[3rd September 2000 – 5:18 PM, Lambeau Field, Wisconsin]
[Q3 — 15:00 | 1st & 10, NYT 25 | Packers 21, Tigers 7]
The Tigers received the second-half kickoff, and the stadium's energy had shifted—what had been cautious optimism from the visitors' sideline now felt like desperation. The Packers faithful sensed blood in the water, their chants rolling across the field in waves.
Testaverde took the field with the adjusted offensive line—Jason Machado now at right tackle, replacing the benched Todd Wade. The first snap came clean, and Testaverde handed off to Martin, who attacked the B-gap with purpose. The veteran running back absorbed contact at the line, kept his legs churning, and fell forward for six hard-earned yards.
On second and four, Testaverde dropped back and immediately felt the difference—Machado stonewalled his rusher, giving the quarterback a clean pocket. He stepped up and fired a dart to Ward on a comeback route. Ward caught it at the forty-two, secured it against his chest, and turned upfield for the first down.
"Better protection there," Aikman observed. "Machado coming in and making an immediate impact."
The drive started to gain momentum as Martin ripped off an eight-yard run off the right tackle, then caught a swing pass for seven more. Testaverde hit Becht on a seam route for thirteen yards, moving the Tigers into Packers territory. The Green Bay crowd, so deafening moments ago, began to quiet as the visiting offence methodically marched.
By the time they reached the Packers' twenty-eight, it was second and three. Testaverde called for play-action, faked the handoff beautifully, and rolled right. Coles had beaten his man on a skinny post, breaking into the end zone with two steps of separation.
Testaverde planted and threw—The ball spiralled perfectly, dropping into Coles' outstretched hands at the goal line. The rookie secured it, tucked it away, and pointed at the sky as he crossed into the end zone.
"Touchdown Tigers!" Buck announced. "Laveranues Coles with his first career NFL touchdown, and New York is back in this game!"
In the VIP suite, Xavier stood and clapped, the tension in his shoulders easing as a bright smile spread across his face. "That's what we needed."
Nathan nodded. "Good drive. Eleven plays, seventy-five yards. Now we need the defence to answer."
~~~
[Q3 — 10:45 | 1st & 10, GB 23 | Packers 21, Tigers 14]
The Packers' offence returned to the field, and Favre looked unbothered by the Tigers' score. On first down, he dropped back in shotgun, saw Schroeder running a deep over route, and delivered a strike for seventeen yards. But on second down, something shifted after Rex pulled Brian Urlacher to the side and gave him a talking to.
The mics didn't pick up what the player said to his teammates, but when Favre took the snap, looked right, and pump-faked. John Abraham obliterated the right tackle like a mad bull with a speed-to-power move that left the blocker on his back. Abraham wrapped Favre up at the thirty-one, driving him into the turf for a nine-yard sack.
"There's the pressure we've heard so much about in pre-season!" Aikman said. "Abraham announced his presence to the vet, and that changes the down and distance entirely."
The Lambeau crowd groaned as Favre picked himself up, shaking his head. On second and nineteen, he tried a quick screen to Green, but Julian Peterson read it perfectly, knifed through the blockers, and dropped the running back for a two-yard loss.
"The Tigers' defence is playing with urgency now," Buck observed. "This is the stop they need."
[3&21]
Favre took the snap in shotgun, five receivers spread across the formation. The Tigers rushed four, dropped seven into coverage, and Favre had time—too much time. He scanned left, then right, then back left before finally launching a deep ball toward Freeman along the sideline.
But this time, Marcus Coleman didn't bite on the double move. He stayed in Freeman's hip pocket, turned his head at the perfect moment, and got a hand up. The ball sailed just over both their fingertips, falling incomplete.
"Punt team!" The Packers' special teams unit jogged onto the field. The punt sailed high and deep, pinning the Tigers at their own eight-yard line. But the defence had done its job, receiving a happy reception at the side of the field.
~~~
[Q3 — 7:22 | 1st & 10, NYT 8 | Packers 21, Tigers 14]
Backed up against their own goal line, the Tigers' offence faced a daunting task. On first down, Martin took the handoff and was immediately met in the backfield by a blitzing linebacker—loss of two yards. Second and twelve from their own six, and the crowd noise was deafening now, the entire Lambeau shaking.
Testaverde took the snap, dropped back into his own end zone, saw immediate pressure from both edges, and did the only smart thing—he threw the ball away, sailing it high and out of bounds. Third and twelve from the six-yard line. Charlie Weis sent in the play—a max-protect scheme with only three receivers in the route. Testaverde would have time, but his options would be limited.
The snap came. Testaverde dropped back to the three-yard line, the pocket holding just long enough. He went through his progressions—nothing. He reset his feet—still nothing. Then, at the last possible moment, he saw Dedric Ward breaking open on a deep comeback at the thirty-two. Not hesitating, Testaverde stepped up and fired, and the ball cut through the Wisconsin air, arriving on time, and Ward secured it cleanly, turned upfield, and was immediately tackled twenty-six yards gain.
"Huge conversion!" Buck shouted. "Testaverde is buying time and finding Ward to get them out of the shadow of their own goal line!"
The Tigers' sideline erupted in relief. Martin followed with runs of seven and nine yards, moving the chains again. Then Testaverde hit Becht for twelve more, pushing into Packers territory. But the drive stalled at the Green Bay forty-three when Testaverde overthrew Coles on third and six. Tom Tupa came out to punt again, flipping the field and pinning Green Bay at their own eighteen.
~~~
[Q4 — 14:12 | 1st & 10, GB 18 | Packers 21, Tigers 14]
The fourth quarter opened with both teams trading punts—neither offence able to sustain drives as defences tightened and fatigue began to set in. The clock became the Tigers' enemy, ticking down relentlessly as they searched for an opportunity.
[9:47]
Favre dropped back on second and eight from his own thirty-four, looking for Freeman on a crossing route. He threw it—but the pass was slightly behind the receiver, and Damien Robinson jumped the route perfectly. The free safety intercepted the ball at the forty-one and returned it to the Packers' thirty-six before being tackled.
"Turnover!" Buck shouted. "The Tigers' defence finally forces a mistake, and now the offence has a chance!"
The Tigers' sideline exploded. Belichick showed no emotion, but his hand gripped the play sheet a little tighter. "Let's go score," Weis muttered.
Testaverde jogged onto the field, helmet secured, his expression locked in. On first down, Martin took the handoff and powered forward for eight yards. On second and two, Testaverde hit Ward on a quick slant for nine yards and a first down at the eighteen.
The Lambeau crowd, so loud all game, began to sense danger. On first and ten, Testaverde dropped back and saw Coles running a corner route, breaking toward the pylon. The throw was perfect—a touch pass that fell into Coles' hands at the two-yard line.
He secured it, turned, and was immediately hit by a Packers safety, stopping him inches short of the goal line. "So close!" Aikman said. "Second and goal from the one."
On the next play, Martin took the handoff, lowered his shoulder, and drove forward into a wall of green jerseys. He pushed, churned, twisted—and broke the plane. "Touchdown Tigers!" Buck announced. "Curtis Martin punches it in, and we are tied at Lambeau Field!"
The small contingent of Tigers fans in attendance went berserk. Xavier exited his suit into the seat outside, clapping loudly along with everyone else, his heart hammering in his chest.
[Packers 21, Tigers 21]
~~~
[Q4 — 7:03 | 1st & 10, GB 28 | Packers 21, Tigers 21]
The Packers' offence took the field, and Brett Favre looked like a man who'd just been personally insulted. On first down, he dropped back, saw Ahman Green leaking out of the backfield, and delivered a short pass that Green turned into a seventeen-yard gain.
On the next play, Favre hit Schroeder on a deep out for twelve more. Then the Driver on a crossing route for fifteen. The Tigers' defence, so sharp moments ago, suddenly looked gassed as the Packers methodically marched down the field. By the time they reached the Tigers' twenty-three, it was first and ten with 3:41 remaining. Favre took the snap in shotgun, pump-faked left, then fired right to Freeman on a quick slant.
Freeman caught it, turned upfield—and was immediately hit by Victor Green, the ball popping loose. The fumble bounced once, twice, and Willie McGinest dove on it at the twenty-eight. "Fumble recovered by the Tigers!" Buck shouted. "Victor Green forced it, McGinest recovered it, and New York has the ball back with a chance to win this game!"
The Tigers' sideline erupted again, and Rex clapped loudly, cheering up his defence.
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To Be Continued...