 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Green Bay vs. Chicago
12/13/98 - Packers win 26-20
By Chris Hollenback
Twas the first play of the fourth quarter and all through Lambeau Field,
59,813 fans were stirring, and quarterback Brett Favre hit receiver
Antonio Freeman on a short crossing pattern for a 13-yard touchdown, lifting
the Green Bay Packers to a 26-20 victory over their arch-rivals, the
Chicago Bears.
(237k) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Freeman glides in for the TD |
The win was the ninth straight for Green Bay over Chicago, the longest
in the teams' 77-year series. The Packers will have to wait another
week to clinch a playoff birth, since the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa
Bay Buccaneers both won.
Freeman grabbed eight passes for 103 yards, including a 22-yarder,
despite his broken jaw.
"I felt rusty today," Freeman said. "In the locker room before the
game, I felt like it was my first NFL game. But once I got that first
hit, I was playing like a wild man. I think I made the right move by
coming back this week."
After Freeman's touchdown, Favre, beaten and battered all day, thrusted
both arms in the air, soaking in the crowd reaction, letting himself
fall backward to the turf. Meanwhile, Freeman, jogging over to the
television cameras in the back of the end zone, patted his helmet and
waved a finger to indicate he won't be stopped this season by the
fractured jaw.
"You've just got to put it behind you," Freeman said, "and help your
team the best you can. I wanted to play last week, but it wouldn't have
been the right idea. I need to be with my team right now. My team
needs me."
To say the least.
The play gave the Packers the most hope they've had since the San
Francisco game in week nine. It showed Favre still has weapons. It
showed the offense can still explode.
And they needed to explode, after failing to score a touchdown in the
first half. The Packers struggled early, clearly affected by injuries
to their receivers. Starter Robert Brooks and backups Bill Schroeder
and Corey Bradford were all pre-game inactives. Big-play tight end
Tyrone Davis, second on the team behind Freeman with seven touchdowns,
also didn't play. Newcomer Russell Copeland and former practice squad
member Brian Manning saw limited action. Running backs Dorsey Levens
and Darick Holmes lined up split wide on some three-receiver sets. The
burden clearly fell on Freeman and fellow starter Derrick Mayes.
They both delivered. Mayes caught five passes for 65 yards. Tight end
Mark Chmura played well too, catching five tosses for 55 yards and a
score.
(231k) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Chmura pulls down a Favre TD pass |
"(Chmura) is playing his best ball right now," Favre said.
Green Bay also showed resiliency. On the Packers' first drive in the
second half, Bears cornerback Walt Harris jumped in front of a short
slant to Freeman, picked it off and took it nine yards into the end zone
untouched for the touchdown. Cornerback Tyrone Williams knocked down
the two-point conversion, but the Bears still led, 13-9.
"Bad things happened sometimes," Favre said. "I didn't even
blink-didn't even think about it. Walt Harris made a great play. He
guessed right on the slant. There was nothing I could do about it. So
what do you do? You either pack it up or you get excited for the next
drive."
Favre's excitement carried his team for 5:18 and 67 yards for the
comeback touchdown. Favre hit Mayes on a key third-and-thirteen for 12
yards, then rifled a bullet to Freeman for 18 more on the following
fourth-and-one. After Levens ran for six, Favre snapped the ball and
threw a perfect fade to Chmura in the right corner of the end zone for
the six-yard score. The Pack took the lead back, 16-13.
After Favre hit Freeman for his score, the Packers led 23-13. On their
next drive, Dorsey Levens ripped a 50-yard run with a brilliant cut
back.
"Actually," Levens said, "I was just trying to stop because every time I
went outside on that particular play, (Bears safety) Marty Carter went
for my knees. I just happened to cut back and break another tackle."
The run helped Levens to tally a season-high 105 yards.
"He did it himself," Bears cornerback Terry Cousin said.
"That was a great run by Dorsey," Favre said. "I was just running with
him. I was hoping to get a block--like I could catch him. I was
excited. I'm happy for Dorsey. It's been a rough year for him, and he
bounced back. That was a great run in a crucial situation."
Right tackle Earl Dotson cramped up on the run, and reserve Matt Willig
came in for him. Willig committed two false-start penalties and the
Packers had to settle for a 24-yard Ryan Longwell field goal. Longwell
booted a season-high four field goals for a career-high 14 points. His
first field goal, a 35-yarder in the first half, gave him 101 points on
the season, making him only the third player in Packers history to total
100 or more in two straight seasons. Hall of Famers Don Hutson and Paul
Hornung were the others.
After Longwell's fourth field goal the Packers led 26-13, and thought
they had the game sealed.
But Glyn Milburn, traded by the Packers earlier in the year, took the
ensuing kickoff at his own six yard line and ran it back 94 yards for a
touchdown, cutting back against safety Pat Terrell. The Bears trailed
by six with 3:40 left.
After the Bears batted two Favre passes down at the line of scrimmage,
the Packers punted with three minutes still on the clock. Bears
quarterback Steve Stenstrum moved his team as far as the Green Bay 36,
but would get no further. He was sacked on the next three plays by
tackle Billy Lyon, end Reggie White and tackle Santana Dotson-all
rushing full-speed up the middle. Coverage was good and Stenstrum
didn't even get a pass off.
Favre hailed White.
"I think he's the Defensive Player of the Year, I really do," Favre
said. "He's got, what, 16 sacks?" Indeed, White leads the NFL with 16.
"For a guy who's going to retire, who has a bad back, a bad hamstring, I
couldn't be more proud of a guy. I tried to talk him into coming back
Friday, but he said he wants $48 million."
Lyon also played like a million bucks in the most action he's seen all
year. He blew up multiple plays, had a tackle for a loss against the
run and one sack. The Packers may have found a great combination of
Gilbert Brown on rushing downs and Lyon in passing situations.
Defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur needed that type of play from his reserves.
Starting right end Vonnie Holliday was inactive with a sprained ankle.
Cornerback Craig Newsome left the game in the first half with a bruised
knee.
"It was the cut on his knee," Coach Mike Holmgren said. "He just felt
he couldn't go."
Holmgren is optimistic about getting his team healthier for the
playoffs.
"As far as Antonio goes, I think the longer we go the better (his jaw)
begins to knit. It was a courageous effort, and now he knows he can
play. I'm hopeful Tyrone (Davis) can come back. (Robert) Brooks and
Holliday, I don't know."
Holmgren said Holmes and reserve linebacker Jude Waddy both injured
their shoulders. Their status is day-to-day.
The Packers now will lick their wounds and prepare for the Tennessee
Oilers, who visit Lambeau Field next Sunday at noon.
Odds and Ends
Scoring Summary
- 1st Quarter
- CHI: 1 yard TD run; Stenstrom (Jaeger kick) (11:54)
- GBP: 35 yard Longwell FG (5:48)
Key plays:
Chmura: 2 catches for 22yds;
Mayes: 23yd catch
- 2nd Quarter
- GBP: 46 yard Longwell FG (1:29)
- GBP: 40 yard Longwell FG (:01)
Key plays:
Freeman: 18yd catch;
Mayes: 10yd catch
- 3rd Quarter
- CHI: 13 yard INT TD run; Harris (2pt:failed) (10:49)
- GBP: 6 yard TD pass; Favre to Chmura (Longwell kick) (5:31)
Key plays:
Freeman: 2 catches for 23yds;
Mayes: 2 catches for 22yds
- 4th Quarter
- GBP: 13 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (14:55)
Key plays:
Freeman: 3 catches for 45yds
- GBP: 24 yard Longwell FG (4:08)
Key plays:
Levens: 5 carries for 66yds;
- CHI: 94 yard kickoff TD run; Milburn (Jaeger kick) (3:40)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
