Vikings pack it in

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Green Bay Packers' playoff hopes are still slim, but they overcame long odds Sunday to remain in contention.

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Brett Favre threw three touchdown passes as the Packers beat Minnesota 33-28 Sunday, snapping the Vikings' 13-game home win streak and damaging their bid for home-field advantage through the playoffs.

Ahman Green rushed for a career-high 161 yards on 26 carries for the Packers (8-7), who must beat Tampa Bay next Sunday to have a chance at reaching the playoffs. It was his first game at the Metrodome.

"Everybody was telling me how loud it is and how they get tired of hearing that horn go off," said Green, who has 1,101 yards rushing. "I'm the type of guy who likes to see for himself. The crowd was a factor, but we stayed poised."

Green's biggest run might have come on the Packers' final drive.

The Vikings had pulled within 33-28 on Cris Carter's 5-yard touchdown pass from Daunte Culpepper with 2:38 remaining, and they needed a stop from their defense to get the ball back.

Instead, Green rushed for 16 yards on first down and the Packers ran the clock out for only their second victory at the Metrodome in nine seasons.

"As disappointed as I've been here in the past," Favre said, "it's an awesome feeling today."

Robert Smith, the NFC's leading rusher, was held to 26 yards on 10 carries. The Packers also forced a pair of turnovers.

"We concentrated on stopping the run," Packers defensive lineman Russell Maryland said. "We made up our minds that we were going to play in their backfield. Last time, they blew us off the ball."

The Vikings (11-4), who lost 40-29 last week at St. Louis, could have clinched home-field advantage with a victory. Now they need some help to stay home for the NFC playoffs.

"The only thing I'm concerned about is that we haven't played well in the last two games," Vikings coach Dennis Green said. "That's two games in a row that we have been held to less than 100 yards rushing, and we've won 11 games by running the football."

The Vikings pulled within 23-21 in the third quarter on Culpepper's 22-yard touchdown pass to Johnny McWilliams. The Packers answered with Favre's third touchdown pass -- a 3-yarder to Bill Schroeder -- and Darren Sharper ended the Vikings' next drive with his league-leading ninth interception.

The interception set up Ryan Longwell's fourth field goal, a 36-yarder that increased the Packers' lead to 33-21.

The Vikings gave themselves a final chance with Carter's TD catch with 2:38 remaining, but Green helped the Packers run out the clock.

The Packers controlled the ball for more than two-thirds of the first half, which ended with them leading 20-14.

Favre led the Packers on drives of at least 60 yards on each of their first three possessions. The first drive ended with a 34-yard field goal by Longwell. On the next, Favre fired an 18-yard TD pass to Antonio Freeman for a 10-0 lead.

The Vikings, who had barely touched the ball until then, needed just one play to cut the Packers' lead to 10-7.

Culpepper absorbed a hit from Packers defensive end Vonnie Holiday and threw a pass nearly 50 yards downfield to Randy Moss, who had gotten free from Sharper. Moss cut toward the middle of the field and ran untouched the rest of the way, completing a 78-yard touchdown pass.

Following Moss' touchdown, the Packers drove the length of the field for a 6-yard touchdown pass from Favre to Green.

The Vikings nearly gave up a safety on their next possession, which included two false starts and an illegal pass. Culpepper avoided a safety by getting off a pass as he was being pulled down by defensive end John Thierry.

The next time the Vikings got the ball, Carter lost a fumble that was caused and recovered by LeRoy Butler. The recovery led to a 35-yard field goal by Longwell, giving the Packers a 20-7 lead.

The Vikings closed the gap again, to 20-14 as the half neared an end, with Culpepper scrambling for a 3-yard touchdown with 20 seconds remaining.

Notes: Moss reached 4,000 yards receiving for his career faster than any player in NFL history, doing so in 46 games. Jerry Rice needed 47 games to reach 4,000 yards. ... The Vikings broke a 49-year-old record with their 30th consecutive 300-yard game. The record was set by the Los Angeles Rams from 1949-51. ... Favre has 255 career touchdown passes, passing Dan Fouts for ninth all-time.

Vikings-Packers stats

Green Bay 10 10 3 10 -- 33

Minnesota 7 7 7 7 -- 28

First Quarter

GB--FG Longwell 34, 7:38.

GB--Freeman 18 pass from Favre (Longwell kick), 2:04.

Min--Moss 78 pass from Culpepper (Anderson kick), 1:36.

Second Quarter

GB--Green 6 pass from Favre (Longwell kick), 11:51.

GB--FG Longwell 35, 2:41.

Min--Culpepper 3 run (Anderson kick), :20.

Third Quarter

GB--FG Longwell 43, 8:39.

Min--McWilliams 22 pass from Culpepper (Anderson kick), 3:58.

Fourth Quarter

GB--Schroeder 3 pass from Favre (Longwell kick), 14:56.

GB--FG Longwell 36, 6:51.

Min--C.Carter 5 pass from Culpepper (Anderson kick), 2:38.

A--64,183.

GB Min

First downs 28 19

Rushes-yards 30-159 17-68

Passing 275 332

Punt Returns 2-13 0-0

Kickoff Returns 3-59 8-177

Interceptions Ret. 1-47 0-0

Comp-Att-Int 26-38-0 23-38-1

Sacked-Yards Lost 2-15 1-3

Punts 1-53.0 3-48.7

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 2-1

Penalties-Yards 3-25 8-67

Time of Possession35:41 24:19

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Green Bay, Green 25-161, Parker 1-0, Favre 4-(minus 2). Minnesota, Culpepper 7-42, Smith 10-26.

PASSING--Green Bay, Favre 26-38-0-290. Minnesota, Culpepper 23-38-1-335.

RECEIVING--Green Bay, Schroeder 8-78, Freeman 6-97, Henderson 5-27, Green 4-31, T.Davis 1-41, Parker 1-10, Driver 1-6. Minnesota, C.Carter 7-91, Moss 4-136, Walsh 3-44, McWilliams 3-32, Smith 3-16, Kleinsasser 1-15, J.Davis 1-3, Palmer 1-(minus 2).

MISSED FIELD GOALS--None.