TimesFour

…1994: The Packers closed down County Stadium in style.

Needing to win their final three games to make the playoffs, the Packers had gotten that big job under way the week before by smothering the Bears, 40-3, in Green Bay. Now phase two of the assignment was to take care of the Atlanta Falcons in what was to be the final NFL game ever played at Milwaukee’s venerable County Stadium. (Venerable is a nice way of saying it was a dump.)

The Packers, 7½-point favorites and facing the NFL’s worst defense, seemed ready to run away with the game following two early touchdown passes by Brett Favre, but the Falcons fought their way back with a touchdown run by “Ironhead” Heyward. Worse yet, the Packers lost WR Sterling Sharpe with what first appeared to be a stinger, but turned out to be a potentially life-threatening neck injury that would force him to retire.

Chances to put the Falcons away kept fizzling out. Late in the second quarter, QB Brett Favre threw an interception deep in Atlanta territory; three holding penalties killed a promising third-quarter drive; and Chris Jacke missed a 37-yard field goal try that would’ve put the Packers ahead by 8 points.

Seizing the opportunity, backup Atlanta QB Bobby Hebert led the team on a 76-yard scoring drive, with a two-point conversion putting them ahead by 3. After a three-and-out, the Packer defense held, and the team got the ball back with 1:58 to play and one timeout.

Favre moved the Packers to the Atlanta 9, and used that final timeout. After consulting with Mike Holmgren, quarterback coach Steve Mariucci, and backup QB Ty Detmer, Favre agreed on a play designed to find TE Mark Chmura in the end zone.

With all his receivers covered, Favre rolled out to his right and took a quick look at WR Terry Mickens, who was running parallel to Favre. But the defensive back on Mickens was closing quickly, so Favre took off. With Atlanta’s defenders tied up in the end zone or at the line, the less-than-nimble quarterback had a brief chance to navigate the right sideline the nine yards to pay dirt.

After dodging DE Chuck Smith, Favre dove over the top of a lunging Falcon cornerback and into the end zone. Had he been stopped short, the field goal team would’ve had only 14 seconds to scramble into position for a tying kick.

But his dive kept the Packers alive, and the following week the team clinched a playoff spot. It also provided a memorable finale to the Packers’ 42-year run at County Stadium.

(Note: This will be the last installment of “On This Date…” for 2008. Thanks for reading — both of you!)

Favre's dive keeps the Pack alive.

		1	2	3	4	F
Falcons	3	6	0	8	17
Packers	14	0	0	7	21

GB: Sterling Sharpe 8 pass from Brett Favre (Chris Jacke kick)
AT: Norm Johnson 20 FG
GB: Anthony Morgan 15 pass from Favre (Jacke)
AT: Craig Heyward 2 run (pass failed)
AT: Terance Mathis 5 pass from Bobby Hebert (Andre Rison pass from Hebert)
GB: Favre 9 run (Jacke)

Trivia: During the 1960s and ‘70s, what unusual characteristic was shared by the home fields of the Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Detroit Lions? The answer will appear in the Comments section tomorrow.