Brett Favre jumps into the arms of teammate Antonio Freeman after throwing a touchdown pass to the Packer's Bubba Franks. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        GREEN BAY, Wis. — Brett Favre's teammates can rile him. Other times, it's opponents.

        Both got him mad Monday night, when he rallied the Green Bay Packers past Jacksonville 28-21, setting up a showdown with Chicago for the NFC Central lead next weekend.

        Favre's competitive fires were stoked by another sluggish start by the Packers (8-3) and more missed chances. He screamed on his sideline and jawed with the Jaguars.

        “I'm getting too old to be jawing with those guys,” said Favre, who's 32. “But I got a little life left in me.”

        Enough to cap a 21-point comeback by scoring himself on a 6-yard bootleg, his first rushing touchdown in three seasons.

        Favre's fury has been on display for three straight weeks.

        After the favored Packers lost to Atlanta 23-20 at Lambeau Field, he accused some of his teammates of not coming to play.

        He didn't name names, but all three of his interceptions were intended for Bill Schroeder, who altered his route on the first interception, failed to come back along the sideline on the second and slowed down on his route to the end zone on a pass that was picked off by Ashley Ambrose at the Falcons 2 with 1:08 remaining.

        “I don't want to say he came up and apologized because that sound like fifth grade. But he said it won't happen again. And I wouldn't expect it to,” Favre said.

        At Detroit on Thanksgiving, Favre started out slowly until a takedown and headbutt in the second quarter infuriated him.

        Defensive end Robert Porcher hogtied Favre after he unloaded a pass and Favre pushed Porcher to the ground, got up and exchanged words with linebacker Barrett Green, who head butted Favre.

        Favre pushed Green in the face mask and the two had to be separated.

        Although Favre denied it had anything to do with improving his play on the field, he was more focused afterward, and he finished with his most efficient game ever in the Silverdome, his personal house of horrors.

        “That didn't get me going,” Favre insisted. “I was ready to play to start with.”

        On Monday night, Favre was enraged by the Packers' blown chances in the first half, none bigger than Schroeder's drop of what would have been a 75-yard touchdown pass. And he was mad when no flag was thrown when his receiver was clobbered on a third-down pass play in the third quarter.

        Favre really got upset when Tony Brackens beat left tackle Chad Clifton and sacked him, forcing a fumble that Ainsley Battles returned for a 60-yard touchdown and a 21-7 Jacksonville lead.

        Favre gathered his teammates together.

        “I kept telling the guys in the huddle, make a play, you know? Anyone can drop 'em, anyone can miss a block, anyone can miss a throw. And in that situation we were down, I don't know if many people expected us to come back.

        “At least I touch the ball every play. Some guys don't. And if I didn't touch the ball every play, when I got a chance, I sure would love to do something with it.”

        Favre turned to his trusty fastballs that break opponents' resolve and receivers' fingers alike. He hit Schroeder in stride with a 43-yard zinger that made it 21-14, then went to the sideline hollering again.

        “It probably wasn't anything PG-13, but one thing about me during the course of a game, I get emotional and say things my grandmother lets me know about later,” Favre said. “But nobody wants to win on that field anymore than I do, no one.”

        His message this time?

        “If we want it bad enough, it's there right in front of us. And what better place to do it, "Monday Night Football,' in front of the whole world? Some guys want it in that situation. Some guys don't,” Favre said. “That doesn't guarantee I'm going to go out and play well, but I was going to give them everything I had and I just wanted my guys to know that.”

        Torrance Marshall recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and Favre threw a 29-yard dart to Antonio Freeman that set up a 1-yard TD toss to Bubba Franks that tied it at 21.

        Then, after a 42-yard screen pass to Ahman Green, Favre surprised everybody by taking it in himself for the winning score with 90 seconds left.

        “Things like that are the reason he's going to be where he's going to be when he retires,” Green said. “In Canton.”

        Temper and all.

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