1997 IN REVIEW

The Packers entered the 1997 season with an opportunity to win back-to-back Super Bowls for the second time - and came breathtakingly close to achieving their objective. Sweeping to a second consecutive 13-3 mark, their victory total equaling a club record, they primed for the playoffs by closing out the regular season with a five-game winning streak, their second of the campaign. Having earned home-field advantage for their initial postseason test by winning a third straight NFC Central Division title, they launched their bid in workmanlike fashion turning back Tampa Bay in a divisional playoff for the third straight time in the year, 21-7, thereby padding their all-time home postseason record to 12-0 and extending the longest such winning streak in pro football history. Faced with the need to win on the road to assure a return trip to the ultimate game, the Packers proceeded to smother the 49ers on a soggy, rain-swept afternoon in San Francisco's 3Com Park a week later, holding them without an offensive touchdown en route to a 23-10 victory in the NFC Championship Game and a berth in Super Bowl XXXII at San Diego. The latter subsequently proved to be a see-saw affair, one which found the Green and Gold trailing Denver at halftime, 17-14. Hopes of a repeat were high, however, when quarterback Brett Favre guided them 85 yards to a third touchdown and a 24-24 tie early in the fourth quarter. But the Broncos later scored with only 1:45 remaining and a last-minute Packers drive for a deadlock fell short when a Favre pass for tight end Mark Chmura was incomplete inside the Denver 20-yard line with only 28 seconds remaining, sealing a 31-24 Denver win.

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BRETT FAVRE'S BACKUPS - PART TWO

FOR MORE FAVRE BACKUPS, GO TO THE 1996 PACKERS

* STEVE BONO (1997) - Bono played for Minnesota (1985-86), Pittsburgh (1987-88) and San Francisco (1989-93), before the 49ers traded him to Kansas City.  He led the Chiefs to a 13-3 record and was selected for the AFC Pro Bowl team in 1995. The Chiefs turned the starting job over to Elvis Grbac and released Bono in 1997. He signed as a free agent with the Packers and appeared in two games, completing 5 of 10 passes for 29 yards. He spent the 1998 season with the Rams and 1999 backing up Steve Beuerlein in Carolina before retiring.

* RICK MIRER (1998) - Mirer was selected second in the 1993 draft by the Seahawks. He was traded to the Bears (with a 4th-round pick) for a 1st-round choice. Mirer signed a three-year, $11.4 million contract with the Bears, but played sparingly and was cut in the beginning of the 1998 season. He signed with the Packers, but did not appear in a game. They traded him to the Jets in 1999, where he replaced the injured Vinny Testaverde. He spent 2000 and 2001 in San Francisco, then two season with Oakland. Mirer was a  starter for part of 2003. The Lions signed him in 2004, but he never threw a pass.

* MATT HASSELBECK (1999-2000) - Hasselbeck spent the 1998 season on the practice squad and then backed up Brett Favre for two seasons, throwing two touchdowns passes. He was traded to Seattle, and holds several franchise records, including leading the team to a franchise-best 13-3 record in 2005.

* AARON BROOKS (1999) - Brooks spent 1999 as a third-string backup, before the Packers traded him to New Orleans. He left the Saints after the 2005 season as the franchise leader in season and career touchdown passes. He spent an injury-riddled 2006 season with Oakland before retiring.

* DANNY WUERFFEL (2000) - The 1996 Heisman Trophy winner played seven seasons in the NFL for the Saints, Packers, Bears, and Redskins. He never threw a pass for the Packers. His pro highlight was winning the MVP award in World Bowl 2000 while playing for the Rhein Fire in NFL Europa.

* HENRY BURRIS (2001) - After a break-out season with Saskatchewan (2000), Burris spent several weeks as the Packers' third-string quarterback and on the practice squad in 2001. After spending 2002 with the Bears, he returned to the CFL, where he led Calgary to a 22-14 Grey Cup victory in 2008. At the time of his retirement Burris was third in all-time CFL passing yards (63,369) and passing touchdowns (373).

* CRAIG NALL (2002-05, 2007) - Nall started for the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe in 2003 and was the league's leading passer. In 2004, he played in 5 games for Green Bay, throwing for 4 touchdowns and a passer rating of 139.4. He went to Buffalo (2005) and Houston (2006), before he returned to Green Bay in December 2007. He went back to Houston in 2008, and then the UFL (2009).

* J.T. O'SULLIVAN (2004) - After two season in New Orleans, he was traded to the Packers in 2004, where he took a knee twice to end the game. Since then, he has been with the Bears (2005, 2007), Vikings (2005), Patriots (2006), Panthers (2006),  Lions (2007), 49ers (2008) and Bengals (2009).

* AARON RODGERS (2005-07) - Rodgers spent 2005 as the Packers' #2 quarterback, and saw time in a win over the Saints and in a loss to the Ravens. In November 2006, Rodgers broke his left foot against the Patriots while filling in for an injured Brett Favre and missed the remainder of the season. Rodgers replaced an injured Favre against the Cowboys in November 2007. Rodgers completed 18 passes for 201 yards. He also threw his first touchdown pass.

* INGLE MARTIN (2006) - Martin spent 2006 as the Packers 3rd-string quarterback. After being released, he was with the Titans (2007-08), Chiefs (2008), Broncos (2009) and UFL (2009). He never threw an NFL pass.

* TODD BOUMAN (2006) - He was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 1997, and remained there until 2002. He also played for the Saints,  Packers, Rams, Ravens and Jaguars. He never appeared in a Packer game.