NFL Recap (Green Bay-Minnesota)
Posted: Sun November 22, 1998 at 7:13 p.m. EST
MINNESOTA 28, GREEN BAY 14
MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Forget payback for the Pack. Randy Moss again
terrorized the Packers' secondary and the Minnesota Vikings just
about ended Green Bay's three-year reign as NFC Central champions.
Moss had eight catches for 153 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown,
to lead the Vikings to a 28-14 victory over the Packers and a sweep of
their season series. In the first meeting, Moss caught five passes for 190
yards as Minnesota snapped Green Bay's 25-game home winning streak with a
37-24 victory on October 5th.
"I told Randall (Cunningham) just throw it up and I'll go get it,"
said Moss. "I had a lot of adrenaline today and I felt good. I feel I'm
playing at the same level each week. Given opportunities to make plays, I
have confidence that I can."
The Vikings (10-1) own the best record in the NFC and opened a
commanding three-game lead over Green Bay (7-4).
Minnesota can clinch its sixth playoff berth in seven years under
coach Dennis Green if the New Orleans Saints lose
tonight in San Francisco. Green is 9-5 against the Packers, making him the
only NFC Central coach with a winning record in the 1990s against the
two-time defending NFC champions.
"We feel great," said Green. "All phases of our team are going well.
Offense, defense and special teams."
The Vikings play at Dallas on Thanksgiving Day.
Randall Cunningham,
who passed for 442 yards and four touchdowns in the first meeting at
Lambeau Field, went 20-for-30 for 264 yards and two touchdowns with an
interception.
"Let's face it Randall was a gift to us," said Green. "He has a great
love for the game. He's put up some big numbers this year, but the best
number is 10-1."
Without the help of an effective running game, Green Bay's Brett Favre again was
forced to carry the offense. He completed 31-of-39 passes for 303 yards
and a pair of touchdowns to tight end Tyrone Davis, but was
intercepted twice, including one that was returned 58 yards for a score by
cornerback Jimmy
Hitchcock.
"They're playing well, they are legit," said Favre. "They should win
it (the division). We just have to move on."
Two Green Bay turnovers led to 10 points for the Vikings in the first
quarter.
"Turnovers were a big part of it," said Packers coach Mike Holmgren.
"You can't start down 10-0 against a good team. It's too hard to come
back."
The first came when Favre rolled to his right and lost control of the
ball. Packer tackle Earl
Dotson jumped on the fumble, but the ball bounced way and Vikings
defensive tackle Tony
Williams recovered and returned it six yards to the Green Bay 20.
But Green Bay's defense held and the Vikings settled for a 35-yard
field goal by Gary
Anderson 3:03 into the game.
The Vikings increased the lead to 10-0 when Hitchcock returned an
interception 58 yards with 1:23 left in the quarter for his second
touchdown of the season. Favre attempted to hit Bill Schroeder with an
out, but Hitchcock diagnosed the play quickly and raced untouched down the
right sideline.
"It was a quick out route," said Favre. "You take a chance and throw
it. Hitchcock made a good play."
Anderson kicked a 29-yard field goal to cap an 11-play, 66-yard drive
5:23 into the second quarter. It was the 25th consecutive field goal for
Anderson, who is 20-for-20 this season. The key play in the drive was a
40-yard pass from Cunningham to Moss, who caught a 14-yard pass later in
the drive to set up the field goal.
The Packers then responded with an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive.
Favre went 6-for-7 for 61 yards in the drive and capped it with a 12-yard
touchdown to Davis to pull the Packers within 13-7 with 3:38 left in the
half. Davis broke a tackle by cornerback Corey Fuller inside the 10
and rumbled into the end zone.
But the Vikings came back with a 10-play, 76-yard drive of their own.
Leroy Hoard broke off a
36-yard run before Cunningham hit Cris Carter with a four-yard
touchdown with 24 seconds left in the half to give Minnesota a 20-7 lead.
Carter has 97 career TD catches and needs three to pass Don Hutson (99) for
third all-time.
Favre connected with Davis on a two-yard scoring play midway through
the fourth quarter to cap a 10-play, 71-yard drive, moving the Packers
within 20-14. Favre was 8-of-9 for 101 yards, including a 19-yard pass to
Schroeder on a 4th-and-14 to the Minnesota 19.
Minnesota then turned to Cunningham and Moss to put the game away.
Cunningham hit Moss with a 19-yard pass on a 3rd-and-9 to the Minnesota 41.
After two runs by Robert
Smith netted 10 yards, Cunningham lofted a 49-yard touchdown to Moss,
who turned around cornerback Rod Smith and beat him to
the inside while safety Darren Sharper was late
coming over in coverage. Cunningham then faked a handoff and ran left for
the two-point conversion to give the Vikings a 28-14 lead with 3:17
remaining.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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