For all the talk about Brett Favre’s broken thumb, he sure did a good job keeping the Bears under it in the Packers’ 34-21 victory Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The Bears’ defense basically dared Favre to win the game, opting instead to focus on stopping the NFL’s top-rated running game. That part of the plan worked, as the Packers gained 97 yards rushing. But Favre completed 22-of-33 for 210 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
Given that Favre has been playing since mid-October with a broken thumb on his throwing hand, putting the onus on him instead of running back Ahman Green was an easy call. And when Lance Briggs picked off Favre’s errant pass for a 45-yard interception return to put the Bears up 14-0, it looked like a good one.
But, eventually, the guy who set the Packers’ record with his 188th straight start beat the Bears for the 20th time in 24 games with a familiar combination of skill and savvy.
“I don’t think [the thumb] has affected him since he did it,” Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “I don’t read into that very much.”
Here’s a look at how the Bears read Favre in five key situations Sunday.
Situation 1
Third-and-11 from the Green Bay 35 on the Packers’ second series with 8 minutes 29 seconds left in the first quarter.
Result: Working out of the shotgun, Favre rolled right and hit wide receiver Javon Walker in stride for a 16-yard gain and the Packers’ initial first down of the game.
Thumbs up or down? It looked like vintage Favre, who’s often most dangerous under the most duress. Urlacher appeared to lose containment, buying Favre the extra second he needed for Walker to clear before he delivered a strike. Favre pumped his fist and nodded as if to say, “I’m fine.” The Bears would find out for themselves.
Situation 2
Third-and-8 from the Green Bay 35 with 1:01 left in the first quarter.
Result: Reacting to a corner blitz from his left by R.W. McQuarters and pressure from his right by end Phillip Daniels, Favre pranced around the pocket and ultimately panicked by heaving a floater toward the Packers’ sideline. It looked like it was intended for the water boy but landed in the arms of an aware and aggressive Briggs, who intercepted the pass and returned it 45 yards to put the Bears up 14-0.
Thumbs up or down? The key to the play was McQuarters forcing Favre to elude the initial rush and step into Daniels, making Favre unload it more quickly than he wanted. He regretted the throw the instant he released it, and the intentional-grounding penalty was the least of his worries. As Briggs worked his way toward the end zone, Favre just shook his head with his hands on his hips, knowing that bad judgment had more to do with that turnover than a bad thumb.
Situation 3
First-and-10 from the Bears’ 22 with 2:47 left in the first half.
Result: Walker got a clean release on Bears cornerback Charles Tillman and ran a streak down the right sideline. Favre hit Walker with a perfectly thrown pass that didn’t have much air under it, the only way he could have thrown the ball in that part of the field. It gave the Packers their first touchdown and made it 14-13.
Thumbs up or down? Favre’s signature zip was as legible as the “G” at midfield on this play, and if that’s the way guys throw with injured thumbs, there probably are young quarterbacks all over Wisconsin slamming theirs in car doors.
Situation 4
Third-and-20 from the Bears’ 45 with 1:16 left in the third quarter.
Result: Favre froze the linebackers on a play-action pass, stepped up in the pocket and hit receiver Robert Ferguson two steps in front of Urlacher for an 18-yard gain. Urlacher dazed Ferguson with a shot to the neck, but it was a worthwhile sacrifice for the Packers. The play, which came after the Bears chose to accept a 10-yard holding penalty with hopes of knocking the Packers out of field-goal range, set up Ryan Longwell’s 45-yard field goal that made it 19-14.
Thumbs up or down? Alert as ever, Favre knew all the Packers needed in that situation was a completion long enough to get into Longwell’s range. Sometimes the biggest plays in a game come when a quarterback settles for a modest gain instead of going for broke.
Situation 5
The two-point conversion attempt after Packers cornerback Mike McKenzie’s 90-yard interception return with 9:16 left in the fourth quarter that made it 27-14.
Result: Favre, rushed onto the field unexpectedly after the defensive score and coach Mike Sherman’s wise decision to go for two, quickly composed himself and the offense. He patiently waited for the instant tight end Bubba Franks became open and drilled a strike.
Thumbs up or down? In a two-minute drill or on a two-point conversion, no quarterback in the NFL has come through so consistently for so long as Favre. This play merely confirmed it.
