Bears and Packers in NFL spotlight

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The Green Bay Packers, who recorded a season sweep last year, Monday night will play the arch-rival Chicago Bears in the weekly NFL Monday night special.

In his career, Favre is 16-4 overall against the historic series. His 38 touchdowns against Chicago is the most versus any NFL team.

Last season, the Packers swept both games with the Bears -- 20-12 at Chicago on Nov. 11, and 17-7 on Dec. 9. Favre passed for 475 yards and three touchdowns and has won 14 of the last 16 meetings.

Ahman Green provided Green Bay with a solid running game, rushing for 218 yards in the sweep, while the Packers held Chicago's Anthony Thomas to 99 yards on 37 carries.

On Monday, Favre will face a defense that is missing four starters because of injuries.

Weakside linebacker Warrick Holdman, the Bears' second-leading tackler in 2001, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery last Monday to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. Holdman sustained the injury in the first quarter of last week's 33-27 overtime loss to Buffalo.

Mike Caldwell, a 10-year veteran who started all 16 games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season and signed with the Bears as a free agent, will replace Holdman.

Defensive tackle Ted Washington will miss the next 10 weeks with a torn ligament in his left foot and hairline fracture of his left leg. Defensive end Phillip Daniels suffered a sprained left ankle and cornerback R.W. McQuarters a sprained MCL in his left knee in the Bears' season opener. Both are expected back sometime last this month.

The Packers escaped with a 17-14 win over the Carolina Panthers last week.

Favre, a three-time NFL MVP, can achieve a personal milestones in the game. In his 166th career game, he can become the third-fastest quarterback ever to reach 40,000 passing yards with 262 more yards. Dan Marino is first with 153 games and Warren Moon second with 165 games. Also, Favre is five touchdown passes shy of becoming the fourth quarterback in history to reach 300.

Chicago leads the series, 83-73-6, but the Packers have won 16 of the last 19 meetings since 1992.