GREEN BAY, Wis., Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Brett Favre picked apart the NFL's top defense with three touchdowns passes Sunday and the Green Bay Packers forced four turnovers en route to a 31-23 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore coach Brian Billick said prior to the game that since he took over the team in 1998, the Ravens' record-setting defense had not faced a quarterback as talented as Favre.
Favre proved Billick right, throwing touchdown passes of two and eight yards in the first half in helping the Packers (4-1) build a 17-7 lead against the defending Super Bowl champions.
"We ran into a hot Brett Favre," Billick said. "When is he not hot? He showed it today."
Favre found tight end Bubba Franks from two yards in the fourth quarter to extended the lead to 31-10. Favre completed 24 of 37 passes for 337 yards and was not intercepted.
"It was our day in spite of their great defense," Favre said. "We made the plays we had to and they didn't."
"Unless other teams have a quarterback with the No. 4 on their back, there is no blueprint for victory against the Ravens," Green Bay coach Mike Sherman said.
Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker and Super Bowl XXXV MVP Ray Lewis also admitted Green Bay made the plays it had to.
"They threw the ball up and made plays. We didn't. We gave up big plays today," Lewis said. "They made them. It was just one of those days."
It was the most points the Ravens have allowed since they posted a 39-36 victory over Jacksonville in the second game of the 2000 season. Baltimore came into this contest having not allowed a touchdown in its seven previous quarters.
While the Ravens (3-2) may have their record-setting defense and came into the contest ranked first overall this season, the Packers outplayed Baltimore on that side of the ball.
Green Bay, which was ranked second overall in defense and had allowed just 27 points in four games, intercepted Ravens quarterback Elvis Grbac twice and also recovered a pair of fumbles.
Jason Brookins and backup quarterback Randall Cunningham each ran for touchdowns in the final 2:56 of the contest for the Ravens to make the final score respectable.
It was the Ravens' defense that struck the first blow of the day after safety Corey Harris recovered a fumble by running back Ahman Green at the Baltimore 36.
Baltimore capitalized on the early miscue, moving 64 yards in four plays. Grbac made the big play of the drive, finding Qadry Ismail for 47 yards on third and 11 that moved the ball to the Green Bay 18.
On the next play, Grbac found Travis Taylor wide open in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown after cornerback Mike McKenzie fell down.
Green Bay's defense also came up with a big play later in the first quarter.
With the Ravens driving, fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo fumbled and tackle Cletidus Hunt, who was playing for the first time this season after being suspended for the first four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, recovered at the Green Bay 41.
Favre made the Ravens pay for that miscue, completing all six of his passes on a nine-play, 59-yard drive. He capped the march five seconds into the second quarter by finding Franks from the two-yard line, tying it at 7-7.
The touchdown was the first points the Ravens had allowed in the second quarter this season.
A miscue by the Ravens defense led to the go-ahead score later in the second quarter after cornerback Chris McAlister was called for a 27-yard interference penalty that gave the Packers the ball at the Baltimore 21.
But the Ravens' defense buckled and Ryan Longwell came on and kicked a 33-yard field goal, giving Green Bay a 10-7 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the half.
McKenzie atoned for his earlier mistake, helping stall a Baltimore drive by intercepting Grbac inside the Packers' 25 with under two minutes left in the first half.
Sparked by that turnover, the Packers' offense went to work with a six-play, 74-yard drive.
Favre made the biggest play of the drive, finding speedster Cory Bradford for 47 yards down the left sideline. He also had a 13-yard connection to Antonio Freeman that moved the ball to the Ravens' 13.
Favre capped the march, using a pump fake before finding Freeman open in the end zone from eight yards, making it 17-7 with two seconds left in the half. Favre completed 18 of 23 during the first two periods for 198 yards.
"We tried to spread them out (receivers)," Favre said. "That puts more pressure on the quarterback to decide among five receivers and to keep picking different guys."
"He (Favre) played all over our defense," Ravens safety Rod Woodson said. "When he scrambles, he gets the ball out there. He is a great quarterback. He finds the open man."
Freeman, who had just nine catches in the first four games and was critical of his role in the offense, had his best game of the season. He matched his catch total for the season and finished with 138 yards.
"I defended Freeman during the week, not that he needed it, but he just wants to be more involved," Favre said.
Jermaine Lewis made a big play of special teams for the Ravens in the third quarter, returning a punt 37 yards to the Green Bay 37. But the Packers' defense stiffened and Matt Stover came on to kick a 28-yard field goal.
Stover's kick gave him a field goal in 31 straight games, tying Fred Cox's NFL record. Cox accomplished the feat from 1968-70 with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers responded to that score with the longest drive for a touchdown this season against Baltimore as they went 80 yards in eight plays.
Favre had a completion of 14 yards to Freeman and a 37-yard connection to Donald Driver on third and 10, putting the ball at the Baltimore 29.
Green, who was held in check by a defense that has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 41 games, broke off a 19-yard run on third and 10 that moved the ball inside the Baltimore 10.
"It was one of the plays we've been running all year," Green said. "It was a counter play where you have to read it slow. I read it slow. I was patient, the blocks were made and we stuck it up field."
Two plays later, Green barrelled into the end zone from one yard out, giving the Packers a 24-10 advantage with 42 seconds left in the third quarter. Green carried 20 times for 54 yards.
The longest previous drive for a touchdown against the Ravens this had been 34 yards by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Green Bay went even longer on its first drive of the fourth quarter, going 82 yards in seven plays. Favre capped the march with a two-yard touchdown pass to Franks, extending the lead to 31-10.
With the game out of reach, the Ravens got a one-yard from Brookins with 2:56 left and an 11-yard run from Cunningham with 38 seconds to play.
Cunningham came in during the fourth quarter to replace Grbac, who went 11 of 21 for 138 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Cunningham was five of 10 for 70 yards.
Terry Allen led the ground game for the Ravens, gaining 75 yards on 18 attempts.
