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Favre breaks record as Packers down St Louis

"I've said this all along: I've never considered myself to be in the same league as Dan Marino."

Brett Favre

Brett Favre became the NFL career leader in yards passing on Sunday, eclipsing Dan Marino for his latest achievement in a milestone season.

Favre threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns in the Green Bay Packers' 33-14 victory over the St Louis Rams.

He was 19-for-30, throwing his 25th and 26th touchdown passes, with two interceptions. He entered the day needing 184 yards to pass Marino.

"I say every time this happens that I'm honored," Favre said. "I would much rather win. I'm tickled to death that I've had a chance to break these records and be a part of all these wonderful things."

Favre, a three-time NFL MVP, pulled 1 yard behind Marino with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings that put the Packers ahead 27-14 in the third quarter. When he set the record on a 7-yard toss to Donald Driver on the Packers' first drive of the fourth quarter, he had all the fans cheering for him with flashbulbs popping from every corner of a sold-out Edward Jones Dome.

The game was halted for a few minutes and public address announcer Jim Holder acknowledged the record. Driver hugged Favre, who shook hands with referee Ron Winter.

Marino passed for 61,361 yards in 17 seasons. Favre, who has 61,405 yards, is also in his 17th season while enjoying a year comparable to his peak production, although he made sure Marino got his just due.

"I've said this all along: I've never considered myself to be in the same league as Dan Marino," Favre said. "What a great passer, maybe the greatest passer ever."

"The way he did it is maybe the way you'd coach another guy to do it," he said.

Favre also hit Donald Lee on a 4-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter. He had 440 touchdown passes after breaking another mark that belonged to Marino with his 421st against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 30.

He topped John Elway's career record for victories by a starting quarterback with his 149th against the New York Giants on Sept. 16.

Favre entered Sunday's game on pace to surpass his personal best of 4,413 yards in 1995 and challenge Lynn Dickey's franchise record of 4,458 yards set in 1983.

"My arm is in good shape," Favre said. "It's probably not as good as it was 12 years ago, eight years ago. But I still think I fling it pretty good."

He needs four touchdown passes in the last two games to add to his own NFL record by throwing 30 or more in nine seasons. Sunday's game was Favre's 251st consecutive regular-season start, or 271st counting the playoffs -- both records for a quarterback.

Also see: NFL: Patriots remain undefeated after Jets
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