Packers all-time tournament: Favre, 1996 team claims Lam-Bowl championship

When teams like the 1962 and 1996 Green Bay Packers play – each which led the NFL in points and points against in their respective seasons — the contest is going to come down to intangibles.

In this case, only one team had Desmond Howard.

Howard had two long punt returns to help set up scores and the No. 3 ’96 Packers got a big turnover in the fourth quarter to help pull away and win the all-time Green Bay Packers tournament over top-seeded 1962, 31-16.

Brett Favre threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns to claim the Lam-Bowl MVP trophy. But Howard played a big role, averaging 21 yards on four punt returns.

Both teams were feeling each other out in the first quarter, which saw the 1962 Packers take a 6-0 lead on Jerry Kramer field goals of 47 and 40 yards. A Eugene Robinson interception of a Bart Starr field goal early in the second quarter helped set up a Chris Jacke 49-yard field goal to cut the lead in half.

Howard then became the X factor.

After Jacke’s field goal, 1962 went three-and-out, the drive ending with a Sean Jones sack. Howard returned the ensuing punt to the ’62 28-yard line. Favre would hit tight end Keith Jackson with a 12-yard touchdown pass to give the 1996 Packers the lead, 10-6.

Howard then had a return to the 1996 48-yard line after another three-and-out. A couple of Edgar Bennett runs, including one for 17 yards, set up a Favre-to-Robert Brooks 11-yard TD strike.

Starr was able to lead ’62 Green Bay down the field in a two-minute drill, but the drive stalled and Kramer added a 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 17-9 at the half.

Things got sloppy to open the third quarter. On back-to-back drives, Starr and Favre traded interceptions. After another three-and-out by Starr and Co., Favre was picked again, this time by Herb Adderley, who returned it 34 yards for a touchdown to make it a one-point game.

Cue Howard.

Late in the quarter he had another big return, taking it to the 1962 36-yard line. Two plays later Edgar Bennett churned his way 29 yards into the end zone.

It was still just a one-score lead, 24-16, and after the score Starr moved 1962 down the field into enemy territory. On the drive Max McGee had a catch for 15 yards and Ron Kramer a catch-and-run for 21. But on a first-and-10 play from the 26, Kramer tried to run after a catch again and coughed up the ball, the 1996 Packers recovering at their own 18.

Now it was time for Favre to go to work.

Favre connected on passes with Don Beebe for 15 yards, Antonio Freeman for 23 and Andre Rison for 17 as part of a long drive which culminated in a 5-yard toss to Jackson for his second TD of the game.

With just 6:08 remaining, it also all but sealed the championship.

Starr would lead the 1962 Packers to the opposing 23-yard line on the next drive but couldn’t convert on a fourth-and-5. The ’62 team had the ball just one more time and faced with a fourth-and-11, Reggie White batted down a pass with 1:32 remaining.

After a the ’62 Packers burned through their timeouts, Favre took a knee and 1996 Green Bay was crowned the all-time Packers tournament champion.

Here’s a final look at the Packers all-time tournament bracket:

SCORING PLAYS

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