Don Beebe never had a bigger game, and it couldn't have come at a better time for the Green Bay Packers.
The 32-year-old journeyman receiver stepped in for the injured Robert Brooks and caught 11 passes for a career-best 220 yards as Green Bay beat San Francisco 23-20 in overtime Monday night before a record crowd of 60,716 at Lambeau Field."I've had four touchdowns in a game and I've had 10 catches," said Beebe, who played in four Super Bowls with Buffalo. "But considering how this came out, I'd have to say this was my best game."
Beebe, whose 220 yards were the third-highest in the Packers' 76-year history, had a 13-yard catch that helped set up Chris Jacke's 53-yard field goal, the longest overtime kick in NFL history.
He also had a controversial 59-yard catch for a touchdown that sparked the Packers' comeback from a 17-6 deficit in the third period.
Brooks, Brett Favre's favorite receiver and Green Bay's best deep threat, was lost for the season with a knee injury on the Packers' first offensive play. He landed awkwardly when 49ers cornerback Tyronne Drakeford pulled him down.
"It's a shame," said coach Mike Holmgren, who said Brooks would undergo surgery this week.
"It makes my heart hurt to see himhurting and miss the year," Beebe said. "Sure, it gives me opportunities. But if I could change
things, I would."
Jacke also was a reluctant hero after his 53-yarder gave Green Bay a 6-1 record, best in the NFL, heading into its bye week.
"I hate that situation," said Jacke, who was good on all five of his field goals. "There's not a kicker in the league who wants to be in that position."
This was a game between two of the NFL's best teams that lived up to its billing as the 49ers tried to reverse a 27-17 playoff loss last season.
For most of the game, it looked like San Francisco would win.
Led by Dana Stubblefield, Lee Woodall and Marquez Pope, the 49ers (4-2) dominated on defense, limiting Green Bay to 68 yards rushing and forcing Favre to pass a team-record 61 times. He completed 28 for 395 yards.
The 49ers took a 17-6 halftime lead on TD passes of 7 and 13 yards to Jerry Rice and allowed only one touchdown - the debatable touchdown pass from Favre to Beebe on which Beebe dived to catch the pass, got up as Pope went over him and ran to the end zone.
It came midway through the third quarter and cut the deficit to 17-14 after Favre hit Edgar Bennett for a 2-point conversion. That allowed Jacke's 35-yarder with 3:35 left to tie it at 17.
Still, it looked like the San Francisco defense would ruin Beebe's big day after Pope intercepted a pass with 2:13 left and returned it to the Green Bay 12.
"Right then, I said, ` . . . I guess it's over,' " Favre said.
But the 49ers played conservatively, Green Bay used two timeouts and the 2-minute warning, and there was still 1:50 left when Jeff Wilkins kicked a 28-yard field goal that gave the 49ers a 20-17 lead.
The 49er defense gave Green Bay a shorter field - Steve Israel, a reserve defensive back for the 49ers, was called for a 5-yard hands to the face penalty, then was penalized 15 more yards and ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct. That gave Jacke a chip shot of 31 yards to tie it.