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GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- The battle of the banged-up quarterbacks -
Brett Favre
and
Steve McNair
- is the feature attraction on Monday night when the
Green Bay Packers
host the
Tennessee Titans
in an interconference matchup.
Both teams were expected to contend for division titles, yet they come in with three-game losing streaks. The Packers have lost their first two games in a season at Lambeau Field for the first time since 1988.
McNair, the NFL's reigning co-Most Valuable Player, makes only his second trip to Lambeau. His first was a 30-22 loss to Favre and the Packers on December 20, 1998. Favre threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns while McNair passed for 263 yards and three scores with an interception and rushed for 49 yards.
A three-time MVP, Favre lost in McNair's backyard when the teams met in Tennessee on December 16, 2001. Favre passed for 199 yards and two touchdowns while McNair threw for 283 yards and two scores in a 26-20 win for the Titans.
Less than three years later, the two duel on a Monday night stage. But McNair missed the Titans' 38-17 loss at San Diego last week due to a bruised sternum and Favre was knocked out with a concussion in the second half of last week's 14-7 loss to the
New York Giants
. Favre is also nursing a sore left shoulder.
Favre has thrown a touchdown pass in 29 straight games and can tie
Dan Marino
for second on the all-time list with one on Monday. Johnny Unitas is the all-time leader with a scoring pass in 47 consecutive games.
The Packers will not have backup
Doug Pederson
, who will miss the rest of the year with shoulder and rib injuries. That leaves NFL Europe quarterbacks
Craig Nall
and J.T. O'Sullivan as the lone backups. Green Bay acquired O'Sullivan and a second-round pick from New Orleans for disgruntled cornerback
Mike McKenzie
, who suffered a hamstring injury after a training camp holdout.
Billy Volek
filled in for McNair last week and completed 39-of-58 passes for 278 yards in the loss at San Diego. The Titans yielded 393 yards, including 147 on the ground to
LaDainian Tomlinson
. On Monday, they will try to contain defending NFC rushing champion
Ahman Green
.
Meanwhile, the Packers were trampled for 182 yards on the ground by New York's
Tiki Barber
. On Monday, they face
Chris Brown
, who rushed for more than 100 yards in his first three NFL starts before being held to 55 yards by the Chargers.
Matchup to watch: Packers right guard faces left defensive tackle
Kevin Carter
.
Series: Tied, 4-4.
Next week: Tennessee hosts Houston, October 17 Green Bay visits Detroit, October 17
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