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Green Bay vs. Minnesota
12/22/96 - Packers Win 38-10
Box Score
For the Packers, Sunday was "pay back day" against the Vikings, who earlier ended a 3-and-0 regular season start for the Green and Gold with a 30-21 victory at the Minnesota Metrodome.
Sean Jones sacks Brad Johnson |
After leaving for the intermission tied with the Purple Gang at 10-10, the Packers proceeded to take charge of the game with a vengeance in the second half, mounting three successive touchdown drives with their first possessions.
Desmond Howard was the catalyst, quickly acquiring optimum field position with a 40-yard return of the third quarter kickoff to the 43-yard-line.
Quarterback Brett Favre took it from there, hitting wide receivers Antonio Freeman and Mark Chmura with 22- and 7-yard passes on a 6-play drive before finding running back Dorsey Levens in the end zone with a 13-yard bullseye.
The defense quickly shut down the Vikings following the kickoff and Favre proceeded to direct a 9-play, 76-yard scoring march,one he climaxed with a 22-yard strike to Andre Rison, who made a diving catch in the north end zone.
Promptly stifling the Vikings a third time after the next kickoff, Favre presided over an 8-play, 61-yard TD drive. This time, Favre finished the job with a 23-yard throw to tight end Keith Jackson. With Chris Jacke's fourth conversion of the afternoon, it was 31-10 and the outcome was no longer in the doubt.
The Packers were not finished with the scoring process, however. Howard provided the impetus with a 47-yard punt return to the Minnesota 20-yard-line. Veteran Jim McMahon, who had replaced Favre at quarterback early in the final period, had the Green and Gold in the end zone in just three plays, Dorsey Levens sweeping right end for 11 yards and the game's final touchdown.
Bennett dives across the goalline for the Packers' first score |
Running back Edgar Bennett, who triggered Green Bay's first 200-yard rushing game since 1994, had staked the Packers to an early 7-0 lead with a 5-yard burst up the middle, capping a 66-yard drive.
Overall, the Packers offense rolled up 440 yards, their second highest production of the season-behind only a 446-yard effort against the 49ers October 14.
A key element in this production was the bristling emergence of the running game, which amassed 233 yards 41 attempts, an imposing 5.7-yard average. It was the Packers' first 200-yard rushing game since December 11, 1994, when they rolled up 257 yards in a 40-3 triumph over the Chicago Bears.
Bennett triggered the ground assault, pounding for 109 yards in 18 attempts in recording the first 100-yard rushing day by a Packer this season.
The defense, meanwhile, limited the Vikings to 252 net yards, including just 49 yards rushing in 17 attempts, a 2.9-yard average. Linebackers Wayne Simmons and George Koonce were the statistical leaders in this project, each posting 7 tackles. Defensive end Sean Jones and nose tackle Gilbert Brown weighed in with 5 stops apiece.
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