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Packers rout Lions for 13th win

Dec 30, 2007 - 11:50 PM GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- In the final regular-season game of his 16th year with the Green Bay Packers, Brett Favre enjoyed a short work day.

Favre tossed two touchdown passes in just over a quarter as the Packers scored touchdowns on their first three possessions en route to a 34-13 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

As the NFC's No. 2 seed, the Packers have a bye next week, then host a game in the divisional playoff round the weekend of January 12-13.

"I'm always concerned," Favre said. "(But) I'm pleased with the way we played today. It's what people expected of us today, I think. It's what I expected and with that in mind, yeah, I feel pretty good going into the playoffs."

Rebounding from last week's 35-7 loss in Chicago, Green Bay (13-3) matched a franchise record for wins set in 1996 and 1997, when the Packers made consecutive Super Bowl appearances.

"Any time you can sit here and say you set an all-time record in the history of the Green Bay Packers, that speaks volumes," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.

On a 19-degree day at Lambeau Field, Favre improved to 17-0 at home against the Lions, who have not won in the state of Wisconsin since 1991. He was pulled after Green Bay opened a 21-3 lead 41 seconds into the second quarter.

The 38-year-old Favre completed 9-of-11 passes for 99 yards, finishing the year with 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns. He set a single-season franchise mark with a 66.5 completion percentage (356-of-535).

After the Packers' third touchdown, the always enthusiastic Favre high-fived one of the officials.

"I was looking for someone to celebrate with - he just happened to have stripes on," Favre said.

Craig Nall took over for Favre in his first regular-season appearance since 2004. Nall contributed with a 32-yard TD pass to Ruvell Martin in the third quarter.

The Lions (7-9) dropped seven of their last eight games and finished under .500 following a 6-2 start. They still posted their best record since going 9-7 in 2000.

"We got beat in all areas," Detroit coach Rod Marinelli said. "We just got outplayed."

Detroit opened then scoring on Jason Hanson's 25-yard field goal with 12:11 left in the first quarter, but the Packers answered on Ryan Grant's 27-yard TD run less than two minutes later.

Favre followed with TD passes of 5 yards to Koren Robinson and 4 yards to Bubba Franks, the 441st and 442nd of his career.

"That's my first one (touchdown) here at Lambeau, my first one with the Packers and my first one with Brett," Robinson said. "That's a special occasion."

In the first quarter, the Packers outgained the Lions, 185-23, putting together scoring drives of four, 11 and six plays.

Grant, who emerged as a running threat after taking over the injured DeShawn Wynn in midseason carried only six times for 57 yards before leaving with a stinger. Grant finished with 956 yards and eight touchdowns.

Rookie Brandon Jackson filled in for Grant, rushing for 113 yards on 20 carries, his first career 100-yard game.

"It's just being patient and waiting for my opportunity and just taking advantage of it," Jackson said.

Jon Kitna, who in the preseason predicted that the Lions would win 10 games, completed 22-of-48 passes for 246 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

"It (the season) was a disappointment because our expectations were higher this year and the results didn't match those," Kitna said.