Brett Favre’s NFL-record streak of 297 straight starts ended on Monday night and his replacement struggled as the Minnesota Vikings lost 21-3 to the New York Giants.
A shoulder injury and resultant numbness in his throwing hand forced 41-year-old Favre to miss a start for the first time since 1992. That was not the only unfamiliar note for the Vikings, who were forced to play the “home” game in Detroit because the Metrodome’s roof collapsed under heavy snow on Sunday.
The Giants took full advantage; Brandon Jacobs ran for a go-ahead touchdown midway through the second quarter, Eli Manning threw a lead-padding touchdown just before halftime and Ahmad Bradshaw added a 48-yard run.
PHOTO: REUTERS
New York’s defense sacked replacement quarterback Tarvaris Jackson four times, knocking him out of the game late in the third period and again in the final seconds.
New York (9-4) moved back into a first-place tie with Philadelphia in the NFC East. Minnesota (5-8), which went to the NFC title game last season, was eliminated from the playoff race.
Whether the 41-year-old Favre plays again for Minnesota in his 20th NFL season is uncertain.
New York has won three straight and eight of 10 games, improving its chances for a wild-card if it doesn’t finish ahead of the Eagles, who it hosts on Sunday.
Minnesota entered the game with a two-game winning streak and flickering hopes of salvaging what has been a miserable season.
Jackson got off to a good start, completing his first two passes for eight yards each, but struggled for much of the game.
RAVENS 34, TEXANS 28, OT
In Houston, Texas, Baltimore blew another fourth-quarter lead, but salvaged an overtime win over Houston.
The overtime score came when Josh Wilson intercepted Matt Schaub’s pass and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown.
The Ravens (9-4) stayed one game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North despite blowing a 28-7 lead in the second half.
Schaub threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson and a two-point conversion to Jacoby Jones with 21 seconds left in regulation to cap Houston’s unlikely rally.
Baltimore lost fourth-quarter leads in each of its four losses and had to punt after its only offensive series of overtime. Houston started from its 12, and Schaub was trying to connect with Jones on second down when Wilson picked it off and ran into the end zone.
The Ravens seemed to have the game well in hand when rookie David Reed returned the second-half kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown; a franchise record.
The Texans’ offense finally came alive after a listless first half. Schaub went 24 for 41 in the second half after going 7 for 21 in the first.
He threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jones with six minutes left to finish a 99-yard drive, the longest in team history.
The defense forced another Baltimore punt with 2 minutes, 54 seconds left, and Schaub launched the tying drive with a 16-yard completion to Kevin Walter. Schaub went eight for 10 in the 95-yard march, and also scrambled for a first down.
Johnson managed to keep his toes inbounds on the spectacular five-yard touchdown reception that made it 28-26, and Jones grabbed Houston’s first two-point conversion of the year to tie it.
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