NFL

Near-perfect Favre powers Green Bay

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Brett Favre's offseason work paid immediate dividends Thursday night in the Packers' 10-7 preseason victory over San Diego.

Favre, who trained with a strength and conditioning coach in the offseason for the first time, completed 9 of 10 passes for 91 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions in 11/2 quarters of work.

He guided Green Bay on an 80-yard scoring drive in the second quarter in which he completed 7 of 8 passes for 64 yards, capping the series with a 23-yard strike to Donald Driver and then jumping into the arms of his center, Mike Flanagan, who missed most of last season with a knee operation.

"We accomplished one goal: We went down the field and scored," Favre said at halftime of the game that was played in a steady drizzle. "For the first preseason game, we played well and we should do well in certain areas. But we don't want to get too excited as we still have a lot of work to do."

Favre's revamped offensive line that lost stalwarts Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle to free agency, protected him well but didn't open holes for Ahman Green, who carried eight times for 16 yards and had two of his team's six fumbles. Three were recovered by San Diego.

The Chargers did not fumble.

Philip Rivers' 34-yard touchdown to Willie Quinnie early in the third quarter tied it at 7. Rivers completed 12 of 19 passes for 97 yards and no interceptions after replacing starter Drew Brees (2-for-5, 27 yards) to start the second quarter.

Nate Kaeding, who missed a 40-yard field goal in overtime of the Chargers' playoff loss to the Jets last season, blew three chances to put his team ahead in the fourth: wide left from 45 yards, then wide right from 44 and 46 in the closing minutes.

J.T. O'Sullivan then drove the Packers to the Chargers 35, and Ryan Longwell kicked a 53-yard field goal that barely cleared the crossbar with 33 seconds left.

Favre's only incompletion came on a crossing route to Robert Ferguson in which defensive end DeQuincy Scott injured a thigh and had to be carted off.

Rookie Aaron Rodgers replaced Favre and had a tough debut with the second-teamers, completing 2 of 6 passes for 7 yards and getting sacked twice.

[Last modified August 12, 2005, 00:47:15]