Packers’ Big Victory Almost Elementary

GREEN BAY, Wis. — On the slushy muck of Lambeau Field, in a classic throwback to the gritty days when football players had to beat the elements and the opponent, the Green Bay Packers shucked aside the pretty-boy San Francisco 49ers.

The 35-14 NFC playoff victory Saturday, which was played under a constant freezing drizzle before a record crowd of 60,787--with three no-shows--ran the Packers’ home dominance to 8-0 in the playoffs and 27 wins overall in their last 28 games.

And next Sunday, for the first time since Dec. 31, 1967, the Ice Bowl, when Vince Lombardi dominated the sidelines, Titletown USA will be the site of the NFC championship game, with the Packers (14-3) meeting the winner of today’s matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers.

“Most definitely, we want Dallas,” Packer safety LeRoy Butler said. “Until this organization beats Dallas, I don’t think people will really respect us. If Carolina beats Dallas, I think people will turn their TV sets off; the thing people really want to see is Dallas play Green Bay.”

Gone are the 49ers (13-5), sloppy losers for the second consecutive year, who could not contend with the punt returns of Desmond Howard, the sure-footed mud work of running back Edgar Bennett and their own inability to put a firm grip on the football.

“It all adds up, the dropped passes, the missed tackles, the penalties,” San Francisco Coach George Seifert said. “Green Bay played a great game--that’s a damn good football team.”

The 49ers lost two fumbles, dropped six passes, and while they climbed to within a touchdown at 21-14 in the early seconds of the third quarter, a 12-play, 72-yard drive by the Packers, culminating in wide receiver Antonio Freeman’s recovery of a Bennett fumble in the end zone, allowed Green Bay to pull away with its third consecutive victory over San Francisco.

“I’d rather be poked in the eye than have to look at this game,” said 49er quarterback Steve Young, who lasted nine plays before the pain of two broken ribs suffered a week ago could no longer be tolerated. “I took a myriad of [painkilling] shots, but I had no real zip on the ball. After a couple of series, I knew we would have to move the ball down the field and I couldn’t do it.”

Young left the field in the first quarter for more treatment, and several times made an effort to warm up, but Elvis Grbac was left to try to ignite the 49ers’ comeback.

“Steve Young must have taken 30 shots to try and play,” tight end Brent Jones said. “What quarterback would try to play with broken ribs? Only one that I know.”

Maybe a healthy Steve Young would have made the game more competitive, but with 6:16 remaining in the first quarter the Packers were already in command, 14-0, because of Howard’s heroics.

“What did Desmond do today that he hasn’t done all season long?” said Sean Jones, Packer defensive end. “Brett Favre is the league’s MVP, but Desmond is one of this team’s MVPs.”

Howard, the 1991 Heisman Trophy winner from Michigan, who failed miserably in his previous stops in Washington and Jacksonville, ran back a punt 71 yards for a touchdown after the 49ers’ opening drive. And while he accepted the 49ers’ next punt with a fair catch, on his third try he went 46 yards to the 49ers’ seven-yard line to set up Favre’s four-yard touchdown toss to Andre Rison two plays later.

“The field was pretty messy for both teams, but the people make the difference,” said Mike Holmgren, the Packers’ coach and formerly the 49ers’ offensive coordinator. “Desmond made the difference in the game early on.”

While Howard shredded the 49ers’ punt return team, Bennett ran the ball 17 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns, leaving Favre, the league’s MVP the last two seasons, playing a minor role in the victory, completing 11 of 15 passes for 79 yards.

“Man, that punt return was big,” Favre said. “It made a difference early on, and may have made a difference in the whole ballgame. It set the tone. We didn’t think it was going to be a high-scoring game, and it turns out it was. I think that’s a credit to what Desmond did.”

Howard, while being the first to leap into the stands after his opening score, suffered the embarrassment of reporting to the field late for the second half. The Packers, back to receive the kick, had 10 players because of Howard’s absence, forcing Rison to fill in as a last-second volunteer.

The second-half kickoff went to Don Beebe’s side of the field, but died quickly before Beebe could run up to catch it, and a hard-charging Steve Israel fell on the free ball for San Francisco at the Packers’ four-yard line. To add to Howard’s indignity, Rison had to be helped from the field after being kicked in the knee.

On the next play, the Packers expected Grbac to hand the ball to Terry Kirby, but Grbac faked the handoff and ran himself for the score. Holmgren glared at Howard.

“Desmond came out and said, ‘Are we playing the game?’ ” Holmgren said. “I said, ‘Yeah.’ I was very angry, but I kept thinking of the great plays he made earlier. I asked him later why he was late, and he said he was putting on a clean uniform. At least he had an answer.”

The 49ers, meanwhile, failed to respond when afforded the opportunity. They moved to the Packers’ 19-yard line in the early moments of the fourth quarter, but lost the ball on William Floyd’s fumble. And then after a defensive stop, Kirby fumbled a punt return.

“Many people mocked me when I said I was going to listen to where God wanted me to go four years ago,” said Reggie White, Packer defensive end. “Most people said I was all about money. There were a few reasons why I came here--I thought this team had a chance to go to the Super Bowl. Well, we’re one step closer, but we haven’t gotten there yet.”

It has been a long time between NFC championship celebrations in Green Bay. A year ago the Packers were in a similar position, but were forced to play on the road in Dallas for the NFC championship. And while they took the lead into the fourth quarter, they eventually lost, 38-27.

“I think when you get this far and lose like we did last year, that only strengthens your resolve,” Holmgren said. “There are a few unfinished things that some of our players know they want to accomplish, and let me tell you, we’re a pretty confident group here right now.”