SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The aching ankle, the injured pride and the Green Bay Packers' losing record all stopped hurting as soon as Brett Favre stepped on some familiar turf Sunday.
A visit to Candlestick Park does wonders for Favre -- and given the way he played, this might not even be his last trip to San Francisco.
Favre carved up Candlestick again, passing for 293 yards and hitting Donald Driver for a 68-yard touchdown as the Packers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 30-19 victory over the slumping San Francisco 49ers.
Playing in the waterfront stadium that hosted some of his greatest playoff performances, Favre was steady and fearless while breathing life back into the Packers (5-8), who had been floundering on offense since early November.
Favre has won 11 of his 12 meetings with the 49ers over 15 years, throwing a TD pass in each game -- and rarely looking better than he did in this one.
"It wasn't a championship game, it wasn't a playoff game, but I've grown to appreciate these more and more," said Favre, who went 22-for-34 and surpassed 3,000 yards passing for the 15th straight season to extend his own NFL record.
"There may have been times in my career when I took these games for granted, but these wins are much harder to come by now. I don't want to sound crazy, but this one means as much as any of them, just because of circumstances."
Packers coach Mike McCarthy was the coordinator for San Francisco's awful offense last season, but he came up with plenty of ways to embarrass former boss Mike Nolan's defense -- and Favre executed nearly all of them. Ruvell Martin also caught a long TD pass, and Driver had nine catches for 160 yards.
"Brett Favre has done this so many times," 49ers linebacker Brandon Moore said. "We just gave up big plays, and whenever (Favre) can feel comfortable in the pocket, he's going to make things happen."
Both storied franchises' playoff hopes are all but extinguished, yet the 37-year-old quarterback and his receivers reclaimed their groove in a familiar spot.
Favre led the Packers against Steve Young's 49ers in four straight postseasons in the late 1990s, with Favre winning three matchups -- including two at Candlestick Park. Young, the 49ers' honorary captain for this game, finally beat the Packers on a last-second pass to Terrell Owens in January 1999, besting Favre's gritty 292-yard effort.
The Packers' 38-10 loss to the Jets last week had Favre contemplating retirement, as every loss does. But this big game reminded the quarterback how much he loves the game.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for commenting on my blog! I always enjoy the insight and views from my readers. Have a fantabulous day!!