FLASH RECAP:
A grieving Brett Favre, playing one day after his father dies, throws for 399 yards and four touchdowns to lead Green Bay (9-6) to a decisive victory over Oakland (4-11) before an announced crowd of 62,298 at Network Associates Coliseum on Dec. 22, 2003.
The 34-point loss equals the worst Raiders home loss. The San Diego Chargers thrashed the host Raiders 55-21 in 1981.
Favre completes 15 of 18 passes for a career-best 311 yards and the aforementioned four TDs in the first half as the Packers build a commanding 31-7 advantage. On the Packers' opening two drives, Favre is 6-for-6 passing for 127 yards and two TDs.
With his second touchdown pass of the first quarter (a 23-yarder to Javon Walker), Favre moves ahead of Fran Tarkenton into second place on the NFL's all-time list.
After Charlie Garner's 25-yard TD run narrows Oakland's deficit to 14-7, Green Bay scores 17 unanswered points in the second quarter. Ryan Longwell kicks a 31-yard field goal before Favre throws a 43-yard TD pass to Walker and a 6-yard scoring pass to tight end David Martin. Ahman Green scores on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter for Green Bay.
Playing its final home game of a dreadful season, Oakland flounders on offense and defense. The Raiders allow five sacks, cough up three turnovers and convert only three of 12 third-down attempts. Oakland's inept defense has no answers for the red-hot Favre, who engineers five scoring drives in six first-half possessions.
As they leave the field at halftime, the Raiders hear boos from the Coliseum crowd.
"It's been a long season," wide receiver Jerry Rice tells reporters after the Raiders suffer their fourth straight loss to the Packers. "Things were just not happening."
Adds cornerback Charles Woodson, "We are embarrassed. It's going to be tough to think back on this game for a long time."
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
QB Brett Favre - Completes his first six passes and 12 of his first 13 attempts on his way to a four-touchdown performance in the opening half. Favre finishes with 22 completions in 30 attempts for 399 yards for a near-perfect 154.9 passer rating.
WR Javon Walker - Has 124 receiving yards (a whopping 31.0 yards per catch) on four catches, all in the first half. Walker torches CB Phillip Buchanon for two first-half touchdowns.
DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila - Has three sacks, pushing his season total to 10. Gbaja-Biamila is the first player in Packers history to record double-digit sacks in three consecutive seasons.
RB Ahman Green - Contributes 127 rushing yards and one TD on 24 carries.
K Ryan Longwell - Is 2-for-2 on field goal attempts of 32 and 27 yards. With 10 points against Oakland, Longwell (829 points) moves ahead of Don Huston (823) as Green Bay's career leading scorer.
WR Jerry Rice - Has 159 receiving yards on 10 catches (both season highs), but only three of those receptions (for 49 yards) come in the first half when the contest is remotely competitive.
RB Charlie Garner - Scores on a spinning 25-yard run late in the first quarter, but he also drops a couple of passes.
OT Lincoln Kennedy - After playing the final Raiders home game of his 11-year NFL career, the popular lineman walks to the front of the seating area and shakes hands with fans.
KEY STAT:
The Packers' Brett Favre is 6-for-6 passing for 127 yards and two TDs in the game's opening 10 minutes.
GOAT:
Raiders CB Phillip Buchanon. Before being benched at the start of the second half, Buchanon surrenders six completions for 164 yards and two TDs during the first half.
TURNING POINT:
The Packers score 17 unanswered points in the second quarter to build a 31-7 advantage.
BY THE NUMBERS:
4: Consecutive Packers victories over the Raiders since 1990.
164: Passing yards surrendered by Raiders CB Phillip Buchanon on six completions during the first half.
158.3: Brett Favre's first-half passer rating on 15-of-18 passing for 311 yards and four TDs.
548: Total yards by Green Bay, which averages 8.1 yards per play and 13.3 yards per pass attempt.
THEY SAID IT:
Packers QB Brett Favre
"I knew that my dad would have wanted me to play. I love him so much, and I love this game. It's meant a great deal to me, to my dad, to my family, and I didn't expect this kind of performance. But I know he was watching tonight."
"That's a nightmare game. That game will stick with me for a while."
Raiders CB Phillip Buchanon
"I just went around to the people left in the stands when it was over and thanked them for coming out. They have been a big reason for my success."
Raiders OT Lincoln Kennedy
DID YOU KNOW?:
With seven touchdown passes in the past two games, the Packers' Brett Favre has 345 career TD passes, second in league history list behind Dan Marino's 420. With two TD passes in the first quarter against the Raiders, Favre moves ahead of Fran Tarkenton, who has 342 TD passes.
Packers QB Brett Favre (4) attempts
one of his30 passes as Raiders LB Eric Barton (50) pursues.
