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Super Bowl XXXII: Green Bay vs. Denver
The sheer statistics of Super Bowl XXXII, with a lone exception, might have suggested an outcome other than the one which eventuated from an intense, classic struggle described by many veteran observers as the greatest game in Super Bowl history.
The Packers, for example, out-gained the Broncos overall, 350 yards to 302, emerged with a 255 to 123 advantage in net passing yards, averaged 5.6 yards per offensive play to the Broncos' 5.0 and averaged 4.8 yards per rush to Denver's 4.6.
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| Antonio Freeman caps off the opening drive with a 22 yard TD. |
The exception, however, was what made the eventual difference on a warm, sunny San Diego afternoon, which provided a 73-degree at game time in Qualcomm Stadium. It was in the rushing figures, which saw the Broncos mount a 179-yard assault against the Packers' ordinarily tightfisted run defense, Terrell Davis spearheading the Denver attack with 157 yards in 30 carries and scoring 3 touchdowns on as many 1-yard runs.
The Broncos also enjoyed a significant advantage in time of possession, 32 minutes, 25 seconds to Green Bay's 27 minutes, 35 seconds.
In retrospect, the ease with which the Packers scored their first touchdown on the game's opening drive may have lulled them into a false sense of security in a game for which the Broncos had been established as 12-point underdogs. Taking over on their own 24-yard line following the opening kickoff, they swept 76 yards in 8 plays to mount a 7-0 lead, quarterback Brett Favre hitting split end Antonio Freeman with a 22-yard strike for the score at 4:02 of the first quarter and Ryan Longwell adding the conversion.
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Packers Radio Network with the call!
Freeman with a 22 yard TD catch |
It was to be the Packers' only lead of the game, the Broncos proceeding to retaliate with a 17-point response. Buoyed by a 32-yard kickoff return by Vaughn Hebron to the Denver 42, they countered with a 10-play, 58-yard scoring drive of their own, capped by the first of Davis' one-yard scoring runs. Jason Elam's conversion forged a 7-7 tie.
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| Mark Chmura ends the second half with a leaping 6 yard TD catch. |
Two fateful turnovers then ensued. Just two plays following the kickoff, Broncos defensive back Tyrone Braxton intercepted a Favre pass, intended for Robert Brooks, at the Green Bay 45-yard line. Eight plays later, Denver quarterback John Elway bootlegged around the Broncos' right flank into the end zone from one yard out to give the Coloradans the lead.
On the third play following the next kickoff, Favre fumbled when sacked by safety Steve Atwater and Neil Smith recovered at the Green Bay 33-yard line. This time, the Broncos had to settle for a 51-yard, Elam field goal, which provided them with a 17-7 lead.
Two possessions later, the Packers made club postseason history. Taking over at their own 5-yard line following a deep Denver punt, Favre maneuvered them 95 yards on a 17-play marathon - the longest drive in Green Bay's playoff history. The score came on a 6-yard throw to tight end Mark Chmura, completing a march that consumed 7 minutes and 26 seconds. Longwell's conversion reduced Denver's lead to 17-14 as the teams headed into the intermission.
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Packers Radio Network with the call!
Chmura's TD closes the gap to 17-14 |
The Packer faithful's optimism increased when the Green and Gold took quick advantage of a Terrell Davis fumble on the first play from scrimmage of the second half, forced and recovered by Tyrone Williams at the Denver 26-yard line. After one first down, the Packers contented themselves with tying the score at 17 with a 27-yard Longwell field goal.
Late in the third quarter, the Packers appeared to have the Broncos right where they wanted them - temporarily at least. But Denver, taking over at its own 8-yard line following a 51-yard Craig Hentrich punt, dispelled such notions by driving 92 yards in 13 plays for the go-ahead touchdown, again scored on a one-yard run by Davis.
The Packers then appeared to be in dubious circumstances themselves when Freeman followed the next kickoff and Denver's Tim McKyer recovered at the Green Bay 22-yard line. Packers safety Eugene Robinson extricated them from that dilemma, intercepting a John Elway pass two yards deep in the Green Bay end zone on first down and returning 17 yards to the Green Bay 15.
Favre promptly took fully advantage of the opportunity, escorting the Packers into the Denver end zone in just 4 plays, hitting Freeman from 13 yards out for what was to be Green Bay's final score of the day. Longwell's point squared the tally at 24-all.
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Packers Radio Network with the call!
Freeman gets a second score |
The defenses took over on two subsequent exchanges of possession - until the Broncos capitalized on a third chance. Taking over at the Green Bay 49-yard line following a 39-yard Hentrich punt, with 3:27 left to play, they penetrated the end zone in 5 plays, the big gainers a 23-yard pass to fullback Howard Griffith, a rare Elway target, and a 17-yard run to the one-yard line by Davis, who scored on the next play. Elam's fourth conversion made it 31-24, the eventual final score.
The Packers, however, gave one last, valiant effort. Starting from the Green Bay 30 following the kickoff, they swept to the Denver 35-yard line in 3 plays, including a pair of Dorsey Levens contributions, a 22-yard reception and a 13-yard run.
With a first down, the possibility of a tie - and potential overtime - looked bright. But it was not to be. After a first-play pass to Levens picked up 4 yards, Favre's next pass bounced off the hands of Freeman, closely covered by the Broncos' Darrien Gordon and John Mobley. On third down, a third Favre pass fell incomplete when Robert Brooks was flattened by converging Denver defenders Randy Hilliard and Atwater, forcing the Packers to take their third and final timeout with 32 seconds remaining in the game.
On fourth down, Favre went to his longtime "safety valve," tight end Mark Chmura, but he was under heavy blitzing pressure as he threw and the pass was knocked away by Mobley, lunging in front of Chmura. And, with 28 seconds remaining, the Packers' distinguished reign as world champions had come to an end.
| Scoring Summary |
| 1st Quarter |
GBP: 22 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (10:58)
Keyplays: 3 consecutive plays for First Downs; 2-13 yard catches by Freeman
DEN: 1 yard Davis TD run (Elam kick) (5:39) |
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| 2nd Quarter |
DEN: 1 yard Elway TD run (Elam kick) (14:55)
DEN: 51 yard Elam FG (12:21)
GBP: 6 yard TD pass; Favre to Chmura (Longwell kick) (:12)
Keyplays: 3rd & 9 - 21 yard pass to Chmura; 2nd & 10 - 10 yard pass to Chmura |
| 3rd Quarter |
GBP: 28 yard Longwell FG (11:59)
Keyplay: Terrell Davis Fumble
DEN: 1 yard Davis TD run (Elam kick) (:34) |
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| 4th Quarter |
GBP: 13 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (13:32)
Keyplays: Eugene Robinson INT; 27 yard catch by Freeman; 13 yard catch by Freeman
DEN: 1 yard Davis TD run (Elam kick) (1:45) |
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