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| Date | January 11, 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Stadium | 3Com Park San Francisco, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Dick Hantak | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 68,987 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| TV in the United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | Fox | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Pat Summerall andJohn Madden | |||||||||||||||||||||
The1997 National Football Conference (NFC)Championship Game was anAmerican football game played between theGreen Bay Packers andSan Francisco 49ers on January 11, 1998, at3Com Park inSan Francisco, California, United States. Both the Packers and 49ers finished the season with identical 13–3 records, each winning their respective divisions. The 49ers received the first seed in the playoffs due to tie-breakers: the 49ers had a better conference record than the Packers (11–1 versus 10–2, respectively). Both teams received first round byes during the Wild Card round. The Packers faced off against theTampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round,winning 21–7 and advancing to their third straight NFC Championship Game. The 49ers beat theMinnesota Vikings in the Divisional Round bya score of 38–22. With their higher seeding, the 49ers hosted the Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
The Packers took a 13–3 lead into halftime behind two field goals and aBrett Favre touchdown pass toAntonio Freeman.Ryan Longwell kicked another field goal in the fourth quarter beforeDorsey Levens scored a touchdown with under four minutes left in the game. Even though the 49ers returned the ensuing kick off for a touchdown, the Packers were able to hold on for a 23–10 victory. The victory was the third straight year that the Packers beat the 49ers in the playoffs. The game continued the growing49ers–Packers rivalry of the 1990s. The Packers advanced toSuper Bowl XXXII, their second straight, where they lost 31–24 to theDenver Broncos. The two teams met again the next season in the playoffs, with the 49ers winning in dramatic fashion in what became known asThe Catch II game.
TheGreen Bay Packers entered the1997 NFL season as the defending champions after winningSuper Bowl XXXI. TheSan Francisco 49ers had been defeated inthe Divisional Round of the playoffs that season by the Packers 35–14, the second straight season the Packers beat the 49ers in the playoffs.[1] The Packers began their season somewhat slowly, going 3–2 during their first five games. However they won their next five games before suffering a showing defeat to theIndianapolis Colts in Week 12, who at the time were 0–10. The Packers rebounded with another five game winning streak to finish the season with a record of 13–3.[2]Brett Favre was named theAP NFL Most Valuable Player Award for the season, sharing the award withBarry Sanders.[3]
The 49ers began the season with a loss against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, but then went on an 11 game win streak. After losing 44–9 against theKansas City Chiefs in Week 14, the 49ers won their next two games to secure the first seed in the playoffs.[4] The 49ers lost to theSeattle Seahawks in the last game of the season, although they rested their starters, to finish with a record of 13–3.[5][6] Because both teams finished with the same record, tie-breakers determined seeding. Since neither team played each other, the relevant tie-breaker was conference record, which the 49ers won after going 11–1 in interconference games (the Packers went 10–2).[7][8]
Both teams were awarded bye weeks during the first round of the playoffs. The Packers hosted theTampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, while the 49ers hosted theMinnesota Vikings. Both teams won their playoff games, with the Packerswinning 21–7 and the 49erswinning 38–22.[9] With their higher seed, the 49ers earned the right to host the Packers in the NFC Championship Game, which would be played at3Com Park on January 11, 1998.[10][11] The Packers were 1.5 point favorites.[11]
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The 49ers began the game with the ball, moving to mid-field before being forced to punt. The Packers ensuing drive last 10 plays, going 76 yards before being stopped just short of theend zone. 49ers cornerbackRod Woodson was flagged for a 27-yard pass interference penalty on the drive.Ryan Longwell kicked a 19-yard field goal to give the Packers a 3–0 lead. Both teams tradedthree-and-outs before the 49ers took a six play, 60-yard drive into Packers' territory. However,Steve Young was intercepted byEugene Robinson and returned 58 yards. The Packers scored two plays later on a 27-yard pass fromBrett Favre toAntonio Freeman, increasing the Packers lead to 10–0. The 49ers punted on their ensuing drive. The Packers took over and drove 57 yards over 11 plays, although Longwell missed a 47-yard field goal attempt to give the ball back to the 49ers. The 49ers finally scored, withGary Anderson converting a 28-yard field goal to cut into the Packers lead, 10–3. The drive was extended with a 48-yard catch from Young toJ. J. Stokes on third-and-26. With less than a minute left in the half, the Packers drove 48 yards in 3 plays, including a 40-yard heave from Favre to Freeman, to give Longwell a shot at a 43-yard field goal, which he converted. The Packers took a 13–3 into halftime.[12]
In the third quarter, neither team scored. The Packers and 49ers exchanged two punts each after drives that went less than 50 yards. The Packers and 49ers exchanged punts again at the beginning of the fourth quarter, before the Packers scored on a nine-play, 28 yard drive. Longwell converted a 25-yard field goal to put the Packers up 16–3. On the ensuing drive, the 49ers went for it on fourth down, although Young was sacked byKeith McKenzie, giving the ball to the Packers on their 11-yard line. Two plays later,Dorsey Levens ran in a five-yard touchdown to increase the Packers lead to 23–3. On the kickoff,Chuck Levy complete a 95-yard return for a touchdown, cutting the Packers lead to 23–10. The Packers went three-and-out on their next drive, punting the ball back to the 49ers. The 49ers moved the ball on their drive, but Young fumbled and the Packers recovered the ball. They ran one play to end the game, winning 23–10.[12]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 23 |
| 49ers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at3Com Park,San Francisco,California
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Post-game analysis focused on the Packers defense, especially its pass defense in the second half.[15][16] Although Young began the game completing his first 10 passes, the Packers shut him down in the second half. They sacked Young four times, forced three fumbles, and held him to just 52 yards passing in the half.[17] Young also threw an interception that swung momentum over to the Packers and led to a short touchdown drive.[18][19] The 49ers only gained three first downs in the second half, with two of those occurring during the last minute of the game. The Packers defense also did not allow an offensive touchdown during the game, the first time it did that since 1965. The 49ers only touchdown came on a 95-yard kick-off return by Levy, which was the longest return and the first return for a touchdown against the Packers in the playoffs.[12] The Packers did a good job preventing Young from scrambling, while the rainy conditions were better managed by the Packers.[17][20] The Packers had a productive running game, while the 49ers fell flat. Levens increased his Packers single playoff game rushing record to 114 yards, while the 49ers only managed 33 yards rushing as a team.[15][21] The Packers also balanced their offense well, with Favre throwing for 222 yards and two touchdowns, with most of the damage going to Freeman andRobert Brooks.[22]
The Packers advanced toSuper Bowl XXXII against theDenver Broncos; it was the Packers second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl.[23] In a back-and-forth affair, the Broncos beat the Packers 31–24 after giving up 157 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns to running backTerrell Davis.[24] Both the Packers and 49ers returned to the playoffs in the1998 NFL season, facing each other in the playoffs for the fourth straight season.[25] The 49ers finally beat the Packers, securing a last-minute victory in what became known asThe Catch II game.[26]
The game marked the third straight season the Packers beat the 49ers in the playoffs, continuing aa growing rivalry between the teams that has been maintained into the 21st century.[1][27] It was also a part of a personal rivalry between quarterbacks Brett Favre and Steve Young that ended up including four playoff games in the 1990s.[28] It was the first time in at least 17 years that a team beat the 49ers four straight times.[18][19] The game also gave the Packers their second consecutive berth into theSuper Bowl, continuing their strong level of performance that decade.[29] The 49ers and Packers would not meet in another NFC Championship Game until2019.[25] In 2020, theMilwaukee Journal Sentinel ranked the game as one of the greatest moments in Wisconsin sports history over the previous 50 years.[30] In 2024, the newspaper also ranked it as one of the best games between the Packers and 49ers in their rivalry.[31]