Brett Favre won another big game at Lambeau Field on Sunday, but this time it was to the dismay of Packers fans who once idolized him.
The iconic quarterback led Minnesota to a 38-26 NFL triumph over Green Bay, the Vikings’ second victory over his former team in less than a month.
This one came on the hallowed ground of Lambeau Field, where Favre was greeted by lusty boos from his former admirers.
PHOTO: AFP
Favre remained unruffled by the raucous reception, completing 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns.
“Packer fans cheer for the Packers first,” Favre said. “I know that. But I hope that everyone in the stadium watching tonight said, ‘I sure hate those jokers on the other side, but he does play the way he’s always played.’”
Rookie receiver Percy Harvin caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown and had five returns for 175 yards as the Vikings improved to 7-1.
PHOTO: AFP
Vikings defenders pummelled Favre’s heir, Aaron Rodgers, sacking him six times.
Rodgers responded, producing three second-half touchdowns that prevented a Vikings rout but weren’t enough to secure a victory.
Favre departed the field amid a welter of cameras, pumping his fist to a mix of jeers and cheers.
He had been roundly booed during pre-game warm-ups, introductions and every time he took a snap in the early going.
But there were also signs of mixed emotions from some fans in the stadium — who paired Vikings and Packers colors or held up signs backing the player who led Green Bay to the playoffs in 11 of 16 seasons with the Packers.
Rodgers said he was more concerned with losing to a division foe than to Favre.
“I hate losing to whoever’s the quarterback for them,” Rodgers said.
But Packers cornerback Charles Woodson admitted the game had added resonance.
“I think a lot of people really wanted this one bad,” Woodson said. “We let a lot of people down today.”
Elsewhere, the Indianapolis Colts won their 16th straight regular season game, improving to 7-0 for this season with an 18-14 victory over San Francisco.
The victory made Jim Caldwell the first rookie head coach since the NFL-AFL merger to open his career with seven straight wins.
Peyton Manning threw for more than 300 yards, piloting another Colts rally.
But it was running back Joseph Addai who threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne in the fourth quarter to put the Colts ahead.
It was Addai’s first scoring pass as a pro and the first by a Colts non-quarterback since Ken Dilger threw one in 2001.
“I was just trying to get the ball out there,” Addai said. “In practice, I’m just kind of spotting up there, kind of looking, reading my keys. I don’t really have a key to read, but I kind of sit back there like a real quarterback.”
The Colts finished the day as the only undefeated team remaining in the AFC as Baltimore handed Denver their first defeat of the season, 30-7.
Ravens rookie Lardarius Webb returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown as Baltimore built on their 6-0 half-time lead.
The Ravens scored off the game’s only turnover and limited Denver to 200 yards in notching an unexpectedly easy victory.
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb threw three touchdown passes to lead Philadelphia to a 40-17 victory over the New York Giants.
The Eagles improved to 5-2 and remained undefeated in the NFC East division. They host division rivals Dallas next week.
The Cowboys also improved to 5-2, seizing a share of the division lead with a 38-17 victory over Seattle.
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo went for his third straight game without an interception, throwing for 256 yards with touchdowns to Miles Austin, Sam Hurd and Roy Willis.
Marion Barber added a scoring run and Patrick Crayton broke open the game with an 82-yard punt return touchdown.
Tennessee, with Vince Young starting at quarterback for the first time since last season’s opener, won their first game of the season, downing Jacksonville 30-13.
St Louis also won for the first time this season, snapping a 17-game losing streak with a 17-10 victory over hapless Detroit.
Miami defeated the New York Jets 30-25 in a clash of AFC East rivals.
Miami’s Ted Ginn jnr had kickoff returns of 100 yards and 101 yards for touchdowns in the third quarter, becoming the first player to return two kickoffs for TDs in the same quarter since Green Bay’s Travis Williams in 1967.
In other games, Houston beat Buffalo 31-10, Chicago cruised past Cleveland 30-6, San Diego beat Oakland 24-16 and Carolina beat Arizona 34-21 despite losing quarterback Jake Delhomme with a chest injury in the third quarter.
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