Super Bowl XXXI
Green Bay Packers 35
New England Patriots 21
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Desmond Howard returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and Brett Favre passed for two touchdowns and ran for a score as the Packers won their first Super Bowl in twenty-nine years.
Howard, en route to garnering the MVP trophy, equaled a Super Bowl record with 244 total return yards.
It was Favre's arm that struck first, as he hit Andre Rison for a 54-yard touchdown pass on the Packers' second play from scrimmage to take a 7-0 lead. Two plays later Doug Evans made a diving interception of Drew Bledsoe's pass at the 28-yard line, setting up Chris Jacke's field goal and giving the Packers a 10-0 lead just 6:18 into the Super Bowl.
The Patriots answered with touchdowns on their next two possessions. Craig Newsome's pass interference penalty set up the first touchdown and a 44-yard completion from Bledsoe to Terry Glenn preceeding Ben Coates's touchdown gave New England its first and only lead. The 24 combined first quarter points were the most in Super Bowl history.
Green Bay struck again 56 seconds into the second quarter as Favre hit Antonio Freeman with a Super Bowl-record 81-yard touchdown bomb. Jacke booted his second field goal on Green Bay's next possession. After a Mike Prior interception, Favre orchestrated a 74-yard, nearly 6-minute drive that concluded with a diving Favre touching the ball against the pylon to give Green Bay a 27-14 halftime lead.
Curtis Martin brought the Patriots to within a score by running in from 18 yards out with 3:27 left in the third quarter. But Howard broke the Patriots' spirit by returning the ensuing kickoff a Super Bowl-record 99 yards. Favre found Mark Chmura for the 2-point conversion to finish the scoring.
Bledsoe was intercepted twice in the fourth quarter as the Patriots never crossed midfield in four fourth-quarter possessions.
Reggie White set a Super Bowl record with three sacks. Favre completed 14 of 27 passes for 246 yards, with no interceptions. Bledsoe completed 11 more passes than Favre, but for just seven more yards, and threw four interceptions.
Super Bowl XXXI: MVP Desmond Howard, KR-PR, Green Bay Packers
Desmond Howard enjoyed a celebrated college football career, winning the Heisman Trophy while starring at the University of Michigan in 1991. His pro football career, however, was judged more by potential than actual production.
But in 1996, Howard finally made his mark in the NFL. He picked the perfect stage, too, to showcase his ability -- Super Bowl XXXI.
Signed as a free agent, Howard found his niche as the Packers' return specialist. He led the NFL with a 15.1-yard punt return average and punt returns for touchdowns with 3. He took back a punt 92 yards for a TD in Green Bay's regular-season finale against Detroit and continued his roll into the postseason.
Against the 49ers, Howard set a team record with 117 punt return yards on just two attempts, including a 71-yarder. In the NFC Championship Game against the Panthers, Howard returned 4 kickoffs for 104 yards, including a 46-yarder, as the Packers advanced to their first Super Bowl in 29 years.
Then against New England at the Superdome, Howard made his mark in Super Bowl lore, personally putting a stop to the Patriots' third-quarter comeback with a record 99-yard kickoff return for a TD.
Ironically, Howard didn't think he had a chance at winning the MVP. "I really didn't expect them to be kicking the ball that much," he said.
Howard got his kicks -- and then some -- in Super Bowl XXXI.
SUPER BOWL XXXI SCORING
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|
New England Patriots | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
|
Green Bay Packers | 10 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 35 |
1st Quarter
GB Rison 54 pass from Favre (Jacke kick), 3:32
GB FG Jacke 37, 6:18
NE Byars 1 pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick), 8:25
NE Coates 4 pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick),12:27
2nd Quarter
GB Freeman 81 pass from Favre (Jacke kick), 0:56
GB FG Jacke 31, 6:45
GB Favre 2 run (Jacke kick), 13:49
3rd Quarter
NE Martin 18 run (Vinatieri kick), 11:33
GB Howard 99 kick return (2-pt Chmura from Favre, T-Formation), 11:50
4th Quarter
January 26, 1997
Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Attendance: 72,301
Super Bowl XXXI: Ticket and Championship Ring
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