Overview
This was the first NFL championship game held in Green Bay. The Packers' only other championship home game until then was 22 years earlier in 1939 NFL Championship Game, 1939, played at the Wisconsin State Fair Park, State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, West Allis outside Milwaukee. Both teams were eager to shed the "runner-up" label. The Giants were in their third championship game in four years, falling in 1958 NFL Championship Game, 1958 and 1959 NFL Championship Game, 1959 to the History of the Baltimore Colts, Baltimore Colts, and the Packers had lost the title game in 1960 NFL Championship Game, 1960 to the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles season, Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants' last league title was in 1956 NFL Championship Game, 1956 and the Packers in 1944 NFL Championship Game, 1944. Temperature at game time hovered at and for several days the field had been covered with a Tarpaulin, tarp, topped by a foot (30 cm) of hay. The covering was particularly significant as just two days before, the temperature dipped to . Field conditions were of paramount concern if the teams were to make effective use of the running game. All the Packers players used cleats and about half of the Giants players, led by head coach Allie Sherman, chose Chuck Taylor All-Stars, sneakers, believing they would grip better on a frozen field. At 6 a.m. on game day, workers began the arduous process of snow and hay removal by hand using baskets, as heavy equipment could have potentially damaged the field.The Football Encyclopedia, St Martin's Press, New York, NY, , p.335Announcers Lindsay Nelson or Chris Schenkel during CBS's original game broadcastGreen Bay's City Stadium Field Before The Champiponship Game Retrieved April 10, 2010, from Wisconsin Historical Society, websitGame summary
First quarter
After both teams exchanged punts, the Giants were on the move to the Green Bay 46-yard line when the Giants end Kyle Rote, who was wide open but looking back into the sun, dropped a long pass from YA Tittle, Y. A. Tittle at the GB 10. When the Packers took over for their 2nd possession, end Max McGee returned the favor by dropping a 50-yard pass from Starr. However, Starr then hitSecond quarter
Capping a 12-play 80-yard drive, Hornung, the NFL MVP, NFL's MVP for 1961, slashed outside right tackle for a touchdown on the first play of the 2nd quarter. Hornung's extra-point gave Green Bay a 7–0 lead. The Giants' next two possessions resulted in two Tittle interceptions within two minutes. The first, byThird quarter
In an unusual turn of events, the Packers were given five downs on their first possession of the quarter. On first down, Hornung ran up the middle. Then, on second down, Bart Starr scrambled for fifteen yards and fumbled the ball away. But the Packers were flagged for an illegal procedure penalty. After the Giants refused the penalty, the officials at first gave the ball to the Giants. But realizing a procedure penalty negates any resulting play, the officials correctly gave the ball back to Green Bay, albeit with a first down instead of second down. Despite the extra play, Green Bay eventually punted. The following series also resulted in a GB punt, with the Giants Joe Morrison fumbling and Forrest Gregg recovering for the Packers. Hornung then booted a 22-yard field goal, making it 27-0. The Packers continued their march toward a championship with hard running by Hornung and Tom Moore (running back), Tom Moore (replacing Taylor). Starr completed his third touchdown pass, this one to Ron Kramer in the left corner of the end zone. Kramer fell heavily on the ice after scoring and limped off the field. The Giants went back to Tittle at quarterback again as the quarter ended.Fourth quarter
The veteran Tittle, who led the Giants to two more championship appearances in NFL Championship Game, 1962, 1962 and NFL Championship Game, 1963, 1963, could do no better than Conerly, throwing an interception to the Packers Jesse Whittenton. Jim Taylor (fullback), Jim Taylor, back in the game, promptly rumbled outside the right tackle on a 33-yard run to the Giants' 13. Hornung ended the scoring with a 19-yard field goal. A fourth Tittle interception had the Packers knocking on the goal line again as the gun sounded to end the game. The 19 points that Paul Hornung scored was at the time the most ever in a championship game. One year earlier, in a 12-game season, Hornung scored an incredible 176 points, which remained a record - even though the season had been increased to 16 games - until 2006.Scoring summary
''Sunday, December 31, 1961''Officials
*Referee: George Rennix (#52) *Umpire: James Beiersdorfer (#17) *Head Linesman: John Highberger (#48) *Back Judge: Chuck Sweeney, Charles Sweeney (#22) *Field Judge: Frank Luzar (#14) The NFL had five game officials in ; the line judge was added in and the side judge in .Players' shares
With 40,000 tickets sold at $10 each and $615,000 in TV revenue, this game was the first NFL Championship to generate $1 million in revenue. Each player on the winning Packers team received $5,195, while Giants players made $3,340 each.Vince Lombardi
This was the fifth shutout in NFL Championship game history and coach Lombardi's first of five championships in seven years. Lombardi used a strategy in this game that was common in all the Packers championships. A strategy of fundamentally sound football (the Packers had no turnovers and only 16 yards in penalties) and to beat the opposition at their strength, in this case running the ball at the Giants linemen Andy Robustelli and Rosey Grier. This strategy allowed the Packers to control the game, running 63 offensive plays to only 43 for the Giants. In 1959 Green Bay Packers season, 1959. Lombardi had taken over a Green Bay franchise that was the worst team in the league in 1958 Green Bay Packers season, 1958, and in three years turned them into NFL Champions.See also
* 1961 NFL season * History of the National Football League championship * 1961 American Football League Championship GameVideo
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