Favre Puts Game Out of Reach

With Drew Brees back at quarterback after a five-game “sabbatical,” the San Diego Chargers led the Green Bay Packers by four points in the fourth quarter before three touchdown passes by Brett Favre gave the Packers a 38-21 victory Sunday.

The loss -- in front of a crowd of 64,974 at Qualcomm Stadium that seemed evenly split between Charger and Packer fans -- left the Chargers with a 3-11 record.

The Packers are 8-6 and tied with the Minnesota Vikings for first place in the NFC North.

Charger Coach Marty Schottenheimer, who had benched Brees in October in favor of veteran Doug Flutie, said he was pleased with Brees’ performance except for two fumbles and an interception.

“I’ve never been in this situation before in terms of giveaway-takeaway ratio,” Schottenheimer said.

A fumble by Charger wide receiver David Boston left the Chargers with four turnovers. The Packers lost the ball once, on an interception.

Brees completed 28 of 48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns, both to running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Favre was 23 of 33 for 278 yards and four touchdowns. Packer running back Ahman Green gained 75 yards in 19 carries, including a first-quarter touchdown.

Trailing 17-6 after three quarters, the Chargers took the lead on the two touchdown passes from Brees to Tomlinson, a two-point conversion pass from Brees to Boston, and a point-after by Steve Christie, who also had two field goals.

The Chargers’ lead lasted 52 seconds.

Najeh Davenport ran the kickoff back 45 yards to the Charger 42, and two plays later Favre threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Robert Ferguson.

After the Packers recovered Brees’ fumble on the Charger one-yard line, Favre lobbed a touchdown pass to Green.

The final touchdown came four minutes later on a 16-yard pass play from Favre to Ferguson .

“It’s like basketball, they went on a run and pulled it off,” Tomlinson said.

Schottenheimer was noncommittal about whether he would return to the 41-year-old Flutie for the final two games. Two of the three Charger victories have been with Flutie.

Favre set a Packer record by throwing a touchdown pass for his 23rd consecutive game.

“He’s everything that they said he was,” said Charger rookie cornerback Sammy Davis.