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Green Bay vs. Philadelphia
9/9/96 - Packers Win 39-13
Box Score
With the considerable aid of a turnover-happy defense, the Packers moved out to an early 10-0 lead over the Eagles, then suddenly found the offensive formula to mount a 20-point second quarter and an imposing 30-7 halftime lead which carried them to their second victory.
While nearly losing his head, Santana Dotson closes in on Rodney Peete |
Cornerback Doug Evans' interception of a Rodney Peete pass at the Philadelphia 14-yard-line set up a 29-yard Chris Jacke field goal and, two exchanges later, defensive end Sean Jones triggered the Packers' second takeaway, forcing a Ricky Watters fumble that was recovered by linebacker Brian Williams at the Green Bay 43-yard-line, a development which quashed a budding Eagles drive.
Quarterback Brett Favre, who had previously seen his first five passes fall incomplete, suddenly was on target and the Packers were in the end zone just five plays later. The Green Bay' field general first hit running back Edgar Bennett for a 10-yard gain, then tight end Mark Chmura for 20 more to the Philadelphia 26-yard-line.
Another pass, to fullback William Henderson, netted only 3 yards and halfback Dorsey Levens was dropped for a 2-yard loss by safety Michael Zordich. Favre, however, found flanker Robert Brooks in the open along the right sideline and arched a 25-yard strike to him as he reached full stride en route to the end zone.
In the second quarter, Favre presided over scoring drives of 77, 52 and 75 yards, which produced a touchdown, field goal and touchdown, Levens pounding over left guard from one yard out for the first of three scores.
On the next exchange, Jacke weighed in with his second field goal, a 38-yarder which made it 23-7 and gave him his fifth FG success in six attempts thus far this season. It was set up by a George Koonce interception, off a "tip" of a Peete pass by Santana Dotson.
Favre then orchestrated a 7-play, 75-yard push, this one capped by 20-yard scoring strike to Brooks, who gathered in the football at the goal line and sprinted into the end zone. Jacke's conversion made it 30-7 with 26 seconds left in the second quarter and, for all practical purposes, the game was over.
First-year cornerback Corey Dowden, standing in for the injured Tyrone Williams, intercepted a Peete pass and returned it to Green Bay's 49-yard-line.
The Packers almost convert the "Hail Mary" |
With just 11 seconds remaining, the Packers took a shot at a "Hail Mary" score, Favre lofting a pass into the end zone. The ball slipped through the hands of a leaping Don Beebe in the end zone and to the turf as the record crowd held its collective breath.
The Packers added an insurance touchdown in the third quarter on a 25-yard Favre pass to Bennett and Reggie White and Santana Dotson wrapped up Green Bay's scoring by tackling Peete in the end zone for a safety with 11:06 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Despite his 0-for-5 debut, Favre again emerged with impressive and productive numbers-17 completions in 31 attempts for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The surprise of the evening was the emergence of the Packers' ground game, which rolled up 171 yards in 38 attempts, a 4.5-yard average, Bennett leading the charge with 93 yards in 17 carries, William Henderson weighing in with 40 in 6 attempts and Levens with 25 in 9 tries.
It was Green Bay's best rushing performance since October 31, 1994, when they amassed 223 yards in a driving rainstorm on the way to a 33-6 "Monday Night Football" victory over the Bears in Chicago's Soldier Field.
Robert Brooks also emerged with the eleventh 100-yard receiving day of his career - 5 receptions for 130 yards.
Bennett augmented his rushing efforts with 5 catches for 49 yards, giving him 142 yards of total offense for the evening. |
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