Quarterback Brett Favre came off the bench for his first meaningful action with the Green Bay Packers and boy did he make an immediate impact. The Southern Mississippi alum entered the game when starter Don Majkowski left with an injury. The history of the Green Bay Packers changed in that moment as Brett Favre enjoyed his first great moment as he led the Packers to a last-minute comeback win over the Bengals.
Remembering Brett Favre In His First Great Moment in the Packers Comeback Win Over the Bengals: The Buildup
Many people were skeptical when Packers GM Ron Wolf traded a first-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for Favre. Favre threw five passes in his rookie but didn’t complete any. Well, twice he threw interceptions. His attitude frustrated coach Jerry Glanville. Favre was viewed as a bust by many in Atlanta.
Favre saw his first regular-season action for the Packers in the team’s 31-3 blowout loss to the Bucs in Week 2. By the time the second-year man entered the game, the outcome had been decided. His first completion was to himself for a loss of seven yards when he caught is own batted down pass.
The Packers entered the game 0-2 under new head coach Mike Holmgren. In Week 3, they were hosting the 2-0 Cincinnati Bengals. Things did not look bright in Green Bay. The Packers were coming off a 4-12 1991 campaign and looked to be struggling already in 1992. The game against Cincinnati was almost viewed as a must win if the Packers wanted to have any chance at the playoffs.
An Eventful Injury
The first quarter was scoreless. Majkowski started the game at quarterback for the Packers. He had been the team’s full-time starter since 1988. Majik was trying to recapture his productivity during the 1989 season when he led the league in passing yards and helped the Packers finish 10-6 by leading them to several dramatic comeback wins.
Majkowski threw only two passes in this game and completed one. In the first quarter, he was sacked by nose tackle Tim Krumrie with 8:44 left in the first quarter. Majik didn’t get up.
“I heard a bad pop,” Majkowski said after the game. “I thought it was serious, but now it just feels like a bad sprain.”
Majkowski would never start another game for the Packers in his career. Favre trotted onto the field. After the game, he admitted he was nervous. “I was shaking,” he said. “I felt like I took a laxative. Thank God, I held it till afterward.”
Favre’s first drive led the Packers to the Cincinnati 14, but Chris Jacke missed a 32-yard field goal, so the game remained scoreless.
Remembering Brett Favre In His First Great Moment in the Packers Comeback Win Over the Bengals: The Bengals Take the Lead
The Bengals got on the board first early in the second quarter. A fumble by Favre was recovered by Krumrie. The running of Harold Green and Derrick Fenner keyed the drive. Jim Breech kicked a 20-yard field goal, and the Packers trailed 3-0.
The Packers punted after their next drive and fell further behind. Paul McJulien launched a 51-yard punt that was fielded at the five-yard line by Carl Pickens. He returned it 95 yards for the game’s first touchdown and the Packers trailed 10-0. The play set a record for the longest punt return in Bengals history.
The Packers got the ball back and Favre led them on his first successful drive. Passes to Sterling Sharpe, tight end Jackie Harris, and halfback Vince Workman led to a 37-yard field goal by Jacke with 40 seconds left in the half.
At the break, the Packers trailed 10-3.
The Bengals Take Advantage
Neither team moved the ball well in the third quarter. Late in the third, Favre was sacked and fumbled the ball. The Bengals recovered and took over at the Green Bay 29. Three plays later, Boomer Esiason threw to running back Eric Ball for a 17-yard touchdown. The Packers trailed 17-3.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Packers got a big play. First-round pick Terrell Buckley fielded a punt and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown. The Packers were back in the game, trailing by one score at 17-10.
“First off it was not a very good punt, very little hang time,” Bengals head coach David Shula said. “Buckley did a good job making a couple of our guys miss early, then he showed the excitement he will bring to this team the rest of the way.”
But the Bengals answered on the ensuing drive. Esiason led them on an 11-play drive that ended with a 34-yard Breech field goal. The Packers trailed by two scores, 20-10.
Favre then led the Packers on his first touchdown drive. Key plays included a 19-yard run by Favre and throws to fullback Harry Sydney for 15 yards, to Sharpe for 33 yards, and to tight end Ed West for 10 more. Favre’s first career touchdown pass came on a five-yard toss to Sharpe. The Packers trailed 20-17 with just 4:11 left in the game.
In this game, Sharpe caught a pass for the 58th straight game, tying the Packers franchise record set by James Lofton.
The Bengals got the ball back when Buckley fumbled a punt with 3:11 left in the game. Cincinnati put together a productive drive that took time off the clock. The drive ended with a 47-yard field goal. The Packers trailed 23-17 with 1:07 left on the clock.
“I tried to do what I normally do, I play to win,” Buckley said. “I switched the ball from right to left and a guy put his helmet on the ball and knocked it into the air. Things like that happen. I was trying to make something happen.”
Remembering Brett Favre In His First Great Moment in the Packers Comeback Win Over the Bengals: A Memorable Comeback
The Packers took over at their own eight-yard line when Robert Brooks misplayed the kickoff and stepped out of bounds. Favre started the drive with a four-yard pass to Sydney. He followed that up with a 42-yard pass to Sharpe and an 11-yard toss to Workman. Favre ran up the line and spiked the ball, stopping the clock with 19 seconds left and the ball at the Cincinnati 35.
Favre dropped back and threw long for backup wide receiver Kitrick Taylor. Taylor made the catch in the end zone for his first career NFL touchdown.
“I was scared I had thrown it halfway up in the seats,” Favre said after the game. “I closed my eyes and listened for the cheers and when I heard them, I knew we either scored or we`re close.”
Taylor was ecstatic. “After I caught it, I didn`t hear anything. It was a natural high,” he said. “Brett had great composure. In the huddle he said, ‘We are going to score.’”
“We had four guys streaking down the field and they played two deep safeties,” Favre said. “You pick a side and try to get a 2-on-1 and Kitrick got to the boundary wide open.”
Jacke booted the extra point and that broke the 23-23 tie.
The Bengals had time for only two plays after the ensuing kickoff. When Esiason’s pass for Tim McGee fell incomplete the game was over, and the Packers had won 24-23.
The Aftermath
The win was the first for Holmgren as coach of the Packers. “This win is obviously the happiest of my life,” Holmgren said after the game. “We hung in there and hung in there and got a victory, and so it’s a wonderful, wonderful win.”
He then described his new quarterback. “What you see in Brett is a strong guy who wants to win. He drives you crazy sometimes, but he’s a talent,” Holmgren said.
“I made a lot of mistakes early,” Favre admitted. “The more I got hit, the easier things got. They knock all of the stupidity out of you.”
Linebacker Johnny Holland had a huge game. He forced a fumble and intercepted two passes that helped keep the Packers in the game.
Despite the dramatic win, Holmgren wasn’t ready to commit to Favre as his long-term starter just yet. “Brett did a great job coming in today, but I owe that much to Don.” Holmgren said. “[Majkowski] is my starting quarterback. I would hope Don would have gotten the same results.”
That changed as Favre continued to play well. The Packers finished 9-7 that season as Favre started every game for the Packers until the end of the 2007 season. He went on to a Hall of Fame career, but it all started on this dramatic day at Lambeau Field.
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