NFC Championship: Green Bay Packers 23.2C San Francisco 49ers 10 1997–98 NFL playoffs

at 3com park, san francisco, california

game time: 4:00 p.m. est/1:00 p.m. pst
game weather: 57 °f (14 °c), rain
game attendance: 68,987
referee: dick hantak
tv announcers (fox): pat summerall (play-by-play) , john madden (color commentator)

for third year in row, green bay trounced 49ers in playoffs, holding them 257 total yards while forcing 4 fumbles , 5 sacks. 49ers gained 33 rushing yards , running garrison hearst, rushed on 1,000 yards during season, had 12 yards on 8 carries. average starting field position 49ers own 17-yard line.

green bay took opening kickoff , moved ball 76 yards in 10 plays, brett favre completing 18-yard pass robert brooks on game s first play. on next play, 49ers defensive rod woodson called 24-yard pass interference penalty, moving ball 49ers 35. green bay reached 2-yard line before pass deflected falling short of wide open fullback william henderson, forcing packers settle field goal ryan longwell.

in second quarter, san francisco drove 60 yards own 12 green bay 28, faced third down , 8. on next play, steve young s pass intercepted packers safety eugene robinson , returned 58 yards 49ers 28 in turned out crucial play. favre found wide receiver antonio freeman slicing across middle on slant 27-yard touchdown pass give packers 10–0 lead.

later on, green bay managed drive deep san francisco territory, favre committed 15-yard intentional grounding penalty on third , 14, , longwell missed 47-yard field goal attempt on next play. on 49ers ensuing drive, drove 52 yards in 9 plays, including young s 48-yard completion terrell owens on third down , 26, reach packers 10-yard line. young completed touchdown pass j. j. stokes, stokes landed 1 foot out of bounds in end zone , 49ers settled gary anderson field goal, cutting score 10-3 less minute left in half. 51 seconds remained after green bay got ball back, favre got team scoring range 40-yard completion freeman, , longwell capitalized 43-yard field goal time expired, giving packers 13-3 halftime lead.

on first play of second half, favre threw pass henderson, held briefly before dropping it. 49ers defense believed drop fumble , returned touchdown, officials ruled incomplete pass, replays seemed contradict. both offenses shut down rest of game, neither team able mount sustained drive. late in fourth quarter, young threw incomplete pass intended tight end brent jones on third , 18 own 7-yard line. jones argued vehemently after play held leroy butler. no flag thrown, however, , tommy thompson s ensuing punt went 28 yards 49ers 35. green bay drove 28 yards , increased lead 16-3 longwell s 25-yard field goal 5:02 left in game.

now in desperate situation, san francisco tried convert fourth down own 22 on next drive, linebacker keith mckenzie sacked young 11-yard loss on play, setting dorsey levens 5-yard touchdown run made score 23-3. chuck levy returned ensuing kickoff 95 yards touchdown, 49ers nothing else final 2:52 remaining on clock.

favre finished game completing 16 of 27 attempts 222 yards , touchdown. levens recorded then-playoff team record 116 rushing yards , touchdown, while catching 6 passes 37 yards. freeman caught 4 passes 107 yards , touchdown. owens sole offensive star team, catching 6 passes 100 yards. levy returned 3 kickoffs 127 yards , touchdown. third year in row packers defeated 49ers in playoffs, twice in san francisco.