2011: Packers Defeat Steelers in Super Bowl XLV

Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 pitted the team that had won the most NFL titles, the Green Bay Packers with 12, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the club that had won six Super Bowls, the most since that annual showcase had come into existence.

The Packers, who overcame a rash of injuries throughout the season, were the sixth seed in the NFC coming into the playoffs. Having started out the 2010 season at 3-3, they won five of their next six games and finished second in the NFC North at 10-6. QB Aaron Rodgers (pictured above), the successor to Brett Favre as starting quarterback, suffered two concussions but also came into his own in a year in which he led the NFL in passing with a 101.2 rating. Pro Bowl WR Greg Jennings was the most productive of a good receiving corps (76 catches, 1265 yards, 12 TDs) while WR Jordy Nelson was coming on in the postseason. The running game had been a chronic problem after RB Ryan Grant suffered a season-ending injury in the opening game, but RB James Starks was a pleasant surprise in the playoffs. The defense featured a solid group of linebackers led by OLB Clay Matthews. Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s team went on the road in the postseason and defeated the Eagles in the Wild Card round, ambushed the top-seeded Falcons in Atlanta, and then bested the long-time rival Bears for the NFC title.

Pittsburgh, under Head Coach Mike Tomlin for the fourth year, topped the AFC North at 12-4 despite not having QB Ben Roethlisberger for the first four games due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The Steelers were 3-1 without him and when Roethlisberger returned, he played well. Wide receivers Mike Wallace and Hines Ward were productive while RB Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 1273 yards and 13 TDs. The Steelers ranked second in the league in total defense, and the unit was solid throughout. Pittsburgh defeated the division-rival Ravens and Jets to reach the Super Bowl.

Wintry weather had been a problem in the week leading up to the contest, but clear skies and milder temperatures returned on game day. There were 103,219 fans in attendance at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with many more watching the telecast.

The teams exchanged punts until midway through the first quarter, when the Packers put together a nine-play, 79-yard scoring drive. James Starks ran for eight yards on a third-and-one play and Aaron Rodgers completed three passes to Jordy Nelson, the third of which was good for a 29-yard touchdown. Mason Crosby added the extra point.

An illegal block on the ensuing kickoff had the Steelers starting at their seven yard line, and on the next play Ben Roethlisberger threw long and was intercepted by FS Nick Collins, who returned it 37 yards for a TD. Crosby’s conversion put Green Bay up by 14-0.

The Steelers came back with a 13-play drive that extended into the second quarter and was helped along by Roethlisberger scrambling for 18 yards on a third-and-nine play and passing to WR Emmanuel Sanders for the necessary 13 yards in a third down situation to the Green Bay 22. The drive finally stalled at the 15 and Shaun Suisham kicked a 33-yard field goal to get the AFC Champs on the board.

The Packers went three-and-out on their next series and Pittsburgh moved to midfield before Roethlisberger again was picked off, this time by DB Jarrett Bush, giving the Packers the ball at their own 47. It took Green Bay just four plays to make the most of the turnover. Rodgers completed passes to Greg Jennings for four yards and then Nelson for 16 before Starks ran for 12 yards to the Pittsburgh 21. From there, Rodgers again connected with Jennings down the middle (pictured below), this time for a touchdown and, with Crosby’s PAT, a 21-3 lead.

Down by 18 points and getting the ball back on offense with 2:24 left in the first half, the Steelers advanced 77 yards in seven plays. Roethlisberger started off with a throw to WR Antwaan Randle El that picked up 37 yards to the Green Bay 40. Another Roethlisberger pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage, but he completed his next four tosses, three of which were to the 34-year-old veteran Hines Ward. The last completion to Ward was good for a six-yard touchdown and, following Suisham’s extra point, the score was 21-10 at halftime.

The Packers had the first possession of the third quarter and punted, with a face mask penalty on the return giving Pittsburgh favorable field position at the 50. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 17 yards on first down and, following a short running play, Roethlisberger gained six yards on a scramble that set up third-and-one. RB Isaac Redman gained 16 yards around end and Mendenhall capped the five-play series with an eight-yard touchdown carry. Suisham added the extra point and the Steelers were behind by just four points and appeared to have the momentum.

The Packers had another short possession followed by a punt, and the Steelers, starting at their 40, again moved into Green Bay territory. Roethlisberger threw to Ward for a 15-yard gain to the 29, but the Packers stiffened on defense and, following a third-down sack of Roethlisberger, Suisham was wide on a 52-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts for the remainder of the period but, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Mendenhall fumbled, which was forced by Clay Matthews, and LB Desmond Bishop recovered for the Packers at the Green Bay 38. Two pass completions were followed by two that fell incomplete, but facing third-and-10, Rodgers connected with Nelson for 38 yards to the Pittsburgh two. Rodgers was sacked by LB LaMarr Woodley for a loss of six yards on first down but followed up with an eight-yard scoring pass to Jennings. With the successful conversion, the Packers held a widened lead of 28-17.

The Steelers responded with a 66-yard drive in seven plays. All of those plays were Roethlisberger passes, and he completed six of them, including the last to Mike Wallace for 25 yards and a TD (pictured below). Pittsburgh then went for a two-point conversion and it was successful when Randle-El took a pitchout and reached the end zone. Green Bay’s lead was narrowed to three points at 28-25.

The Packers started their next possession at their 25 with 7:34 left to play. Rodgers was sacked on first down by DE Ziggy Hood but threw to Nelson for nine yards and, after a false start backed them up five yards, Rodgers went deep to Nelson for a gain of 31 yards to the Pittsburgh 44. Starks ran twice for a total of 15 yards before Rodgers went long for WR James Jones and picked up 21 yards to the eight yard line. The Steelers held on defense, but Crosby added a crucial 23-yard field goal to make it a six-point game.

With the clock now down to just over two minutes, the Steelers had one last shot. Starting at their 13, Roethlisberger threw to TE Heath Miller for 15 yards and Ward for five, but the next three passes fell incomplete and with that Green Bay came away with a 31-25 win.

The Steelers led in total yards (387 to 338) and first downs (19 to 15). They also recorded three sacks, to one by Green Bay. However, Pittsburgh also turned the ball over three times, to no turnovers by the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers, the game’s MVP, completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Jordy Nelson had 9 catches for 140 yards and a TD while Greg Jennings scored twice while pulling in four receptions for 64 yards. The Packers didn’t run the ball much, and James Starks led the club with 52 yards on 11 carries.

For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger was successful on 25 of 40 throws for 263 yards with two TDs, but also two interceptions, and ran for 31 yards on four attempts. Mike Wallace was the top receiver with 9 catches for 89 yards and a touchdown and Hines Ward contributed 7 receptions for 78 yards that also included a score. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 63 yards and a TD on 14 carries.

“This is where it (the Lombardi Trophy) belongs,” said LB A.J. Hawk. “As long as the Packers have lived, it’s going to be great to bring that back.”

It was the 13^th league championship for the Packers, and they appeared on their way to another when they went 15-1 in 2011. However, they fell flat in a loss to the Giants at the Divisional playoff level to snuff out their hopes of repeating. Pittsburgh again went 12-4, finishing second in the AFC North, but lost in stunning fashion to the Denver Broncos in overtime of their Wild Card playoff contest. 

2004: Harris INT Return in Overtime Gives Packers Win Over Seahawks

The NFC Wild Card playoff game on January 4, 2004 featured the Green Bay Packers, winners of the NFC North with a 10-6 record, against the visiting Seattle Seahawks, also a 10-6 team that had placed second in the NFC West.

The Packers, coached by Mike Sherman for the fourth year, had struggled through much of the season and were at 6-6 after a Thanksgiving loss at Detroit, but won their remaining games to win the division. The key to the offense was 34-year-old QB Brett Favre (pictured above), as had been the case for over a decade. Seemingly indestructible, Favre had been playing with a broken thumb on his throwing hand for the previous eleven weeks. RB Ahman Green rushed for a NFC-leading 1883 yards during the season. Second-year WR Javon Walker emerged as a fine deep threat while WR Donald Driver remained the top receiver. The midseason addition of NT Grady Jackson boosted the defense and rookie MLB Nick Barnett led the club in tackles.

Seattle was coached by Mike Holmgren, who had led the Packers to two NFC Championships and a Super Bowl win in 1996-97. Now he had the Seahawks in the playoffs for the first time in four years, but while they had been undefeated at home, they were only 2-6 on the road. QB Matt Hasselbeck, who had originally been drafted by Green Bay, directed the offense with skill and RB Shaun Alexander was productive. The pass defense was suspect, ranking 27^th in the NFL during the regular season.

It was a 20-degree day with a wind chill that was far lower and there were 71,457 fans in attendance at Lambeau Field. The Packers punted following their first possession and Seattle drove 57 yards in ten plays. Matt Hasselbeck completed consecutive passes to WR Koren Robinson for 11 and 15 yards to get the series underway and with Shaun Alexander contributing runs of 8 and 17 yards along the way, the Seahawks reached the Green Bay nine. However, from there Alexander lost yardage on two carries and, after Hasselbeck’s third down pass fell incomplete, Josh Brown kicked a 30-yard field goal.

The teams traded punts for the remainder of the opening period. Early in the second quarter, the Packers took possession at midfield following a punt and moved quickly to the Seattle 21 when Brett Favre threw to FB William Henderson for a 29-yard gain. Two carries by Ahman Green (pictured below) picked up eight yards and, after an incomplete pass on third down, Ryan Longwell tied the score with a 31-yard field goal.

The Seahawks came back with an eight-play, 51-yard drive. Hasselbeck had a 28-yard completion to WR Bobby Engram to get the ball to the Green Bay 28, but after getting a first down at the 17, Hasselbeck was held to three incomplete passes and Seattle settled for a 35-yard field goal by Brown that put the visitors back in front.

Green Bay came back quickly, taking five plays to advance 80 yards. Favre immediately connected with Javon Walker for a 44-yard gain to the Seattle 36. Another pass, this time to Green, picked up another 13 yards and Favre finished the series with a throw to TE Bubba Franks for a 23-yard touchdown. Longwell kicked the extra point and the Packers had a 10-6 lead.

The Seahawks lost yardage and had to punt following their next series and the Packers got the ball back in Seattle territory with 2:18 remaining in the half. In a possession featuring a Favre pass to Donald Driver that gained 23 yards, the Packers managed to add to their lead when Longwell booted a 27-yard field goal. The score was 13-6 at halftime.

The Seahawks had the first possession in the third quarter and drove 74 yards in ten plays. Hasselbeck completed five passes along the way, starting with a throw to WR Darrell Jackson that picked up 25 yards to start things off. TE Itula Mili had two receptions that totaled 29 yards and, on fourth-and-goal at the Green Bay one, Alexander scored a touchdown. Adding Brown’s extra point, the game was tied at 13-13.

Following a punt by the Packers, Seattle again mounted a scoring drive, this time advancing 77 yards in 11 plays. Six of the plays were Hasselbeck pass completions, including one to Engram for 15 yards on third-and-four and another to Robinson that picked up 33 yards to the Green Bay 19. Once again, Alexander ran for a one-yard TD and, adding on Brown’s PAT, the visitors were up by 20-13.

Green Bay came back with a 12-play, 60-yard series that extended into the fourth quarter. Favre completed all five of his passes and Green ran for two yards on a fourth-and-one play at the Seattle three. Green followed up by gaining the last yard for a touchdown and, with Longwell adding the extra point, the game was once again tied at 20-20 with ten minutes remaining in regulation.

The Seahawks went three-and-out on their next possession and Tom Rouen’s punt was returned 21 yards by WR Antonio Chatman for good field position at the Seattle 49. Favre completed three passes and Green again converted a fourth down with a two-yard carry (although he lost the ball at the end, it was ruled that his forward progress had been stopped before the fumble, much to the consternation of Mike Holmgren), one of his six during the 12-play, 51-yard drive. He picked up a total of 21 yards, including one yard for a TD. Longwell’s extra point again made it a seven-point contest with the clock now down to less than three minutes.

The Seahawks took over at their 33 following the kickoff and Hasselbeck immediately passed to Robinson for nine yards and Jackson for another 16. Now at the Green Bay 42, on the second play after the two-minute warning Hasselbeck connected with Engram for 34 yards to the eight. Alexander ran for two yards, a five-yard penalty moved the ball to the one, and it was Alexander going the final yard for a TD. Brown’s extra point again knotted the score at 27-27.

The Packers still had 51 seconds to work with and reached the Seattle 30 after Favre threw to Walker for 27 yards. But after letting the clock run down, Longwell’s 47-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful and the game headed into overtime.

Seattle won the toss, with Hasselbeck shouting “We want the ball, we’re going to score”. The Seahawks didn’t, however, and the teams traded punts in OT. On Seattle’s second series, and facing third-and-11 at its own 45, Hasselbeck threw a pass that was intercepted by CB Al Harris (pictured below), who cut in front of WR Alex Bannister at the last moment. With clear sailing in front of him, Harris returned it 52 yards down the sideline for a touchdown and Green Bay came away with a stunning 33-27 win. It was the first time a defensive play ended a NFL overtime playoff game.

The Packers had the edge in total yards (397 to 340) while the teams were even with 22 first downs apiece. Neither club ran the ball consistently, with Green Bay compiling 78 yards on 32 carries and the Seahawks gaining 49 yards on 21 attempts. There was only one turnover in the game, and it was the game-winning play.

Brett Favre completed 26 of 38 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Donald Driver caught 6 passes for 66 yards while Javon Walker gained 111 yards on his 5 receptions. Ahman Green ran for 66 yards on 23 carries, including two TDs and the two big fourth down conversions, and contributed 5 catches for 44 more yards.

For the Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck (pictured at right) was successful on 25 of 45 throws for 305 yards and no TDs with the one big interception. Shaun Alexander gained just 45 yards on 20 rushing attempts, but had the three short scoring carries. Koren Robinson led the club with 7 catches for 88 yards and Itula Mili had 6 receptions for 62 yards while Bobby Engram gained 83 yards on his four catches.

“This game came down to us making a play at the end,” said Coach Mike Sherman. “It could have gone either way.”

“I’m dying inside,” said Mike Holmgren from the losing side. “It hurts bad to lose this game today.”

The Packers went on to lose a close contest in overtime at Philadelphia in the Divisional round. They repeated as North Division champs in 2004 but lost in the Wild Card playoff game. Seattle had a lesser record at 9-7 but won the NFC West, also falling in the first round.

2000: Packers Beat Vikings on Stunning Freeman TD Catch in Overtime

The Green Bay Packers were struggling at 3-5 as they faced the division-rival Minnesota Vikings on November 6, 2000. While Head Coach Mike Sherman’s team still had star QB Brett Favre, very much in his prime at age 31, there were questions at running back, where veteran Dorsey Levens was out with an injury and backup Ahman Green, new to the team after two nondescript years with Seattle, was not yet established in the offense. WR Antonio Freeman appeared to be on the downside of his career and the rest of the receivers were ordinary. While the defense was not bad, it would be severely tested against Minnesota’s outstanding receivers.

The Vikings, under Head Coach Dennis Green for the ninth year, had a 7-1 record, having lost for the first time at Tampa Bay the previous week. Second-year QB Daunte Culpepper was easing successfully into the starting role and was helped by the presence of two outstanding wide receivers in Cris Carter and Randy Moss. RB Robert Smith was also highly productive. However, the defense was a cause of concern.

There were 59,854 fans in attendance for the rainy Monday night encounter at Lambeau Field. The Packers had first possession and punted. On Minnesota’s second play, Daunte Culpepper threw to Randy Moss on a slant and, after evading two tackles before being caught by DT Santana Dotson 20 yards down field, he lateraled to Cris Carter for an additional eight yards. A pass to Carter and two carries by Robert Smith advanced the ball to the Green Bay nine. On third-and-goal, Culpepper scrambled for an apparent touchdown, but it was nullified due to a personal foul penalty and the Vikings had to settle for a 30-yard Gary Anderson field goal.

Green Bay put together a 15-play, 81-yard drive that extended into the second quarter. Favre connected with Antonio Freeman for 20 yards on a third-and-five play and WR Bill Schroeder ran for 12 yards on a reverse that was helped by Favre’s block on LB Dwayne Rudd. Following a 15-yard completion to Freeman to get to the Minnesota five, the Packers couldn’t reach the end zone and Ryan Longwell kicked a 24-yard field goal to tie the score.

Key calls by the officials played a role in Minnesota’s next series. First, Culpepper was sacked by DT Russell Maryland, but an apparent fumble that was recovered by the Packers in the end zone was overruled with the officials explaining that the quarterback’s knee was already down. Then, on a third-and-19 play, a taunting penalty on CB Mike McKenzie gave the Vikings a first down. Smith ran for 22 yards and Culpepper threw to Moss for a 42-yard gain to the Green Bay 20. Another short pass was followed by a throw that Carter wrestled away from McKenzie for a five-yard TD. The series had gone 84 yards in eight plays and Anderson added the extra point to make it 10-3 in favor of the visitors.

The Packers came back with an 87-yard scoring drive. On the second play, Favre (pictured below) threw to Freeman for a 33-yard gain. An interference call on CB Cris Dishman added another 28 yards and, two plays later, Favre rolled out and, as he was being pulled down around the waist by LB Ed McDaniel, he flipped a pass underhand to Ahman Green, who caught the throw just inside the end zone for a touchdown. Longwell’s PAT once again made it a tie score at 10-10.

With time running out in the first half, the Vikings went 57 yards in nine plays. They converted in a third-and-eight situation when Moss out-jumped FS Darren Sharper to catch a Culpepper pass for a 33-yard gain. Two plays later, a screen pass to Smith gained 22 yards to the Green Bay 30. The drive came up dry at that point, with three passes falling incomplete, and Anderson booted a 48-yard field goal as the half ended to give the Vikings a 13-10 lead at the intermission.

In the third quarter, the Packers got a break on defense when McKenzie intercepted a Culpepper pass and returned it 26 yards to the Minnesota 34. They were able to advance 21 yards in six plays and Longwell kicked a 31-yard field goal to again knot the score at 13-13.

Minnesota came right back with a 73-yard drive. Smith gained 13 yards on a sweep and Culpepper, flushed out of the pocket, ran for nine yards to the Green Bay 38. However, the series stalled but, facing third-and-17, Culpepper tossed a swing pass to Smith that the running back took all the way for a 45-yard touchdown. Anderson’s extra point had the Vikings back up by seven.

The Packers responded with a big play when CB Allen Rossum returned the kickoff 90 yards to the Minnesota two yard line. Two plays later, Green powered over for a TD from that distance and, adding Longwell’s kick, the score was tied once more at 20-20.

In the fourth quarter, Green Bay got the ball back following a punt when RB David Palmer fumbled on the return and long snapper Rob Davis recovered at the Minnesota 35. However, the Packers were unable to capitalize on a series in which Favre was sacked for a 12-yard loss.

Green Bay had another shot when a pass interference call on CB Robert Tate was good for 28 yards, but Schoeder dropped a third-and-seven throw in the end zone. The Packers passed up a long field goal attempt into the wind and the resulting punt went into the end zone for a touchback.

The Packers got the ball back in their own territory, couldn’t move, and had to punt, with Josh Bidwell’s kick going only 25 yards. Starting from the Green Bay 48, Culpepper threw to Moss for 19 yards and, with time running out, the Vikings lined up for a 33-yard field goal attempt by Anderson to win the game. But holder Mitch Berger couldn’t handle the snap cleanly and had to abort the kick. Rolling out to his right – and apparently forgetting that it was only first down and he could have thrown the ball away, with the team then able to attempt another kick – he tossed a desperation pass down the field that was intercepted by CB Tyrone Williams as time ran out. With the score still tied at 20-20, the game headed into overtime. 

The Packers had the first possession in OT. They converted a third-and-nine as Favre threw to Schroeder for a 22-yard gain. Two runs netted six yards and, on a third-and-four play, Favre went deep for Antonio Freeman, who was well-covered by Cris Dishman. Freeman slipped on the slick turf and fell as Dishman muffed a potential interception, and the ball fell onto Freeman’s left arm (pictured at top). The receiver pulled it to his chest and, jumping up, got past SS Robert Griffith and sped to the end zone where a wild celebration ensued. Green Bay won in astonishing fashion by a score of 26-20.

The Vikings significantly outgained Green Bay (407 yards to 298) and had the edge in first downs (22 to 19). However, Minnesota turned the ball over five times, while the Packers suffered none. The Vikings were also penalized 11 times at a cost of 129 yards, to 8 flags for 63 yards on Green Bay.

Brett Favre completed 17 of 36 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns with none intercepted. Antonio Freeman had 5 catches for 118 yards and the game-winning TD and Ahman Green also had 5 pass receptions, for 34 yards, to go along with his 68 rushing yards on 23 carries. He scored two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Bill Schroeder contributed four catches for 63 yards.

For the Vikings, Randy Moss had four catches for 103 yards in the first half despite Green Bay’s concentrated attempt to stop him, but was marginalized in the second half and ended up with 6 receptions for 130 yards. Cris Carter added 5 catches for 59 yards and a TD. Daunte Culpepper was successful on 17 of 34 throws for 276 yards and two TDs, but also tossed three interceptions. Robert Smith ran for 122 yards on 24 carries and had another 67 yards and a score on his two catches.

The Packers lost the next week but finished strong by winning five of their last six games (including another victory over the Vikings). They ended up third in the NFC Central with a 9-7 record. Minnesota recovered to win four straight games before losing three to finish out the regular season at 11-5. That made them division champs and they beat the Saints in the Divisional playoff round before being soundly beaten by the Giants for the NFC title.

Brett Favre had a relatively off year by his standards. He led the NFC with 580 pass attempts, completing 58.3 percent for 3812 yards and 20 touchdowns as opposed to 16 interceptions. Antonio Freeman caught 62 passes for 912 yards and nine TDs. Ahman Green performed well in the second half of the year and, in addition to leading the team in rushing (1175 yards), he also had the most pass receptions (73). It set the stage for bigger years to come as he topped the thousand-yard rushing mark in six of his first seven years with the club.

Daunte Culpepper went on to tie for the NFL lead in touchdown passes (33, along with Peyton Manning of the Colts) while throwing for 3937 yards and a fourth-ranked passer rating of 98.0. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time. So was Randy Moss, who was also a consensus first-team All-NFL honoree as he caught 77 passes for 1437 yards and a league-leading 15 receiving touchdowns. 

2005: Bengals Intercept Favre Five Times on Way to Win Over Packers

The Cincinnati Bengals entered the 2005 NFL season having not finished with a winning record since 1990. However, following two 8-8 tallies under Head Coach Marvin Lewis, the Bengals were clearly on the rise and entered the October 30 contest against the Green Bay Packers at 5-2. Second-year QB Carson Palmer was coming into his own and had fine wide receivers to throw to in Chad Johnson (later known as Chad Ochocinco) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The running back tandem of power-running Rudi Johnson and speedy Chris Perry was productive. A major concern was that the defense tended to give up too many yards against the run.

The Packers, coached by Mike Sherman, were still overly dependent on 13^th-year QB Brett Favre and, at 1-5, were in a state of decline after making the playoffs in each of the previous four seasons. WR Donald Driver was a dependable target for Favre’s passes, but injuries had depleted the running game and the defense was mediocre.

There was a crowd of 65,940 in attendance at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals had first possession and drove 60 yards in 11 plays. Carson Palmer finished it off with a four-yard touchdown pass to Chris Perry for the early lead. The teams traded punts to conclude the opening period, but the Packers put together a 66-yard scoring drive in 11 plays to start the second quarter. Favre completed all five of his passes, including one to TE Bubba Franks for 21 yards to the Cincinnati seven in a third-and-six situation. RB Tony Fisher scored a TD from a yard out and, with Ryan Longwell’s successful conversion the contest was tied at 7-7.

Cincinnati responded with another long drive. Helped along by two defensive penalties, Palmer passed to T.J. Houshmandzadeh for an eight-yard touchdown. The Bengals had a chance to score again in the first half as Favre’s tipped pass was intercepted by LB Odell Thurman (pictured above). Starting at their 43, the Bengals advanced to the Green Bay 29 but time ran out and the score remained 14-7 in favor of the home team at halftime.

The clubs again traded punts to start the third quarter but a promising Green Bay drive into Cincinnati territory that included a 28-yard gain on a pass to Donald Driver ended with Favre being intercepted for a second time. CB Deltha O’Neal grabbed the throw at his own two yard line, which stopped a potential Green Bay score but also pinned the Bengals back deep in their own territory. After getting out to their 40, they had to punt.

Once again O’Neal picked off a Favre pass, this time returning it to the Green Bay 42 for more favorable field position. The Bengals gained nothing in three plays, however, and again kicked it away. This time it was CB Tory James intercepting Favre on the first play of Green Bay’s ensuing possession. Cincinnati still couldn’t move the ball as the game headed into the fourth quarter, but again the Bengals kicked and got the ball back on an interception. It was the second pickoff for Thurman, and finally Cincinnati capitalized on the very next play when Palmer passed to FB Jeremi Johnson for a 27-yard touchdown.

The Packers followed up with a series that didn’t end with an interception, but they had to punt after losing ground. Cincinnati’s next series ended with Palmer being intercepted by CB Ahmad Carroll to give Green Bay another shot with 8:28 remaining. The Packers made the most of the opportunity, going 88 yards in 13 plays and converting three third downs along the way. A one-yard Favre completion to Franks for a touchdown followed by Longwell’s successful extra point made it a seven-point game with just over three minutes on the clock.

The Bengals played conservatively on their next series as the Packers used up their timeouts. Kyle Larson’s 47-yard punt was downed at the Green Bay 10 and there were now only 56 seconds remaining on the clock. A 48-yard pass interference penalty moved the ball into Cincinnati territory and Favre threw to WR Antonio Chatman for 19 yards to the 28 yard line. With the defense reeling a bizarre circumstance ensued as a fan ran onto the field, causing the next play to be blown dead by the officials. Grabbing the ball out of Favre’s hand, the inebriated man eluded security and caused play to be halted for several minutes until he was removed.

Once the action resumed, Favre was sacked for a two-yard loss by the re-grouped defense and then threw a pass from beyond the line of scrimmage that resulted in a game-ending penalty. The Bengals had held on for the 21-14 win.

The Packers outgained Cincinnati (353 yards to 317) and had the edge in first downs (23 to 21). However, they suffered the five turnovers on interceptions as opposed to one by the Bengals.

Carson Palmer completed 22 of 34 passes for 237 yards with three touchdowns against one interception. Rudi Johnson ran for 72 yards on 22 carries and Chris Perry (pictured at left) added three attempts for 18 yards in addition to a team-high 6 pass receptions that gained 25 yards and included a TD. T.J. Houshmandzadeh gained 77 yards on 5 catches and Chad Johnson, who also caught 5 passes, added 62 yards.

For the Packers, Brett Favre was successful on 26 of 39 throws for 279 yards and a TD, although he was picked off five times. Antonio Chatman caught 8 passes for 97 yards while Bubba Franks contributed 62 yards and a touchdown on 7 receptions and Donald Driver had 5 catches for 76 yards. Tony Fisher led the running attack with 51 yards and a TD on 17 carries.

Regarding the circumstance with the fan that entered the field and halted play, Cincinnati LB Brian Simmons said “That did slow it down and give us a chance to huddle, and we kind of came together as a defense. But you don’t want to see that because somebody could get hurt.”

It was the single event that rendered the game notorious, and while it disrupted a Green Bay possession that could potentially have tied the score, the five interceptions had the greater cumulative impact on the outcome.

Cincinnati ended up with an 11-5 record and topped the AFC North. However, they lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs when Carson Palmer went down with a major knee injury early in the contest. The Packers continued to flounder and, at 4-12, ended up at the bottom of the NFC North with their first losing season since 1991 – the year before Brett Favre’s arrival.

2004: Eagles Convert 4th-and-26, Force Overtime, and Beat Packers

The NFC Divisional playoff game on January 11, 2004 was the first to be played at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field as the host Eagles, NFC East champions in 2003 with a 12-4 record, took on the 10-6 Green Bay Packers, who had finished atop the NFC North.

The Eagles, under fifth-year Head Coach Andy Reid (a former Green Bay assistant), had won the division title and made it to the conference title game in each of the previous two seasons, but had struggled early in ’03. They were badly beaten in their first two contests and had a 2-3 record before reeling off nine straight wins. QB Donovan McNabb (pictured below right) suffered from a bruised thumb to start the year and was ineffective through the first six games, but came on strong in the second half along with the rest of the club. The three-headed running attack of Duce Staley, Brian Westbrook (who would be out for the playoffs due to an arm injury suffered in the season finale), and Correll Buckhalter was effective, combining for 1618 yards rushing and 83 pass receptions, although the wide receivers were average, at best. Defensively, star FS Brian Dawkins had missed nine games with a foot injury, but was healthy for the playoffs, while DT Corey Simon and CB Troy Vincent turned in Pro Bowl seasons.

Green Bay was coached for the fourth year by Mike Sherman and, as had been the case since 1992, featured 34-year-old QB Brett Favre, who passed for 3361 yards and a league-leading 32 touchdowns, but also 21 interceptions. WR Donald Driver and Pro Bowl TE Bubba Franks led the receiving corps, while RB Ahman Green ran for an NFC-leading 1883 yards.


It was a cold night in the teens with 67,707 fans in attendance at the new stadium. Neither club was able to generate much offense initially, with the Eagles failing to get a first down on any of their first three possessions. The Packers got a break when McNabb fumbled and LB Nick Barnett recovered. On the next play, Favre threw to WR Robert Ferguson for a 40-yard touchdown.

Eagles WR James Thrash returned the ensuing kickoff 36 yards and McNabb took off on a 41-yard run down to the Green Bay 15 on Philadelphia’s first play. However, the drive stalled and David Akers missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt. The Packers responded with an eight-play, 86-yard drive that included a 26-yard run by Green. Favre again hit Ferguson with a scoring pass, this time of 17 yards, and Green Bay had a 14-0 lead after one quarter of play.

The teams traded punts as the game moved into the second quarter. McNabb hit on five passes in a six-play drive that covered 77 yards and included a 45-yard completion to WR Todd Pinkston that in turn set up a seven-yard TD pass to Staley.

Green Bay came back with a drive deep into Eagles territory, but after getting a first-and-goal at the four yard line, the defense held and, when Green was stopped for no gain on a fourth down play at the one, Philadelphia regained possession. The first half ended with the Packers leading by 14-7.

Both offenses bogged down again in the third quarter, but as the period was winding down the Eagles, starting at their 11 yard line, began to drive. McNabb was successful on passes of 23 yards to TE L.J. Smith, 10 yards to Pinkston, and 15 to Staley. The fifth-year quarterback had started the drive with a 13-yard carry and he ran again, for 24 yards down to the Green Bay 36, as the period came to an end. On the first play of the fourth quarter, McNabb, barely scrambling out of trouble, threw to Pinkston for a 12-yard touchdown and, with the successful PAT by Akers, the game was tied at 14-14.

The teams traded punts before Favre completed a pass to WR Javon Walker for a 44-yard gain to the Philadelphia seven. The Packers had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell, but had regained the lead at 17-14. The Eagles punted again following their next possession, and Green Bay put together a drive that burned over six minutes off the clock. But with fourth-and-one at the Philadelphia 41, Coach Sherman elected to punt rather than risk another failure to convert a fourth down.

Following Josh Bidwell’s kick, the Eagles got the ball on their own 20 with 2:21 remaining in regulation. Staley took off on a 22-yard run, but then McNabb threw an incomplete pass, was sacked for a 16-yard loss, and tossed another incompletion. With the ball on the Philadelphia 26 and facing a fourth-and-26 situation, it appeared that the Eagles’ season was practically over. However, McNabb completed a pass to WR Freddie Mitchell, in the midst of two defenders, for a 28-yard gain and an improbable first down (pictured at top).

The Eagles continued their drive to the Green Bay 19, and with five seconds remaining Akers booted a 37-yard field goal to tie the contest at 17-17 and send it into overtime.

Philadelphia received the kickoff in the sudden death period and went three-and-out. But Favre threw a long, high pass that was intercepted by Dawkins and returned 35 yards to the Green Bay 34. Six plays later, Akers kicked a 31-yard field goal and the Eagles came away with a 20-17 win.

For the most part, the team statistics reflected the closeness of the outcome. The Packers had the most yards (381 to 363) while Philadelphia had the edge in first downs (19 to 16). Both teams turned the ball over once. But the Packers sacked McNabb eight times, while the Eagles got to Favre only once.

Despite the punishing pass rush, Donovan McNabb completed 21 of 39 passes for 248 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and also ran for 107 yards on 11 carries, a NFL playoff-record rushing performance for a quarterback. Todd Pinkston caught 7 passes for 95 yards and a TD. Duce Staley led the running backs with 45 yards on five attempts and also caught three passes for 26 yards and a score.


Brett Favre was successful on 15 of 28 passes for 180 yards and two TDs against the one big interception. Ahman Green (pictured at left) ran for 156 yards on 25 carries, although the yard he failed to get on the fourth down play at the goal line in the second quarter had a profound effect on the outcome. Robert Ferguson led Green Bay’s receivers with 4 catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns.

“I tried to beat my man across from me and just go deep, and I went deep,” Mitchell said of the fourth-and-26 pass play. “I didn't see the guy on top of me but Donovan read that and threw a back shoulder to me and I saw it in the air and I made a play.”

“That shouldn't have happened,” Green Bay DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila said. “But it did.”

The dramatic win didn’t translate into success the following week for the Eagles, however, as they lost their third consecutive NFC Championship game, this time to the Carolina Panthers.

For Freddie Mitchell, the big catch against the Packers was the highlight of an otherwise-disappointing career in Philadelphia. The Eagles’ first round draft pick in 2001 out of UCLA, he ended up with a total of 90 receptions for 1263 yards and five touchdowns, and was released following the 2004 season, effectively ending his NFL career. But for one play, he reached the heights that had been expected of him.

2004: Jaguars Overcome Cold and Favre to Beat Packers

It was frigid at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field on December 19, 2004, with temperatures in the single digits and a wind chill of minus 12. Such conditions often proved too much for visiting teams from warm-weather parts of the country, and the Packers’ opponent on this day was the Jacksonville Jaguars. Moreover, Green Bay was 31-3 in home games after December 1 with Brett Favre at quarterback.

The Packers, under Head Coach Mike Sherman, were 8-5 coming into the game, and had won seven of their last eight. The key to the offense was the 35-year-old Favre, as had been the case since he took over as starting quarterback in 1992. WR Javon Walker provided a productive target for the veteran passer to throw to while RB Ahman Green was a solid runner, although occasionally fumble-prone and nicked by injuries. Defense was a nagging problem.

Head Coach Jack Del Rio’s Jaguars came into the contest at 7-6. They had gotten off to a 5-2 start but then lost four of five before beating the Bears at home the week before. Jacksonville had a second-year starting quarterback in big (6’5”, 245 pounds) Byron Leftwich, and he had an outstanding veteran target in WR Jimmy Smith. Explosive seventh-year RB Fred Taylor (pictured above) handled the bulk of the rushing. The team had run into problems with scoring, however – in the six previous games, they had reached 20 points in only two of them.

The Jaguars quickly scored first in the opening period. On the second play from scrimmage, Taylor ran 46 yards to the Green Bay 31 yard line, and from there Leftwich threw a touchdown pass to Smith.

Neither team was able to move the ball effectively for the remainder of the first quarter, but early in the second quarter Ryan Longwell put the Packers on the board with a 35-yard field goal. It was Longwell’s 45th consecutive field goal from within 40 yards, but the string was broken on the next Green Bay possession when, following an 11-play drive, the placekicker missed from 31 yards.

Green Bay went ahead thanks to a heads-up defensive play by safety Darren Sharper. Having been sacked on the previous play, Leftwich was hit and fumbled, but several players on both sides thought it was an incomplete pass and didn’t try to recover the ball. Jacksonville G Vic Manuwai picked it up, but Sharper alertly knocked it out of his hand, recovered, and ran 15 yards for a touchdown. The Packers took a 10-7 lead.

The Jaguars came right back, however, going 68 yards in four plays that culminated in Leftwich again tossing a TD pass to Smith, this time of 16 yards. Green Bay had an opportunity to score again before halftime, but after driving to the Jacksonville 23, Favre fumbled and LB Daryl Smith recovered to snuff out the threat. The Jaguars held a 14-10 lead at the intermission.

The Packers put together a six-play, 76-yard drive to start the third quarter that ended with Favre tossing a 32-yard touchdown pass to WR Donald Driver. But once again Jacksonville responded in kind as Taylor ran 37 yards for a TD that put the Jaguars back in front at 21-17.

Favre completed four passes in the next Green Bay drive, but after getting to the Jacksonville three he was intercepted by CB Rashean Mathis in the end zone. Again the teams traded punts, but in the fourth quarter, the Jaguars culminated a 10-play drive that covered 58 yards with RB Greg Jones scoring from a yard out on a fourth-and-goal play to increase the lead to 28-17.

Favre was intercepted twice more, including once deep in Jacksonville territory, before finally hitting WR Antonio Chatman for a seven-yard TD. The Packers narrowed the Jaguar lead to three points by successfully tacking on a two-point conversion on a Favre-to-Driver pass. But there was now just over a minute left to play, and an attempted onside kick was recovered by Jacksonville safety Nick Sorensen; the Jaguars were able to run out the clock and came away with a 28-25 upset win.

Green Bay outgained the Jaguars (444 yards to 312) and had 26 first downs to Jacksonville’s 19. But they were undone by five turnovers (to two by the Jaguars) and 12 penalties that cost 101 yards, as opposed to 7 for 85 yards against the visitors.

Both quarterbacks came away battered, although they made it all the way through, and there was a scary moment in the fourth quarter when Green Bay WR Robert Ferguson was clotheslined by Jaguars safety Donovin Darius (who was ejected) and suffered a sprained neck.

Jacksonville ran the ball especially well, gaining 197 yards overall on the ground. Fred Taylor led the way with 165 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Byron Leftwich completed 9 of 20 passes for 121 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. Jimmy Smith caught 4 passes for 87 yards and both scoring passes.

Brett Favre (pictured below) filled the air with passes, throwing 44 times and completing 30 for 367 yards. However, while two of them were good for touchdowns, three were intercepted (two by Rashean Mathis). Javon Walker caught 11 passes for 152 yards while Donald Driver had 4 receptions for 74 yards and a TD and Antonio Chatman also pulled in 4 passes, for 48 yards and a score. Ahman Green ran for 94 yards on 17 attempts.


“A team that plays in Florida in the 80s and 70s, you just can't condition your body for the temperatures you are going to feel,” Coach Del Rio said afterward. “But you can condition your mind and I felt we were ready from that standpoint.”

Mike Sherman complimented the Jaguars by saying, “They have the talent to play in any conditions.”

Despite falling to 8-6, the Packers clinched a spot in the postseason because the Bears, Cowboys, Panthers, and Giants all lost on the same weekend. Green Bay finished strong to win the NFC North with a 10-6 record, but lost to Minnesota in the Wild Card playoff. Jacksonville lost the following week and ended up at 9-7; it was an improvement and good enough for second place in the AFC South, but the Jaguars failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Fred Taylor rushed for over a thousand yards for the third straight year, and the fifth of an eventual seven seasons. He gained 1224 yards on 260 carries (4.7 avg.) with two touchdowns and caught 36 passes for another 345 yards and a TD. However, he missed the last two games in ’04 due to a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery.

Brett Favre ranked fifth in the NFL with 4088 yards passing and fourth with 30 touchdown passes. He also tied for fifth by tossing 17 interceptions.


Favre wasn’t selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in four years, but Javon Walker (pictured at left) was after catching 89 passes for 1382 yards (third in the NFL) and 12 touchdowns. However, he appeared in only one game in 2005 before going on injured reserve with a knee injury and ended an acrimonious relationship with the team when dealt to Denver in ’06.