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Green Bay vs. New England
7/31/97 - Packers win 7-3 (Preseason)
Dorsey Levens escapes from two Patriot defenders |
From the competitive perspective, the modest 7-3 score of the Packers' victory over the Patriots is somewhat deceiving. Statistically, they dominated the contest, amassing 400 yards of offense -- 307 passing -- to just 149 net yards for New England.
Running off 75 plays to the Pats' 49, the Packers also dominated the time of possession, controlling the football for 36 minutes and 22 seconds to New England's 23 minutes, 38 seconds.
Their route to victory might well have been substantially smoother save for three missed field goals (32, 44 and 40 yards), all pushed to the right of the uprights, by rookie placekicker Brett Conway.
As a result, they trailed 3-0 heading into the fourth quarter -- until Doug Pederson, the third and last of the three quarterbacks Head Coach Mike Holmgren employed -- presided over a fourth quarter scoring drive to pull out a come-from-behind victory.
Pederson, rallying for redemption after throwing the only interception of the game to end a third quarter series, was materially assisted in this project by an electrifying, 37-yard punt return by Bill Schroeder, the UW-LaCrosse alumnus from Sheboygan, Wis., who raced down the east sidelines to the New England 33-yard line before being run out of bounds by Patriots punter Gerald Carlson.
From that point, Pederson had the Packers in the end zone in five plays -- in large part because of his own mobility. Facing a third-and-9 situation, he dropped back under pressure, then rolled to his right and broke into the open, scrambling for 19 yards to the New England 13-yard line before being run to earth by Patriot safety Corwin Brown.
Gilbert Brown and Reggie White close in on Drew Bledsoe |
After Hayden picked up 2 yards at left end, Pederson found him with a screen pass and the former Charger threaded his way into the end zone with 9:01 remaining in the game.
(271K) |
Packers Radio Network with the call!
Aaron Hayden scores |
Pederson, who had relieved Steve Bono, closed out the evening with 9 completions in 16 attempts for 134 yards. Bono hit on 7 of 14 throws for 93 yards during his tenure, which had seen him follow starter Brett Favre, author of 7 completions in 13 attempts for 85 yards during his game-opening, first quarter stint.
Overall, the three quarterbacks utilized 12 different receivers, Qadry Ismail emerging as the team leader with 5 catches for 81 yards.
The defense, which had forged a shutout in the Packers' opening, 20-0 victory over Miami five days earlier, again was a dominant force, limiting the Patriots to an average of 3.0 yards for 49 offensive plays and putting consistent pressure on New England's highly regarded quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, who was forced to settle for 5 completions in 10 passing attempts for 30 yards.
Scoring Summary
- 1st Quarter
- None
- 2nd Quarter
- None
- 3rd Quarter
- N.E. - 52 yard Vinatieri field goal. (1:03)
- 4th Quarter
- G.B. - Pederson 11 yard touchdown pass to Hayden. (Conway kick) (9:01)
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