Super Bowl XXXI: Encyclopedia II - Super Bowl XXXI - Background

Super Bowl XXXI - Background

Super Bowl XXXI - Green Bay Packers

After winning Super Bowl II after the 1967 regular season, the Packers became a losing team for much of the 1970s and 1980s, only making the playoffs in 1972 and the strike-shortened 1982 season. In addition to having the reputation of being a loser, the team was unable to attract good players because many also did not want to play in Green Bay's cold winter climate.

But that all that changed when Mike Holmgren became the Packers head coach in 1992. During his first year, the team improved to a 9-7 regular season record and barely missed the playoffs. One of the significant players on the 1992 Packers was second year quarterback Brett Favre, who spent his rookie season playing for the Atlanta Falcons. During a September 20, 1992 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Favre replaced injured starter Don Majkowski and proceeded to lead the team to a comeback victory. Afterwards, Favre became the starter for the rest of that season.

Green Bay then made the playoffs in the 1993, 1994, and the 1995 seasons. As Holmgren, Favre and the Packers continued to win, they were able to attract impact free agents like veteran defensive tackle Reggie White, nicknamed the "Minister of Defense", who joined the team in 1993.

In 1996, the Packers posted an NFC-best 13-3 regular season record after winning 8 of their first 9 games to start the season. And after losing two straight in November (one to the rival Dallas Cowboys), they would finish off the regular season winning their five, including dominating wins over playoff teams Denver Broncos, 41-6, and Minnesota Vikings, 38-10. The Packers also had the best defense in the league in both points and yards. They allowed 210 points and also scored an NFL best 456 points, becoming the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to score the most points in the league and allow the fewest.

Favre won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award for the second straight season after throwing for 3,899 yards and an NFC record 39 touchdown passes during the 1996 regular season, with only 13 interceptions. His 39 touchdown passes was the third highest total in league history. Favre was also a good runner, ranking third on the team with 136 rushing yards and scoring 2 touchdowns.

The Packers also had a triple-whammy in a sense with game-breaking kick returner Desmond Howard. The former Heisman Trophy winner's NFL career as a wide receiver was widely viewed as a disappointment up until this point, recording just 92 receptions in his first 4 NFL seasons. But after joining Green Bay before the 1996 season, the team used him as a kick returner. Howard excelled in this role and ended up setting an NFL record with 875 punt return yards, while also leading the league in yards per return (15.1) and punt return touchdowns (3). He also caught 13 passes for 95 yards and added another 460 yards returning kickoffs.

Green Bay also had a number of offensive weapons. Wide receiver Antonio Freeman led the team with 933 yards and 9 touchdowns. Multi-talented veteran wide receiver Don Beebe was also a constant breakaway threat, catching 39 passes for 606 yards, and adding another 403 yards and a touchdown returning kickoffs. Beebe was a member of Buffalo Bills during their 4 Super Bowl losses, and was thus extremely eager for another shot at a Super Bowl win. The Packers also had 2 outstanding tight ends: Pro Bowler Keith Jackson recorded 40 passes for 504 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Mark Chmura had 28 receptions for 370 yards.

Although Green Bay's running game did not have any standout backs or Pro Bowlers, running backs Dorsey Levens, Edgar Bennett, and fullback William Henderson were all very good at blocking, running and receiving. Bennett was the team's leading rusher with 899 yards, while also catching 31 passes for 176 yards and scored 3 touchdowns. Levens rushed for 566 yards, caught 31 passes for 226 yards, returned 5 kickoffs for 84 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns. Henderson had 130 rushing yards, caught 27 passes for 203 yards, and returned 2 kickoffs for 38 yards. Up front, Pro Bowl center Frank Winters anchored the offensive line, along with guard Adam Timmerman.

On defense, White continued to be a weapon, recording 29 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, and led the team with 8.5 sacks. Defensive tackle Santana Dotson was also a big asset, recording 5.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. In the secondary, the team was led by safety Eugene Robinson, who recorded 55 tackles, 6 interceptions, and 107 return yards. Defensive back LeRoy Butler was also a major force, recording 65 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 2 fumbles recoveries, and 5 interceptions for 149 return yards and a touchdown

Super Bowl XXXI - New England Patriots

The Patriots were also considered a losing team for much of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including a dismal 1-15 regular season record in 1990. Then in 1993, New England turned to veteran head coach Bill Parcells to lead the team, hoping to repeat the success he had with the New York Giants.

Although the Patriots posted a 5-11 regular season record during Parcells' first year, eight of their losses were by 7 points or less. Much of the improvement was the result of the contributions from their draft picks that they made before the season: quarterback Drew Bledsoe, tight end Ben Coates, and linebackers Willie McGinest and Chris Slade. The team then posted a 10-6 record in 1994 after staring the regular season at 3-6, but were eliminated by the Cleveland Browns in their first playoff game. New England then failed to make the playoffs in 1995.

After losing their first two games in the 1996 regular season, they would run off to finish with an 11-5 record. The Patriots offense became the 7th best unit in the league in terms of yards, and 2nd best in points after the Packers. Their pass offense, led by Bledsoe and wide receiver Terry Glenn, ranked third in the NFL. Bledsoe would throw for 4,086 yards and 27 touchdowns with just 15 interceptions, and Glenn would set a rookie record with 90 receptions to go along with his 1,132 yards and 6 touchdowns. Tight end Ben Coates was also a big contributor, catching 62 passes for 682 yards and 9 touchdowns. Wide receiver Shawn Jefferson recorded 50 receptions for 771 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Running back Curtis Martin would be the focal point of the rushing attack with his 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, while also catching 46 passes for another 333 yards and 3 touchdowns. Pro Bowl running back Dave Meggett provided the team with a good special teams threat, gaining 1,369 yards and a touchdown returning kickoffs and punts, while also rushing for 122 yards and catching 33 passes for 292 yards.

On defense, the team's main weapon was Pro Bowler McGinest, who recorded 49 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, an interception which he returned 46 yards for a touchdown, and a team leading 9.5 sacks. New England also had a solid secondary, led by defensive backs Willie Clay (72 tackles, 1 fumble recovery. 4 interceptions, 50 return yards), Ty Law (56 tackles, 3 interceptions, 45 return yards, 1 touchdown), and Lawyer Milloy (54 tackels, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions).

Super Bowl XXXI - Playoffs

The Packers entered the playoffs as the top seed in the NFC. They dominated the San Francisco 49ers, 35-14, and then defeated the Carolina Panthers, 30-13. The Patriots entered the playoffs as the 2nd seed in the AFC. They would defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-3, in the divisional playoffs. After the top seeded Denver Broncos were upset by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Pats won the AFC Championship Game, 20-6, at their home field, Foxboro Stadium.

Super Bowl XXXI - Super Bowl pregame news and notes

The Packers were favored to win the game by 14 points, largely because many thought the Patriots were a Cinderella team, and because of the recent dominance of the NFC in Super Bowl games.

Much of the pregame hype surrounded the conflict between Parcells and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft took control of the team after Parcells was hired, and the two of them had different ideas on how to run the organization. It did not matter to Kraft that Parcells rebuilt the Patriots from a loser to a winner. Parcells refused to travel back with the rest of the Patriots after the game, and was eventually hired by the rival New York Jets later on.

To honor the recent death of former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle who passed away on December 6, 1996, each player wore a special helmet decal with Rozelle's signature, "Pete," printed across the NFL logo.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Background", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki