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Green Bay vs. San Francisco
11/01/98 - Packers win 36-22
Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes to Antonio Freeman and Ryan
Longwell hit two field goals as the Green Bay Packers defeated the San
Francisco 49ers, 36-22, in a hard-fought battle before 59,794 loud fans,
who waved yellow foam tubes furiously as they cheered at Lambeau Field.
The win keeps the Packers (6-2) one game behind the division leader, the
Minnesota Vikings (7-1), who lost today to Tampa Bay. The Packers have
a rematch with the Vikings November 22nd.
Freeman's first strike, an 80-yard play, came on the first play from
scrimmage.
(242k) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Freeman 80 yard TD! |
"We knew we were going to test their defensive backs early," Freeman
said. "In the past I've had some success against (cornerback) Marquez
Pope. I came off the line, he opened his hips one way to me, I pushed
him, I got him to turn. Brett looked to the right a little, which froze
(safety) Merton Hanks just enough to get the seam, and as I got open it
was a perfect ball, and we got off to the early start."
"(It) was an audible," Favre said. "He adjusted his route. It was
supposed to be a quick out, and if it's bump-and-run, he runs a fade
route. And he just got in the crease."
The Packers led 7-0, and the crowd was in hysterics.
After a high snap to 49ers punter Reggie Roby went out of the end zone
for a safety, Favre hit receiver Robert Brooks down the left sideline on
a fade route to put Green Bay ahead 16-0. In the last five meetings,
the Packers have out-scored the 49ers, 53-6.
(207k) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Brooks sneaks into the endzone |
"We got down early," quarterback Steve Young said. "That's tough when
you are on the road." Indeed. San Francisco media members in the press
box jokingly asked for a "do-over."
"You knew San Francisco was going to come back," Packers Coach Mike
Holmgren said.
They did. Strong. Quarterback Steve Young hit receiver Jerry Rice for
a 12-yard score. Defensive end Keith McKenzie blocked the extra point,
and the Packers led 16-6. After Longwell's 26-yard field goal, Young
struck again with a one-yard run for another touchdown to pull within
19-13.
The Packers threatened late in the second half, but linebacker Lee
Woodall made a great read and intercepted Favre's pass to Freeman.
"I had Antonio in the second 'window' in the slant (route)," Favre said,
"and Woodall turned inside and made the play."
In the second half, San Francisco poured it on. Their offensive line
opened huge holes, particularly with pulls, traps and double-teams
involving massive lineman Kevin Gogan (6'7", 330 pounds). Running back
Garrison Hearst burst through those holes, gaining 61 of his 99 yards in
the second half. Hearst's 30-yard run for a touchdown tied the score
19-19. The extra point failed for the 49ers for the second time in the
game when holder Ty Detmer couldn't handle a high snap.
The 49ers built momentum after Favre's third interception ended the
Packers' drive for the third time in a row.
"I never saw (safety Tim) McDonald," Favre said. "A quick slant to
(tight end) Tyrone (Davis) underneath-just talking to Chewy (tight end
Mark Chmura), he said he ran the wrong route. Gotta find something to
blame it on."
But the Packers defense held. On third and two, at the Green Bay 2,
linebacker Brian Williams and end Reggie White stuffed Young on a sneak
for a one-yard loss. The Niners settled for a 20-yard field goal, and
led 22-19. At that point, the crowd was silent, and the team needed a
lift.
It got it first from Longwell, who hit a clutch 45-yard field goal to
tie the score. Longwell is a perfect 12-12 on field goals this season.
Then the Packers' stars stepped up to turn the tide.
"Before the game," White said, "I went up to LeRoy (Butler) and I went
up to Brett Favre and said, 'Us three have got to have big games, and if
we do that, we'll win.'"
Butler answered. He blitzed around the right end and wasn't blocked.
Young pulled the ball down and fumbled just before Butler hit him.
"He pulled the ball down," Packers defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur
said, "he thought he had something and he didn't from a coverage
standpoint. And by then, it was a little late."
The 49ers recovered the ball, but not the momentum. After a punt gave
the Packers the ball on their own 38, Favre and Freeman struck again,
again on the first play.
"(It) was a 'go' (route)," Favre said. "It's what we call just a
'double-go.' Freeman faked Pope one direction, then took off. "I knew
on that particular play I had to drill it instead of laying it up,"
Favre said. Freeman caught the ball and sped down the field 62 yards
for the game-winning points.
(380k) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Freeman 62 yard TD |
Freeman, who entered the week leading the NFL in receiving yards, caught
7 passes on the day for 193 yards. It was his fourth 100-yard game this
season, and the eleventh of his career. The second touchdown gave him
30 through just eight games of his stellar four-year career, tying him
with the legendary Don Hutson for the quickest to 30 touchdown
receptions in club history.
The 62-yard strike also gave Favre 24,720 yards in his career, breaking
Hall of Famer Bart Starr's all-time team record for most yards passing
by a Packer quarterback. Starr had 24,718 in 16 seasons. Favre is only
eight games into his eighth NFL season.
"We throw the ball a lot more than they did back then," Favre said.
Four plays later, McKenzie sacked Young, who fumbled, and defensive
tackle Santana Dotson recovered on the San Francisco 11.
On the next play, running back Travis Jervey broke multiple tackles,
barreling 11 yards into the end zone for the score, the first of his
career. Then he did the Lambeau Leap.
(242k) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Jervey scores his first TD |
"(Jervey) is getting better each week, as he should," Holmgren said.
"He's getting more experience. I think tonight he made better
decisions. Tonight, Travis certainly ran hard."
Jervey finished with a career-high 95 yards.
With a 14-point lead, the Packer defense took over.
"They took away our throwing lanes," Young said. "Their pass rush was
real good."
So good the Packers sacked Young nine times, the most in any game in his
storied career.
"It was great," McKenzie said. "We knew we had to get after him,
because once he gets running, he can make a lot of things happen. Once
we got him chasing around, I think we got into his head a little bit."
Once again, White led the defense, this time with three sacks. He now
has 11 on the year and an NFL-record 187.5 in his career. This marks
the twelfth 10-sack season for White, also an NFL record. He is just
two sacks shy of his season-high as a Packer, when he had 13 in 1993,
and it's his best start since 1987, when he had a career-high 21 sacks.
"Anybody who starts to talk about Reggie White," Shurmur said, "look at
him in big games. Look at him in the Super Bowl game we won, look at
him in this game, and tell me he isn't the best player to play that
position in a long time."
"Reg, he's playing more than I thought he would this season," Holmgren
said. "He's playing like a much younger player right now."
Cornerback Rod Smith, aquired off waivers this week, was another reason
the Packers were able to hold the NFL's leading offense to just 186
yards passing.
"He did a hell of a job," Shurmur said. "I didn't have to pull off one
coverage call because he was in there." Smith left the field after the
game holding his Packer helmet high to the crowd, a huge smile on his
face. Smith said he's glad to be a Packer.
Smith's new team now travels to Pittsburgh for a Monday Night showdown
with the Steelers.
Scoring Summary
- 1st Quarter
- GBP: 80 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (14:39)
- GBP: Safety; fumbled punt out of endzone; (12:52)
Key plays:
Butler & White: sacks
- GBP: 30 yard TD pass; Favre to Brooks (Longwell kick) (9:44)
Key play:
Terrell: 9yd INT
- SFF: 12 yard TD pass; Young to Rice (extra point blocked) (2:47)
- 2nd Quarter
- GBP: 26 yard Longwell FG (9:28)
Key play:
30 yd pass interfence; M.Pope
- SFF: 1 yard TD run; Young (Richey kick) (3:36)
- 3rd Quarter
- SFF: 30 yard TD run; Hearst (extra point failed) (10:21)
- SFF: 20 yard Richey FG (4:45)
- 4th Quarter
- GBP: 45 yard Longwell FG (13:18)
Key plays:
Jervey: 3 carries for 20yds;
Brooks: 16yd catch
- GBP: 62 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (11:04)
Key plays:
Butler: 11yd sack;
49ers: 3 plays and out
- GBP: 11 yard TD run; Jervey (Longwell kick) (9:30)
Key play:
S.Dotson: fumble recovery
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