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Favre, Beuerlein won't be stopped by pain

Aches and soreness can be expected, so tough quarterbacks keep on playing.

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 28, 2000

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Brett Favre hobbles on a sprained foot. Steve Beuerlein walks gingerly because his entire body is sore.

Both quarterbacks ache from the pounding they endure each week, but it would take something more serious to get either out of the lineup.

Favre made his NFL-record 137th straight start Monday night when the Packers played the Panthers. The game was Beuerlein's 40th consecutive start, a streak that trails only Favre and Peyton Manning (44) among active quarterbacks.

"It's mental more than anything. It's being able to fight through it and still be focused and trust yourself and have confidence that you can get the job done," said Beuerlein, who has been sacked a league-high 45 times this season.

"If you're worried about bumps and bruises and ankles and knees, then you're going to be distracted and not be able to get the job done. It's a challenge for a guy in our position."

Favre badly sprained his left foot two weeks ago against Tampa Bay when he was sacked by Warren Sapp.

Initial projections were Favre would miss several weeks because of the injury, but he didn't miss a beat and was in the lineup last week to lead the Packers to a 26-24 upset over the Colts the next week.

"You have to go into a season, you have to go into a game, with the mentality that nothing is going to keep me from playing," Favre said. "If you do that, then the nagging injuries, as well as more serious injuries, you're able to overcome.

"I always tell the guys it's mind over matter and there's a lot of guys in this league who could play with some of the injuries they have. It's just that you get into the mindset of, "This hurts, I'm not going to be able to play,' then mentally you've already taken yourself out of it."

Favre's quick recovery didn't surprise coach Mike Sherman, even though he was preparing to start backup Matt Hasselbeck against the Colts.

"This guy does everything plus anything you could ever imagine a football player to do," Sherman said.

Carolina defensive end Reggie White, a former Packer, said Favre's toughness has always motivated his teammates.

"My last year there, we played Tampa and their defensive end just laid him out, and Brett got up and got right in his face," White said. "That makes you think, "Hey man, let's go out here and kill somebody. He just got hit and got up and got in somebody's face.' That sort of rallied the whole team."

Beuerlein said that is the attitude a quarterback has to take.

"I always get up," he said. "You have to. If you just lay there on the ground, it psyches up the defense and motivates the other team. You don't ever want to do that."

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