Favre's last stand? QB fuels Pack rout of No. 1 Bears

CHICAGO (AP) -- If, indeed, this was his last game, Brett Favre

went out in style.

The rocket-like passes that defined his career were on full

display, zooming between helpless defenders and into receivers'

hands. And when it was over, his voice cracked. Tears flowed.

Is this really it, though?

"If this is the last game, I couldn't be more pleased with the

outcome," Favre said after the Green Bay Packers closed out the

season with a 26-7 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night.

Favre had his way, Rex Grossman looked lost, and the Bears bore

little resemblance to a No. 1 playoff seed.

Favre showed he still has some plenty left in that powerful

right arm, passing for 285 yards to lead the Packers (8-8).

But he tearfully hinted that he's seriously considering

retirement, as he did in the last offseason.

"If this is my last game, I want to remember it," Favre said,

his voice cracking and tears streaming from his eyes. "It's tough.

I love these guys. I love this game. What a great way to go out

against a great football team. I couldn't ask for a better way to

get out."

Favre said he would discuss retirement with his family and make

his announcement soon -- "probably within the next couple of

weeks." For now, the only certainty is he's scheduled for ankle

surgery Monday in Green Bay.

The three-time MVP completed 21 of 42 passes with a touchdown

and interception. He had 209 yards in the first half alone as the

Packers grabbed a 23-0 lead, and he moved into a tie with Dan

Marino for second place on the victories list with 147. Favre needs

one more to tie John Elway.

While Favre's emotions flowed after the game, receiver Donald

Driver said he kept them in check before and during it.

"I'm glad I'm going to be a part of that legacy," Driver said.

"If this is the last one, I wish the best for him, but we pray to

God that it's not."

Favre was in vintage form, but the inconsistent Grossman showed

his bad side.

He was 2-of-12 with three interceptions -- two of which were

returned for touchdowns -- and a zero passer rating in the first

half and did not come out for the second.

"I've been in this position before," Grossman said. "I hate

this. I hate it."

It was the first time a quarterback threw three interceptions

and two completions since New Orleans' Richard Todd in 1984. And

the debate over whether he or Brian Griese should start for the

Bears (13-3) is back on, even if coach Lovie Smith said he won't

make a change.

Griese started the third quarter and was 5-of-15 for 124 yards

with two interceptions. He also threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to

Mark Bradley with 34 seconds left in the third. The Bears' best

passer may have been punter Brad Maynard, who connected with Adrian

Peterson for 37 yards on a fake early in the third quarter.

Smith said the plan entering the game was to have Grossman play

into the third quarter, but "I didn't see there was any need in

putting him back in after an effort like that."

Favre, by contrast, led the Packers on a 75-yard touchdown drive

to start the game, and Nick Collins returned an interception 55

yards late in the first quarter to give the Packers a 13-0 lead.

Dave Rayner kicked a 25-yard field goal with 49 seconds left in the

first half, and Grossman immediately struck again.

This time, Patrick Dendy returned an interception 30 yards to

make it 23-0, and the Packers never looked back.

The Packers were all but eliminated from the postseason when the

New York Giants beat Washington on Saturday. And their final hopes

were dashed before Sunday's kickoff.

Still, they took it to a Chicago team that has home-field

advantage throughout the playoffs and was trying to become just the

fourth team to go undefeated in conference play since the AFL and

NFL merged in 1970.

Favre immediately served notice that this would be a vintage

performance.

The opening drive ended with a 9-yard strike to Donald Driver.

Favre waited until late April before announcing he would play

this year, and he was noncommittal about his future this week. He

seemed rejuvenated after enduring his worst season in 2005, when he

threw 20 touchdowns and 29 interceptions as the Packers went 4-12.

He became the NFL's career leader in completions, passing Dan

Marino, and finished the season with 3,885 yards and 18 touchdowns

to go with 18 interceptions.

"At some point, guys have to face the end of their career,"

said Favre, who led the 1996 Packers to a championship and a Super

Bowl appearance the following year. "Of course, I'd love to go out

winning a championship. I would love to win another one, but it's

hard to do. I realize that now."

A Bears team with Super Bowl aspirations looked nothing like a

contender -- especially with Grossman reverting to his midseason

form, when he threw 14 interceptions in seven games.

"I'm trying to figure that out myself," Grossman said, when

asked what happened. "It's my job to figure out why I had games

like this and fix it."

Nathan Vasher intercepted Favre, but five plays later, Collins

picked off a screen intended Desmond Clark and returned it 55 yards

to make it 13-0 with 50 seconds left in the first quarter. The

Bears' next possession ended when Grossman fumbled away the snap.

The Chicago defense wasn't any better.

It had allowed at least 327 yards in the previous five games --

thanks to injuries, general sloppiness and defensive tackle Tank

Johnson's suspension after his arrest on weapons charges and then

shooting death of his friend at a nightclub less than 48 hours

later.

Johnson did not start but entered the game on the opening

possession, after being inactive against Tampa Bay on Dec. 17 and

serving a one-game suspension the following week against Detroit.

Game notes
Green Bay's Ahman Green ran for 71 yards and became the

first Packer to rush for at least 1,000 six times. ... Chicago's

Cedric Benson rushed for 109 -- his first 100-yard game. ... Bears

returner Devin Hester left in the third quarter with a strained

calf. ... Chicago CB Charles Tillman missed his second straight

game because of a sore back, while Packers WR Greg Jennings was out

with an ankle injury.