Matt Flynn Game

The Matt Flynn Game was a regular season National Football League (NFL) game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers on January 1, 2012. The game, which was contested at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States, became notable due to the performance of Matt Flynn, who at the time was the Packers' backup quarterback, behind starter Aaron Rodgers. The defending Super Bowl champion Packers had already secured the first seed in the playoffs and decided to rest Rodgers, as well as other starters, to avoid injuries leading into the playoffs. Flynn led the Packers to a high-scoring, 45–41 victory, with six touchdown passes and 480 passing yards, both single-game records for the Packers. Flynn's counterpart on the Lions, quarterback Matthew Stafford, threw five touchdowns of his own, gaining 520 passing yards.

Although the game had little overall impact on the standings, Flynn's performance made him a target for many teams during the offseason. Riding the coattails of his performance and tutelage under Rodgers, Flynn signed a multi-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason, presumably as the expected starter. However, the Seahawks also drafted Russell Wilson during the offseason and both Wilson and Flynn competed for the starting job. Flynn was beaten for the position and traded a year later, while Wilson would go on to be the Seahawks starter for 10 seasons. The Packers' victory set a team record for wins in a season at 15. Commentators also noted that resting Rodgers may have led to the Packers' eventual demise in the playoffs, a 37–20 upset loss to the New York Giants in the Divisional round.