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Week 16 One-two punch keeps Green Bay in playoff picture
By B. Duane Cross, CNNSI.com In a performance fitting of a three-time MVP, Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre kept the Packers' slight postseason hopes alive with a 33-28 victory against Minnesota. The Packers entered Sunday's game having lost eight of their previous 10 games at the Metrodome. After a 34-yard field goal from Ryan Longwell -- his first of four for an NFC-leading 32 this season -- Favre connected with Antonio Freeman for an 18-yard TD pass and the Packers were off to the races. Freeman finished with six catches for 97 yards. Favre and running back Ahman Green kept the Vikings off balance while building leads of 10-0, 23-14 and 33-21. Green, a third-year player acquired from Seattle on the eve of the NFL Draft in April, became only the seventh Green Bay running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards. Sunday was Favre's first three-TD, zero-INT game since Dec. 20, 1998, a 30-22 victory against Tennessee. He completed passes to seven different receivers, with three catching scoring passes (Freeman, Green and Bill Schroeder). Green finished with a career-high 161 yards rushing, his second consecutive 100-yard game and third of the season.
Rice, playing what is considered his final game for the 49ers, watched as Owens etched his name atop the single-game receptions list. Owens had 20 catches (eclipsing the old mark by two) for 283 yards (eighth-best all-time) as San Francisco blanked Chicago 17-0. San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia, continuing his Pro Bowl-caliber play, had 402 yards passing and two TDs while completing 36 of 44 attempts. In perhaps the understatement of the day, Bears cornerback Thomas Smith said: "You know, during the game, it just didn't seem like he had 20 catches."
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