Favre leads five sraight TD drives

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- The Green Bay Packers were more concerned about winning than who was coaching against them.

With former coach Mike Holmgren on the other side of the field running the Seahawks, Brett Favre threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns and Ahman Green added 118 yards and two scores as the Packers routed Seattle 35-13 on Sunday.

Allen's Analysis

Question on the Seahawks: What happened to this new and improved defense today? This is a good defense, but today they weren't able to force turnovers. Coming in to this game the 'Hawks were able to take advantage of turnovers, but today that didn't happen. Question on the Packers: Have the Packers overcome their woes or is it to early to say? It's still too early. It's still just Week 5, but the Packers definitely played much better. They didn't allow the opportunistic Seahawks' defense to take advantage of their mistakes. Eric Allen played cornerback for 14 NFL seasons with the Eagles, Saints and Raiders.

"This was a great victory for the Green Bay Packers, not Mike Sherman," Packers coach Mike Sherman said. "It doesn't really matter who was on the other side of the ball."

Favre, who guided the Packers on five straight touchdown drives, said he took no extra delight in beating his old tutor.

"No, maybe in '99, but we needed this game for a lot of reasons, not who was on the other sideline," Favre said.

In Holmgren's first return to Lambeau Field in 1999, Favre had six turnovers in a 27-7 loss to the Seahawks.

Green, traded by Holmgren for fumbling too much, was just happy to get another chance with the Packers.

"It was a business deal. I consider it a blessing," Green said. "Coach Sherman and the Packers gave me an opportunity. It's been a work in progress ever since."

Green topped 100 yards for the third time this season and has scored seven TDs.

However, Green Bay's Mike Flanagan said the win was extra satisfying, no matter what his coach and teammates say.

"It definitely means something to them. It was personal," Flanagan said. "You know, there's that 'Did Mike make Brett or did Brett make Mike?' Obviously, Ahman, they thought he was expendable. All that stuff, it makes it personal. Maybe they won't say it, but it is."

The Packers improved to 3-2, while the Seahawks lost for the first time after starting the season with three wins.

Shaun Alexander gained 102 yards on 20 carries for the Seahawks, but Cletidus Hunt stripped him of the ball on Seattle's first series and that led a Green Bay touchdown.

The Packers scored on their last three possessions of the first half to take a 21-13 halftime lead, then defensive coordinator Ed Donatell blitzed former Favre backup Matt Hasselbeck silly in the second half, when the Seahawks committed several costly penalties and lost their cool while the Packers' offense scored on both third-quarter drives.

Hasselbeck finished 23-of-39 for 225 yards with no TDs and one interception.

"It's tough to win when Brett Favre is having a Brett Favre day," Hasselbeck said.

In the third quarter, Tony Fisher ran 11 yards for a touchdown and William Henderson caught a 2-yard shovel pass from Favre for a 35-13 lead.

"We'll bounce back," Holmgren said. "But this is a tough one to lose because it's a special place for me."

After Alexander was stripped by Hunt on his third run and Marques Anderson, starting for injured safety Antuan Edwards, recovered at midfield, Favre found Donald Driver behind rookie cornerback Marcus Trufant for a 34-yard touchdown toss and a 7-0 lead.

Alexander scored from a yard out to tie it at 7, but Green scored on a 1-yard run to make it 14-7.

Green's second TD, from 3 yards out, made it 21-10 with 36 seconds left in the half. But Josh Brown kicked a 58-yard field goal -- the longest ever against the Packers -- as time expired to make it 21-13.

The Seahawks couldn't rattle Favre despite having Holmgren and former coach Ray Rhodes, who knows the Green Bay quarterback as well as anyone.

"A loss is a loss," Holmgren said. "But I have a lot of friends here and you want to do well in front of them. I didn't do so well today. Just like me wanting to impress my friends, I'm sure they wanted to play well against me."

Game notes
The Packers had several injuries on defense: Gilbert Brown (knee); Joe Johnson (triceps); Na'il Diggs (knee); Chukie Nwokorie (knee); and Paris Lenon (knee). OL Mike Wahle (knee) also got hurt. ... Favre passed Joe Montana for fifth place on the all-time victories list with 118. Up next is Johnny Unitas with 119. ... John Randle's 133rd sack moved him into sixth place all-time and ended Favre's career-best three-game streak without a sack.