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 (AP)  Brett Favre avoided those infamously
big mistakes at the Metrodome, and - surprise, surprise - Green Bay
emerged with a victory over struggling Minnesota.
   

   Favre threw two touchdown passes without a turnover and Donald
Driver had 191 yards receiving, leading the Packers past the
Vikings 23-17 on Sunday.

      Green Bay (4-5) was boosted by a strong pass rush, and Favre
completed 24 of 42 passes for 347 yards and no interceptions.

      Brad Johnson went 18-for-30 for 257 yards, one touchdown and two
turnovers for Minnesota, which lost its third straight game.

      Dave Rayner made three field goals, besting former Green Bay
kicker Ryan Longwell, who only got a chance to kick one - a
34-yarder with 58 seconds left.

      The Vikings (4-5) had three first downs on that desperation
drive, the only time they were able to move the chains after
halftime without the help of a penalty. They recovered the onside
kick, but Artose Pinner was whistled for offsides.

      Johnson - who was sacked four times - briefly sparked the
offense with consecutive first-half drives that ended in touchdowns
by Billy McMullen, but after the break it was more of the same.
Bethel Johnson's kickoff return for a touchdown was called back by
an illegal-block penalty on Pinner, an inauspicious start to the
second half.

      After one failed possession in the fourth quarter, coach Brad
Childress screamed at guard Steve Hutchinson and tackle Bryant
McKinnie, the prized, multimillion-dollar left side of the line.
Johnson was better than he had been, but he lost a fumble on a
blind-side sack and his overthrow on second-and-1 at his own 30 was
intercepted by Patrick Dendy with less than eight minutes left.

      Opening the second quarter, McMullen was as open as any
Minnesota receiver has been all season. Johnson's throw barely
arrived in time, but the little-used McMullen - who spent three
years buried on Philadelphia's depth chart - caught it for his
team's first offensive touchdown in 10 quarters.

      That sparked the Vikings, who forced a three-and-out and surged
right back by covering 82 yards on their next possession to take a
14-10 lead. They even scored in the red zone, where a 4-for-18
touchdown conversion rate, 22.2 percent, was the worst in the
league coming into the league.

      Johnson threw short on third-and-10 at the 16 to Taylor, who
wiggled through the defense but lost the ball at the goal line on a
jarring hit by rookie A.J. Hawk. McMullen was in perfect position,
though, and pounced on it for just his third career score.

      Though Minnesota's league-best rushing defense frequently
stuffed Ahman Green and Herron at the line or in the backfield in
key short-yardage situations, Green Bay mixed plays well and for
the most part kept Favre away from the temptation of forcing passes
into risky places - avoiding the costly interceptions that have
often led to his losses throughout his career the Metrodome.

      Favre was clearly having fun, as the television analysts remind
viewers so many times. After his third-and-goal pass was turned
into a 5-yard score for Herron, Favre leaped into his receiver's
arms and patted him hard on the shoulder.

      Driver has consistently hurt the Vikings over the years with his
speed over the middle, especially on the artificial grass here. He
burned Dontarrious Thomas on a crossing pattern right before
halftime, racing 82 yards untouched for a huge score to give the
Packers a 17-14 lead.

      Favre ran as hard as he could to keep up, picking up his
favorite receiver when he finally reached him and lifting him onto
his shoulder.


Gallery

Sports

Brett Favre avoided those infamously
big mistakes at the Metrodome, and - surprise, surprise - Green Bay
emerged with a victory over struggling Minnesota.


Vikings drop third straight game; Packers win 23-17

Go Deeper.

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