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A defensive history of the Green Bay Packers.
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<blockquote data-quote="Packerlifer" data-source="post: 609517" data-attributes="member: 1242"><p>Part 5.</p><p></p><p> NFL Films, in its feature on Super Bowl XXXI, describes the 1996 Packers as "a colossus." Seldom has a team ever been as balanced, complete and deep as that club. Dominating the league in historic fashion by the time their 13-3 regular season ended and the playoffs began it could be said that they didn't have a weakness. <a href="http://www.packershistory.net/1996PACKERS.html" target="_blank">http://www.packershistory.net/1996PACKERS.html . (to be continued.) </a></p><p></p><p> The defense that season reached a level not seen in Green Bay since the prime Lombardi years. The '96 Packers were the league's top ranked defense and its lowest score allowing at 210 pts total for the season (13.1 ppg.) They were first against the pass and 4th against the run. They produced a relatively modest 37 sacks but generated 50 turnovers. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1996.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1996.htm</a></p><p></p><p> Across the line they presented opponents with "the Minister of Defense" Reggie White, Gilbert Brown "the Gravedigger," Santana Dotson and Sean Jones. Behind them patrolled lb's Wayne Simmons, George Koonce and Brian Williams. Craig Newsome and Doug Evans manned the corners. LeRoy Butler and Eugene Robinson were high impact safeties.</p><p></p><p> The depth on that team is frequently overlooked nowadays but those players gave the defense depth and versatility and helped the Packers to achieving the best special teams in the league that season as well.</p><p></p><p> Line back-ups included Gabe Wilkins, Bob Kuberski, Darius Holland, Keith McKenzie. Behind the starting trio at linebacker the Pack had Bernardo Harris, Ron Cox, Lamont Hollinquest. Veteran safety Mike Prior and rookie corner Tyrone Williams and Roderick Mullen allowed Fritz Shurmur to use his patented nickel and dime defenses to maximum effect.</p><p></p><p> The Packers also led the league in scoring that season and qb Brett Favre picked up his second consecutive league MVP award. But the offense had issues during the season. The running game was slow to develop into the two-headed monster of Edgar Bennett and Dorsey Levens. Injuries bit ******* the receiving corps, with 3 starters lost for significant parts of the year. And an issue ensued at left tackle after long time starter Ken Ruettger was forced to retire due to injury.</p><p></p><p> While the offense was something of a work in progress the defense was set to carry the team through the stretch. After starting 8-1 the team lost two straight road games to Kansas City and Dallas and looked to be on the verge of a third at St.Louis. Trailing the Rams in the third quarter and struggling, Doug Evans intercepted and returned a pass 32 yds. for a td that put the Pack in the lead. Like a door swinging on a hinge, the play ignited the Packers and they never looked back the rest of the year.</p><p></p><p> The 13 win season tied for the club record for wins in a season with Vince Lombardi's 1962 club, won a second straight NFC Central title for Green Bay and most importantly secured home field advantage for the playoffs for them; considered a crucial requisite for finally beating Dallas.</p><p></p><p> The Packers won their divisional round playoff at Lambeau over the 49ers 35-14. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701040gnb.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701040gnb.htm San Francisco played the game without all-pro qb Steve Young. The Packer defense held the Niners to 196 total yards and forced 5 turnovers, including 3 interceptions of qb Elvis Grbac. As the final minutes of the victory ticked off the fans in the Lambeau stands began to chant, "We want Dallas." </a></p><p></p><p> They would not get Dallas, however. The Cowboys Super Bowl reign was ended in the playoffs that year by the second year expansion club Carolina Panthers. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/1996.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/1996.htm . Coached by Dom Capers and with Bill Polian leading in the front office the Panthers had risen farther and faster than any expansion club in NFL history. In just their second year of existence they had won 12 games, taken the "No.2 seed" in the playoffs and dethroned the defending world champions. They would be underdogs against the Packers but could not be underestimated. </a></p><p></p><p> In the first championship game to be played in Green Bay since "the Ice Bowl" the visiting Southern team was greeted with classic Packer weather conditions. A 3 degree temp and wind chill of minus-16. The Panthers gave fans a few anxious moments early as they cashed in on two turnovers off Brett Favre for a pair of temporary leads. But once the offense settled down and the defense settled in it was really no contest. The Pack won 30-13, holding the Panthers to 251 total yds. producing 2 sacks and 3 turnovers. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701120gnb.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701120gnb.htm (to be continued.) </a></p><p></p><p> Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans was as much the Packers' coronation as the NFL's world championship game. The culmination of a four year building program and a season long expectation. The Packers' opponent the New England Patriots were a good young team, coached by two time Super Bowl winning veteran Bill Parcells. They put up a gallant fight but really never had a chance of winning.</p><p></p><p> All three phases of the Packers team displayed their power. The offense rolled up over 300 yds. with a balanced attack; 115 yds rushing, 246 passing, and put 3 touchdowns on the board plus executed a successful two point conversion.</p><p></p><p> Special teams dominated. Desmond Howard, the game MVP, returned 10 kick-offs and punts for 244 yds, averaged 15.4 yds. per punt return and 38.5 on kickoffs; including a 99 yds. return for a td. Chris Jacke connected on two of three field goal attempts. The Packers' own coverage teams bottled up one of the game's most dangerous returners Dave Meggett, allowing only 23.5 yds on kick returns and 7.5 on punts.</p><p></p><p> And the defense did what it did all year long. They allowed the Patriots only 43 rushing yards for the game and 257 total. They sacked qb Drew Bledsoe 5 times and intercepted four of his passes.</p><p></p><p> They struggled for awhile with the Pats' throwing to fullback Keith Byars out of the backfield and with New England's Pro Bowl te Ben Coates. The Patriots temporarily led 14-10 in the second period and closed to within 6 in the third. But once the Packers got that figured out New England's goose was effectively cooked.</p><p></p><p> Desmond Howard's 99 yd. kick return for a td and a successful two point conversion put the Pack up by 14 but there were still 3 minutes left in the third quarter and all of the fourth for New England to come back. The defense would seal the deal. The Patriots had 5 possession after the Howard return but two would be killed by interceptions and 3 others would end in punts. Reggie White sacked Bledsoe 3 times, a Super Bowl record. <a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701260gnb.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701260gnb.htm. </a></p><p></p><p> After 29 years the Packers were world champions again and they were well manned and structured for a repeat in 1997. There was talk of a new dynasty rising again in Titletown. That talk would continue right up to the next Super Bowl.</p><p></p><p> The Packers in 1997 matched the record of the '96 team at 13-3 as they won a third consecutive NFC Central title but weren't quite the dominating club they had been the year before. There were some notable changes on the defense between Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII. DE Sean Jones was retired. CB Craig Newsome suffered a serious knee injury in the season opener against Chicago and was lost for the year and his career would never been the same afterward. After just 6 games with play declining and one off-field incident too many the Packers traded former first round lb Wayne Simmons to Kansas City. <a href="http://lombardiave.com/2013/06/22/wayne-simmons-super-bowl-green-bay-packers/" target="_blank">http://lombardiave.com/2013/06/22/wayne-simmons-super-bowl-green-bay-packers/. </a></p><p></p><p> Fortunately the Packers would have ready replacements for the lost and departed. Gabe Wilkins stepped into the starting end position and produced 5.5 sacks that season. Tyrone Williams moved into the starting cb spot and became a fixture in the Green Bay secondary for the next six years. When injury took down George Koonce at mlb Bernardo Harris stepped in as the new starter. And in free agency the Packers signed a Pro Bowl veteran Seth Joyner at olb. Joyner had played with Reggie White on the great Eagles defense of the late '80's and early '90's. In the draft that year the Packers added a dynamic play-making safety Darren Sharper.</p><p></p><p> The defense dipped a bit from the previous season, going from first to 5th in yardage and from first to 7th in scoring at 17.6ppg. But they were up slightly on sacks with 39 and tied a club record by returning 6 turnovers for td's. Overall, though, their turnover total was down by 17 at 40. But they were in fit form as the playoffs began and the Packers marched to a second straight NFC Championship.</p><p></p><p> In the divisional round at Lambeau they stuffed Tampa Bay 21-7, holding the Bucs to only 263 yds. They were even better in the NFC title game at San Francisco. They held the league's 5th best scoring team to only a field goal in Green Bay's 23-10 win. The 49ers could manage only 257 total yds., Steve Young was sacked 4 times and the defense registered two turnovers.</p><p></p><p> The Packers were heavy favorites heading in to Super Bowl XXXII in San Diego against the Denver Broncos. The NFC had won 13 straight Super Bowls over the AFC to that time. The Broncos had lost- badly- in all four of their previous Super Bowl appearances; including 3 with their great qb John Elway.</p><p></p><p> The year before the Packers had trouned them 41-6 in a game at Green Bay that was billed at the time as a Super Bowl match-up preview. Elway had missed that game due to injury but, as was said repeatedly, Elway didn't play defense. It was assumed that the same magnitude would separate these two teams more than a year later.</p><p></p><p> The vulnerability in the Packers' defense in '97 was against the run. In 1996 they had ranked 4th against the run but in '97 had dropped to 20th and were 23rd in allowing 4.2 ypc. This played directly to the strength of the Broncos' offense, which was their great young back Terrell Davis. Davis came into the game off his third straight thousand yard rushing season and averaged 4.7 ypc for the '97 season.</p><p></p><p> Davis would hit the Packers for 157 yds. on 30 carries in the game and score a Super Bowl record 3 td's. It could have been worse; he missed most of the second quarter with the recurrence of a migraine condition.</p><p></p><p> DE Gabe Wilkins left the game early with a knee injury. One of the post-mortem debates about this Super Bowl is whether he could or should have tried to return, as replacement Darius Holland was ineffectual dealing with the Broncos Hall of Fame LT Gary Zimmerman. Just as equally debated is the question of whether Wilkins would have made any difference.</p><p></p><p> Denver's offensive line was a veteran group and had mastered the technique of "zone blocking," developed by their line coach and zone blocking guru Alex Gibbs. They handled Green Bay's big defensive front in both running the ball and pass protection for John Elway. The Packers never sacked Elway in the game. RT Tony Jones, with some help, shut out Reggie White and the Broncos neutralized LeRoy Butler by blocking him with their Pro Bowl te Shannon Sharpe.</p><p></p><p> In the second half, though, the defense did get two turnovers that enabled the Packers to tie the game and have a chance to win. Early in the third period Tyrone Williams recovered a Terrell Davis fumble deep in Denver territory; which the Pack converted into a field goal And later in the quarter Eugene Robinson killed off a potential game sealing scoring drive at the Packer 15 by intercepting Elway. The Packers produced a td scoring drive from that to tie the game at 24-24.</p><p></p><p> The game would come down to the final 3.5 minutes. Pinned deep in their own territory the Packers got a short punt by Craig Hentrich that started Denver at the Green Bay 49 yd. line. On the first play of the drive Darius Holland was called for a 15 yd. facemask penalty. The Broncos advanced to the Packer 1 yd line with 1:47 remaining when Mike Holmgren, fearing they intended to run down the clock and leave the Packers no chance at another score, ordered the defense to let them score. Unfotunately, Holmgren had lost track of the down; thinking it was first rather than second. Terrell Davis' Super Bowl record third rushing td was a "gimme." But it left the Packers facing the need to go the distance for a touchdown rather than kick a field goal to get the game into overtime.</p><p></p><p> <a href="http://da.radio.cbssports.com/2015/01/29/santana-dotson-even-years-later-broncos-score-still-hurts/" target="_blank">http://da.radio.cbssports.com/2015/01/29/santana-dotson-even-years-later-broncos-score-still-hurts/ </a></p><p></p><p> The Packers' last desperate drive to save their title reign got as far as the Denver 35, where it petered out on 3 straight incomplete passes and a turnover on downs with 28 seconds left. Given the tradition stretching back to Lombardi it was inconceivable that the Packers would lose a Super Bowl and the 31-24 defeat was a most bitter pill for the club and its fans to swallow. The post-mortem would include discussions of whether the Packers were overconfident, out-coached and out-played. But Denver was a better team than most realized and they would prove it by producing their own Super Bowl Championship repeat in 1998.</p><p></p><p> The Packers were far from being done as a Super Bowl contender themselves. But the XXXII loss did change the atmosphere about the team. Reggie White considered retiring but finally decided to play one more season. But not before he became involved in an offseason controversy over remarks he made in a speech before the Wisconsin state legislature. <a href="http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980326&slug=2741766" target="_blank">http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980326&slug=2741766. </a></p><p></p><p> More speculation swirled around the future of Mike Holmgren with the team. He hadn't agreed to a contract extension and, besides looking for more money, it was rumored he wanted more power as a head coach and general manager; an ambition which,if to be achieved, would necessitate moving elsewhere in the NFL.</p><p></p><p> Relations between Holmgren and Ron Wolf had also become strained over the XXXII loss. <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29487844.html" target="_blank">http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29487844.html. </a></p><p></p><p> The Packers produced a, by most standards, good 11-5 record in 1998. They extended their own club record by reaching the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year. They posted their seventh straight winning season. They achieved something not even the Lombardi teams could do; record a fourth straight double-digit winning record season.</p><p></p><p> They had a chance to become the first NFC team to make 3 straight Super Bowl appearances and get another crack at the Broncos. But this time around they would have to do it by the wild card route.</p><p></p><p> The Packers were displaced in the NFC Central in '98 by the suddenly explosive Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings had been a thorn to the Packers throughout the Holmgren years but with the addition of rookie wr Randy Moss they became an offensive juggernaut that season and showed up the Packers in a Monday night showcase game at Lambeau in the fifth game of the season. Both teams were undefeated coming into the game but the Packers at the time were riding a 29 game home regular and postseason winning streak. The Vikings made a shambles of all that by rolling up 545 yds. and putting 37 points up against the Packer defense, less than two years removed from being the top unit in the league.</p><p></p><p> In his "coming out" Randy Moss caught 5 passes for 190 yds (38 ypc) and scored td's on plays of 52 and 44 yds. Randall Cunningham, who was out of football and laying bathroom tiles just a year before, passed for 442 yds and 4 td's; the most passing yards ever against a Green Bay defense.</p><p></p><p> Moss with that game began a seven year career of being the most feared offensive opponent for Packers' defenses and fans; joining Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson in a unique category of threat.</p><p></p><p> Ten days later the Packers would meet Sanders at the Pontiac Silverdome and watch him rush for 155 yds. , including a 73 yd. scoring run to help the Lions beat the Pack for their second straight in-division defeat.</p><p></p><p> The rematch with Minnesota in the Metrodome saw the Packers close the gap some but not enough as Moss again torched them with 153 yds on 8 receptions and scored the game sealing td on a 49 yd. play.</p><p></p><p> Despite those games, though, the Packers remained a top notch defense. They ranked 4th in the league for the season; although dipping to 11th in scoring, allowing 19.9 ppg. They improved dramatically against the run, moving up to 4th, from the year before and allowed opponents only an average of 3.7 ypc.</p><p></p><p> They registered a new club record by officially recording 50 quarterback sacks. In his "farewell season" Reggie White got 16: the most in his time in Green Bay and fourth best of his Hall of Fame career. Rookie Vonnie Holliday got his career off to a good start with 8, as did young vet Keith McKenzie.</p><p></p><p> Tyrone Williams' 5 interceptions and McKenzie's 3 fumble recoveries led the Packers 33 turnovers. LeRoy Butler would add 4 INT's 2 fumble recoveries and 4 sacks.</p><p></p><p> The Packers were a "darkhorse" entering the playoffs but they could not be discounted in the Super Bowl chase based on their ability and experience. They appeared to draw a favorable match up in the Wild Card round at San Francisco. The Packers had come to "own" the Niners in the Nineties. They had beaten them three straight years in the playoffs and won 5 in a row, including a 36-22 win at Lambeau during the '98 season.</p><p></p><p> With a 27-23 lead with 1:55 remaining it looked like the Pack was headed to Atlanta for the divisional round next; when their season and an era ended suddenly, shockingly and most unfittingly. The 49ers were on their last desperate drive with 46 seconds remaining when Steve Young passed to Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice. The Packers had effectively shut Rice down all game and appeared to have done it again as safety Scott McGarrahan and lb Bernardo Harris converged on the play at the 41 and jarred the ball loose and recovered the fumble. But an official away from the play ruled Rice down by contact. Replay was on hiatus that year so the Packers couldn't challenge to get the mistaken call overturned. <a href="http://www.sikids.com/photos/48406/most-controversial-endings-in-sports/16" target="_blank">http://www.sikids.com/photos/48406/most-controversial-endings-in-sports/16. </a></p><p></p><p> Retaining possession and with one last chance the Niners drove a stake into the heart of PackerNation. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3C4P9O20Qk" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3C4P9O20Qk. </a></p><p></p><p> It was Reggie White's last game ( at least as a Packer.) Five days after the loss Mike Holmgren left to become head coach and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks. He took 8 members of the Green Bay assistant staff with him; including defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur. </p><p></p><p>End of Part 5.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Packerlifer, post: 609517, member: 1242"] Part 5. NFL Films, in its feature on Super Bowl XXXI, describes the 1996 Packers as "a colossus." Seldom has a team ever been as balanced, complete and deep as that club. Dominating the league in historic fashion by the time their 13-3 regular season ended and the playoffs began it could be said that they didn't have a weakness. [URL='http://www.packershistory.net/1996PACKERS.html']http://www.packershistory.net/1996PACKERS.html . (to be continued.) [/URL] The defense that season reached a level not seen in Green Bay since the prime Lombardi years. The '96 Packers were the league's top ranked defense and its lowest score allowing at 210 pts total for the season (13.1 ppg.) They were first against the pass and 4th against the run. They produced a relatively modest 37 sacks but generated 50 turnovers. [URL]http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1996.htm[/URL] Across the line they presented opponents with "the Minister of Defense" Reggie White, Gilbert Brown "the Gravedigger," Santana Dotson and Sean Jones. Behind them patrolled lb's Wayne Simmons, George Koonce and Brian Williams. Craig Newsome and Doug Evans manned the corners. LeRoy Butler and Eugene Robinson were high impact safeties. The depth on that team is frequently overlooked nowadays but those players gave the defense depth and versatility and helped the Packers to achieving the best special teams in the league that season as well. Line back-ups included Gabe Wilkins, Bob Kuberski, Darius Holland, Keith McKenzie. Behind the starting trio at linebacker the Pack had Bernardo Harris, Ron Cox, Lamont Hollinquest. Veteran safety Mike Prior and rookie corner Tyrone Williams and Roderick Mullen allowed Fritz Shurmur to use his patented nickel and dime defenses to maximum effect. The Packers also led the league in scoring that season and qb Brett Favre picked up his second consecutive league MVP award. But the offense had issues during the season. The running game was slow to develop into the two-headed monster of Edgar Bennett and Dorsey Levens. Injuries bit ******* the receiving corps, with 3 starters lost for significant parts of the year. And an issue ensued at left tackle after long time starter Ken Ruettger was forced to retire due to injury. While the offense was something of a work in progress the defense was set to carry the team through the stretch. After starting 8-1 the team lost two straight road games to Kansas City and Dallas and looked to be on the verge of a third at St.Louis. Trailing the Rams in the third quarter and struggling, Doug Evans intercepted and returned a pass 32 yds. for a td that put the Pack in the lead. Like a door swinging on a hinge, the play ignited the Packers and they never looked back the rest of the year. The 13 win season tied for the club record for wins in a season with Vince Lombardi's 1962 club, won a second straight NFC Central title for Green Bay and most importantly secured home field advantage for the playoffs for them; considered a crucial requisite for finally beating Dallas. The Packers won their divisional round playoff at Lambeau over the 49ers 35-14. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701040gnb.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701040gnb.htm San Francisco played the game without all-pro qb Steve Young. The Packer defense held the Niners to 196 total yards and forced 5 turnovers, including 3 interceptions of qb Elvis Grbac. As the final minutes of the victory ticked off the fans in the Lambeau stands began to chant, "We want Dallas." [/URL] They would not get Dallas, however. The Cowboys Super Bowl reign was ended in the playoffs that year by the second year expansion club Carolina Panthers. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/1996.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/1996.htm . Coached by Dom Capers and with Bill Polian leading in the front office the Panthers had risen farther and faster than any expansion club in NFL history. In just their second year of existence they had won 12 games, taken the "No.2 seed" in the playoffs and dethroned the defending world champions. They would be underdogs against the Packers but could not be underestimated. [/URL] In the first championship game to be played in Green Bay since "the Ice Bowl" the visiting Southern team was greeted with classic Packer weather conditions. A 3 degree temp and wind chill of minus-16. The Panthers gave fans a few anxious moments early as they cashed in on two turnovers off Brett Favre for a pair of temporary leads. But once the offense settled down and the defense settled in it was really no contest. The Pack won 30-13, holding the Panthers to 251 total yds. producing 2 sacks and 3 turnovers. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701120gnb.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701120gnb.htm (to be continued.) [/URL] Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans was as much the Packers' coronation as the NFL's world championship game. The culmination of a four year building program and a season long expectation. The Packers' opponent the New England Patriots were a good young team, coached by two time Super Bowl winning veteran Bill Parcells. They put up a gallant fight but really never had a chance of winning. All three phases of the Packers team displayed their power. The offense rolled up over 300 yds. with a balanced attack; 115 yds rushing, 246 passing, and put 3 touchdowns on the board plus executed a successful two point conversion. Special teams dominated. Desmond Howard, the game MVP, returned 10 kick-offs and punts for 244 yds, averaged 15.4 yds. per punt return and 38.5 on kickoffs; including a 99 yds. return for a td. Chris Jacke connected on two of three field goal attempts. The Packers' own coverage teams bottled up one of the game's most dangerous returners Dave Meggett, allowing only 23.5 yds on kick returns and 7.5 on punts. And the defense did what it did all year long. They allowed the Patriots only 43 rushing yards for the game and 257 total. They sacked qb Drew Bledsoe 5 times and intercepted four of his passes. They struggled for awhile with the Pats' throwing to fullback Keith Byars out of the backfield and with New England's Pro Bowl te Ben Coates. The Patriots temporarily led 14-10 in the second period and closed to within 6 in the third. But once the Packers got that figured out New England's goose was effectively cooked. Desmond Howard's 99 yd. kick return for a td and a successful two point conversion put the Pack up by 14 but there were still 3 minutes left in the third quarter and all of the fourth for New England to come back. The defense would seal the deal. The Patriots had 5 possession after the Howard return but two would be killed by interceptions and 3 others would end in punts. Reggie White sacked Bledsoe 3 times, a Super Bowl record. [URL='http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701260gnb.htm']http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199701260gnb.htm. [/URL] After 29 years the Packers were world champions again and they were well manned and structured for a repeat in 1997. There was talk of a new dynasty rising again in Titletown. That talk would continue right up to the next Super Bowl. The Packers in 1997 matched the record of the '96 team at 13-3 as they won a third consecutive NFC Central title but weren't quite the dominating club they had been the year before. There were some notable changes on the defense between Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII. DE Sean Jones was retired. CB Craig Newsome suffered a serious knee injury in the season opener against Chicago and was lost for the year and his career would never been the same afterward. After just 6 games with play declining and one off-field incident too many the Packers traded former first round lb Wayne Simmons to Kansas City. [URL='http://lombardiave.com/2013/06/22/wayne-simmons-super-bowl-green-bay-packers/']http://lombardiave.com/2013/06/22/wayne-simmons-super-bowl-green-bay-packers/. [/URL] Fortunately the Packers would have ready replacements for the lost and departed. Gabe Wilkins stepped into the starting end position and produced 5.5 sacks that season. Tyrone Williams moved into the starting cb spot and became a fixture in the Green Bay secondary for the next six years. When injury took down George Koonce at mlb Bernardo Harris stepped in as the new starter. And in free agency the Packers signed a Pro Bowl veteran Seth Joyner at olb. Joyner had played with Reggie White on the great Eagles defense of the late '80's and early '90's. In the draft that year the Packers added a dynamic play-making safety Darren Sharper. The defense dipped a bit from the previous season, going from first to 5th in yardage and from first to 7th in scoring at 17.6ppg. But they were up slightly on sacks with 39 and tied a club record by returning 6 turnovers for td's. Overall, though, their turnover total was down by 17 at 40. But they were in fit form as the playoffs began and the Packers marched to a second straight NFC Championship. In the divisional round at Lambeau they stuffed Tampa Bay 21-7, holding the Bucs to only 263 yds. They were even better in the NFC title game at San Francisco. They held the league's 5th best scoring team to only a field goal in Green Bay's 23-10 win. The 49ers could manage only 257 total yds., Steve Young was sacked 4 times and the defense registered two turnovers. The Packers were heavy favorites heading in to Super Bowl XXXII in San Diego against the Denver Broncos. The NFC had won 13 straight Super Bowls over the AFC to that time. The Broncos had lost- badly- in all four of their previous Super Bowl appearances; including 3 with their great qb John Elway. The year before the Packers had trouned them 41-6 in a game at Green Bay that was billed at the time as a Super Bowl match-up preview. Elway had missed that game due to injury but, as was said repeatedly, Elway didn't play defense. It was assumed that the same magnitude would separate these two teams more than a year later. The vulnerability in the Packers' defense in '97 was against the run. In 1996 they had ranked 4th against the run but in '97 had dropped to 20th and were 23rd in allowing 4.2 ypc. This played directly to the strength of the Broncos' offense, which was their great young back Terrell Davis. Davis came into the game off his third straight thousand yard rushing season and averaged 4.7 ypc for the '97 season. Davis would hit the Packers for 157 yds. on 30 carries in the game and score a Super Bowl record 3 td's. It could have been worse; he missed most of the second quarter with the recurrence of a migraine condition. DE Gabe Wilkins left the game early with a knee injury. One of the post-mortem debates about this Super Bowl is whether he could or should have tried to return, as replacement Darius Holland was ineffectual dealing with the Broncos Hall of Fame LT Gary Zimmerman. Just as equally debated is the question of whether Wilkins would have made any difference. Denver's offensive line was a veteran group and had mastered the technique of "zone blocking," developed by their line coach and zone blocking guru Alex Gibbs. They handled Green Bay's big defensive front in both running the ball and pass protection for John Elway. The Packers never sacked Elway in the game. RT Tony Jones, with some help, shut out Reggie White and the Broncos neutralized LeRoy Butler by blocking him with their Pro Bowl te Shannon Sharpe. In the second half, though, the defense did get two turnovers that enabled the Packers to tie the game and have a chance to win. Early in the third period Tyrone Williams recovered a Terrell Davis fumble deep in Denver territory; which the Pack converted into a field goal And later in the quarter Eugene Robinson killed off a potential game sealing scoring drive at the Packer 15 by intercepting Elway. The Packers produced a td scoring drive from that to tie the game at 24-24. The game would come down to the final 3.5 minutes. Pinned deep in their own territory the Packers got a short punt by Craig Hentrich that started Denver at the Green Bay 49 yd. line. On the first play of the drive Darius Holland was called for a 15 yd. facemask penalty. The Broncos advanced to the Packer 1 yd line with 1:47 remaining when Mike Holmgren, fearing they intended to run down the clock and leave the Packers no chance at another score, ordered the defense to let them score. Unfotunately, Holmgren had lost track of the down; thinking it was first rather than second. Terrell Davis' Super Bowl record third rushing td was a "gimme." But it left the Packers facing the need to go the distance for a touchdown rather than kick a field goal to get the game into overtime. [URL='http://da.radio.cbssports.com/2015/01/29/santana-dotson-even-years-later-broncos-score-still-hurts/']http://da.radio.cbssports.com/2015/01/29/santana-dotson-even-years-later-broncos-score-still-hurts/ [/URL] The Packers' last desperate drive to save their title reign got as far as the Denver 35, where it petered out on 3 straight incomplete passes and a turnover on downs with 28 seconds left. Given the tradition stretching back to Lombardi it was inconceivable that the Packers would lose a Super Bowl and the 31-24 defeat was a most bitter pill for the club and its fans to swallow. The post-mortem would include discussions of whether the Packers were overconfident, out-coached and out-played. But Denver was a better team than most realized and they would prove it by producing their own Super Bowl Championship repeat in 1998. The Packers were far from being done as a Super Bowl contender themselves. But the XXXII loss did change the atmosphere about the team. Reggie White considered retiring but finally decided to play one more season. But not before he became involved in an offseason controversy over remarks he made in a speech before the Wisconsin state legislature. [URL='http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980326&slug=2741766']http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980326&slug=2741766. [/URL] More speculation swirled around the future of Mike Holmgren with the team. He hadn't agreed to a contract extension and, besides looking for more money, it was rumored he wanted more power as a head coach and general manager; an ambition which,if to be achieved, would necessitate moving elsewhere in the NFL. Relations between Holmgren and Ron Wolf had also become strained over the XXXII loss. [URL='http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29487844.html']http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/29487844.html. [/URL] The Packers produced a, by most standards, good 11-5 record in 1998. They extended their own club record by reaching the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year. They posted their seventh straight winning season. They achieved something not even the Lombardi teams could do; record a fourth straight double-digit winning record season. They had a chance to become the first NFC team to make 3 straight Super Bowl appearances and get another crack at the Broncos. But this time around they would have to do it by the wild card route. The Packers were displaced in the NFC Central in '98 by the suddenly explosive Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings had been a thorn to the Packers throughout the Holmgren years but with the addition of rookie wr Randy Moss they became an offensive juggernaut that season and showed up the Packers in a Monday night showcase game at Lambeau in the fifth game of the season. Both teams were undefeated coming into the game but the Packers at the time were riding a 29 game home regular and postseason winning streak. The Vikings made a shambles of all that by rolling up 545 yds. and putting 37 points up against the Packer defense, less than two years removed from being the top unit in the league. In his "coming out" Randy Moss caught 5 passes for 190 yds (38 ypc) and scored td's on plays of 52 and 44 yds. Randall Cunningham, who was out of football and laying bathroom tiles just a year before, passed for 442 yds and 4 td's; the most passing yards ever against a Green Bay defense. Moss with that game began a seven year career of being the most feared offensive opponent for Packers' defenses and fans; joining Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson in a unique category of threat. Ten days later the Packers would meet Sanders at the Pontiac Silverdome and watch him rush for 155 yds. , including a 73 yd. scoring run to help the Lions beat the Pack for their second straight in-division defeat. The rematch with Minnesota in the Metrodome saw the Packers close the gap some but not enough as Moss again torched them with 153 yds on 8 receptions and scored the game sealing td on a 49 yd. play. Despite those games, though, the Packers remained a top notch defense. They ranked 4th in the league for the season; although dipping to 11th in scoring, allowing 19.9 ppg. They improved dramatically against the run, moving up to 4th, from the year before and allowed opponents only an average of 3.7 ypc. They registered a new club record by officially recording 50 quarterback sacks. In his "farewell season" Reggie White got 16: the most in his time in Green Bay and fourth best of his Hall of Fame career. Rookie Vonnie Holliday got his career off to a good start with 8, as did young vet Keith McKenzie. Tyrone Williams' 5 interceptions and McKenzie's 3 fumble recoveries led the Packers 33 turnovers. LeRoy Butler would add 4 INT's 2 fumble recoveries and 4 sacks. The Packers were a "darkhorse" entering the playoffs but they could not be discounted in the Super Bowl chase based on their ability and experience. They appeared to draw a favorable match up in the Wild Card round at San Francisco. The Packers had come to "own" the Niners in the Nineties. They had beaten them three straight years in the playoffs and won 5 in a row, including a 36-22 win at Lambeau during the '98 season. With a 27-23 lead with 1:55 remaining it looked like the Pack was headed to Atlanta for the divisional round next; when their season and an era ended suddenly, shockingly and most unfittingly. The 49ers were on their last desperate drive with 46 seconds remaining when Steve Young passed to Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice. The Packers had effectively shut Rice down all game and appeared to have done it again as safety Scott McGarrahan and lb Bernardo Harris converged on the play at the 41 and jarred the ball loose and recovered the fumble. But an official away from the play ruled Rice down by contact. Replay was on hiatus that year so the Packers couldn't challenge to get the mistaken call overturned. [URL='http://www.sikids.com/photos/48406/most-controversial-endings-in-sports/16']http://www.sikids.com/photos/48406/most-controversial-endings-in-sports/16. [/URL] Retaining possession and with one last chance the Niners drove a stake into the heart of PackerNation. [URL='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3C4P9O20Qk']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3C4P9O20Qk. [/URL] It was Reggie White's last game ( at least as a Packer.) Five days after the loss Mike Holmgren left to become head coach and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks. He took 8 members of the Green Bay assistant staff with him; including defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur. End of Part 5. [/QUOTE]
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