Sports Then and Now

From 1986 until 1991, the National Football League used an instant replay system in which an official in the booth would buzz the referees on the field, indicating that they were reviewing the previous play and then the replay official would determine whether or not the play needed to be reversed.

The most memorable moment under this replay system came in 1989 during a week nine matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers, in which the replay official determined if the potential game-winning touchdown was legal.

The Bears entered the game with a 5-3 record after starting the season with a 4-0 start.

The Bears were led by head coach Mike Ditka, who had taken control of the NFC Central Division as they won the division each year since 1984, including a Super Bowl title in 1985.

But the 1989 season was a year of transition as the team traded quarterback Jim McMahon during training camp and replaced him with quarterback Mike Tomczak, until he was replaced by third-year quarterback Jim Harbaugh.

The Packers entered the game with a 4-4 record under second-year head coach Lindy Infante.

The Packers had been stuck in mediocrity for the past two decades as the team made only two playoff appearances ever since head coach Vince Lombardi retired back in 1967.

The Packers’ starting quarterback was Don Majkowski, a 10th round selection out of the University of Virginia in 1987. Read the rest of this entry →

After 297 consecutive NFL starts, Brett Favre watched from the sidelines Monday night.

Brett Favre’s streak of 297 straight NFL starts ended Monday night in Detroit, but ironically, the end of the streak could actually do more to enhance the quarterback’s legacy than if he would have played against the Giants.

Once one of the most admired and beloved players in the NFL, the last three years have not been kind to the veteran signal caller.

The worst thing a player can be labeled in professional sports is selfish or self-centered. With his annual “will he or won’t he” saga, Favre’s indecision has turned many former admirers into critics.

Favre has always been seen as a tough and hard-nosed player who left everything on the field. However, over the last several years many have believed that Favre was more concerned about playing to preserve and grow his own legacy than to actually help his team win.

After three straight off-seasons of wondering if Favre would return, the Green Bay Packers finally gave up and moved on with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback.

During his single season with the New York Jets, Favre started out strong, but injuries late in the season reduced his effectiveness and cost the Jets a playoff spot. Favre’s eventual admission that he probably shouldn’t have been playing was seen by many as just another example of how the quarterback put his own records over the success of his team.

Favre engineered his exit from New York and after waiting until the end of training camp joined the Minnesota Vikings for the 2009 season.

While the mainstream media did everything they could to hype the 40-year-old Favre’s amazing season, he and the Vikings were met by a mix of indifference and ridicule by many fans who were conflicted as to whether to root for or against Favre. Read the rest of this entry →

Beginning in 1933, the Green Bay Packers would play two or three home games in Milwaukee in an effort to draw extra revenue.

In 1955, the team almost moved to Milwaukee permanently unless the team built a new stadium in Green Bay to replace City Stadium which was seen by the NFL as too small and too inadequate.

Two years later, Lambeau Field opened in Green Bay but the team continued to play a few of its eight home games in Milwaukee at County Stadium, which was originally for the city baseball’s team at the time, the Milwaukee Braves.

But on October 12, 1994, Packers president Bob Harlan announced that starting with the 1995 season, the team would play all of its home games at Lambeau Field.

Two months later, the Packers played their final home game in Milwaukee against the Atlanta Falcons in a critical game for both teams and their chances for the postseason.

The Packers entered the game with a 7-7 record and needing to win their final two games of the season to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Green Bay was in the third year of the Brett Favre era, as he became the team’s starting quarterback back in the fourth game of the 1992 season, the first season with Mike Holmgren as head coach.

The Packers finished that season with a  9-7 record, just missing the playoffs, but made it to the playoffs in 1993 with a 9-7 record where Green Bay defeated the Detroit Lions 28-24 in their NFC Wild Card game before being eliminated by the eventual world champion Dallas Cowboys the following round. Read the rest of this entry →

Many fans were hoping for a shootout when two of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL, the Washington Redskins and the Green Bay Packers, got together for a week 7 Monday night game in Lambeau Field.

The Redskins were the defending Super Bowl champions and entered this game with a 5-1 record, their only loss being a 31-30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in week 1.

Washington’s offense had been outstanding though the first six games as it averaged nearly 30 points and 356 yards per game,

Quarterback Joe Theismann had all sorts of his weapons with a backfield that consisted of running backs John Riggins and Joe Washington to go along with a great corps of receivers known as the “Fun Bunch” for their end zone celebrations, Art Monk, Charlie Brown, and Alvin Garrett.

But the heart of the Redskins’ offense was in its offensive line, known as the “Hogs”, who were able to dominate the line of scrimmage to provide huge holes for their running backs and allowed Theismann the time to find his receivers.

The Packers had a high-powered offense as well as it averaged nearly 27 points and 389 yards per game through the first six games, thanks to quarterback Lynn Dickey. Read the rest of this entry →

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay faithful should have lots to celebrate in 2010.

A year ago I made the bold prediction that the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers would meet in the Super Bowl. As it turns out, I think I may have had the right picks, just the wrong season. Both the Ravens and Packers enter the 2010 season as good bets to be playing in the House That Jerry Built come February.

It won’t be easy for either team as both conferences include a number of teams with enough weapons capable of making a run toward the post season. Plus, being that this is the NFL, you can always bet on at least one team that struggled a year ago to be in the playoff mix.

Here are my picks for 2010:

NFC

NFC East: Some are predicting that the Dallas Cowboys could become the first team ever to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium. With a solid quarterback in Tony Romo, a strong running game and one of the best defensive players in the league in DeMarcus Ware, the Cowboys definitely have the weapons to make a run. However, under Wade Phillips the Cowboys have generally come up a bit short in big games and I don’t know that they have the full stable of talented players needed to be a Super Bowl team. They should win the division as the New York Giants have, at-best, Wild Card talent and the Eagles and Redskins both look to be a year away from contending. However, with a veteran coach and veteran quarterback, the Redskins could be a candidate for making a big turnaround in 2010. Read the rest of this entry →

The Arizona Cardinals pulled out a victory for the ages with a 51-45 win over the Green Bay Packers

During the last week, Sports Then and Now ran a series featuring the 50 greatest games and moments in the history the NFL conference playoffs. The game Sunday evening between the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers will certainly move near the top of that list.

Ironically, in a game that featured NFL Playoff records for points, total yards and first downs, it was a defensive play that proved to be the difference.

The Packers rebounded from a 31-10 second half deficit to send the game into overtime tied at 45-45.

Considering that Green Bay had scored five touchdowns in the second half it seemed logical that when they won the coin toss for overtime it would lead to a quick score.

However, the score proved to be for the Cardinals. On third down, Aaron Rodgers was sacked and stripped by Michael Adams with the ball bouncing right to Karlos Dansby, who returned the ball 17 yards for the game-winner.

The 51-45 final score set a new record for point in a postseason game. The previous record was 95 set by the Eagles and Lions in 1995.

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