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Favre extends domination of Bears

The Packers QB is 17-4 against Chicago after Monday's 34-21 win.

©Associated Press
October 9, 2002

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Brett Favre can improvise with the best quarterbacks in NFL history. Sometimes, it seems, he draws up plays in the dirt, then makes them work.

Durable? That, too. He has started 162 straight regular-season games and endured his share of hits for the Packers.

And give him too much time to scope out the defense, as the Bears did Monday night, and he will find an open receiver, piling up yards and points.

"In all the success I've had, I never imagined any of it. I always wanted the opportunity to play and I got that," Favre said after throwing three touchdowns and surpassing 40,000 yards passing as the Packers beat the Bears 34-21.

"To have accomplished what I have takes a lot of luck and determination and competitiveness. But as far as playing like this for this long, I never dreamed any of this."

Needing just 262 yards coming in to reach 40,000, Favre got there by halftime. He threw an 85-yard TD to Donald Driver in the first quarter -- the longest play from scrimmage in the league this season -- and the Packers took a 24-14 halftime lead.

"I would never in a million years think we'd have a first quarter like we did (Monday), but you never know in this league. This one ranks near the top," Favre said. "You have (287) 300 yards at halftime and three touchdowns, something is working."

Whatever Favre does against the Bears, it works. He has won nine straight on the road against Chicago.

"He gets rid of the ball so quick, it's hard to get any kind of good read on him," said defensive back R.W. McQuarters, who returned from a knee sprain.

"He'll pick you apart with the 12- to-15-yard throws and that opens up the deep pattern."

On the first play of Green Bay's second series, Favre rolled to his left, motioned with his hand, then threw to a streaking Driver, who was behind Bears safety Mike Green and McQuarters, for a TD.

His longest TD pass was a 99-yarder to Robert Brooks in 1995 against the Bears.

"That's the thing about Brett, you keep running and get open and he'll find you," Driver said.

Green Bay took control in the third when Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila intercepted Jim Miller and ran 72 yards for a touchdown as the Bears lost their third straight.

Miller also threw three TDs, hitting John Davis with a 21-yarder with 6:50 left to make it 34-21.

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