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Green Bay vs. San Francisco
1/3/99 - Packers lose 30-27
With three seconds left and the Packers leading 27-23, 49ers quarterback
Steve Young hit receiver Terrell Owens over the middle for the
game-winning touchdown, and the 1998-1999 Green Bay Packers season ended
at the hands of the 49ers, 27-30.
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| Reggie White played his last game as a Green Bay Packer |
"It's disappointing, obviously," Coach Mike Holmgren said.
"I tip my hat to them," Favre said. "I thought we had 'em."
On that game-winning drive, safety Scott McGarrahan forced a fumble on
Jerry Rice and recovered.
The referee ruled him down.
General Manager Ron Wolf called for instant replay, arguing the better
team didn't win the game.
"Let's use the tool," Wolf said. "The team with the most points won the
game."
"We can sit here and make excuses all day," Favre said. "It's one of
those great ball games."
The Packers played with tremendous heart, gutting out a touchdown on the
previous drive. Quarterback Brett Favre hit rookie receiver Corey
Bradford on a fly pattern to get into scoring position, and then hit
Freeman for his second touchdown of the game on a slant-and-go route for
the score to take the lead.
(217K) |
Packers Radio Network with the call!
Freeman Scores Second TD |
"(The call) was a toss sweep to the right," Favre said. "(I called) an
audible. Free ran a great route."
But Young made the plays when he had to, eluding a three-man rush on the
final drive and making near-perfect throws under pressure.
The Packers did send the blitz early. On the 49ers' opening drive,
Butler blitzed untouched on third-and-three with four receivers split
wide. Quarterback Steve Young ducked Butler and got off the pass to
Owens. But safety Darren Sharper stripped the ball from behind and
safety Pat Terrell recovered.
Quarterback Brett Favre led his team down the field on the opening drive
with short passes to running back Dorsey Levens and fullback William
Henderson, and Levens' 28 yards rushing on the drive.
(174K) |
Packers Radio Network with the call!
Levens Scores! |
On third-and-five on the San Francisco five, Favre zipped a bullet to
tight end Tyrone Davis, who was split wide one-on-one with a 49er
cornerback, but Davis, who hadn't played the last three weeks due to
injury, let the ball shoot through his hands. The Packers settled for a
23-yard Ryan Longwell field goal to lead 3-0.
On the Packers' second possession, safety Tim McDonald swatted the ball
away from Levens and San Francisco recovered. On second-and-goal, Young
found tight end Greg Clark alone in the back of the end zone for the
touchdown. The 49ers led 7-3.
On second-and-nine on the next drive, the Packers ran Levens out of the
"I" formation with three receivers wide for a 17-yard gain. Henderson's
block on linebacker Lee Woodall cleared the way up the gut.
On fourth-and one, Holmgren split three receivers wide, sent Freeman in
motion--a move that usually signals the play is a pass to Freeman--and
then let Favre hand the ball to Levens, who shot through a hole on the
right side outside tackle Earl Dotson and inside tight end Mark Chmura
for a 22-yard gain to the San Francisco two yard line.
On the next play, Favre went to Freeman on a little post pattern.
Freeman, dragging safety Merton Hanks, who was flagged for illegally
holding the Packers star, made an easy catch on Favre's gentle
touch-pass for his 15th touchdown this season.
(161K) |
Packers Radio Network with the call!
Favre and Freeman Connect for 6 |
The Packers pulled back ahead 10-7.
On the ensuing drive, Young threw a fly pattern to J.J. Stokes down the
left sideline, and Packers cornerback Tyrone Williams had perfect
coverage with inside position and looked back for the ball as it came,
knocked it away, and Sharper made his second big play, diving to make
the interception. Green Bay took over at its own 18.
The 49ers defense held, and Wade Richey hit a 34-yard field goal to tie
the score, 10-10.
Favre hit Freeman from the slot position over the middle for a big gain
into San Francisco territory. But Longwell missed a 50-yard field goal
and the score remained tied.
After the Packers defense held, Pro Bowl returner Roell Preston fumbled
the punt and the 49ers' long snapper Randy Kirk recovered on the Green
Bay 18 yard line. But two plays later, Packers defensive end Vaughn
Booker forced Young to throw early to Hearst, and linebacker George
Koonce picked it off.
On the ensuing drive, Forty-Niners ends Chris Doleman and Roy Barker hit
Favre late after he threw incomplete to Davis, and the referees tacked
on two 15-yard penalties. Favre came back to hit receiver Robert Brooks
on a slant route over the middle of the zone defense for a 24-yard gain.
Right guard Adam Timmerman and center Jeff Dellenbach executed a
beautiful screen for Levens, who took the pass down to the San Francisco
three-yard line. Then Levens ran behind the right side again for the
two-yard touchdown.
The Packers went into the locker room with a 17-10 lead. Levens went
into the locker room with 106 of the Packers' 215 total yards on 22
touches, including 79 yards on 17 attempts. He finished the game with
116 yards rushing and 37 more receiving.
On the first drive of the second half, receiver Derrick Mayes made a
spectacular catch falling backward and almost on his back. But then the
49ers defense stiffened against the run, Favre threw an interception on
third and 21 to linebacker Lee Woodall, who returned it deep into Green
Bay territory. Young found Clark again on a crossing pattern for a
second touchdown to tie the score at 17. Like his first score, Clark
pretended to fall down at the line, then got up uncovered and wide open.
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| Gilbert Brown |
The 49ers had a player on each side of the ball step up to make an
impact. On defense, it was end Charles Haley, a probable Hall of Famer
who put pressure on Favre on key plays. The other was running back
Garrison Hearst, who gained 128 yards rushing and 17 receiving despite a
sore hamstring. The 49ers, the NFL's leading running team in the
regular season, gained 178 yards on the ground.
With the Packers pinned deep in their own territory on fourth down, the
score still tied and the home crowd in hysterics, punter Sean Landeta
came through again for his team. He boomed a punt 54 yards to bail the
Packers defense out of bad position.
But the 49ers drove far enough so Richey could kick a 48-yard field goal
to take a 20-17 lead.
Favre came back to a quick out to Chmura on the right side, then over
the middle on play-action to fullback William Henderson, who caught the
ball on the run, outran two linebackers and leapt over strong safety Tim
McDonald for a 33-yard gain. Longwell hit a 37-yarder to tie the score
at 20-20.
The 49ers went downfield to Terrell Owens, who made a wonderful catch
over Williams' solid coverage. Richey made a 40-yarder to go ahead
23-20.
On the next play from scrimmage, the 49ers went to a nickel defense on
first down and when Favre went to Davis deep, cornerback Darnall Walker
intercepted the football with just under five minutes remaining.
It was most likely defensive end Reggie White's last game.
"You don't replace a Reggie White," Holmgren said. "He's going to go
into the Hall of Fame."
Video Clips
(478k) |
Freeman catches his first TD of the day |
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(287k) |
Levens rumbles in for the score |
(346k) |
Freeman is wide open for the TD |
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(316k) |
Harris and Dotson combine for the sack |
(683k) |
Holliday gets to Young for the sack |
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(485k) |
Koonce grabs the INT from Young |
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Scoring Summary
- 1st Quarter
- GBP: 23 yard Longwell FG (9:26)
Key plays:
Terrell: Fumble recovery;
- SFR: 1 yard TD pass; Young to Clark (Richey kick) (5:36)
- 2nd Quarter
- GBP: 2 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (14:56)
Key plays:
Levens: 22 yard run;
- SFR: 34 yard Richey FG (10:48)
- GBP: 2 yard TD run; Levens (Longwell kick) (:30)
Key plays:
Koonce: INT;
Brooks: 24 yard reception;
- 3rd Quarter
- SFR: 8 yard TD pass; Young to Clark (Richey kick) (11:03)
- SFR: 38 yard Richey FG (2:12)
- 4th Quarter
- GBP: 37 yard Longwell FG (11:50)
Key plays:
Henderson: 33 yard reception;
- SFR: 40 yard Richey FG (6:13)
- GBP:15 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (2:00)
Key plays:
Bradford: 47 yard reception;
- SFR: 25 yard TD pass; Young to Owens (Richey kick) (:03)
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