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Name: BigE
Email: BigE@idatasports.com
Date: Tue Sep 10 14:27:09 2002

Headline: Packers Work Overtime to Beat the Falcons

The Green Bay Packers needed overtime to beat the Atlanta Falcons 37-34, in a game that was played in the blistering heat at Lambeau field. It was good for the Packers to face a stiff test in the next superstar quarterback in Mike Vick, in the first game of the season. Vick presented the Packer defense with a huge challenge, trying to stop the young quarterback from scrambling all over the field. The defense didn't necessarily meet that challenge, but they caught a few breaks and the Packers survived.

The Packers started the scoring in the first quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell. The score was set up by an 18-yard bullet from Brett Favre to the speedy Terry Glenn. Glenn made agreat catch after beating linebacker Matt Stewart on a slant.

The Falcons answered early in the second quarter on a Vick scramble from two yards out to make it 7-3. On this drive Vick scorched the Packer defense when he scrambled around defensive end Vonnie Holiday for 18 yards. After Holliday produced one of the four sacks the Packers recorded, Vick hit Warrick Dunn in the flat, and the little back scampered up the field for 14 yards. Then Vick ran up the middle for 14 yards on a quarterback draw. Rookie T.J. Duckett then blasted up the middle for a gain of 12, before Vick beat Nate Wayne and Antuan Edwards for the corner of the endzone.

After Ahman Green fumbled, Vick was back to work, throwing a 29-yard strike to Willie Jackson. After Vick hit Brian Finneran for eight yards, Dunn ran 3 yards off the right side for a touchdown to make it 14-3.

Favre and Co. went back to work putting together an 80-yard drive, capped by David Martin’s 3-yard touchdown catch. The Packers benefited from a pass interference that covered 52 yards. After hitting Donald Driver for 15 yards on a third and 8, Favre rolled right and found Martin for the touchdown to make it 14-10.

Vick and the Falcons came right back and put together an efficient 68 yard drive on five plays, finishing with a 2 yard pass to tight end Alge Crumpler to make it 21-10. The big play came when Hardy Nickerson bit on a play-fake, and Vick threw a nice touch pass to fullback Bob Christian for a 55-yard gain.

The Packers got off 9 plays in the final 1:15 of the first half to get in field goal range. Longwell converted from 42 yards to end the half at 21-13.

Vick had the Packers defensive backs looking in the offensive backfield, and that created havoc. The defense had to be ready for Vick any time the young quarterback was on the run, and that had the Packers on their heels.

The Packers struck quickly in the third quarter, going 4 plays for 59 yards, capped by Rondell Mealey's 2-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 21-20. On the first play of the drive Favre made a spectacular throw off a play action fake, which was complete to Glenn for 42 yards. Glenn only finished with 2 catches, but both of them showed way the Packers took a gamble on the gifted receiver.

After an Atlanta field goal extended the lead to 24-20, the Packers marched 67 yards on seven plays, and finished the drive with another Favre touchdown pass to rookie Javon Walker to put the Packers ahead 27-24.

The Packers stopped Vick on the Falcons next drive, but after the Packers went three and out, former Packer Allen Rossum returned a punt 36 yards to put Atlanta in good field position. After Hitting Finneran for 12 yards, Vick then eluded a Packer blitz to gain 13 yards on a scramble. Dunn ran the ball four consecutive times to cover the final 20 yards to score.

With the score 31-27 Favre led the Packers on a 14 play, 80-yard drive, with William Henderson scoring on a fourth and goal from the one to put the Packers up 34-31 with 1:10 left in the game. This was the kind of drive that great teams produce when their backs are against the wall.

However, Vick was not to be outdone by the three-time MVP. With the game on the line, Vick drove the Falcons 35 yards to enable Jay Feely to tie the game from 52 yards out.

Both offenses struggled in overtime, before Favre led the offense 44 yards and into field goal range. Longwell, who struggled last year, finally put the game away with a 34-yard field goal.

Sure the Packers had some missed assignments on defense, but the offense put up 37 points with virtually a whole new receiving corps. The running game finished with 211 yards, 155 coming from a dehydrated Green. This all bodes well for the Packers offense, which had to rely on the defense to keep them in games last year.

The Packers will have plenty of things to correct before next week when they look at the game film, but there were some positive things that transpired during this game. Rookie Javon Walker looked like a budding star, as he hauled in 4 catches for 56 yards. Walker looks silky smooth on the field, and will have a bright future in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers vs Atlanta Game Photos

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