NFL – Game 28. Green Bay at Detroit
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Tag Archives: Green Bay Packers
NFL – Game 20. Atlanta at Green Bay
NFL – Game 12. Chicago at Green Bay
NFL – Game 4. Detroit at Green Bay
1997 Game 251 – Super Bowl XXXII – Kansas City vs. Green Bay
Click on the links below to read the summary of the game and the stats of the game.
1997 Game 249 – NFC Championship – San Francisco at Green Bay
Longwell boots the Packers to the Super Bowl!
What a game! In a game of twists and turns and ups and downs, the Green Bay Packers’ rookie kicker Ryan Longwell booted a 40-yard walk-off field goal to send the Green Bay Packers to Super Bowl XXXII with a win over the San Francisco 49ers, 26-23, in front of a hysterical Lambeau Field crowd.
Despite the drama of the Ice Bowl, this game could very well go down as the greatest game in Lambeau Field history. Brett Favre vs. Steve Young…two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks and they didn’t disappoint.
The euphoric Packer fans nearly had their hearts broken as time wound down in the 4th quarter. With the game tied at 23, the 49ers were on a drive that seemed as if they were going to win this classic duo on the Frozen Tundra. He drove the ball down the field with completions to Terry Kirby, Terrell Owens and a big-time catch by Iheanyi Uwaezuoke that put the 49ers on the Packers 25-yard line with 2:15 to go. That’s where it all fell apart for the 49ers.
49er head coach Steve Mariucci thought he had 49ers in field goal range. He ran William Floyd, who was stuffed at the line of scrimmage by the Packer front. Then Garrison Hearst tried outside but was stuffed for a 2-yard loss. At 3rd and 12, many would have thought that Mariucci would just run the ball and set up a field goal for kicker Gary Anderson to win the game. Instead, Mariucci gambled. He wanted to give the 49er kicker a better opportunity than a 44-yarder, so he called a pass play. What happened? The greatest defensive end in NFL history is what happened! Reggie White sacked Steve Young at the Packer 36-yard line. Instead of a 44-yarder, Anderson now had to attempt a 53-yarder.
With the wind blowing across the Frozen Tundra, Anderson didn’t get a chance to boot the 49ers to the Super Bowl. On the snap, the holder fumbled the football! There was a chaotic scramble for the football and DT Santana Dotson came up with the football for his third fumble recovery of the game! The Packers took over at their 43-yard line to a ruckus Lambeau Field crowd!
Favre didn’t waste this opportunity. He had a minute to go with no time outs. On his first play, he hit Bill Schroeder, who went out of bounds for a six-yard gain. On the next play, Favre rifled a shot to Antonio Freeman for 15 yards to the 49er 36-yard line. The Packers hurried up and Favre spiked the football to stop the clock. On second down, Favre dropped back and connected with his roommate and best friend TE Mark Chmura to the 49er 23-yard line and a 13-yard gain. Favre waited for the clock to wind down and then he spiked the football with just 4 seconds remaining.
With all of Packer Nation holding its collective breath, Longwell sent the ball through the uprights and the Packers are on their way to Super Bowl XXXII to defend their Super Bowl Championship.
In the battle of QBs, Favre finished the game 21 of 37 for 295 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Young finished 22 of 32 for 254 yards and a TD.
The Packers will now await the AFC Championship game to find out their opponent for Super Bowl 32. Denver travels to Kansas City to have a showdown in Arrowhead Stadium.
1997 Game 247 – NFC Divisional – Tampa Bay at Green Bay
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.
