TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Favre enjoys his return

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRIS JENKINS

The Associated Press

Published: November 2, 2009

Updated: 11/02/2009 01:11 am

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Brett Favre still knows how to win big games at Lambeau Field, even if this one came for the enemy and to a chorus of boos.

For the second time in less than a month, Brett Favre sliced up his former team and stuck it to the franchise that cast him aside as the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers 38-26 at Lambeau on Sunday.

If walking out to waves of loud jeers from his former fans threw Favre off his game, it didn't last long. Despite being jeered repeatedly by Packers fans who once cheered his every move, Favre completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns. The Vikings (7-1) took a firm hold on the NFC North standings.

"But Packer fans cheer for the Packers first," Favre said. "I know that. But I hope that everyone in the stadium watching tonight said, 'I sure hate those jokers on the other side, but he does play the way he's always played.'"
Rookie receiver Percy Harvin caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown and had five returns for 175 yards, but didn't mind yielding the spotlight to Favre.

"He's played this game a long time, he sees a lot of stuff that a lot of quarterbacks can't see," Harvin said. "And he can make a lot of throws that a lot of quarterbacks can't make. With us being explosive, to add him was like a blessing in disguise."

The Vikings' defense roughed up Favre's successor, Aaron Rodgers, sacking him six times. But with the Packers (4-3) on the verge of getting routed, Rodgers rebounded with three second-half touchdowns.

Rodgers said losing the game to a division rival meant more than being beaten by Favre.

"I hate losing to whoever's the quarterback for them," Rodgers said.

But cornerback Charles Woodson acknowledged the game was significant beyond the division standings.

"I think a lot of people really wanted this one bad," Woodson said. "We let a lot of people down today."

The Packers recognize that their chances of winning the division are fading, but are looking forward to the possibility of facing their rivals again in the playoffs.

"Hopefully, we'll have another crack at these guys down the road," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.

Already leading 17-3 at halftime, Favre temporarily reverted from game manager to gunslinger on the Vikings' first possession of the second half - and even that worked. Favre threw into triple coverage under pressure and Harvin came down with the ball while Woodson, Atari Bigby and Nick Collins tumbled to the ground like extras in a slapstick comedy as the Vikings took a 24-3 lead.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT