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Favre leads Packers to top of conference
2007-10-01
While Brett Favre sets records and stunningly has the Green Bay Packers at the top of their conference, a bunch of other NFL teams are surprisingly heading the other way. Muzi.com News 10051313-0 (muzi.com)Take the 2006 NFC champion Chicago Bears, whom Detroit beat 37-27 on Sunday. Or the supposedly powerful San Diego Chargers, who fell into the AFC West cellar with a 30-16 home less to Kansas City. Muzi.com News 10051313-1 (muzi.com) Other playoff teams from last season also are struggling. The New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles are 1-3 and the Saints are 0-3. At least New Orleans was off this weekend, when the Jets were falling 17-14 against previously winless Buffalo, and the undermanned Eagles fell at the Giants 16-3. Muzi.com News 10051313-2 (muzi.com) The Packers, who beat Minnesota 23-16, have company atop the NFC: Dallas also is 4-0 after routing St. Louis 35-7. And Super Bowl champion Indianapolis also remained spotless with a 38-20 victory over Denver. Muzi.com News 10051313-3 (muzi.com) Also Sunday, it was Arizona handing Pittsburgh its first defeat after three wins, 21-14; Tampa Bay over Carolina 20-7; Seattle 23, San Francisco 3; Cleveland 27, Baltimore 13; Oakland 35, Miami 17; and Atlanta 26, Houston 16. Muzi.com News 10051313-4 (muzi.com) Along with New Orleans, Tennessee, Washington and Jacksonville were off. Muzi.com News 10051313-5 (muzi.com) On Monday night, Cincinnati hosts New England. Muzi.com News 10051313-6 (muzi.com) Packers 23, Vikings 16 Muzi.com News 10051313-7 (muzi.com) With yet another vintage performance, Favre surpassed Dan Marino's career record for touchdown passes and led Green Bay (4-0) over the host Vikings (1-3). Muzi.com News 10051313-8 (muzi.com) Favre threw TD pass No. 421 in the first quarter, a 16-yarder to Greg Jennings, and No. 422 in the fourth quarter to James Jones. He went interception-free against a defense determined to make him the league's career leader in that category, too. Favre remained three picked-off passes away from passing George Blanda. Muzi.com News 10051313-9 (muzi.com) Favre went 32-for-45 for 344 yards and his 241st consecutive start lifted him passed Mick Tingelhoff into second for all players. Muzi.com News 10051313-10 (muzi.com) "I'm so glad we won the game. There was so much emphasis on this record and not the game itself," he said. "Everyone's like, 'What are you going to do? Are you going to have a big celebration?' Put yourself in my shoes. I want to help this team win. I do not want us to get blindsided by this record and what we're actually here for." Muzi.com News 10051313-11 (muzi.com) Lions 37, Bears 27 Muzi.com News 10051313-12 (muzi.com) The Bears (1-3) kept reeling at Detroit. Jon Kitna threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, when the Lions (3-1) scored a league-record 34 points. Detroit's Casey FitzSimmons returned an onside kick for a TD in the period. Muzi.com News 10051313-13 (muzi.com) "Our season is not over," Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "But we have to get better. We stink right now." Muzi.com News 10051313-14 (muzi.com) Brian Griese had two TDs and three interceptions as a starter in place of the benched Rex Grossman, but Devin Hester returned a kickoff 97 yards, his seventh kick or punt return for a score since entering the league last season. Muzi.com News 10051313-15 (muzi.com) Chiefs 30, Chargers 16 Muzi.com News 10051313-16 (muzi.com) At San Diego, the Chiefs (2-2) scored 24 straight points in the second half. Rookie receiver Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs' first-round draft pick, caught a go-ahead, 51-yard touchdown pass from Damon Huard. Cornerback Tyron Brackenridge, a rookie free agent, raced 50 yards for a score after Rivers was sacked and fumbled. Muzi.com News 10051313-17 (muzi.com) It was the third straight loss for the Chargers (1-3), who were an NFL-best 14-2 in 2006. QB Philip Rivers had two interceptions and one fumble, which led to 17 points. Muzi.com News 10051313-18 (muzi.com) Larry Johnson gained 123 yards on 25 carries for the Chiefs (2-2). LaDainian Tomlinson finally cracked triple digits for the Chargers, gaining 132 yards on 20 carries, surpassing his season total of 130. Muzi.com News 10051313-19 (muzi.com) Bills 17, Jets 14 Muzi.com News 10051313-20 (muzi.com) Depleted Buffalo got its first victory after three defeats. In his first career start in place of injured J.P. Losman, Trent Edwards went 22-of-28 for 234 yards. The Bills produced their most points, total yards (304), yards passing and first downs (19) of the season. Muzi.com News 10051313-21 (muzi.com) Jabari Greer's interception of Chad Pennington's pass at the Jets 25 set up one TD, and Terrence McGee's interception at the Bills 31 ended the Jets' last-gasp drive with 6 seconds remaining. Muzi.com News 10051313-22 (muzi.com) Pennington finished 32-of-39 for 290 yards. Muzi.com News 10051313-23 (muzi.com) Giants 16, Eagles 3 Muzi.com News 10051313-24 (muzi.com) New York (2-2) took full advantage of injuries to the visiting Eagles, who were without stars Brian Dawkins and Brian Westbrook, but seemed to miss tackle William Thomas the most. The Giants tied an NFL mark with 12 sacks, six by end Osi Umenyiora. Muzi.com News 10051313-25 (muzi.com) Mathias Kiwanuka added three sacks, Justin Tuck two and Michael Strahan one in an awesome display by a defense that was ranked worst in the league after giving up 80 points in its first two games. Muzi.com News 10051313-26 (muzi.com) Kawika Mitchell returned a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown and Eli Manning threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress, a score that, of course, was set up by a sack. Muzi.com News 10051313-27 (muzi.com) Cowboys 35, Rams 7 Muzi.com News 10051313-28 (muzi.com) Tony Romo had a 15-yard touchdown run and threw TD passes of 59, 37 and 17 yards. Patrick Crayton scored the first two touchdowns and had seven receptions for a career-high 184 yards. Muzi.com News 10051313-29 (muzi.com) The Cowboys are 4-0 for the first time since 1995, the year of their last Super Bowl title. Muzi.com News 10051313-30 (muzi.com) The injury-ravaged Rams are 0-4 for the first time since 2002, when they opened with five straight defeats coming off a Super Bowl loss. Muzi.com News 10051313-31 (muzi.com) Colts 38, Broncos 20 Muzi.com News 10051313-32 (muzi.com) At Indianapolis, the Colts scored on six of their last eight possessions. Peyton Manning finished 20-of-27 for 193 yards and three touchdowns, while Joseph Addai ran 19 times for 136 yards and one score. But Addai (shoulder) and wide receiver Marvin Harrison (knee) were injured. Muzi.com News 10051313-33 (muzi.com) The Colts have won five of seven in the series since Tony Dungy took over as coach and extended their league-best winning streak to nine, counting last year's playoff games. Muzi.com News 10051313-34 (muzi.com) Denver (2-2) ran for 160 yards in the first half, the best in the NFL this season, and Travis Henry did most of the damage, carrying 26 times for 131 yards. Muzi.com News 10051313-35 (muzi.com) Cardinals 21, Steelers 14 Muzi.com News 10051313-36 (muzi.com) Rookie Steve Breaston returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown and the Cardinals (2-2) shut down Pittsburgh's high-scoring offense. Host Arizona ended Willie Parker's string of four consecutive 100-yard rushing games, limiting him to 37 yards on 18 carries. Muzi.com News 10051313-37 (muzi.com) Arizona first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt and top assistant Russ Grimm both were leading contenders to replace Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh after last season. Whisenhunt was the Steelers' offensive coordinator and Grimm was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach at the time. Instead, the job went to outsider Mike Tomlin. Muzi.com News 10051313-38 (muzi.com) Buccaneers 20, Panthers 7 Muzi.com News 10051313-39 (muzi.com)
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