CHICAGO, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Brett Favre passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns Sunday to lead Green Bay to its eighth straight win in Chicago, a 20-12 victory over the Bears that moved the Packers into a tie for first place in the NFC Central.
Favre cooled off the Bears (6-2), who were riding a six-game winning streak and coming off a pair of amazing come-from-behind overtime victories over San Francisco and Cleveland.
A three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, Favre is 9-1 in 10 career starts here and his 38 touchdown passes against the Bears are his most against any team. In his only loss here in 1993, Favre threw for a career-high 402 yards.
Overall, the Packers (6-2) have won 13 of the last 15 meetings from the Bears.
Favre, who completed 19 of 32 passes, hit Bill Schroeder with a 41-yard touchdown late in the second quarter and connected with Antonio Freeman on a nine-yard scoring play in the third period, staking the Packers to a 17-9 lead.
Schroeder returned after missing one game with a sprained ankle and had four catches for 100 yards.
Chicago failed to reach the end zone, settling for four field goals by Paul Edinger.
The Bears reached the Green Bay 15 in the final minute, but a bid for a third straight fourth-quarter rally fizzled when running back James Allen dropped a short pass near the first-down marker on a fourth and four play with 39 seconds left.
Last week, the Bears scored two touchdowns in the last 28 seconds of regulation before Mike Brown scored on a 16-yard interception in overtime.
Brown scored on a 33-yard interception return 16 seconds into overtime in a 37-31 win over San Francisco on Oct. 28. In that game, the Bears rallied from a 19-point, second-half deficit.
Quarterback Shane Matthews orchestrated both of those rallies, but Bears coach Dick Jauron opted Sunday to start quarterback Jim Miller, who suffered a hip pointer Oct. 28 against San Francisco. Miller completed 28 of 47 passes for 201 yards.
Green Bay geared its defense to stopping Anthony Thomas and held the rookie back to just 45 yards on 22 carries. He had rushed for 411 yards in his previous three games.
Meanwhile, Green Bay's Ahman Green rushed for 93 yards on just 18 carries.
Chicago dominated the first quarter, controlling the ball for 11:19 and outgaining the Packers, 67-29. But the Bears had just a 6-0 lead.
Thomas was a prominent figure on Chicago's game-opening 14-play, 55-yard drive, gaining 12 yards on a sweep and catching a 14-yard screen. After consuming the ball for nearly eight minutes, Edinger kicked a 37-yard field goal.
Brown made a leaping interception at the Green Bay 41 to help set up Edinger's second field goal -- a 47-yarder with 1:27 left in the quarter. Favre rolled to his left, surveyed his receivers, shifted to his right, attempted a pump fake and then overthrew running back Dorsey Levens as Brown swooped in for his fourth interception of the season.
Favre completed just three of seven passes for 26 yards with an interception on Green Bay's first three possessions before settling down.
The Packers took advantage of a turnover to score their first points -- a 40-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell -- with 9:33 remaining in the half. Packers middle linebacker Bernardo Harris recovered a fumble by fullback Daimon Shelton at the Chicago 46 to help set up the field goal.
Green Bay threatened again on its next possession as Favre hit Schroeder and Freeman with passes of 17 and 15 yards. On a third and nine play, Favre connected with Freeman on a 13-yard pass to the Chicago 15. But on the ensuing play, Green had the ball stripped away by defensive tackle Keith Traylor and Ted Washington recovered for the Bears.
After three running plays by Thomas netted just two yards, the Bears were forced to punt and the Packers took over at their own 46. Favre hit rookie tight end David Martin with a five-yard pass on a third-down play to keep the drive alive before lofting a 41-yard touchdown into the left corner of the end zone to Schroeder, who made a leaping catch with 45 seconds left in the half. After cornerback Walt Harris let Schroeder get by him, safety Tony Parrish was late coming over in deep coverage and Favre took advantage of it.
There was enough time for the Bears to drive 40 yards in seven plays, highlighted by an 18-yard pass from Leon Johnson to Marty Booker on a halfback option to the Green Bay 24. Edinger kicked his third field goal of the game, a 38-yarder as time expired that pulled the Bears within 10-9.
The Packers seized the momentum in the third quarter with an eight-play, 74-yard drive which resulted in Favre's touchdown pass to Freeman. Favre connected with Schroeder twice on passes of 23 and 19 yards and hit fullback William Henderson with a 14-yard pass to the Chicago nine.
Two plays later, Favre rolled to his left and drilled a nine-yard touchdown to Freeman, who caught the ball in front of cornerback R.W. McQuarters with 7:05 left in the third quarter. It was the 55th career touchdown from Favre to Freeman.
Kevin Williams returned the ensuing kickoff to the Chicago 40 and Miller completed passes of 20 yards to Thomas and 12 yards to tight end Fred Baxter to help set up a 41-yard field goal by Edinger with 3:58 remaining in the quarter.
Favre engineered a 10-play, 68-yard drive to set up Longwell's second field goal -- a 31-yarder 5:50 into the fourth quarter to give the Packers a 20-12 advantage. Favre beat a blitz and hit Freeman with a 31-yard pass on third and 13 to keep the drive alive and connected with Henderson on a 24-yarder to the Chicago 14.
