Favre Has Thunder Stolen by Beuerlein

Steve Beuerlein seized the chance to be a hero. Brett Favre never got the opportunity.

Beuerlein completed a magnificent day by rushing for a five-yard touchdown as time expired, giving the Carolina Panthers a 33-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

Beuerlein, who was 29-for-43 passing, picked apart the Packers’ confused defense for 373 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the Panthers (6-7) on a 63-yard drive in the final 3:52 for the winning score.

A five-yard quarterback draw by Beuerlein, one of football’s least mobile quarterbacks, was the final improbability in Carolina’s victory at a stadium that was once impossible for visiting teams to win at.

“That’s not one of my fortes,” Beuerlein said of his scramble and dive. “Five yards is about my limit. We were trying to catch them off-guard, and it worked.”

The Lambeau Field crowd, which saw the Packers (7-6) lose at home for the third time this season and in December for the first time in Favre’s career, fell silent.

A clock management blunder by Packer Coach Ray Rhodes took the ball out of the hands of Favre, who led three last-minute comeback victories this season.

Rhodes, who had three timeouts, allowed 40 seconds to run off the clock after Wesley Walls caught a pass at the five on third down with 45 seconds left. Afterward, Rhodes couldn’t articulate his strategy in the final minute.

“I’m miffed at myself about it,” Rhodes said. “I don’t know how much time I could have left our offense, but I was hoping to at least leave them something, and I didn’t get that part done.”

Said Favre, who completed 26 of 38 passes for 302 words and two touchdowns: “We could have thrown for 500 yards today. I was hoping we would have the ball last, especially at our place.”