Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
25 YEARS AGO: 1994 GREEN BAY PACKERS Holmgren’s plan befuddles Bears
Editor’s note: This story was published Dec. 12, 1994.
Green Bay, Wis. — Dave Wannstedt of the Chicago Bears still might be a deserving candidate for coach of the year honors in the National Football League, but he wasn’t the best coach at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Wannstedt’s defense was shredded and outwitted at every turn by an unpredictable Green Bay offense, which was led by Packers coach Mike Holmgren.
And Wannstedt’s own West Coaststyle of offense, coordinated by Ron Turner, was rendered helpless thanks in large part to a subtle, but nevertheless bold, coaching decision made by Packers defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur.
When shrewd game plans mesh with inspirational and physical highs by one team, you have the blueprint for a colossal rout.
That was exactly the case as a crowd of 57,927 watched in considerable disbelief as the Packers annihilated the Bears, 40-3, for their largest victory over their most bitter adversary since a 49-0 decision on the same field in 1962.
“Beautiful,” said Green Bay tackle Joe Sims, using one word to describe the sentiment Packers’ fans everywhere might have been feeling.
Some fans came to Lambeau Field on a chilly but mostly sunny, 15-degree day to bury the Packers a team they felt was under-achieving, with a coaching staff that couldn’t run the football effectively, couldn’t stop anybody and that never seemed to have its club playing at an emotional peak.
Most stayed until the end, however, on their feet and cheering wildly as the Packers re-emerged as a legitimate playoff challenger with their finest performance of this disjointed season.
“They rose up and played at a higher level than we did in all areas,” Wannstedt said. “They controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides. The worst scenario happened.”
On offense, the Packers piled up 516 yards, their highest output since gaining 519 against Tampa Bay in 1983. It was their first 500-yard outing in 48 games under Holmgren, and just the second in the last nine seasons.
Most notably, they demonstrated a rare, exquisite balance of 259 yards passing and 257 yards rushing. Green Bay hasn’t rushed for that many yards since gaining 285 yards against Detroit in ’85.
“It was unbelievable the way we ran the ball,” Packers quarterback Brett Favre said. “It’s something you dream of, to be balanced the way we were today.”
On offense, the plodding but usually effective Bears finished with 176 yards, the lowest total allowed by Green Bay in 54 games. After gaining 96 yards on its first 14 plays, Chicago had just 80 yards on its last 37 snaps.
Finally, operating against the dangerous special teams of Bears assistant coach Danny Abramowicz, the Packers got four field goals from Chris Jacke and didn’t make a mistake.
“I think it shows what we’re capable of being when we can put it all together,” Holmgren said. “We just saved our best football, I guess, for the Bears this season.
“They have a fine team. They’re wellcoached. They’re having a type of season they can be proud of. Today we just got them.”
Playing on grass in Lambeau Field as a favorite late in the season, everything was right for the Packers.
With the victory, Green Bay improved its record to 7-7, including 7-1 on grass and 0-6 on turf. The Packers haven’t lost in Green Bay since the first game here last year, and they are now 7-1 as a favorite this year. The Bears still haven’t won a road game in December since ’87.
“And we’ve got two grass games left,” Packers quarterbacks coach Steve Mariucci said. “It’s probably our best offensive performance since we’ve been here.”
The Packers also have a quarterback who has thrown 19 touchdowns compared to five interceptions in his last seven games.
“Brett’s peaking at the right time,” Mariucci said.
And, for at least this game, they had the kind of dominant ground game that critics have been clamoring for from Holmgren for a long time.
What happened to the Bears’ defense won’t happen often to a unit coached by Wannstedt. Not only was his front seven