Favre Celebrates Birthday by Performing More Magic

A couple of minutes after nearly giving the game away, Brett Favre, who turned 30 on Sunday, gave himself quite a birthday present.

Favre led the Green Bay Packers on a last-minute, game-winning drive for the third time this season, connecting with Antonio Freeman on a 21-yard touchdown pass with 1:05 left as the Packers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-23.

“We didn’t think we’d have to do it again,” said Favre, who re-injured his right thumb during the game. “Three times out of three, though--that’s not too bad.”

The winning pass capped a six-play, 73-yard drive Favre directed in 40 seconds against the Buccaneers’ top-ranked defense. The Packers racked up 452 yards of total offense against Tampa Bay but looked to be in trouble when Mike Alstott’s 22-yard touchdown run with 1:45 to play put the Buccaneers up, 23-19.

The Packers got the ball back at their 27 with 1:40 to play, and Favre passed to Bill Schroeder for a 42-yard gain on the left sideline. Favre got up holding his right arm, but it didn’t slow him down.

After a 10-yard draw by Dorsey Levens and two incompletions, Favre threw a 21-yard bullet to Freeman, who caught the ball in the end zone while Ronde Barber tackled him and drew a flag.

“I saw the blitz, and my eyes got big,” Freeman said. “I figured if I beat my man, I was getting the football.”

It was the 13th come-from-behind win for Favre and the 16th time he led a game-winning drive.

Favre was 22 for 40 for 390 yards and two touchdowns. He passed to Corey Bradford for a 23-yard touchdown with 12 seconds to play in Green Bay’s 23-20 win over Minnesota two weeks ago, and he won the season-opener against Oakland, 28-24, by teaming with Jeff Thomason with a one-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left.

The Packers (3-1) moved into first place in the NFC Central with the win, their eighth straight and 33rd in the last 34 games at Lambeau Field.

At halftime, the Packers retired former defensive end Reggie White’s jersey.

The Buccaneers (2-3), who haven’t won at Lambeau Field since 1989, were hurt by four turnovers. Trent Dilfer threw three interceptions, including one to Darren Sharper with 13 seconds to play that sealed Green Bay’s win.

Favre’s last-minute heroics erased an embarrassing miscue. With 4:48 to play, Packer defensive end Keith McKenzie sacked Dilfer, forced a fumble and recovered it at Tampa Bay’s 19. But after the Packers drove to the four, Favre was chased out of the pocket and then was called for intentional grounding when he wildly flung the ball away to avoid a sack. After the 22-yard penalty, Longwell missed a field-goal attempt from 45 yards with 2:28 left.

Tampa Bay then drove 65 yards to Alstott’s touchdown, but the Buccaneers left Favre too much time.

Favre passed to his two starting wide receivers early and often. Schroeder had seven catches for a career-high 158 yards and Freeman had seven for 152, giving Green Bay two 100-yard receiving games for the first time since 1994.

Schroeder caught a 51-yard pass from Favre on Green Bay’s first play of the game, and Freeman caught a 19-yard touchdown pass moments later to cap a 77-yard drive.

The Buccaneers’ much-maligned offense struggled.

Warrick Dunn, who was injured late in the game, scored on a 16-yard pass from Dilfer early in the second quarter.