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Green Bay vs. Chicago
09/01/97 - Packers Win 38-24
Brooks makes his regular season return with a touchdown catch
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The Packers varied their winning formula somewhat in dispatching the Bears for the 66th time in the 78-year history of pro football's greatest rivalry. They permitted the Bears to prevail in the statistics and time of possession, categories in which they customarily dominate, and settled for the bottom line, a 38-24 margin in the score.
And even the statistical (336 yards to 315) and time of possession (32 minutes, 47 seconds to 27 minutes, 13 seconds) advantages were somewhat misleading. The Packers were comfortably out front, 31-11, early in the fourth quarter and by 38-17 in the closing minutes when the Bears' Raymont Harris pulled Chicago within 14 points by way of a 68-yard scoring excursion up the middle.
The basic figures also do not include the imposing numbers put up via the Packers' return game, which featured a dazzling performance by home-grown
Bill Schroeder of Sheboygan, Wis., and UW-LaCrosse, who amassed 160 yards alone (107 via 5 punt returns and 53 more on 2 kickoff returns) and set up a pair of field goals in the process.
Quarterback Brett Favre, meanwhile, made the most of the opportunities presented to him, completing 15 of 22 passes for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with one interception, while being sacked twice for 18 yards in losses.
The Bears, 15-point underdogs bent upon pulling off a major upset, proved troublesome in the early going, moving out to an 8-3 lead on a 14-play, 87-yard first quarter scoring drive -- a rare accomplishment against the Packers' miserly defense, which led the NFL in 1996 in both yards and points allowed.
Enter right cornerback Doug Evans, who has a knack for making the key play. Intercepting an Erik Kramer pass intended for Bobby Engram, he returned 27 yards to the Bears' one-yard line. On the next play, Favre passed to tight end Jeff Thomason for the score and, following a two-point conversion -- Favre's pass to running back
Dorsey Levens in the end zone, the Packers were out front, 11-8.
The Bears retaliated with a scoring drive of their own, capped by Jeff Jaeger's 42-yard field goal, to forge an 11-11 tie.
Gabe Wilkins celebrates his fumble return for a TD
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Favre then marshaled his forces for the Packers' longest drive of the night, moving the Green and Gold 80 yards in 5 plays and into a permanent lead, 18-11, by way of an 18-yard scoring pass to wideout Robert Brooks in the left corner of the end zone with only 48 seconds remaining in the first half.
Although the Bears remained combative, the Packers' offensive and defensive lines began to dominate the line of scrimmage in the second half and were essentially in charge the rest of the way.
Levens, being called upon to shoulder the rushing load following the loss of the injured Edgar Bennett, made a substantial response to the challenge, piling up 80 yards in 22 attempts, a 3.6-yard average.
Jeff Thomason, who now steps forward at tight end following the temporary loss of
Mark Chmura, also had a productive night, making 5 catches for 58 yards to lead all Green Bay receivers. Second-year pro
Derrick Mayes was next up with 4 for 54 yards, followed by Brooks with 3 for 71 yards.
(209K) |
Packers Radio Network with the call!
Thomason catches his first TD as a Packer! |
(332K) |
Packers Radio Network with the call!
Brooks catches his first TD since the injury |
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Packers Radio Network with the call!
Levens scores! |
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Packers Radio Network with the call!
Wilkins scores his first TD! |
Scoring Summary
- 1st Quarter
- G.B.: Longwell field goal (38 yards)
- 2nd Quarter
- CHI: 1 yard Harris TD run (2pt: Sauerbrun pass to Flanigan)
- G.B.: 1 yard TD pass; Favre to Thomason (2pt: Favre to Levens)
- CHI: Jaeger field goal (42 yards)
- G.B.: 18 yard TD pass; Favre to Brooks (Longwell kick)
- 3rd Quarter
- G.B.: Longwell field goal (36 yards)
- G.B.: Longwell field goal (29 yards)
- 4th Quarter
- G.B.: 1 yard Levens TD run (Longwell kick)
- CHI: 22 yard TD pass; Kramer to Proehl (2pt: Failed)
- G.B.: Wilkins Fumble recovery in endzone
(Longwell kick)
- CHI: 68 yard Harris TD run (Jaeger kick)
Injury Report
| Packers: |
Craig Newsome (CB) - Knee
Mark Chmura (TE) - Knee
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| Bears: |
Todd Perry (G) - Left Hamstring |
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