 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Green Bay vs. New Orleans
8/28/99 - Packers win 38-17
 |
| Bill Schroeder makes a leaping grab in traffic in the back of the endzone to give the Packers the lead in the 2nd quarter of Saturday night's game against the Saints. |
Strong quarterback performances by both Brett Favre and Matt Hasselbeck helped the Green Bay Packers to remain undefeated in the 1999 preseason, Saturday, as they rolled past the New Orleans Saints, 38-17, in the Louisiana Superdome.
Billie Joe Hobert and the Saints began the contest by driving 77 yards in 15 plays, to score the first touchdown of the game, a 12-yard strike from Hobert to Brent Bech. The scoring drive consumed almost half of the first quarter, as the Saints used 7:25 seconds to find the end zone.
A little more than two minutes later in the first quarter, New Orleans found themselves conducting another long drive. Using a mix of draw plays and quick receiving routes, the Saints drove 52 yards to the Packers' 26-yard line. The Packers defense held strong at this point, as cornerback Craig Newsome stripped quarterback Billie Joe Hobert of the ball and LeRoy Butler scooped the ball and motored 68 yards, before being dragged down at the Saints' 6-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Brett Favre found wide receiver Antonio Freeman, who was seeing his first action of the preseason, for a 5-yard touchdown pass. It was Freeman's first score of 1999.
In the second period New Orleans struck first, as kicker Doug Brien nailed a 33-yard try at the 8:13 mark, making the Saints' lead, 10-7.
On their next series, the Packers flexed their offensive muscles as Favre moved Green Bay 73 yards to the end zone in 8 plays. The drive was culminated by a leaping one-yard scoring grab by wideout Bill Schroeder. Favre's scoring pass to Schroeder ended his tour of duty for the night, as he finished with 162 yards passing, while completing 11 of 19 passes and throwing for two scores.
With 4:40 left in the half, Mike Ditka's crew struck right back, as on the third play of their ensuing drive, Hobert found wide receiver Keith Poole on a quick slant pattern. Poole outraced his defender, as well as the safety on his way to a 58 yard score, making it 17-14.
It would be the last bright spot of the night for the boys from the Big Easy, as from this point on the Packers would score 24 unanswered points.
As the first half came to a close, backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck entered the game with no thoughts of running out the clock. Yet another impressive game for Hasselbeck began with 51 seconds remaining, as he used 5 plays, including a 44-yard completion to Corey Bradford to move Green Bay into scoring position. The first half ended with Ryan Longwell hitting on a 23-yard field goal, tying the score at 17 apiece.
In the second half the Saints began their first drive at their own 4-yard line and got out of the dangerous area quickly, as Billie Joe Tolliver completed a 40-yard strike to Ryan Yarborough at the New Orleans 44-yard line. Three plays later disaster struck for the Saints as Green Bay safety Darren Sharper intercepted a pass at the Green Bay 37-yard line and returned it 16 yards to the New Orleans 47-yard line.
Hasselbeck then came on to throw his first pass of the drive, 47 yards to Jahine Arnold for a touchdown. The streak pattern by Arnold split the cornerback and safety perfectly, making the score 24-17 and giving the Pack a lead that they would not relinquish.
The next drive for the Saints began at their own 20-yard line and the result of the possession did not bode well. Three plays later, Packer defensive tackle Billy Lyon recovered a Tolliver fumble at the New Orleans 29-yard line.
Then, after four consecutive handoffs to running back Basil Mitchell, who finished the night as the Packers' leading rusher, Hasselbeck hit wideout Corey Bradford with a 2-yard scoring throw. The touchdown pass was Hasselbeck's seventh in three games, miraculously pushing his passing rating even higher up the charts.
The next three New Orleans possessions proved to be a time for the Green Bay defense to shine. First-round pick cornerback Antuan Edwards snared a Tolliver throw that was intended for Yarborough and one possession later, cornerback Tod McBride grabbed a Danny Wuerffel pass in the back of the end zone.
At the 1:52 mark of the fourth quarter, with the game's outcome already set, safety Rodney Artmore intercepted another pass from Wuerffel and the Packers marched 13 yards for the final margin. A 9-yard touchdown scamper by Basil Mitchell ended the drive, as Mitchell ended the night with 46 yards on 12 carries.
The Packers next return to action this Thursday, Sept. 2, as they attempt to finish an undefeated preseason schedule, when they take on ageless Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins. The matchup is set for 7:00 p.m. (CST) in Lambeau Field.
 Game Highlights in Real Audio
Post-Game Audio Highlights
Head Coach Ray Rhodes (Real Audio)
QB Brett Favre (Real Audio)
QB Matt Hasselbeck (Real Audio)
CB Antuan Edwards (Real Audio)
Scoring Summary
4th Quarter
GBP: 10 yard TD run; Mitchell (Longwell kick) (0:21)
Drive: 3 plays, 14 yards, 1:19
3rd Quarter
GBP: 3 yard TD pass; Hasselbeck to Bradford (Longwell kick) (0:26)
Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 3:25
GBP: 47 yard TD pass; Hasselbeck to Arnold (Longwell kick) (10:48)
Drive: 1 plays, 47 yards, 0:07
2nd Quarter
GBP: 23 yard Longwell FG (0:12)
Drive: 7 plays, 58 yards, 0:39
NOS: 19 yard TD pass; Hobert to Poole (Brien kick) (3:08)
GBP: 1 yard TD pass; Favre to Schroeder (Longwell kick) (4:51)
Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 3:22
NOS: 34 yard Brien FG (8:12)
GBP: 18 yard TD pass; Favre to Freeman (Longwell kick) (14:49)
Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 0:30
1st Quarter
NOS: 19 yard TD pass; Hobert to Bech (Brien kick) (7:35)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
