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| Sunday, December 15, 2002 - 3:15 pm at 3Com Park |
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1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
| Packers |
3 |
0 |
14 |
3 |
20 |
| 49ers |
0 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
14 |
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Packers Player Of The Game
He made no completion longer than a 23-yarder to Tyrone Davis, but on a wet and windy day in the Bay Area, Brett Favre was masterful. Favre hooked up with eight receivers en route to a 25-of-33 performance for 201 yards and one touchdown. He had no interceptions, no fumbles (a quarterback rating of 100.7). At one stretch he completed 13 straight passes. He carried the Packers to a key road win.
49ers Player Of The Game
Eric Johnson also had eight receptions, but it was Terrell Owens' eight catches for 75 yards that led the team. Other than a 45-yard touchdown reception, the Packers' defense must be praised for limiting Owens' big-play ability, but Owens still made his mark on the game.
Stat Of The Game
In the wet surrounds of 3COM Park, turnovers seemed unavoidable, yet the Packers and 49ers combined for only one turnover Sunday. And, as is often the case, the team with the fewer turnovers won.
Play Of The Game
The Packers had scored on their opening possession of the second half, but the 49ers seemed ready to answer. With first-and-10 at the Green Bay 35-yard-line, 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia dropped back to pass, but Packers linebacker Hardy Nickerson wrapped him up from behind as Garcia looked to throw. The ball came loose, hitting tackle Matt Willig in the back and deflecting toward Vonnie Holliday, who snatched the interception. Holliday then made a lateral pitch to Na'il Diggs, who returned the ball 33 yards before being pushed out of bounds at the San Francisco 29-yard-line. Six plays later, the Packers scored another touchdown to give them some much-needed distance. The play would go down as the only turnover of the game.
THEY SAID IT
GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman --
On J.J. Moses mis-fielding punt: "It was really our fault. I think we can do a better job. The punter boomed the first one and the second one didn't kick it quite as well, so where do you put him? We probably had him up a bit too tight and he boomed that one so I look at that as us learning. We maybe put him up to close and probably need to back him up a little bit. But I thought he did fine (as a whole)."
On last play of the game: "We played a quarters defense, with four deep, which is what we played the last time he (Terrell Owens) beat us at the end of the game, actually. Played it a little bit better this time."
On Holliday's interception, and Diggs return: "That was a key play of the game obviously because we were able to convert that into points. When you're able to do that, that's significant."
On if Holliday should have risked the lateral pitch: "We don't practice it and we shouldn't do it, so I will take care of that."
On lack of turnovers: "Not to turn the ball over on the road against this team and this defense, which they are so multiple and they give you so many problems, (was key). They give you a different look on every single play, so that was huge not turning the ball over against them."
Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell --
On defensive strategy late in the 49ers' last drive: "This kid (Jeff Garcia), as he did a couple plays earlier, he can get around the edge and when he gets on the edge he can make any throw. So we wanted to make him do exactly what he did, step up and make a throw where he didn't have a good look."
On turnovers caused: "The one we got was huge because it led to a score, but that's not like us. We're usually a three, four, five takeaways a game, and we haven't quite been acting like ourselves and we're going to start acting like ourselves as we get into this playoff stretch."
Brett Favre --
On Holliday interception, Diggs return: "That was a huge play in the game. The first drive of the second half was huge, but that play was the spark that we needed. I've played in a lot of games, but that's one of the best games I've ever played in, I'm just talking both sides of the ball, San Francisco, Packers. Just a well-played game in some terrible conditions. Both teams executed well ... That was something we needed because they played extremely well."
On offense's second-half surge: "I don't know, we just basically called the same plays and took a few more shots down the field which we were a little bit hesitant in the first half, for obvious reasons. And even in the second half, but at some point we had to take some chances and it worked out."
On game: "We just made one more play than they did."
On Kevin Barry's performance in his first NFL start: "At some point you've got to get your feet wet. I just don't know if you want to be pointed at right before the game and said, 'you're playing.' But he did a great job ... That's kind of been the story of our team and season thus far is that guys have had to step in and make plays and fortunately we've been able to do that."
On if he was confident in the Packers' defense while watching the last 49ers drive: "I was confident, but I was also pretty confident they could score. They're a good football team, they have potential every time they throw the football. Our defense has hung on all year and fought. They made a great stand down there at the end, but they did a great job of getting down there to that point. I had confidence in our defense, but I also was worried."
On remembering playoff game of '99 ('98 season): "I think it did cross my mind once or twice what happened years ago. But we come up with some plays, and I can't say enough about our defense and they way they've played all year."
Ahman Green --
On importance of running game: "We knew with the weather, with it raining, it was going to be tough to pass the ball and tough to catch the ball. We knew we got to go by ground and that was just by running power plays and counter plays and running the ball right at them. It was tough with their defense, they're stout, but you keep pounding a team sometimes it kind of wears on them after a while."
On feeling of another 1,000-yard rushing season: "It feels great, it's a great accomplishment to my offensive linemen and this team to be able to produce a back-to-back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield."
Vonnie Holliday --
On interception: "As I spun around I saw a couple Pack guys and they were all not-blocking for me, they were all trying to get the ball. So I pitched it to Diggs and he took off running down the sidelines which I thought was going to be a sure enough score, but he got caught by a lineman."
On game, performance: "This game was really big for me ... I felt like today I made steps in the right direction to getting back to the way I played early in the season before all the injuries. Took the harness off today which was a plus, felt very excited, very confident going into the game, and I was able to move around there and make some plays and get to Garcia a little bit and help stop the run game."
Cletidus Hunt --
On third-down play before final play of the game: "I wasn't trying to get upfield like normal ... I gave him a move, and I really had the corner, but I stopped and pulled him more to the inside to keep that pocket a little tight, so Kabeer or Vonnie or whoever could come around."
Darren Sharper --
On how the Packers were able to stop the run: "Attitude probably. Just knowing coming in that they were going to try and run the football. We set our minds to stop the run. We knew it was going to be a big part of the game. Once we did that we forced them to throw the ball and the conditions were not conducive I think for their personnel to throw the football and that allowed us to do a lot of things on defense."
On win: "It definitely was huge. It lets us know that we can go on the road if it comes down to it in the playoffs and beat a quality team. The way we were able to stop the running attack and also make some big plays in crucial situations should give us a lot of confidence heading into this next little stretch here."
Mike Wahle --
On win: "This didn't make our season, but I'm really happy we came out with the victory."
On win: "This is a top-tier team and we beat them on the road. We haven't had the success on the road versus the New Orleans Saints, the Tampa Bays, the top-tier teams. I think this is one of those games that we really came out and proved it to ourselves that we can do it and it will really help us out down the line."
GAME NOTES
Sunday's paid attendance at 3COM Park was 67,947
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End of 4th quarter. Game over.
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The 49ers got as close as the 11-yard line, but couldn't pick up the first down or touchdown. Jeff Garcia's pass to Eric Johnson bounced on the turf before a reception could be made. Johnson had two receptions worth 21 yards earlier on the drive.
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Ryan Longwell knocked it through from 28-yards out to extend the Packers' lead (4:41, 4th quarter). The Packers had a pair of third-down conversions to keep the drive moving. Terry Glenn left his feet and withstood a hit to make a 16-yard grab on third-and-8. William Henderson made a 13-yard catch-and-run on third-and-4. The Packers scoring drive was 11 plays, 53 yards. Time of the drive was 4:59.
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Ryan Longwell missed a 42-yard field goal attempt wide-right (10:37, 4th quarter. The 49ers took over at the 32-yard-line. The miss ended a streak of 14 consecutive field goals made by Longwell.
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End of 3rd quarter.
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Terrell Owens hauled in Jeff Garcia's pass and broke a tackle for a 45-yard touchdown (1:04, 3rd quarter). Garcia followed with a run up the middle for the 2-point conversion. The 49ers scoring drive was 8 plays, 73 yards. Time of the drive was 4:31.
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Brett Favre found Donald Driver for a 5-yard touchdown pass to extend the Packers' lead (5:35, 3rd quarter). The Packers started at the San Francisco 29-yard-line thanks to Vonnie Holliday's interception and Na'il Diggs' return. The Packers scoring drive was 6 plays, 29 yards. Time of the drive was 3:19.
With the reception, Donald Driver crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.
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With the 49ers at the Green Bay 35-yard-line, Hardy Nickerson hit 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia in the act of throwing, causing the ball to hit tackle Matt Willig in the back and deflect to Vonnie Holliday for the interception. Holliday then made a lateral to Na'il Diggs who ran it down the sideline to the San Francisco 29-yard-line (8:54, 3rd quarter).
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Ahman Green made a 9-yard touchdown run up the middle to move the Packers ahead (11:02, 3rd quarter). Brett Favre completed a 15-yard pass to Donald Driver on third-and-9 to get the drive moving. Tyrone Davis had two receptions worth 35-yards. Terry Glenn provided a 22-yard catch-and-run. The Packers scoring drive was 9 plays, 79 yards. Time of the drive was 3:58.
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End of 2nd quarter. Halftime.
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Jeff Chandler kicked his second field goal of the game, this time from 42 yards out to give the 49ers the lead (0:07, 2nd quarter). Terrell Owens made a pair of third-down catches to keep the 49ers' drive going. The 49ers scoring drive was 13 plays, 44 yards. Time of the drive was 3:52.
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Jeff Chandler answered for the 49ers with a 47-yard field goal to tie the game (9:34, 2nd quarter). The 49ers started just short of midfield and got a 15-yard run from Kevin Barlow. After an encroachment penalty made it first-and-5, the Packers defense held the 49ers to the field goal attempt. The 49ers scoring drive was 5 plays, 23 yards.
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End of 1st quarter.
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Ryan Longwell's 46-yard field goal put the Packers on the scoreboard first (2:12, 1st quarter). The Packers started their second possession of the game at the San Francisco 46-yard-line after a 20-yard punt by Bill LaFleur. The Packers had two third-down conversions on the drive, the first on a 5-yard pass to Tony Fisher, the second on a 9-yard catch by Donald Driver. The Packers reached the San Francisco 20-yard-line, but lost ground thereafter. The Packers scoring drive was 10 plays, 16 yards. Time of the drive was 4:37.
The field goal by Longwell was his 14th straight, establishing a career best.
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Playing in his 173rd consecutive regular season game today, Brett Favre extends the second-longest such streak in team history. Only Forrest Gregg played in more consecutive regular season games for the Packers, holding the record at 187. Also today, Favre extends his NFL record for consecutive regular season starts by a quarterback to 171. That's the longest active streak among NFL players at any position.
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The 49ers earned one first down but the Packers shut them down after that, forcing a punt. The Packers' first offensive possession started at the Green Bay 21-yard-line (12:00, 1st quarter).
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The following Packers players are inactive for today's contest: Karsten Bailey, Gilbert Brown, Earl Dotson, David Martin, Craig Nall (third quarterback), Jamal Reynolds, Moe Smith, Marcus Wilkins.
Rod Walker will start in place of Gilbert Brown.
Rookie Kevin Barry will make his first NFL start in place of Earl Dotson (back tightness). |
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