Packers blowout Tampa to advance to NFC Title Game
Brett Favre showed why he is a 3-time MVP on Sunday as the Green Bay Packers blew out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 30-6, at Lambeau Field to advance to their third consecutive NFC Championship game.
Favre was laser sharp on Sunday as he torched the Buccaneer defense for 298 yards on 19 of 27 passing with three touchdowns. Favre didn’t waste any time on Sunday as he connected with WR Antonio Freeman on a 52-yard bomb on the first play of the first Packer series that set up a Ryan Longwell field goal.
It seemed like this game would be like all the games in the ’97 playoffs so far…a field goal fest. Longwell booted two field goals, but late in the first half, Favre finally busted through to get the Packers in the end zone. He hit FB William Henderson in the flat and Henderson did the rest. He plowed through the Buccaneer defense and scored from 17-yards out giving the Packers a big 13-0 lead at halftime.
Coming out of halftime, the Packers didn’t waste any time again. This time, RB Dorsey Levens blasted through the defense for a 34-yard scamper. Then a few plays later, Favre hit WR Robert Brooks in the corner of the end zone for an 11-yard scoring strike giving the Packers a 20-0 lead.
Then late in the third quarter, Favre and Brooks hooked up again but this time on a 49-yard bomb that put the game away, 27-0. Brooks had a big day catching six passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. His partner, Antonio Freeman, caught three passes for 99 yards.
The Packer defense was dominant. They basically gave up only one drive to the Buccaneers all day long and held the Bucs to just 163 total yards. More specifically, they ganged up on the Buccaneer running game, which is the Buc’s strength. They held Alstott and Dunn to just 30 yards on 20 carries.
The Packers will now host the NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field next Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. The Packers have never lost a playoff game or a championship game in Green Bay or Lambeau Field.