NFL

Rookie running back takes pressure off Favre

GREEN BAY, Wis. - A resurgent Packers running game allowed Brett Favre to deliver on a few weeks' worth of promises to play more conservatively.

It wasn't flashy, but it worked.

Rather than throwing the ball up for grabs as he had in recent games, Favre relied on rookie running back Samkon Gado in Sunday's 16-13 overtime victory over the Lions.

Favre made only the throws he had to, going 21-of-31 for 170 yards.

"We were in the game for the most part the whole game, and we ran the ball well enough," Favre said. "We kind of picked and choosed what we wanted to do passing."

He threw another interception, bringing his total to a league-high 22, two shy of his career high.

But unlike recent games in which Favre threw multiple interceptions at critical times - 13 in his previous six - Sunday's pickoff resulted from a harmless heave at the end of regulation.

Favre said he wasn't consciously playing any differently, but Gado's 171 yards on 29 carries allowed him to lay off risky throws.

Gado's rushing performance, which included a 64-yard touchdown in the second quarter, was seventh best in team history.

"I play the game the way I always play it," Favre said. "I've gone into every game knowing that I have to play a certain way based upon our personnel. I think the biggest difference was we didn't have to rely on the pass as much because we ran the football well. It enabled us to kind of pick and choose some of our passes and not be as much of a gambling passing team."

Coach Mike Sherman lauded Favre's decisionmaking, particularly on third and 7 in overtime. Favre looked off downfield receivers and threw underneath to fullback William Henderson for a first down. The play helped set up Ryan Longwell's winning 28-yard field goal.

"We took our shots when we could take our shots, and we took our check-downs when we could take our check-downs, so that was good," Sherman said.

Favre's only head-scratching play in Sunday's game was a first-quarter fumble. Favre didn't get hit by a defender; the ball just fell out of his hand.

Favre said the fumble wasn't the result of a hand injury Dec.4 in Chicago.

"I don't know if the back bumped into me or kind of nicked my shirt or something," Favre said. "The timing of the throw did not work out the way we wanted it to. ... I felt the pressure from the back side and kind of double-clutched it, and it just came out."

Favre said his throwing hand bothered him toward the end of Sunday's game.

[Last modified December 13, 2005, 01:31:15]