Remembering Brett Favre’s Five Touchdown Pass Game Against Carolina

The Green Bay Packers overcame an early 10-point deficit behind a five-touchdown game from Brett Favre to defeat the Carolina Panthers 37-30 in Carolina. Wide receiver Derrick Mayes caught three of those touchdown passes while Reggie White and Vonnie Holliday each recorded two sacks. The Packers remained undefeated with the win. Today we are remembering Brett Favre’s five touchdown game against Carolina.

Remembering Brett Favre’s Five Touchdown Pass Game Against Carolina: The Buildup

The 1998 Packers were coming off two straight 13-3 seasons and back-to-back Super Bowl appearances including a win in Super Bowl XXXI.

Green Bay started the 1998 season with three straight wins including two against division opponents. The team entered their Week 4 matchup with the Carolina Panthers with an undefeated record. The Panthers were struggling with an 0-3 start.

The Packers would have to play this game without running back Dorsey Levens who was out with an injury.

A Tough Start for the Packers

The Panthers took the opening kickoff and drove downfield. A 31-yard run by Fred Lane was the key play in a nine-play, 37-yard drive. John Kasey kicked a 42-yard field goal and Green Bay trailed 3-0.

Things quickly got worse. On the first offensive play of the game for the Packers, Favre was intercepted by Jeff Brady who returned it to the Green Bay 11. On third down, Panthers quarterback Kerry Colllins connected with Rocket Ismail on a five-yard touchdown pass. The Packers trailed 10-0 less than five minutes into the game.

“I knew we would be OK,” Favre said after the game. “I didn’t want to be down 10- 0, and I don’t think anybody expected to be down 10-0. But we felt like we would come back.”

It took until late in the first quarter for the comeback to begin. Favre found Robert Brooks for passes of 22 and 11 yards on the drive. The drive ended on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Favre to tight end Mark Chmura. Ryan Longwell’s extra point try was no good and the Packers trailed 10-6 after the first quarter.

Remembering Brett Favre’s Five Touchdown Pass Game Against Carolina: Drawing Even

The Packers took the lead for the first time early in the second quarter. The key plays on this drive were passes from Favre to Antonio Freeman for 22 and 12 yards. Favre capped the drive with a 21-yard pass to Mayes. The Packers led 13-10.

The next time the Packers got the ball, Favre was intercepted again. He looked for Brooks, but Eric Davis picked it off and returned it 16 yards for the score. Now the Packers trailed 17-13.

The Packers started their next drive and at their own 14 and reached the Carolina 38. But on fourth and one, Packers running back Raymont Harris was stopped short of the first down and the Panthers took over. Collins found Ismail for 33 yards in the key play of this drive. It led to a 42-yard field goal by Kasey and a 20-13 Panthers lead.

But Favre answered on the ensuing drive. He found Chmura for 20 yards to start the drive and later connected with Mayes for 21 on 3^rd-and-9. With just 1:06 left in the half, Favre found tight end Tyrone Davis for a 20-yard touchdown pass. The Game was all even 20-20 at the break.

The Packers Pull Ahead

After the teams traded punts, the Packers pulled ahead on a pass-oriented drive. Favre found fullback William Henderson for 13 yards and then threw two completions to Freeman on the drive for 10 and 22 yards. The drive ended on Favre’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, a four-yard toss to Mayes. Green Bay led 27-20.

Late in the third quarter, a 41-yard field goal by Longwell extended the Green Bay lead to 30-20. The Panthers answered early in the fourth quarter when Kasey hit a 56-yard field goal which made it a one-possession game again at 30-23. That was the longest kick in Panthers history.

A 37-yard kick return by Roell Preston set up the next Packers score. Favre’s fifth touchdown pass went to Mayes from 33 yards out to make it 37-23. Mayes split two defenders on the play.

“You have to expect it and that’s what I did and that’s what Brett did,” Mayes said. “Brett expected me to find that hole and I expected him to stay with me. That’s what it’s all about, going out and playing your game. You can’t draw some stuff up.”

Remembering Brett Favre’s Five Touchdown Pass Game Against Carolina: A Close Finish

The Panthers didn’t quit. A roughing the passer penalty against Santana Dotson helped the Panthers sustain a long drive. A 15-yard touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad made it 37-30 with 4:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Packers tried to run out the clock but were forced to punt and Carolina got the ball at their own 35 with two minutes left on the clock. They reached the Green Bay five and had one final play from there with two seconds left.

White pressured Collins but he managed to get the ball off. The pressure caused the ball to float a little bit, and the Packers were able to break up the pass.

“Craig Newsome tipped it, and [Darren] Sharper tipped it and kicked it,” safety LeRoy Butler said. “Pretty ugly.”

Pretty ugly, but good enough for a 37-30 Packers win.

The Aftermath

For Favre, it was a boom or bust game. He overcame his own mistakes and led the team to victory. Favre finished the game 27-of-45 for 388 yards and five touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions.

The Packers were pleased to win, but they knew they didn’t play up to their potential. “We’re 4-0 and there’s room for improvement,” Favre said. “That’s the good thing. If we were playing our best and we were barely escaping, then there’s a sense of urgency to get better. Not that there isn’t, but we’ve found ways to win, and we’re not playing our best.”

“It’s just like when your wife is there early in the morning with the cream [on her face] and the rollers in her hair,” Butler said. “I mean, it’s ugly, but it’s great.”

“It was a weird game,” added linebacker George Koonce. “We got down, 10-0, and we didn’t quit. But as the game progressed, it got weirder and weirder.”

The Packers finished the season 11-5 and made the playoffs as a wild card. Their season ended in controversial fashion in a playoff loss to the 40ers.