Boller, Ravens lay waste to Packers
Brett Favre shuffled off the field, a yellow parka pulled over his bowed head. He ignored the shouts of the people around him, many imploring the dejected quarterback to return next season.
At the other end of the field, a smiling Kyle Boller cheerfully gave an interview following his most effective game as a pro.
Boller put on a dazzling performance on a national stage, throwing three touchdown passes in leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 48-3 rout of the Green Bay Packers on Monday night at Baltimore.
Years from now, Boller won’t care that the game meant nothing. He will remember that he outplayed Favre.
Boller was 19 of 27 for 253 yards before leaving with 8 minutes to go. There’s still no guarantee he will return as the starter next year, but for one night he looked like a No. 1 draft pick.
“It was a really good win,” Boller said. “My teammates, my guys, they allowed me to do that.”
It was the low point of an awful season for the Packers (3-11), who absorbed their most lopsided loss since a 61-7 defeat at Chicago in 1980.
“It was tough to watch any part of that game,” Green Bay coach Mike Sherman said. “We didn’t execute in any phase.”
Certainly not on defense. The Ravens, who topped the 20-point mark only once earlier this season, had 24 by halftime.
Boller showed poise in the pocket, was accurate with his throws and didn’t commit a turnover. Unfortunately for the Ravens (5-9), his solid performance, which produced a franchise record for points, came far too late to salvage a season that long ago turned sour.
Favre was 14 of 29 for 144 yards and two interceptions before being replaced by Aaron Rodgers late in the third quarter.
“I thought it was time to take him out of the game,” Sherman said. “It was getting out of hand.”
Favre’s two interceptions gave him a career-high 24 for the season, and it marked the first time in his illustrious career that he has gone three straight starts without a touchdown pass. One of the interceptions was by Deion Sanders, the 53rd of his career.
Favre refused to talk to the media after the game.
Green Bay played the final three quarters without running back Samkon Gado, who left with a knee injury after gaining 45 yards on six carries.
Todd Heap caught nine passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns. The fifth-year tight end has 2,841 career yards receiving, breaking the team mark held by Qadry Ismail.
Jamal Lewis ran for 105 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens, who are 5-2 at home and winless on the road.
Grossman back as Bears starter
Rex Grossman’s rescue effort elevated him back to starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears.
Grossman, who replaced struggling rookie Kyle Orton in the second half Sunday night and led the Bears to a 16-3 win over the Atlanta Falcons, will start at Green Bay when Chicago can clinch the NFC North.
“He was our starter before he went down and we have a lot of faith in him. We think he gives us our best chance to win,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said in announcing the switch.
Browns’ Faine done for season
Cleveland Browns center Jeff Faine will miss the final two games of the season after tearing his right biceps against the Oakland Raiders.
Coach Romeo Crennel said that Faine, who started the first 14 games, might need surgery. The Browns are expected to place Faine on injured reserve, where he has finished each of his three seasons.