Favre’s Legend Grows at Buccaneers’ Expense

TAMPA —  Barry Sanders and Terrell Davis have earned headlines with their rush for 2,000 yards. But if the reason they play this game is to win, then in the next few weeks the coronation of Brett Favre as the greatest quarterback to play the game should be official with his selection as the NFL’s most valuable player for a record third consecutive year.

Favre, 68-33 since replacing Don Majkowski as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback in early 1992, is now the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 30 touchdowns in four consecutive seasons. He tore the heart out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday with two scoring throws to key a 17-6 Packer victory before 73,523, the largest crowd in Tampa Bay history.

For the Favre-driven Packers (11-3), who have crushed the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings and Buccaneers (9-5) in successive weeks, it clinched a third consecutive NFC Central Division title and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

“He’s only 28 years old, and he’s as good at his age as any of the great ones to ever play the game at this time in their careers, and in fact, he’s better,” said Ron Wolf, general manager of the Packers. “There have been some great quarterbacks like Otto Graham and Sammy Baugh, but just in looking at the modern era with Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, the guys who have won a lot, our guy will be right there.

“You watch, there are lot of avenues and roads this guy is still going to take us down before he’s finished.”

Wolf, fired as general manager of the Buccaneers despite laying the groundwork for Tampa Bay’s moment of glory as the NFC Central Division winners in 1979, pinpointed Favre as the field leader for the Packers on his first day on the job in Green Bay.

After watching him throw in warmups as the Falcon backup quarterback in a Dec. 1, 1991 game against Green Bay in Atlanta, Wolf sat next to Packer President Bob Harlan, and said he was determined to make a trade for Favre. A few months later, he sent a first-round pick to Atlanta for Favre, the 33rd player selected in the 1991 draft and the third quarterback taken overall, after the Raiders’ Todd Marinovich and the Seahawks’ Dan McGwire.

Six consecutive winning seasons later, and Favre is clearly the NFL’s No. 1 playmaker, taking risks no one else would consider and flashing the athletic ability to account for an astounding 141 touchdown passes the past four seasons.

“I feel we are even with the Packers both on special teams and defensively,” Tampa Bay quarterback Trent Dilfer said. “But right now they are the better team on offense because their quarterback is the best, the best player in the NFL.”

The Buccaneers, stoked to play their biggest game since the 1979 NFC Championship, went all out to ruffle Favre only to be sacked by his knack for improvisation.

They had him sandwiched in the first quarter deep in the pocket, but somehow Favre busted through, scampering straight up the middleas if he were hellbent on running for a first down.

Downfield, however, Green Bay wide receiver Robert Brooks knew better. “Time and time again in practice, he does the same thing,” Brooks said. “He runs around, he tries to make plays and your job as a receiver is to keep running because he’s got the rifle to get the ball to you.”

While everyone else in the stadium figured Favre would keep on running, Brooks knew he was going to throw, and when Favre did, Brooks was alone in the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown.

That would only be a preview of what was to come--vintage Favre--and a death knoll for the Buccaneers, who were looking to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 1982.

With the Packers ahead only 7-6 in the third quarter, Favre drove them to the Buccaneer eight-yard line. On third and three, he retreated to pass and then sidestepped a series of Tampa Bay defenders before scooting forward, again looking like a man who was going to run for the first down. But at the very last second, a forgiving referee’s judgment call away from crossing the line of scrimmage, he whipped a sidearm pass to running back Dorsey Levens for a touchdown.

“That is a play only Brett Favre can make,” Green Bay Coach Mike Holmgren said. “Not too many quarterbacks would even try that play much less be successful. I don’t know what more we could ask of Brett Favre.”

Favre completed 25 of 33 passes for 280 yards against the NFL’s fifth-ranked defense, and became the first quarterback this season to avoid being sacked by the Buccaneers.

“If you find a better quarterback in the business, tell me about it, because Brett Favre is the best,” Tampa Bay defensive lineman Warren Sapp said. “He’s a riverboat gambler, puts it all on the line and gets it done.”

The Buccaneers, 21-16 losers earlier this season in Green Bay, had the opportunity to overcome a 7-3 Packer lead in the second quarter. But rookie wide receiver Reidel Anthony pulled back in fear of being hit and dropped what would have been a 60-yard touchdown pass play from Dilfer.

A week ago, Minnesota cornerback Corey Fuller dropped an interception opportunity in the end zone, and Green Bay came right back to crush them. They repeated the feat in Tampa Bay, taking advantage of Anthony’s miscue and coming back in a rage to force Dilfer to leave in the first half on a cart because of a sprained ankle.

Dilfer came back limping, a signal from the coaching staff that a quarterback with one bad leg was better than Steve Walsh, a backup quarterback with no arm. But after failing to go anywhere in the third quarter while the Packers extended their lead to 17-6, Tampa Bay sent Walsh into the game, and predictably, the Buccaneer offense went nowhere.