Favre, Packers rally to 9-7 win. A field goal wins it after quarterback, in perhaps his final home game, overcomes big turnover.

Brett Favre
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NFL
Favre, Packers rally to 9-7 win
A field goal wins it after quarterback, in perhaps his final home game, overcomes big turnover.
From the Associated Press

December 22, 2006

GREEN BAY, WIS. — It might have been Brett Favre's final fling at Lambeau Field, and it wasn't pretty.

But after nearly throwing the game away, Favre helped the Green Bay Packers pull out yet another come-from-behind victory.

Favre threw a pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown in the third quarter, then rallied the Packers for a late field goal and a 9-7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.

Packers kicker Dave Rayner, who had missed two field goals earlier in the game, made a 44-yarder with 1:34 left.

It was the 36th game-winning comeback for Favre, who has not yet announced whether he will play next season and did not speak with reporters after the game.

He held the ball aloft after the game, hugged a couple of former teammates now with the Vikings, safety Darren Sharper and kicker Ryan Longwell. He also saluted his family in a Lambeau skybox, along with the fans surrounding the tunnel to the locker room.

"I'm hoping he comes back and I get more opportunities" for interceptions, said Sharper, who picked off Favre's next pass after the touchdown return. "Talking to him after the game, he looked like he didn't know either."

For now, the quarterback helped the Packers (7-8) keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

The Vikings (6-9) managed only three first downs all game, the lowest total in a game in team history.

"You can't have nine out of 13 series go three and out and beat anybody," Vikings Coach Brad Childress said.

But it didn't seem to matter after cornerback Fred Smoot returned Favre's pass 47 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter, giving Minnesota a 7-6 lead.

Favre looked down the left sideline for rookie receiver Greg Jennings, but threw the ball directly into Smoot's hands as Jennings continued running down the field. Smoot tried to celebrate by doing a "Lambeau Leap" but was pushed back onto the field by fans.

Favre finished the game 26 for 50 for 285 yards with the two interceptions. He didn't throw a touchdown pass for the second straight game, meaning he still needs eight more touchdown passes to break Dan Marino's career record of 420.

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Green Bay's Brett Favre surpassed Dan Marino's career completions record

Brett Favre
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NFL SPOTLIGHT
Hall says Owens should be suspended
By Peter Yoon
Times Staff Writer

December 18, 2006

Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens admitted to spitting in the face of Atlanta Falcons defensive back DeAngelo Hall on Saturday and now Hall says the league should punish Owens.

"I think they should suspend him," Hall said Sunday on the Fox NFL pregame show. "It's ridiculous. At first I couldn't believe it happened and people who know me know how I'd want to haul off on him but I kept my composure about it and didn't retaliate. But the league should hit him by suspending him."

Owens had one of his better games this season with two touchdown receptions in the Cowboys' 38-28 victory over the Falcons, but the spitting incident took center stage.

Owens acknowledged the transgression during a postgame interview with the NFL network, saying, "I got frustrated and I apologize for that. It was a situation where he kept bugging me and getting in my face."

The incident occurred away from the ball in the first quarter and was not captured by television cameras. Owens was not penalized because referees did not see him spit.

League officials said Sunday they would review the incident using coaches' films.

"I lost all respect for the guy," Hall said after the game. "That's the No. 1 thing in the National Football League. You don't spit in another grown man's face."

Past NFL spitting incidents have drawn fines. In last season's playoffs, Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was ejected after spitting on Tampa Bay tailback Michael Pittman and Taylor was subsequently fined $17,500.

In 1997, Bill Romanowski of the Denver Broncos was fined $7,500 for spitting on San Francisco 49ers receiver J.J. Stokes.

*

'Tank' missing in action

Chicago defensive lineman Terry "Tank" Johnson, dealing with legal troubles, was inactive and not at Soldier Field for the Bears' 34-31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team spokesman said.

Coach Lovie Smith had no "new news" on Johnson and said "no decision has been made" about his future with the team.

Johnson was arrested for the third time in 18 months and hit with misdemeanor weapons charges after a raid at his home Thursday. Less than 12 hours after issuing a public apology, Johnson was at a nightclub with a friend who was shot to death.

"He's a really good guy," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "He got himself in a bad situation. I know he wants to turn it around and get things going in the right direction. Hopefully, he gets a chance."

*

Who knew?

Green Bay's Brett Favre surpassed Dan Marino's career completions record with a 21-yard pass to Carlyle Holiday in the second quarter against Detroit, but was unaware of the accomplishment until referee Ed Hochuli offered congratulations.

Favre said he told Hochuli, " 'I have no idea what you're congratulating me for, but thank you.' "

Favre has 4,974 career completions, seven more than Marino, but three of his passes were intercepted in the Packers' 17-9 victory.

"I'm more concerned about the three I completed to their team," Favre said.

*

Home away from home

Pittsburgh's Willie Parker was a little-used running back in college at North Carolina, so rushing for 132 yards when the Steelers visited the Carolina Panthers was extra special.

"I never did anything in the state of North Carolina before, so you know how much that meant to me, coming back and playing the Panthers," Parker said.

Even though it was a road game, Parker, who has 355 yards rushing in his last two games, was cheered after his touchdown by thousands waving yellow "Terrible Towels" and rooting for the Steelers.

"It is frustrating that fans give their tickets away and the other teams get that many fans," Panthers fullback Brad Hoover said. "But in reality, we just have to deal with it. Right now we're not playing very good football and when you don't play well, people don't want to come watch you."

*

No competition

Matt Leinart was drafted No. 10 in the 2006 NFL draft and Jay Cutler was drafted No. 11, but draft order wasn't on either quarterback's head when Cutler's Denver Broncos defeated Leinart's Arizona Cardinals, 37-20.

"That didn't cross my mind," Leinart said. "I wasn't worried about a Matt vs. Jay contest."

*

Injury report

Baltimore quarterback Steve McNair left in the first quarter against Cleveland after another player accidentally stepped on his right hand. McNair did not return….Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor left after his first carry against Tennessee because of a strained right hamstring and did not return….The Jaguars lost running back Maurice Jones-Drew in the fourth quarter because of a left leg injury. He was taken for X-rays, but the results were not known….Jets receiver Laveranues Coles was taken for X-rays after injuring his back against Minnesota…. Miami receiver Marty Booker twisted an ankle in the third quarter against Buffalo and did not return….Cleveland running back Jason Wright suffered a "pretty severe" knee injury, Coach Romeo Crennel said….Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick, who left late in the game Saturday against the Cowboys, reported to team headquarters Sunday for treatment on his groin. The team had no word on his status for next weekend.

*

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

*


peter.yoon@latimes.com

*

(INFOBOX BELOW)

Complete picture

Green Bay's Brett Favre, above, completed 20 passes Sunday, giving him an NFL-record 4,974 completions for his career. But Favre is also inching closer to the record for completing passes to opponents. Three of his passes were intercepted Sunday and he moved into second place on that all-time list. The career leaders for the most passes intercepted and most completions

(x-active):

Most career interceptions:

No.
Player
Team(s)
Years
277
George Blanda
Bears, Colts, Oilers, Raiders
1949-75
270
Brett Favre
Packers
1991-2006
268
John Hadl
Chargers, Rams, Packers, Oilers
1962-77
266
Fran Tarkenton
Vikings, Giants
1961-78


Most career completions:

1. x-Brett Favre: 4,974

2. Dan Marino: 4,967

3. John Elway: 4,123

4. Warren Moon: 3,988

5. x-Drew Bledsoe: 3,839

6. x-Vinny Testaverde: 3,691

7. Fran Tarkenton: 3,686

8. Joe Montana: 3,409

9. Dan Fouts: 3,297

10. Dave Krieg: 3,105



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Del Rio shows his true colors

Jack Del Rio
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Del Rio shows his true colors
From the Associated Press

December 12, 2006

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Jaguars Coach Jack Del Rio, an All-American linebacker at USC, wore a blue and gold UCLA basketball jersey to his news conference Monday in tribute, and to pay off a debt, to former Bruin and current Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew.

Jones-Drew ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns, had a 93-yard kickoff return for a score and finished with 303 all-purpose yards in Jacksonville's 44-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

"The holes to run through were pretty big," said Jones-Drew, who had more all-purpose yards in a game than any rookie aside from Gale Sayers (336 in 1965), Jerry LeVias (329 in 1969) and Tim Brown (306 in 1988).

Del Rio wore a No. 1 Jordan Farmar jersey Monday to settle a bet with Jones-Drew regarding the winner of the UCLA-USC game. UCLA won 13-9.

Del Rio took off the UCLA jersey after a few minutes in front of television cameras, revealing a USC golf shirt.

"I fulfilled my obligation," he said. "I paid my debt, got that settled."

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the third annual Lott Trophy presentation at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach

Ronnie Lott
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MORNING BRIEFING
Gifford saw something he could do
By Mike Penner
Times Staff Writer

December 12, 2006

Michigan and USC will play in the Rose Bowl for the seventh time on New Year's Day. Frank Gifford remembers the first meeting — the 1948 game won by Michigan, 49-0.

Gifford, the keynote speaker Sunday night at the third annual Lott Trophy presentation at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach, was a senior at Bakersfield High and attended the game with his coach, Homer Beatty.

"After watching that game, I thought, 'I can play for USC,' " he said.



Trivia time

Gifford played for the New York Giants from 1952 to '64 and made the Pro Bowl seven times. What was unusual about his Pro Bowl career?



Bo knew defense too

Among the guests at the Lott function, where California cornerback Daymeion Hughes was selected college football's best defensive player, was former Auburn coach Pat Dye.

Asked by emcee Pat Haden to name his best defensive player, Dye said, "Bo Jackson. He just happened to play tailback. But whenever we threw an interception, he made the tackle."



Coach Ricky Bobby

The Lott Trophy is named after Ronnie Lott, the former USC and San Francisco 49ers safety from Rialto Eisenhower High. Instead of a formal introduction of Lott at the black-tie affair, a man wearing shorts and an Eisenhower sweatshirt and claiming to be Lott's high school coach did the honors.

Among other things, "Coach" said that when Lott played at Eisenhower, the focus was all on the defense.

"That's because I couldn't read or write, so I couldn't come up with any offensive plays," the man said.

Turns out, the man wasn't really Lott's high school coach. It was actor Will Ferrell, a USC alum and a surprise guest.



Son bests dad

Cody Gifford, the 16-year-old son of Frank and Kathy Lee, is now a 6-foot-3, 195-pound quarterback.

"The best part is, he has a 4.4 grade-point average," said Gifford, a USC All-American running back and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "I never averaged that per carry."



Dad bets on son

An English dad who bet that his son would become a professional soccer player has a chance to make more than 400,000 pounds ($788,116) after the boy signed with West Bromwich Albion.

Garry Nicholls, 45, bet 150 pounds ($295) on his son Ricky becoming a football player about 10 years ago. If Ricky plays for Albion before turning 18, his father's first bet wins him more than $98,515.

If Albion is back in the English Premier League next season and Ricky plays for the team, Garry will win another $197,029. And if Ricky is selected for the England national team before his 24th birthday, Garry will win $492,572.

"I plan to give him all the money," the British tabloid the Sun quoted Garry as saying.

Said Ricky, "Nothing would make me prouder."

Rupert Adams, a spokesman for oddsmaker William Hill, said: "He looks to have a cracking chance."



Trivia answer

Gifford was selected to the Pro Bowl at three positions — defensive back, running back and wide receiver.



And finally

Sports agent Gil Scott, to NFL.com, on why teams aren't lining up to sign Mike Vanderjagt, who was released by the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago: "Right now, there's just not a whole lot of kickers messing up."

mike.penner@latimes.com

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Brett Favre .. Undecided

Brett Favre
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NFL SPOTLIGHT
Holes show in Colts, Broncos
By Peter Yoon
Times Staff Writer

December 11, 2006

So, defense wins championships, right?

Well then, we can count the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts out of the Super Bowl race.

It wasn't that long ago that those two were penciled in for an AFC championship game showdown, but recent woes on defense have both teams reeling.

The Broncos lost, 48-20, Sunday to the San Diego Chargers, their fourth consecutive loss and fifth in their last seven games, dropping them to 7-6 and putting them in jeopardy of missing the playoffs.

The Colts were thrashed, 44-17, by the Jacksonville Jaguars and have lost three of their last four to fall to 10-3. They are now trying to hang on to a first-round playoff bye after a 9-0 start had them thinking about home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

"We will see what we are made of from here," Colts Coach Tony Dungy said.

The warning signs of each team's defensive demise were there.

The Colts are statistically the worst defense in the league against the run, and the Broncos have had trouble keeping teams out of the end zone ever since their dominant six-game run to start the season.

On Sunday, the Jaguars exploited the Colts' weakness and rushed for 375 yards — tied for the second-most by a team since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

The Colts have now given up 2,294 yards rushing this season — 410 more than any other team — and have given up 860 in their last four games.

"We are going to have to get it fixed to get where we want to go," Dungy said.

The Broncos gave up only 44 points and two touchdowns in their first six games, but on Sunday they gave up two touchdowns in each of the first, second and fourth quarters.

In their first six games, the Broncos gave up 7.3 points a game. In their last seven, they've given up 27.4, which would rank last in the NFL as a season average.

"Obviously a lot of things have got to change," said Broncos safety John Lynch. "We have to start doing a lot of things better."

Eating 'em up

Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee sat out much of the second quarter against the New York Jets because he was sick.

He spent most of the game making the Jets feel the same way, as he rushed for 125 yards and a 57-yard touchdown in a 31-13 Bills victory.

"It's not very often, in an NFL game, you see a player sitting on the bench eating a sandwich," Bills Coach Dick Jauron said. "But we had to get some food in him. He came back and obviously played really well."

Fickle Favre

Brett Favre has not announced whether he'll retire after this season, and that's probably because he changes his mind every week based on whether the Packers win or lose.

He said Sunday, when he passed for 293 yards in a 30-19 victory over San Francisco, that it felt much different than last week's 38-10 loss to the Jets.

"Days like [Sunday] make me think I could play 10 more seasons," Favre said. "After last week's game, I would have told you I should get the first bus out."

Favre improved his record over 15 years to 11-1 against the 49ers and has at least one touchdown pass in each game.

The real home team

Much has been made of the Houston Texans' passing over Vince Young in the draft and instead selecting defensive lineman Mario Williams.

Young, a Houston native, instead went to the Tennessee Titans with the third pick, but is 2-0 against his hometown team after leading a 26-20 overtime victory Sunday at Houston.

But Young said he is playing for his hometown team. "I really feel like the Tennessee Titans are the hometown team — the Oilers," he said.

The Oilers left Houston for Tennessee in 1997, and the franchise became the Titans.

Impostors

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 5-1 against the NFC South last season when they won the division. This season, they are 0-6 against the Falcons, Saints and Panthers and were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with Sunday's 17-6 loss to Atlanta.

"This is not the same team that went 5-1," Buccaneers Coach Jon Gruden said. "Same helmets, same uniforms, but not the same team."

Baby steps

It's no secret that the Raiders have been struggling on offense, but they managed a breakthrough in a 27-10 loss to Cincinnati when quarterback Aaron Brooks connected with Ronald Curry for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

It was the Raiders' first fourth-quarter touchdown in nine games, and the offense has now scored 17 fourth-quarter points this season.

"We've got to get points on the board," Brooks said. "I think we have a chance every time we hit the field, especially with our defense. We've just got to take care of the ball better."

Injury report

Atlanta running backs Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood left Sunday's game and did not return. Dunn injured his calf, and Norwood injured his knee…. New England receiver Benjamin Watson injured his leg against Miami and did not return…. Detroit running back Kevin Jones injured his left foot late in the Lions' loss to Minnesota. The foot will be examined today…. Colts wide receiver Brandon Stokley injured his Achilles tendon and did not return against Jacksonville.

*

The Associated Press contributed to this report.




peter.yoon@latimes.com

*

Begin text of infobox

Another record day

While the Indianapolis defense was getting torched at Jacksonville, the Colts' Marvin Harrison quietly became the fourth receiver in NFL history with 1,000 receptions:

PLAYER
CATCHES
YARDS
TDS
Jerry Rice
1,549
22,895
197
Cris Carter
1,101
13,899
130
Tim Brown
1,094
14,934
100
MARVIN HARRISON*
1,001
13,425
116


* — active

Los Angeles Times



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NFL ROUNDUP 12/11/06

Brett Favre
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NFL ROUNDUP
Bengals roll past Raiders, 27-10
From the Associated Press

December 11, 2006

Only a month ago, the Cincinnati Bengals looked as if they were on the verge of imploding. The defending AFC North champions were openly pouting and regularly losing.

Look at them now.

Carson Palmer threw for two touchdowns and Rudi Johnson ran for two Sunday, setting up a well-rounded 27-10 victory over the Oakland Raiders that strengthened Cincinnati's playoff chances.

"We're peaking at the right time," receiver Chad Johnson said.

The Bengals (8-5) have won four games in a row, moving to the forefront of the AFC wild-card race. At the moment, Cincinnati is positioned for one of the two spots, with pivotal games coming up the next two weeks at Indianapolis and Denver.

It's all coming together for a team that's piling up franchise records on offense and defense these days.

They had two 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher Sunday, a combination they never had achieved. And the defense had another record-setting performance — Cincinnati has given up only 17 points in the last three games, another first.

The Bengals have come a long way from a 4-5 start that left them with no margin for error.

"We've been in this position for the last month," said Rudi Johnson, who ran for 117 yards. "Our backs have been against the wall. We've been coming out fighting and clawing. We definitely understand our situation."

The Raiders (2-11) understand theirs too.

It keeps getting worse.

The defense keeps them in games, and the offense gives them away. Oakland's first three drives ended this way: fumble, missed field-goal try, interception. None of it was new.

Oakland has lost six games in a row, failing to score more than 14 points in any of them. The Raiders were simply outclassed in this one.

Palmer had three passes intercepted, a season high, but did more than enough to get the win. His touchdown passes of eight yards to Chris Henry and 20 yards to T.J. Houshmandzadeh helped the Bengals pull ahead, 27-3, in the third quarter.



Atlanta 17, Tampa Bay 6 — It doesn't seem to matter who carries for Atlanta, the Falcons usually find a way to run the ball.

The NFL's top rushing team lost Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood within a span of five plays in the third quarter, but seldom-used Justin Griffith came in to finish a 71-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown burst that helped the Falcons beat the Buccaneers at Tampa, Fla.

Dunn limped off the field because of a left calf injury after gaining nine yards to boost his season total to 997.

Norwood injured his right knee four plays later, opening the door for Griffith, who had carried only six times for 34 yards before Sunday.

Atlanta (7-6) has won two consecutive games after losing four in a row to nearly drop out of playoff contention. Tampa Bay (3-10), limited to three field goals the last two weeks, was eliminated from playoff consideration.



Philadelphia 21, Washington 19 — Never mind that the Eagles defense let Ladell Betts run all over it and that an 18-point lead nearly disappeared in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia made big plays when it mattered and remained a solid playoff contender with a victory at Landover, Md.

Jeff Garcia completed 15 of 23 passes for 164 yards with two touchdown passes in another solid outing to improve to 2-1 as the starter since Donovan McNabb's season-ending injury. Brian Westbrook had 88 yards rushing and 38 receiving for the Eagles (7-6), who have swept the Redskins four times in the last five years.

The Redskins (4-9) have lost four of five and were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Betts, who signed a five-year, $11-million contract extension Friday, topped last week's career-high 155-yard game with 171 yards in 33 carries.



Buffalo 31, New York Jets 13 — Willis McGahee scored on a 57-yard run, Lee Evans had a 77-yard touchdown catch and Nate Clements returned an interception 58 yards for a score for the Bills at East Rutherford, N.J.

Buffalo (6-7) looked more like a playoff contender than the Jets (7-6), winning for the third time in four games.

McGahee had 125 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries.



Minnesota 30, Detroit 20 — Artose Pinner had career highs with 125 yards rushing and three touchdowns to lift the Vikings at Detroit.

Despite losing five of their previous six games and being under .500, the Vikings (6-7) still have a shot at the playoffs.

The Lions (2-11) have lost five consecutive games.

Pinner, who was among the final cuts Detroit made before the season, played in place of Chester Taylor, who has a rib injury.


Green Bay 30, San Francisco 19 — Brett Favre passed for 293 yards and connected with Donald Driver for a 68-yard touchdown play at San Francisco, and the Packers ended a three-game losing streak.

Ruvell Martin also caught a long touchdown pass for the Packers (5-8), and Driver had nine catches for 160 yards.

Favre completed 22 of 34 passes and surpassed 3,000 yards passing for the 15th consecutive season to extend his NFL record.

Frank Gore rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers (5-8).



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