Showing He’s Favre and Away the Best

After engineering a fourth-quarter comeback drive of breathtaking efficiency with an injured throwing hand, Brett Favre was so overcome by emotion and pain he could barely speak.

“I’m so drained right now,” he said, tears streaming from his eyes. “I just can’t believe I played. . . . I could hardly feel the ball, but we won the game.”

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Raiders, 28-24, Sunday only by the grace of Favre, who led the Packers on an 11-play, 82-yard drive in the final 1:51. He capped the 11th fourth-quarter comeback and the 14th game-winning drive of his career with a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeff Thomason.

“Those types of drives are storybook drives,” said Coach Ray Rhodes, who won in his Green Bay debut. “Those are the types of drives the Favres, the Montanas, the Elways make.”

Favre was 28 for 47 for 333 yards and four touchdowns, with three interceptions. He has 14 four-touchdown passing games, putting him third on the NFL’s career list behind Dan Marino (21) and Johnny Unitas (17).

Afterward, Favre said his hand, which collided with Russell Maryland’s helmet in the third quarter, hurt more than it did when a similar incident occurred in an exhibition game against Denver. X-rays showed no broken bones.

His late-game heroics prevented the Packers’ second loss in the last 32 games at Lambeau Field. Green Bay also kept a fourth-quarter scoring drive alive by using instant replay to reverse a call.

The loss was stunning for the Raiders, who had a 10-point lead with four minutes to play.

Said Raider Coach Jon Gruden of the final drive: “ . . . Favre’s ability to create plays . . . it’s a trait that only he possesses.”

Favre started the drive with completions to Dorsey Levens for 22 yards and Antonio Freeman for six, and Levens’ 12-yard run put Green Bay at Oakland’s 42 with a minute left. Two receptions by Bill Schroeder got the Packers to the Raider 20, and after spiking the ball, Favre found Corey Bradford down the right sideline for a 19-yard gain with 15 seconds left.

After an Oakland timeout, Favre lingered in the pocket before flipping the pass to Thomason for the game-winning touchdown.