Super Bowl XXXI Game Summary

Updated August 28, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

New England Patriots (13-5)14070—21
Green Bay Packers (15-3)101780—35
1st: GB—Andre Rison 54-yd pass from Brett Favre (Chris Jacke kick), 3:32. Drive: 55 yards in 2 plays. Key play: Desmond Howard 32–yd punt return. GB—Jacke 37–yd FG, 6:18. Drive: 9 yards in 4 plays. Key play: Doug Evans interception at NE 28. NE—Keith Byars 1-yd pass from Drew Bledsoe (Adam Vinatieri kick), 8:25. Drive: 79 yards in 6 plays. Key play: 26-yd pass interference penalty on Craig Newsome on 3rd-and-10 to GB 1. NE—Ben Coates 4-yd pass from Bledsoe (Vinatieri kick), 12:27. Drive: 57 yards in 4 plays. Key play: Bledsoe 44-yd pass to Terry Glenn to GB 4.
2nd: GB—Antonio Freeman 81-yd pass from Favre (Jacke kick), 0:56. Drive: 81 yards in 1 play. GB—Jacke 31-yd FG, 6:45. Drive: 33 yards in 8 plays. Key play: Howard 33-yd punt return to NE 47. GB—Favre 2-yd run (Jacke kick), 13:49. Drive: 74 yards in 9 plays. Key play: Mike Prior 5-yd interception return to GB 26.
3rd: NE—Curtis Martin 18-yd run (Vinatieri kick), 11:33. Drive: 53 yards in 7 plays. Key play: Bledsoe 13-yd pass to Coates on 3rd-and-5 to GB 35. GB—Howard 99-yd kickoff return (Favre pass to Mark Chmura for 2-pt conversion), 11:50.
Favorite: Packers by 14Attendance: 72,301
Field: Artificial TurfTime: 3:21
Start time: 5:25 CSTTV Rating: 43.3/65 share (Fox)
MVP—Desmond Howard, Green Bay, (4 kickoff returns for 154 yards and 1 TD.)
Officials: Gerald Austin (referee); Ron Botchan (umpire); Jeff Bergman (LJ); Tom Fincken (SJ); Earnie Frantz (HL); Scott Steenson (BJ); Phil Luckett (FJ).

Team Statistics

PatriotsPackers
Touchdowns34
Rushing11
Passing22
Returns01
Field Goals made/attempted0/02/3
Time of possession25:4534:15
First downs1616
Rushing38
Passing126
Penalties12
3rd down efficiency4/143/15
4th down efficiency0/20/1
Total offense (net yards)257323
Plays6668
Average gain3.94.8
Carries/yards13/4336/115
Yards per carry3.33.2
Passing yards214208
Completions/attempts25/4814/27
Yards per pass4.06.5
Times intercepted40
Times sacked/yards lost5/395/38
Return yardage165268
Punt returns/yards5/307/90
Kickoff returns/yards7/1354/154
Interceptions/yards0/04/24
Fumbles/lost0/00/0
Penalties/yards2/223/41
Punts/average8/45.17/42.7
Punts blocked00

New England Patriots

PassingAttCmpPct.YdsTDInt
Drew Bledsoe482552.125324
ReceivingNoYdsAvgLongTD
Ben Coates66711.2191
Terry Glenn46215.5440
Keith Byars44210.5321
Shawn Jefferson33411.3140
Curtis Martin3289.3200
Dave Meggett382.750
Vincent Brisby2126.070
TOTAL2525310.1442
RushingCarYdsAvgLongTD
Curtis Martin11423.8181
Drew Bledsoe111.010
Dave Meggett100.000
TOTAL13433.3181
Field Goals20-2930-3940-4950-59Total
none
PuntingNoYdsLongAvgIn 20TB
Tom Tupa83615345.130
Punt ReturnsFCRetYdsLongAvgTD
Dave Meggett22302015.00
Kickoff ReturnsNoYdsLongAvgTD
Dave Meggett51172623.40
Hason Graham1181818.00
TOTAL61352622.50
InterceptionsNoYdsLongAvgTD
none
Sacks
Tedy Bruschi2
Ferric Collons1
Willie McGinest1
Otis Smith1
Most Tackles
Chris Slade11
Ted Johnson10
Lawyer Milloy8

Green Bay Packers

PassingAttCmpPct.YdsTDInt
Brett Favre271451.924620
ReceivingNoYdsAvgLongTD
Antonio Freeman310535.0811
Dorsey Levens3237.7140
Andre Rison27738.5541
William Henderson2147.080
Mark Chmura2136.580
Keith Jackson11010.0100
Edgar Bennett144.040
TOTAL1424617.6812
RushingCarYdsAvgLongTD
Dorsey Levens14614.4120
Edgar Bennett17402.4100
Brett Favre4123.0121
William Henderson122.020
TOTAL361153.2121
Field Goals20-2930-3940-4950-59Total
Chris Jacke0-02-20-10-02-3
PuntingNoYdsLongAvgIn 20TB
Craig Hentrich72995842.710
Punt ReturnsFCRetYdsLongAvgTD
Desmond Howard16903415.00
Kickoff ReturnsNoYdsLongAvgTD
Desmond Howard415499-TD38.51
Sacks
Reggie White3
LeRoy Butler1
Santana Dotson1
Most Tackles
Eugene Robinson9
LeRoy Butler7
Craig Newsome6

Playoff Game Summaries1996-97 SeasonSuper Bowl Finalists' Playoff Statistics
1996-97 Football Season
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