Falcons Pick Apart Packers

On an unseasonably warm day at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers lost their cool.

Backup safety Chris Akins was benched by Coach Mike Sherman for a sideline blowup Sunday after committing a costly penalty that led to the decisive touchdown. And Brett Favre was intercepted three times in a 23-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Ashley Ambrose of the Falcons cradled Favre’s final pass at the Atlanta two-yard line with just over a minute left.

“Brett’s so good. When he makes mistakes, he always comes back. That’s the type of player I am,” said Ambrose, who was burned for a deep pass that set up a first-half touchdown. “That’s the way I feel when I step on the field.”

Needing only about 10 yards to get in field-goal range, Favre instead went deep, but overthrew Bill Schroeder.

“I don’t second-guess anything I’ve ever done. I feel like I’m the best in the business--I still do,” Favre said. “Even though we’re behind, you’ve got to feel like that defense is sweating. And I’m sure they were today. They may say different, but I guarantee you they were worried.”

Ambrose also picked off Favre’s first pass on a day in which the temperature at kickoff was 59 degrees--about twice as high as usual for mid-November.

The Falcons (5-4), who hadn’t won at Lambeau Field since 1981, were double-digit underdogs to the Packers (6-3).

The Packers also lost safety LeRoy Butler, who was making his 128th consecutive start, to a broken shoulder blade in the first half. He’s out indefinitely and his season might be over.

His replacement, Akins, was benched after his 15-yard personal foul kept alive the Falcons’ final touchdown drive.

“We had people acting stupid and not knowing how to control their emotions,” Darren Sharper said.

Akins was whistled for shoving tackle Ephraim Salaam, who had taken exception to Tod McBride’s jumping over the line to smother quarterback Chris Chandler on a play in which he jumped offside.

“I wanted Chris out of the game immediately,” Sherman said.

But he couldn’t get Akins’ attention in the huddle, and after another play, Sherman yanked him from the game.

After Akins’ personal foul, with the Falcons facing third-and-12 from their 20 and leading, 16-13, Chandler drove the Falcons downfield for a 12-yard touchdown toss to Brian Finneran with 8:49 left.