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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre - Source: Reuters -
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Brett Favre savoured a triumphant but frosty homecoming, tossing
four touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings (7-1) survived a Green Bay
Packers (4-3) comeback to claim a 38-26 win Monday.
For Green Bay fans, Favre's performance was a bitter reminder of
the glory days when the quarterback was firing touchdown passes for
the Packers and leading them to the Super Bowl title in 1997.
Back at Lambeau to face his former team for the first time since a
messy split in 2007, Farve was lustily jeered by a Green Bay
regular season record crowd of 71,213 from the moment he stepped
off the Minnesota team bus until he exited the field.
"I had mixed emotions coming in because I know how special these
(Packers) fans are," Favre admitted to reporters. "It was loud and
that is what makes Green Bay such a special place.
"I want to lead this Vikings team to the Super Bowl but I also know
what Packers fans, who make this organisation so special and unique
will never change.
"How could you not miss that."
There were some things, however, Favre will not miss about his
first visit to Green Bay as a Viking.
Prior to the kickoff, some Packers' fans burnt replicas of his old
Green Bay jersey while entrepreneurs cashed in on the Favre bashing
selling t-shirts which included "Traitor 4-Ever and "Once a Hero,
Now a Zero."
"I mean, anybody but the Vikings, going to the Vikings it just
borders on war," said Packers fan Bob Schaaf, as a small plane
circled above Lambeau trailing a banner that read
"Retire4Good."
The hostile reception, however, failed to rattle the 40-year-old
Favre, who completed 17 of 28 pass attempts for 244 yards,
including touchdowns to Visanthe Shiancoe, Percy Harvin, Jeff Dugan
and Bernard Berrian.
After Green Bay opened the scoring on a Mason Crosby 37-yard field
goal, Minnesota dominated the first half, Adrian Peterson diving
over for a one-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a lead they would
not surrender.
"He is an equal opportunity thrower," said Vikings coach Brad
Childress. "He is going to find them if they are open, it doesn't
make any difference who it is.
"There is no such thing as too many good players, or too many tools
in the tool box."
Almost forgotten in the pre-game hype surround Favre was a pivotal
NFC North matchup that saw the Vikings take control of the
division, improving their record to 7-1 while the Packers slip to
4-3.
In the second quarter, Farve hooked up with Shiancoe on a 12-yard
touchdown and Ryan Longwell booted a 41-yard field gold to send the
visitors into the break leading 17-3.
Favre came out firing in the second half hitting Harvin with
51-yard touchdown strike to put the Vikings up 24-3 before the
Packers launched a third quarter fight back.
The Packers, held to just 47 total yards in the first half,
exploded for 17 straight points, as Aaron Rodgers, Favre's
understudy in Green Bay, tossed five and 16 yard touchdown strikes
to Spencer Havner.
Crosby then added a field goal to slice the Minnesota lead to 24-20
setting the stage for wild final quarter.
Favre found Dugan with a two-yard touchdown pass to open the fourth
but the Packers hit back, Rodgers connecting with Greg Jennings on
a 10-yard strike.
But the Packers could not complete the comeback, Favre sealing the
victory with a 16-yard touchdown to Berrian.
