1997 Green Bay Packers season
American football season
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The 1997 Green Bay Packers season was their 79th season overall and their 77th in the National Football League (NFL). The season concluded with the team winning its second consecutive NFC championship, but losing 31–24 to John Elway's Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII.[1] The heavily favored team narrowly missed its opportunity to post back-to-back Super Bowl wins.
| 1997 Green Bay Packers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Green Bay Packers, Inc. |
| General manager | Ron Wolf |
| President | Bob Harlan |
| Head coach | Mike Holmgren |
| Offensive coordinator | Sherman Lewis |
| Defensive coordinator | Fritz Shurmur |
| Home stadium | Lambeau Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 13–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFC Central |
| Playoffs | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Buccaneers) 21–7 Won NFC Championship (at 49ers) 23–10 Lost Super Bowl XXXII (vs. Broncos) 24–31 |
| All-Pros | 3
|
| Pro Bowlers | 6
|
After a dominating 1996 campaign which ended with a victory in Super Bowl XXXI, many expected the Packers to repeat as champions in 1997. During training camp, star safety LeRoy Butler, among others, said that the Packers had the chance to run the table and go 19–0. This opinion drew increased coverage from the media as the Packers notched impressive victories in all five preseason games. The undefeated hype ended quickly, however, when Green Bay lost week 2 in Philadelphia.
Following a relatively slow 3–2 start, the Packers caught fire in the second half of the season, finishing with a 13–3 regular season record and 8–0 home record for the second consecutive year. In the playoffs, Green Bay defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field in the divisional round, and San Francisco 49ers at 3Com Park in the NFC Championship. Some in the media dubbed the NFC title game as "the real Super Bowl" because of the 49ers' and Packers' league dominance, and the relative inferiority of the AFC in recent Super Bowls. Green Bay's win marked the third consecutive year the team had defeated San Francisco in the playoffs.
The Packers entered Super Bowl XXXII as 111⁄2-point favorites. The point spread was likely determined by Green Bay's victory in the previous Super Bowl, the AFC's string of 13 consecutive Super Bowl losses, and Denver's blowout losses in their four previous Super Bowls appearances. The game itself was a seesaw battle, and one of the most exciting Super Bowls in history. The Broncos won the thriller 31–24, earning John Elway his first Super Bowl victory at the age of 37, and the first championship in franchise history. Years later, Brett Favre said the Broncos were far underrated, and credited Denver's innovative blitz packages and strategies, foreign to the league at that time, for confusing the Packers. Denver was also aided by a salary cap scandal, which allowed them to build a better team by covering parts of Elway and Terrell Davis' contracts with money outside of the team's designated salary.[2][3]
Favre was named the league's MVP for the third year in a row in 1997. Favre is the first and only player in the history of the award to win three MVPs consecutively.[4] The Packers became the first team to have six NFL MVP award winners.[5]
The 1997 Packers are one of only four teams in NFL history[6] to win seven games against teams that would go on to make the playoffs.[7]
Offseason
| Additions | Subtractions |
|---|---|
| QB Steve Bono (Chiefs) | WR Desmond Howard (Raiders) |
| LB Seth Joyner (Cardinals) |
1997 NFL draft
Despite picking last in the 1997 NFL draft, the Packers did well, picking up future all-pro tackle Ross Verba and free safety Darren Sharper.[8]
| 1997 Green Bay Packers draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | Ross Verba | Offensive tackle | Iowa | |
| 2 | 60 | Darren Sharper * | Safety | William & Mary | |
| 3 | 90 | Brett Conway | Kicker | Penn State | |
| 4 | 126 | Jermaine Smith | Defensive tackle | Georgia | |
| 5 | 160 | Anthony Hicks | Linebacker | Arkansas | |
| 7 | 213 | Chris Miller | Wide receiver | USC | |
| 7 | 231 | Terrance Lucas | Cornerback | Montana State | |
| 7 | 240 | Ronnie McAda | Quarterback | Army | Mr. Irrelevant |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Randy Kinder | Running back | Notre Dame |
Staff
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Roster
Schedule
Preseason
| Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Record | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 26, 1997 | Miami Dolphins | W 20–0 | Lambeau Field | 1–0 | 59,089 |
| July 31, 1997 | New England Patriots | W 7–3 | Lambeau Field | 2–0 | 60,778 |
| August 8, 1997 | at Oakland Raiders | W 37–24 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 3–0 | 42,956 |
| August 16, 1997 | at Buffalo Bills | W 35–3 | SkyDome (Toronto, ON) | 4–0 | 53,896 |
| August 22, 1997 | New York Giants | W 22–17 | Camp Randall Stadium (Madison, WI) | 5–0 | 76,704 |
Regular season
The Packers finished the 1997 regular season with a 13–3 record, clinching first place in the NFC Central division, as well as a first-round playoff bye.[11]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 1 | Chicago Bears | W 38–24 | 1–0 | Lambeau Field | 60,766 |
| 2 | September 7 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 9–10 | 1–1 | Veterans Stadium | 66,803 |
| 3 | September 14 | Miami Dolphins | W 23–18 | 2–1 | Lambeau Field | 60,075 |
| 4 | September 21 | Minnesota Vikings | W 38–32 | 3–1 | Lambeau Field | 60,115 |
| 5 | September 28 | at Detroit Lions | L 15–26 | 3–2 | Pontiac Silverdome | 78,110 |
| 6 | October 5 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 21–16 | 4–2 | Lambeau Field | 60,100 |
| 7 | October 12 | at Chicago Bears | W 24–23 | 5–2 | Soldier Field | 62,212 |
| 8 | Bye | |||||
| 9 | October 27 | at New England Patriots | W 28–10 | 6–2 | Foxboro Stadium | 59,972 |
| 10 | November 2 | Detroit Lions | W 20–10 | 7–2 | Lambeau Field | 60,126 |
| 11 | November 6 | St. Louis Rams | W 17–7 | 8–2 | Lambeau Field | 60,093 |
| 12 | November 16 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 38–41 | 8–3 | RCA Dome | 60,928 |
| 13 | November 23 | Dallas Cowboys | W 45–17 | 9–3 | Lambeau Field | 60,111 |
| 14 | December 1 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 27–11 | 10–3 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,001 |
| 15 | December 7 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 17–6 | 11–3 | Houlihan's Stadium | 73,523 |
| 16 | December 14 | at Carolina Panthers | W 31–10 | 12–3 | Ericsson Stadium | 70,887 |
| 17 | December 20 | Buffalo Bills | W 31–21 | 13–3 | Lambeau Field | 60,108 |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 0 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 24 |
| • Packers | 3 | 15 | 6 | 14 | 38 |
- Date: September 1
- Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 60,766
- Game weather: 69 °F (21 °C), wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Television network: ABC
| 1 | GB | Ryan Longwell 38 yard field goal | Packers 3–0 | |
| 2 | CHI | Raymont Harris 1 yard run (Jim Flanigan pass from Todd Sauerbrun) | Bears 8–3 | |
| 2 | GB | Jeff Thomason 1 yard pass from Brett Favre (Dorsey Levens pass from Brett Favre) | Packers 11–8 | |
| 2 | CHI | Jeff Jaeger 42 yard field goal | Tie 11–11 | |
| 2 | GB | Robert Brooks 18 yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick) | Packers 18–11 | |
| 3 | GB | Ryan Longwell 36 yard field goal | Packers 21–11 | |
| 3 | GB | Ryan Longwell 29 yard field goal | Packers 24–11 | |
| 4 | GB | Dorsey Levens 1 yard run (Ryan Longwell kick) | Packers 31–11 | |
| 4 | CHI | Ricky Proehl 22 yard pass from Erik Kramer (pass failed) | Packers 31–17 | |
| 4 | GB | Gabe Wilkins 1 yard fumble return (Ryan Longwell kick) | Packers 38–17 | |
| 4 | CHI | Raymont Harris 68 yard run (Jeff Jaeger kick) | Packers 38–24 | |
Week 2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| • Eagles | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
- Date: September 7
- Location: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 66,803
- Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), wind 8 mph (13 km/h)
- Television network: FOX
| 2 | GB | Ryan Longwell 22 yard field goal | Packers 3–0 | |
| 2 | GB | Ryan Longwell 18 yard Field Goal | Packers 6–0 | |
| 3 | PHI | Chris Boniol 32 yard Field Goal | Packers 6–3 | |
| 3 | GB | Ryan Longwell 27 yard Field Goal | Packers 9–3 | |
| 4 | PHI | Freddie Solomon 2 yard pass from Ty Detmer (Chris Boniol Kick) | Eagles 10–9 | |
Week 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Packers | 0 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
| Bears | 10 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
- Date: October 12
- Location: Soldier Field, Chicago
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 62,212
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C); wind 15 mph (24 km/h)
- Television network: Fox
| Q1 | CHI | Raymont Harris 1 yard run (Jeff Jaeger kick) | CHI 7–0 | |
| Q1 | CHI | Jeff Jaeger 41 yard field goal | CHI 10–0 | |
| Q2 | GB | Mark Chmura 2 yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick) | CHI 10–7 | |
| Q2 | GB | Dorsey Levens 1 yard run (Ryan Longwell kick) | GB 14–10 | |
| Q3 | CHI | Erik Kramer 3 yard run (Jeff Jaeger kick) | CHI 17–14 | |
| Q3 | GB | Mark Chmura 12 yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick) | GB 21–17 | |
| Q4 | GB | Ryan Longwell 37 yard field goal | GB 24–17 | |
| Q4 | CHI | Chris Penn 22 yard pass from Erik Kramer (pass failed) | GB 24–23 | |
Week 12
The Packers suffered a shocking loss to the 0–10 Indianapolis Colts, but did not lose another game until the Super Bowl.
Standings
| NFC Central | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| (2) Green Bay Packers | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 422 | 282 | W5 |
| (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 299 | 263 | W1 |
| (5) Detroit Lions | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 379 | 306 | W2 |
| (6) Minnesota Vikings | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 354 | 359 | W1 |
| Chicago Bears | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 263 | 421 | L1 |
Playoffs
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Stadium | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | First-round bye | ||||||
| NFC Divisional Playoff | January 4, 1998 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4) | W 21–7 | 1–0 | Lambeau Field | 60,327 | |
| NFC Championship Game | January 11, 1998 | San Francisco 49ers (1) | W 23–10 | 2–0 | Candlestick Park | 68,987 | |
| Super Bowl XXXII | January 25, 1998 | Denver Broncos (A4) | L 31–24 | 2–1 | Qualcomm Stadium | 68,912 | |
NFC Divisional Game vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Packers | 7 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 21 |
at Lambeau Field
- Date: January 4, 1998
- Game time: 11:30 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 27 °F (−3 °C), relative humidity 79%, wind 17 mph (27 km/h)
NFC Championship Game at. San Francisco 49ers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
| 49ers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at 3Com Park
- Date: January 11, 1998
- Game time: 1 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), relative humidity 90%, wind 10 mph (16 km/h)
Super Bowl XXXII vs. Denver Broncos
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Broncos | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Qualcomm Stadium
- Date: January 25, 1998
- Game time: 3:30 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C), relative humidity 79%, wind 6 mph (9.7 km/h)
The Packers advanced to their fourth Super Bowl appearance, which was also their second consecutive appearance. Despite being favored by double digits, they were denied their fourth ring, as well as their second consecutive championship, by John Elway and the Denver Broncos, who defeated them 31–24. To date, the loss is the only Packers' Super Bowl loss in team history.
Awards and records
- Brett Favre, NFC leader, completions (304)
- Brett Favre, NFC leader, passing yards (3,867)
- Brett Favre, NFC leader, touchdown passes (35)
- Brett Favre, NFL most valuable player
- Brett Favre, NFC Pro Bowl selection
- Brett Favre, All-Pro selection
- Brett Favre, Best NFL Player ESPY Award
- Brett Favre, First Player to win Three Consecutive MVP Awards
- Robert Brooks, National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award