This season, I’ve been using a random number generator to pick a game between the Green Bay Packers and their opponent for that week. This week, the Packers are facing off against the Carolina Panthers, whom they’ve played just 19 times. The random number: 1, so we’re going to look at the first time these teams ever met, which happens to be the NFC championship game played on January 12th, 1997.
Entering the Game
The 1996 Packers won 13 regular season games, which tied with the Denver Broncos for the league’s best record that year. A couple of weeks prior, QB Brett Favre had been awarded MVP honors for the second consecutive year, after throwing for 3,899 yards and 39 TDs (league best) for a career-best 7.2 TD %. They had also just won their Divisional Round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, 35-14. The Packers were HOT.
The Carolina Panthers were a relatively new team, having played their first games just one season prior. They went 12-4 during the 1996 season, and stunned the league by beating the reigning champion Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round, 26-17. A trip to the Super Bowl was on the line, and the NFC’s representative would be either one of the NFL’s oldest franchises, or its newest.
Key Moments
The first quarter was relatively uneventful as the teams went back and forth with punts. Then: LB Sam Mills intercepted Brett Favre as he attempted to throw to WR Don Beebe. Snagging the ball at the 12-yard line, Mills nearly took this one to the house until he was brought down just short of the endzone. The Panthers promptly scored after this, and held a 7-0 lead.
As the second quarter began, Brett Favre completed a 29-yard TD pass to RB Dorsey Levens, and things were all tied up again. The Panthers would go on to take the lead again with a FG, but the Packers responded during their next drive with a TD by WR Antonio Freeman which would put them back on top, 14-10.
With 42 seconds left to respond before halftime, the Panthers immediately turned the ball over to CB Tyrone Williams. Then, Brett Favre did his thing, and led the Packers into FG territory with 23 and 25-yard passes to WRs Andre Rison and Antonio Freeman, respectively. K Chris Jacke made another FG, and the Packers led 17-10 at halftime.
The Panthers were unable to get anything going in the second half, outside of a FG they made to end their first drive, and the Packers would go on to absolutely dominate. Jacke made two more FGs, and RB Edgar Bennett found the endzone, and when it was all said and done, the Packers won 30-13.
The Outcome
For the first time in nearly 30 years, the Green Bay Packers were going to the Super Bowl. After some massive plays by QB Brett Favre and his receivers, returner Desmond Howard set the record for the longest kickoff return in Super Bowl history at the time with a 99 yard return for a TD. The Green Bay Packers then won their first Super Bowl since 1967, when they beat the New England Patriots 35-21. Howard’s performance as a punt and kick returner earned him Super Bowl MVP honors, and he is the only special teamer to ever earn the award.
The 4-3 Packers and 3-3 Panthers face off at Lambeau Field on Thursday Night Football at 8:15 ET/7:15 CT.