Favre makes history as Packers win

NEW YORK: Brett Favre became the most successful quarterback in NFL history when he rallied the Green Bay Packers to a 35-13 win against the New York Giants on Sunday.

The victory was the 149th for the 17-year pro, who passed Hall of Famer John Elway in all-time wins.

"I think it is unfair that a quarterback gets labelled with wins and losses," Favre told reporters in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

"I think it is a team effort and last week is a perfect example. I didn't do nothing last week (in a victory over Philadelphia) and they gave me a win."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy disagreed.

"That's the ultimate compliment a quarterback can have," McCarthy said. "To me, if you ask the biggest record he'll achieve, I think he just accomplished it."

Favre threw for three second-half touchdowns to spark the Packers (2-0) to victory. He completed 29 of 38 passes for 286 yards and had one interception.

His two-yard pass to Bubba Franks 9:16 into the third quarter gave Green Bay a 14-10 lead and the Packers never trailed again as the 37-year-old Favre completed 14 consecutive passes to start the second half.

After the Giants closed to within 14-13 on Lawrence Tynes's 32-yard third-quarter field goal, Favre directed Green Bay on three fourth-quarter scoring drives.

He hit Donald Lee with a three-yard touchdown pass early in the closing period, then threw 10 yards to Donald Driver for another touchdown less than two minutes later. It came four plays after the Giants' Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled the kickoff at the New York 24-yard line.

DeShawn Wynn raced 38 yards for the final score, getting his second rushing touchdown of the game with 4:12 remaining. He had scored on a six-yard run in the first quarter.

Driver caught eight of Favre's passes for 73 yards and James Jones hauled in four for 75 yards.

"He took (the game) on his shoulders and he also managed it," Driver told reporters "He was telling guys just run a certain route, every time we got in the huddle he talked to every receiver and said you run the route this way, I promise you'll be open. We did what he said and it worked."

New York (0-2) grabbed a 10-7 first-quarter lead but could score only three more points.

Eli Manning passed 26 yards to Plaxico Burress for the Giants' first touchdown and Tynes kicked a 48-yard field goal 1:43 before halftime.

Manning, who was in doubt before game time because of a sprained shoulder, was 16 of 29 for 211 yards and one interception.

*Peyton Manning passed for 312 yards and a touchdown as the Indianapolis Colts held off the Tennessee Titans for a 22-20 road win.

*Derek Anderson passed for five touchdowns and Jamal Lewis ran for 215 yards as the Cleveland Browns outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals 51-45. Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer threw for 401 yards and a career-high six touchdown passes in the loss.

*Houston rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-21, giving the Texans (2-0) their best start in franchise history.

Agencies

(China Daily 09/18/2007 page24)