC Central division. This marked the first season the Packers were above .500 since 1972. The Packers got off to a 6-1 start. However, most of the wins came against weaker teams, and once the schedule toughened up the Packers struggled winning only one and tying one of their next six games. After a big win in Tampa Bay over the Buccaneers, the 8-5-1 Packers still had a shot at a NFC Central Title. However, the team would lose both of their final games, closing out with a 31-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and at 8-7-1 finished in a first place tie. The Packers lost the tiebreaker to the Minnesota Vikings, by tying (10 - 10) and losing to the Vikings (7 - 21) and missed the playoffs.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | James Lofton | Wide receiver | Stanford |
| 1 | 26 | John Anderson | Linebacker | Michigan |
| 2 | 34 | Michael Hunt | Linebacker | Minnesota |
| 3 | 62 | Charlie Salmon | Cornerback | Illinois State |
| 5 | 116 | Mike Douglass | Linebacker | San Diego State |
| 5 | 128 | Willie Wilder | Running back | Florida |
| 6 | 144 | Leotis Harris | Guard | Arkansas |
| 7 | 172 | George Plasketes | Linebacker | Ole Miss |
| 8 | 200 | Dennis Sproul | Quarterback | Arizona State |
| 9 | 228 | Keith Myers | Quarterback | Utah State |
| 10 | 256 | Larry Key | Running back | Florida State |
| 10 | 259 | Mark Totten | Center | Florida |
| 11 | 284 | Terry Jones | Defensive tackle | Alabama |
| 12 | 312 | Eason Ramson | Tight end | Washington State |
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Coffman | Tight end | Kansas State |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 3, 1978 | at Detroit Lions | W 13–7 | Pontiac Silverdome | 51,187
|
| 2 | September 10, 1978 | New Orleans Saints | W 28–17 | Milwaukee County Stadium | 54,336
|
| 3 | September 17, 1978 | Oakland Raiders | L 28–3 | Lambeau Field | 55,903
|
| 4 | September 24, 1978 | at San Diego Chargers | W 24–3 | San Diego Stadium | 42,755
|
| 5 | October 1, 1978 | Detroit Lions | W 35–14 | Milwaukee County Stadium | 54,601
|
| 6 | October 8, 1978 | Chicago Bears | W 24–14 | Lambeau Field | 56,267
|
| 7 | October 15, 1978 | Seattle Seahawks | W 45–28 | Milwaukee County Stadium | 52,712
|
| 8 | October 22, 1978 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 21–7 | Metropolitan Stadium | 47,411
|
| 9 | October 29, 1978 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 9–7 | Lambeau Field | 55,108
|
| 10 | November 5, 1978 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 10–3 | Veterans Stadium | 64,214
|
| 11 | November 12, 1978 | Dallas Cowboys | L 42–14 | Milwaukee County Stadium | 55,256
|
| 12 | November 19, 1978 | at Denver Broncos | L 16–3 | Mile High Stadium | 74,965
|
| 13 | November 26, 1978 | Minnesota Vikings | T 10–10 (OT) | Lambeau Field | 51,737
|
| 14 | December 3, 1978 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 17–7 | Tampa Stadium | 67,754
|
| 15 | December 10, 1978 | at Chicago Bears | L 14–0 | Soldier Field | 34,306
|
| 16 | December 17, 1978 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 31–14 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 42,500
|
| NFC Central | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Minnesota Vikings(3) | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 5–2–1 | 7–4–1 | 294 | 306 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | 5–2–1 | 6–5–1 | 249 | 269 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–4 | 5–7 | 290 | 300 | W2 |
| Chicago Bears | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–5 | 7–5 | 253 | 274 | W2 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 2–6 | 3–11 | 241 | 259 | L4 |