Super Bowl XXXI

The game

The Packers dominated the Patriots on both sides of the ball, outgaining New England 323 yards to 257 and intercepting quarterback Drew Bledsoe four times. Packers defensive lineman Reggie White tied a Super Bowl recording three sacks, including back-to-back takedowns in the 3rd quarter.

Related Topics:
Drew Bledsoe - Reggie White

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Green Bay opened the scoring early, with a 54-yard Andre Rison touchdown catch on their second offensive play of the game. Then on the Patriots' next drive, Packers defensive back Doug Evans intercepted Bledsoe's first pass of the game at the New England 28-yard line, setting up Chris Jacke's 37-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

Related Topics:
Andre Rison - Chris Jacke

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New England stormed back, scoring touchdowns on each of their next 2 possesions. First, a pass interference penalty on Packers defender Craig Newsome set up Bledsoe's 2-yard touchdown pass to fullback Keith Byars. Then on the Patriots next drive, Bledsoe completed a 44-yard pass to wide reciever Terry Glenn, setting up tight end Ben Coates's 4-yard touchdown reception that gave New England a 14-10 lead. The Packers and Patriots combined for a total of 24 points, the most ever scored in the first quarter of a Super Bowl.

Related Topics:
Keith Byars - Terry Glenn - Ben Coates

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New England's lead was short lived, as Antonio Freeman caught a Super Bowl record 81-yard touchdown from Favre a minute into the second quarter to put the Packers back in the lead 17-14. Another field goal from Jacke and Brett Favre's 2-yard scramble into the end zone put the Packers up by 13 points at halftime, 27-14.

Related Topics:
Antonio Freeman - Brett Favre

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The Patriots scored a late third quarter touchdown on an 18-yard run by Curtis Martin to cut the Packers' lead 27-21. But on the ensuing kickoff, Desmond Howard returned the ball 99 yards for a touchdown. Brett Farve then completed a pass to tight end Mark Chmura for the successful two-point conversion, giving the Packers a 35-21 lead. The score proved to be the last one of the game as the defenses of both teams took over in the final quarter.

Related Topics:
Curtis Martin - Desmond Howard - Brett Farve - Mark Chmura - Two-point conversion

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Freeman was the top receiver of the game, finishing with 105 receiving yards and a touchdown on only 3 receptions. Favre completed 14 out of 27 passes for 246 yards and 2 touchdowns, and had 12 rushing yards and another touchdown on 4 carries. Bledsoe finished the game with 11 more pass completions then Favre, but only 7 more total passing yards.

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Scoring summary

• GB- Rison 54 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
• GB- FG Jacke 37
• NE- Byars 1 pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick)
• NE- Coates 4 pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick)
• GB- Freeman 81 pass from Favre (Jacke kick)
• GB- FG Jacke 31
• GB- Favre 2 run (Jacke kick)
• NE- Martin 18 run (Vinatieri kick)
• GB- Howard 99 kick return (2-pt Chmura pass from Favre)