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GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Brett Favre has not had many days like this. Favre threw three interceptions and also lost a fumble as the Green Bay Packers suffered a surprising 23-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, Favre endured one of his roughest outings against the team he started his career with. Favre was selected in the second round of the 1991 draft by the Falcons and spent one season with the club before being dealt to Green Bay. On Sunday, Favre fell one interception shy of matching his career high. The most durable quarterback in NFL history, Favre went 16-of-29 for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Favre's final interception could not have come at a worse time. With the Packers driving, Favre had a long pass down the left sideline intended for Bill Schroeder intercepted at the Atlanta 2 by cornerback Ashley Ambrose with 1:08 remaining, sealing the win for the Falcons. Favre did not think he took the Falcons lightly. "I practice the same every week," he said. "I prepare the same every week -- I don't care who we play. It doesn't guarantee you're going to play perfect every week, but I've been around too long to take anyone lightly or try to prepare differently for a team just because they're better or not as good." Favre also talked about his team's slow start. "I think it's the fact of a team with some guys not ready to play," Favre said. "We're a better football team than them -- you can say what you want to say. It's a great job on their part winning and they're tickled to death as they should be, but that wasn't the Green Bay team I know." Chris Chandler passed for 352 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons (5-4), who have won three of their last four games to move over .500 on the season. Atlanta has split six games since star running back Jamal Anderson suffered a season-ending knee injury. "There's nothing that gives you a good feeling like winning," Chandler said. "We had a good week of practice. We planned to be aggressive. The defense set the tone, with some turnovers in the first quarter." Falcons coach Dan Reeves praised Chandler. "Chris is always prepared," Reeves said. "Chris gives us tremendous leadership. He gets things executed, and that gives us confidence." It was a costly loss for the Packers (6-3), who lost for the first time in five home games this season. Starting strong safety LeRoy Butler suffered a broken left shoulder blade in the second quarter and is expected to be sidelined indefinitely. The loss of Butler was felt in the third quarter when his replacement, Chris Akins, committed a costly roughing penalty that kept an Atlanta drive alive that eventually resulted in a touchdown that provided a 23-13 lead. After being removed from the game, Akins became enraged on the Green Bay sideline and had to be restrained by teammates. It was an inauspicious start for Favre, who had his first pass attempt of the day intercepted by Ambrose at the Green Bay 44. "We played a lot of man-to-man, getting into their faces in press coverage," Ambrose said. "We felt bumping and running would disrupt their timing. Brett (Favre) is too good to play off." Atlanta could not convert the turnover, but did break on top with 8:19 left in the opening quarter on Jay Feely's 26-yard field goal. On the Packers' next possession, disaster struck again when Favre was sacked by end Patrick Kerney, who jarred the ball loose. Tackle Shane Dronett pounced on the fumble at the Green Bay 26. But the Falcons went three-and-out, and settled for Feely's 39-yard field goal and a 6-0 advantage. Favre rebounded from that miscue on the next possession, finding speedster Cory Bradford for 51 yards on a 3rd-and-8 play that moved the ball to the Atlanta 27. But after the drive stalled, Ryan Longwell kicked a 39-yard field goal with 2:41 left in the period. Chandler, one of 11 quarterbacks to play for Atlanta since Favre departed, answered that score by moving the Falcons 79 yards in 11 plays. He capped the march with a 21-yard TD pass to fullback Bob Christian 2:09 into the second period, giving Atlanta a 13-3 advantage. The Falcons' defense came up with another big play with 9:38 left in the half when veteran cornerback Ray Buchanan intercepted Favre at the Atlanta 46. Chandler led the Falcons down the field, completing passes of 18 yards to Terence Mathis and 23 yards to Shawn Jefferson along the way. The Packers' defense stiffened and Feely kicked a 32-yard field goal for a 16-3 cushion with 4:57 left in the half. Favre, who completed just six passes in the first half, found Schroeder with a four-yard TD pass with 1:52 left before intermission, pulling the Packers within 16-10. Longwell accounted for the only points of the third quarter, connecting from 45 yards with 2:32 left in the period. Akins helped the Falcons out of a tough situation in the fourth quarter. Facing a 3rd-and-12 from their own 20 with 12:38 remaining, the Falcons picked up a first down on Akins' roughing penalty. "We had the personal foul assessment against Chris Akins," Sherman explained. "I spoke to the official on what exactly happened. I wanted Chris out of the game immediately, but we couldn't get their attention in the huddle. "There was another play where they ran the ball to our defensive right which he was part of a gang tackle on that side. At that point I got him out of the game and wanted to talk to him about the penalty situation which certainly was a costly penalty. He was still emotional from the play that just occurred. We had a discussion there that will end up with me coming back and discussing it even further. That was the end of it." Chandler and the Falcons converted on that blunder. The veteran had two 15-yard completions to Tony Martin, and a 24-yard strike to Jefferson that moved the ball to the Green Bay 12. Chandler capped the eight-play, 78-yard march with a 12-yard TD pass to Brian Finneran, who made a diving catch in the end zone for a 23-13 advantage with 8:49 remaining. Just over two minutes later, Favre connected with Antonio Freeman for a 39-yard touchdown pass. But Favre could not orchestrate his 21st career fourth-quarter comeback.
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