14. 2012 GREEN BAY PACKERS at 3. 1998 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DENVER BRONCOS
3. 1998 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DENVER BRONCOS
Record: 14-2
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 2nd
Def: 8th
1st AFC West
d. Dolphins Div Rnd 38-3
d. Jets AFC Title 23-10
d. Falcons Super Bowl 34-19
HC Mike Shanahan OC Gary Kubiak DC Greg Robinson
Mile High: 45 degrees
Dave Logan/Scott Hastings
Offense
QB John Elway 38 Stanford
RB Terrell Davis 26 UGA
FB Howard Griffith 31 Illinois
WR Ed McCaffrey 30 Stanford
WR Rod Smith 28 Mo Southen
TE Shannon Sharpe 30 Savannah St
LT Tony Jones 32 We Carolina
LG Mark Schlereth 32 Idaho
C Tom Nalen 27 B College
RG Dan Neil 25 Texas
RT Harry Swayne 33 Rutgers
Defense
LDE Neil Smith 32 Nebraska
LDT Keith Traylor 29 C Okla
RDT Trevor Pryce 23 Clemson
RDE Maa Tanuvasa 28 Hawaii
LLB John Mobley 25 Kutztown
MLB Glenn Cadrez 28 Houston
RLB Bill Romanowski 32 B College
LCB Ray Crockett 31 Baylor
RCB Darrien Gordon 28 Stanford
SS Eric Brown 23-R Miss St
FS Steve Atwater 32 Arkansas
K Jason Elam 28 Hawaii
P Tom Rouen 30 Colorado
KR Vaughn Hebron 28 Va Tech
PR Darrien Gordon 28 Stanford
The '97 Broncos, the '15 Broncos, the '14 Broncos, the '05 Broncos have all advanced. The third seed in the Region is the '98 Super Bowl Champs with the 2nd best offense in football. John Elway is now 38, 23 scores and 10 picks. Terrell Davis had the monster year in the Shanahan offense; 26 year old All Pro, 2000 yards rushing, 23 scores. 30 year old Ed McCaffrey and 28 year old Rod Smith each had over a thousand yards receiving. 30 year old Shannon Sharpe is an All Pro with 10 scores. On defense, 23 year old Trevor Pryce, 28 year old Maa Tanuvasa, 32 year old Bill Romanowski combined for 24.5 sacks. The second half of the Back to Back Champs look to advance to the next round along with the front side.
14. 2012 GREEN BAY PACKERS
Record: 11-5
Pythag: 10-6
Off: 5th
Def: 11th
1st NFC North
d. Vikings WC 24-10
List Niners Div Rnd 45-31
HC Mike McCarthy OC Tom Clements DC Dom Capers
Offense
QB Aaron Rodgers 29 Cal
RB Cedric Benson 30 Tex
WR Randall Cobb 22 UK
WR James Jones 28 S Jose St
WR Jordy Nelson 27 K St
TE Jermichael Finley 25 Tex
LT Marshall Newhouse 24 TCU
LG TJ Lang 25 E Mich
C Jeff Saturday 37 UNC
RG Josh Sitton 26 C Florida
RT Bryan Bulaga 23 Iowa
Defense
LDE Ryan Pickett 33 Ohio St
NT BJ Raji 26 B College
RDE CJ Wilson 25 E Carolina
LOLB Eric Walden 27 Mid Ten St
LILB AJ Hawk 28 Ohio St
RILB Brad Jones 26 Colorado
ROLB Clay Matthews 26 USC
LCB Tramon Williams 29 La Tech
RCB Sam Shields 25 Miami
SS Morgan Burnett 23 Geo T
FS MD Jennings 24 Ark St
K Mason Crosby 28 Col
P Tim Masthay 25 UK
KR/PR Randall Cobb 22 UK
The '14 Packers, '96 Packers, '62 Packers, '61 Packers, '97 Packers have all advanced -- that's 5 Packer squads and 4 Broncos squads - the '12 team just slips into the field as the 14th seed in region 10 because of the 5th best offense in football. Aaron Rodgers is 29, 41 scores and 8 picks. 28 year old James Jones had 14 scores. The defense has its work cut out trying to stop Terrell Davis, 26 year old Clay Matthews had 13 sacks. It's a cold day at Mile High - let's go out for the kick.
1st Qtr
Randall Cobb opens with a strong return, GB at the 41.
1/10 Cedric Benson goes for 5.
2/5 - 2 more for Benson
3/3 - Aaron Rodgers picks it up, 7 yards to Jordy Nelson.
1/10 - Rodgers is going for it -- Rodgers airs it out -- Randall Cobb! TOUCHDOWN PACKERS Rodgers to Cobb, 45 yard scoring strike on the 4th play of the game - the Packers, seeded 14th in the region, are quickly on the board against the 3rd seeded Broncos.
Denver at the 28.
1/10 Terrell Davis for 4.
2/6 - John Elway flips it out to Davis - he gets 17 and 5 more for a facemask and Denver's at the 33.
1/10 - Derek Loville gets a yard.
2/9 - Elway...in trouble..scrambles for 5 yards.
3/4 - Incomplete
Shanahan decides he's gonna roll some dice early on - Broncos in FG range at the 27 - 4th and 4 - but down this early score, Denver's going for it.
4/4 - It's a handoff. Davis -- Davis is gonna get right to the sticks. Measurement.
Short. Short. Short -- the Packers turn Denver over on downs - Green Bay takes over at their own 27. Big, big stop for the Pack.
3 and out. Denver getting it right back at their own 31. Halfway through the quarter.
1/10 - Davis for 1.
2/9 - Davis. Big gain. Davis for 24 yards -- Denver's across midfield again.
1/10 - Elway to Rod Smith - 8 yards.
2/2 - Loville picks it up, Denver at the 31.
1/10 - Davis for 4.
2/6 - Davis....Reverse, Davis flips to Rod Smith -- Smith around the edge -- Smith down the sideline -- Rod Smith is Gonna Go! Rod Smith 27 yards to the House TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - Shanahan dials up the reverse and with less than 4 minutes left the Broncos have tied the score.
Packers start at the 21.
3 and out - Denver hasn't allowed a first down since the opening drive. And Darrien Gordon takes the kick back -- Darren Gordon returns the punt all the way to the Packer 6! Gordon takes the punt back all the way to the Green Bay 6 yard line where the Broncos take over with less than 2 minutes in the qtr.
1/goal - Davis is stopped at the line.
2/goal -- Davis -- Through the Line -- Into the Endzone -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - Terrell Davis punches his way 6 yards and Denver has taken the lead.
Packers at the 34. 2 plays net 5 yards. End of qtr.
2nd Qtr: Broncos 14 Packers 7
Pack scored on the opening drive, then turned Denver over on downs -- but it's all Denver after that, score, huge punt return, score. Packers have a third and 5 at their own 39.
They don't pick it up - 3 straight 3 and outs for this Denver defense.
Broncos at the 39.
1/10 - Elway. Smith. 5 yards, offsides on the next play earns the first down.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Davis gets a yard.
3/9 - Elway -- in trouble -- pulls it down -- Elway getting those 38 year old legs in motion -- 12 yards for Elway and Denver is at the Packer 38. 5 more on another offsides.
1/5 - Davis picks it up.
1/10 - Clay Matthews with the sack.
2/16 - Loville gets a yard, third and long at the 31.
3/15 - Elway -- Marcus Nash -- big play - 21 yards -- Denver's got a first and goal.
1/goal - Elway a yard to Smith.
2/goal - Davis gets a couple.
3/goal - Howard Griffith just bulldozes his way -- Into the Endzone -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - whooooosh, the Broncos just steaming now, up 21-7.
Pack at the 35.
They get a first down - Rodgers 9 yards to Jermichael Finley - but two plays later Rodgers is Picked Off by Tyrone Braxton -- Braxton down at the Broncos 43 -- Denver up 14, Denver turns GB over -- the Broncos on a real roll now.
3 and out. Packers with a much, much needed stop.
Pack at the 30, less than 4 to go in the half.
1/10 - Alex Green loses a yard.
2/11 - Rodgers - Nelson, 10 yards.
1/10 - Rodgers pulls it down, gets a yard.
2/9 - Rodgers. Cobb -- Nice play - 24 yards to the Bronco 36 as we hit the 2 minute warning.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Rodgers -- Cobb --- another 15 -- Rodgers leading the nice drive - Pack now at the 21.
1/10 - Rodgers - Cobb -- 11 more -- Randall Cobb getting it done today - first and goal at the ten.
1/goal - Rodgers - Benson -- Benson makes his way to the 1 yard line.
2/goal - Benson -- Stacked Up.
3/goal - Rodgers - Endzone -- Alex Green -- TOUCHDOWN PACKERS - Rodgers goes 7 yards, takes the rest of the quarter -- the Packers miss the XP -- so we will go to the locker room at 21-13.
3rd Qtr: Broncos 21 Packers 13
The Pack score on the first and last possessions of the half - in between, it's all Broncos on both sides of the ball. Denver up 8 as we come back out for the second half.
Broncos start at the 36.
1/10 - Elway to Ed McCaffrey, 5 yards.
2/5 - Davis gets 2.
3/3 - Davis gets right to the stick....and Denver is short.
Shanahan looking at another 4th down, 4th and inches at their own 46 - up 8 points - and he is gonna go for it. Gutsy call here - huge play for the Packer defense.
4/1 - Elway -- sneak --- and he's got it. Denver keeps the chains moving.
1/10 - Elway - Shannon Sharpe's first reception -- he's all the way down to the 33.
1/10 - Davis -- He Busts One -- Terrell Davis is gonna go -- All - The - Way - into the endzone -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - 33 Yard TD TD run; it's now 28-13, and the Pack is up against it.
Packers at the 28. 3 and out.
Broncos open at the 36.
1/10 - Elway - Up Top -- Sharpe --- Big shot by Elway - 48 yards, Elway can still just flick the ball 40 yards to Sharpe, Denver is at the 16.
That's as far as it goes -- Elam FG makes it 31-13, halfway through the third qtr, this one is probably done.
Cobb gets the good return -- he gets to the 42.
Another 3 and out. Denver at the 22.
3 and out. Packers at the 37 - Rodgers finds Cobb for a 26 yard shot - the next play is an incomplete pass and the quarter ends.
4th Qtr: Broncos 31 Packers 13
Denver's cruising now, clicking on all cylinders, Packers are at the Bronco 37, 2nd and ten.
They're gonna get a first down - DuJuan Harris with a 12 yard run - but the drive ends, Crosby FG makes it 31-16.
Broncos start at the 19 - Matthews gets his second sack - Packers go 3 and out - they've got good field position at their own 47, ten minutes left - Packers have a glimmer of life right now.
3 and out. That probably snuffs it out - halfway through the 4th, Broncos have the ball at their own 13.
They get a couple of first downs, largely staying on the ground - Davis gets a 13 yard run, Elway goes 15 yards to Smith - the drive ends on the Denver side of the field - after the punt, the Packers have the ball at their own 23 with 5 minutes to play, down 15 points.
One first down - Rodgers 11 yards to Benson -- but that's all - an incompletion on 4th and 10 at their own 34 turns it over on downs. Denver's got the ball again, less than 4 minutes to go - and they just run the ball right at the Packers.
17 for Davis.
6 for Loville.
8 for Vaughn Hebron on his first carry of the game -
And then Terrell Davis goes 3 yards -- Into the Endzone -- TOUCHDOWN BRONCOS - IT'S 38-16, 2 and a half minutes left to go - and we are done.
Garbage time TD for the Packers - they take the rest of the game to drive 70 yards, medium range pass completions all the way down the field - it ends with Rodgers hitting Benson with the 20 yard score - a 2 point conversion fails - and that's the final.
Final: Broncos 38 Packers 22
10 regions in - 5 Broncos teams/5 Packers teams have advanced to the next round; the '98 Broncos rolled today.
Elway: 14 for 23 159 yds
Rodgers: 19 for 30 242 yds 3 TD/INT
Davis: 23 carries, 147 yds, 3 TD
Benson 13 carries, 24 yds, 3 catches, 34 yds TD
Sharpe: 3 catches, 65 yds
Cobb: 6 catches, 130 yds 1 TD
Matthews: 2 sacks
Player of the Game: Terrell Davis
