Favre's return to Green Bay proves especially sweet

GREEN BAY, WIS. -- Brett Favre still knows how to win big games at Lambeau Field, even if this one came for the enemy and to a chorus of boos.

For the second time in less than a month, Favre sliced up his former team and stuck it to the franchise that cast him aside as the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers, 38-26, at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

If walking out to waves of loud jeers from his former fans threw Favre off his game, it didn't last long. Despite being jeered repeatedly by Packers fans who once cheered his every move, Favre completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns to help the Vikings (7-1) take a firm hold on the NFC North standings.

Rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown and had five kick returns for 175 yards.

The Vikings' defense roughed up Favre's successor, Aaron Rodgers, sacking him six times. But with the Packers (4-3) on the verge of getting routed, Rodgers rebounded with three second-half touchdowns.

Already leading 17-3 at halftime, Favre temporarily reverted from game manager to gunslinger on the Vikings' first possession of the second half -- and even that worked. Favre threw into triple coverage under pressure and Harvin came down with the ball while Charles Woodson, Atari Bigby and Nick Collins tumbled to the ground like extras in a slapstick comedy as the Vikings took a 24-3 lead.

Rodgers answered by driving the Packers for a field goal, then Green Bay turned a fumbled kickoff into a 16-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to tight end Spencer Havner to cut Minnesota's lead to 24-13.

Green Bay forced a three-and-out, and Rodgers hit James Jones for a 42-yard gain to put the Packers in scoring position again. Facing third and four at the Vikings 5, Rodgers rolled right and threw another touchdown to Havner.

Harvin answered with a 44-yard kickoff return to the Green Bay 38, Favre hit Harvin for a third-down conversion, and a face mask penalty on Green Bay's B.J. Raji gave the Vikings first and goal at the 9. Later facing third down at the 2, Favre rolled right and threw to wide open tight end Jeff Dugan to put the Vikings up 31-20 early in the fourth quarter.

But Rodgers wasn't finished, scrambling for 35 yards to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings. After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Packers trailed, 31-26, with 10 minutes 26 seconds remaining.

Green Bay's defense finally put some pressure on Favre to force a punt, giving the ball back to the Packers with 8:13 to play. After a 13-yard catch and run by fullback John Kuhn, Rodgers picked up a botched snap, threw complete to Donald Driver and picked up a roughing penalty on Ray Edwards to advance the ball to the Vikings 35.

But the drive stalled, and Mason Crosby missed a 51-yard field goal attempt.

Favre threw a screen pass to Peterson, who took it 44 yards down the left sideline to the Green Bay 15. With the Vikings facing third and 11, Favre threaded a ball through the Green Bay secondary for a touchdown to Bernard Berrian -- his fourth touchdown pass of the game.