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Green Bay vs. Detroit
9/6/98 - Packers win 38-19
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| LeRoy Butler scoops up a Scott Mitchell fumble and sprints 32-yards for the touchdown |
The Packers, out front 17-6 at halftime, were resilient and resourceful when they needed to be in the second half of their opener
against the Detroit Lions - more than sufficient to carry the day.
Putting together a 32-yard Ryan Longwell field goal, a 32-yard scoring
return with a fumble by strong safety LeRoy Butler and a 4-yard touchdown run by Dorsey Levens to cap an 80-yard drive, the Packers appeared to have matters somewhat comfortably in hand at the intermission.
(284K) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Butler recovers a fumble and runs it in for a TD |
(117K) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Levens bulls in for his first TD of the season |
The Lions, however, came out for the third quarter with a mission, ignited
by Terry Fair's 49-yard return of the kickoff to midfield. Seven plays
later, they were in the end zone by dint of a 25-yard pass from quarterback
Scott Mitchell to wide receiver Herman Moore.
After one uneventful exchange of punts, the Packers embarked on the most
impressive drive of the afternoon, moving 85 yards in 18 plays to score,
quarterback Brett Favre wafting a 6-yard pass to wideout Antonio Freeman in the left corner of the end zone. With Longwell's conversion, the Packers enjoyed a 12-point bulge, 24-12.
(213K) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
A looping TD to Freeman |
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| Dorsey Levens contributed with 98 yards from scrimmage |
The Lions, however, were not intimidated. On the succeeding kickoff,
Longwell drove the ball 71 yards. Detroit's Terry Fair, fielding the
football one yard deep, proceeded to return it 101 yards for a touchdown,
scoring as time ran out in the third quarter and thereby setting the stage
for one of the remarkable developments in Lambeau Field's storied history.
On Detroit's subsequent kickoff - as the fourth quarter began with the
Packers' lead now a more tenuous 24-19 - the Lions' Jason Hanson delivered
the ball to the Packers' Roell Preston at Green Bay's goal line. Setting out to his right, Preston shortly angled left toward the middle of the field to take advantage of his blockers and the opening presented, then veered toward the east boundary and streaked the distance to the end zone untouched.
(297K) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Preston returns the ball 100 yards for a TD |
Up 31-19 following Longwell's conversion, the Packers maintained control the rest of the way, adding a fifth and final touchdown on an 84-yard pass-run collaboration between Favre and Freeman, who sprinted down the east sidelines into the end zone with 1:53 remaining in the game.
(181K) | Packers Radio Network with the call!
Freeman goes 84 yards for the TD |
A key element in the Green and Gold's success was a remarkable third-down efficiency performance. They were successful on no fewer than 13 of 18 opportunities, an imposing 72.2 percentage, described by veteran Packers offensive line coach Tom Lovat as "phenomenal."
Favre, a highly efficient marksman in presiding over this process, completed 24 of 32 passes for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns - without an interception - while utilizing no fewer than eight receivers.
Four of those throws went to Freeman for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
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| Vonnie Holliday and the Packers' defense limited Barry Sanders to 70 yards on the day |
The contest was spiced by the 1998 debut of running back Dorsey Levens, who
had joined the team on the practice field only the previous Monday after
being a training camp and preseason holdout while working out a new
contract.
Thrown into the fire, of necessity, he handled the football on precisely half - 32 of 64 - of the Packers' offensive plays, rushing the football 25 times for 59 hard-earned yards and catching 7 passes for 38 more in his baptismal appearance while scoring the Packers' first offensive touchdown of the afternoon on a 4-yard burst.
The defense, meanwhile, was limiting Detroit's redoubtable Barry Sanders to 70 yards rushing in 17 attempts, ending two streaks owned by 1997's NFL Co-MVP - for most consecutive regular-season games, 100-or-more yards rushing (14); and most consecutive road games, 100-or-more yards rushing (10).
Cornerback Craig Newsome and linebacker Brian Williams emerged as the statistical leaders of the defense with 8 tackles apiece, cornerback Tyrone Williams weighing in with 7 stops and strong safety LeRoy Butler with 6.
Scoring Summary
- 1st Quarter
- GBP: 32 yard Longwell FG (9:24)
Key plays:
Preston - 28yd return;
Freeman - 17yd catch;
Chmura - 17yd catch
- GBP: 32 yard Butler TD Fumble Recovery (Longwell kick) (6:23)
Key plays:
B. Williams - forced fumble
- DET: 47 yard Hanson FG (1:15)
- 2nd Quarter
- GBP: 4 yard TD Levens (Longwell kick) (9:40)
Key plays:
Chmura - 3 catches for 32yds;
Brooks - 11yd catch;
2 penalties for 30yds
- DET: 43 yard Hanson FG (:47)
- 3rd Quarter
- DET: 25 yard TD pass; Mitchell to Moore (2pt: Failed) (12:39)
- GBP: 6 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (:17)
Key plays:
Mayes 4 catches for 38yds;
Thomason - 13yd catch;
Schroeder - 13yd catch
- DET: 101 yard TD Fair kickoff return (Hanson kick) (:17)
- 4th Quarter
- GBP: 100 yard TD Preston kickoff return (Longwell kick) (15:00)
- GBP: 84 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick)
(1:53)
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