ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 27, 1997 TAG: 9701280025
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS
SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel
The Lombardi Trophy is returning to Lombardi Avenue.
The Green Bay Packers finally lived up to their past with a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI on Sunday night. It gave the Packers the right to claim the trophy named for their former coach, Vince Lombardi.
``Coach Lombardi had a wonderful legacy for the rest of us,'' said Mike Holmgren, Green Bay's coach. ``Now we're trying to do our part, and I hope we can do it for a long time to come.''
The Packers, who had the NFL's top-rated defense and league Most Valuable Player Brett Favre on offense, proved they are something special.
Return specialist Desmond Howard express-mailed the championship trophy back to Lombardi Avenue.
Howard, a castoff of the Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars, stole the Super Bowl MVP award from Favre and defensive tackle Reggie White. Although Favre threw touchdown passes of 54 and 81 yards and sentimental favorite White had three sacks, Howard had 244 return yards, including a 99-yard kickoff return that sealed the victory.
``We knew Desmond Howard would be the X factor,'' said Packers receiver Antonio Freeman. ``He came up big all year, and it was no different today.''
Howard, who has six returns for touchdowns in his past 19 games, became the first player in NFL history to return a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the postseason. He returned a punt 71 yards for a score in the Packers' 35-14 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional playoffs.
In the first half, Howard had tied the second- and third-longest punt returns in Super Bowl history. Although New England punter Tom Tupa tried to pin him on the sideline, Howard escaped with returns of 32 and 34 yards to set up 10 Packers points.
In the third quarter, the Patriots closed to 27-21 on an 18-yard touchdown run by Curtis Martin. But on the ensuing kickoff, Howard broke the Patriots' spirit. Hason Graham was the only player who got a hand on Howard before his teammates mobbed him in the end zone.
``Obviously it was a backbreaker,'' Howard said of the runback. ``That return, plus the two-point conversion [on a pass from Favre to tight end Mark Chmura], put us up by 14 points again.''
The Patriots' coverage teams had been among the league's best all season. They had given up an average of 9.8 yards per punt return and 20.8 yards per kickoff return during the regular season and had not surrendered a touchdown.
``Up until that point [Howard's return], I still thought we had an opportunity to win,'' said Bill Parcells, New England's coach. ``That one hurt us. That's the first time this year we've been outplayed on special teams.''
Parcells, who later this week is expected to announce his departure from New England to become head coach of the New York Jets, had contributed to the NFC's domination in the Super Bowl with two championships as coach of the New York Giants. But he had no secrets to stopping the streak at 12.
Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns and shook the Packers with play-action passes early in the game. But he also threw four interceptions and was sacked five times.
``The Packers had more big plays than we did ... and they basically played a mistake-free game,'' Bledsoe said. ``Unfortunately, we weren't able to play at the same level.''
A Superdome crowd of 72,301 made up mostly of Cheeseheads saw the Packers win their 12th NFL championship, but their first since a Super Bowl II victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in 1968.
It was well worth the wait for the Packers, who will celebrate before a soldout Lambeau Field today.
However, they might need to bring a crowbar to pry the Lombardi Trophy from White's hands. White, who won his first Super Bowl ring in his 12th NFL season, looked like he would never give up the Packers' prize as he took a victory lap at the end of the game.
``Some of you guys thought I was crazy four years ago [for leaving Philadelphia to sign with Green Bay as a free agent], but now I'm getting a ring,'' White said. ``How crazy do you think I am now?''
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. 1. Green Bay QB Brett Favre celebrates afterby CNBthrowing a touchdown pass to Andre Rison in the Packers' 35-21 win.
2. The Packers' Reggie White (92) drags down Patriots quarterback
Drew Bledsoe for one of his Super Bowl-record three sacks Sunday.
(ran in the New River edition.) color. 3. Green Bay receiver Antonio
Freeman hauls in a Super Bowl-record 81-yard TD pass from Brett
Favre in the second quarter. The former Virginia Tech star had three
catches for 105 yards.