Favre reaches pair of QB milestones

Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

Brett Favre has become the first player in NFL history to throw 500 touchdown passes, connecting with Randy Moss late in the third quarter of the Minnesota Vikings’ game against the New York Jets on Monday night.

The game was delayed by a lightning storm for almost an hour, and was not completed in time for this edition.

On third-and-17 from the Jets 37, Favre reared back and lofted the ball perfectly into Moss’ hands in the back right corner of the end zone with 2:10 left in the third quarter to cut the Vikings’ deficit to 12-7.

Moss was acquired from New England last Wednesday.

Favre also became the first to reach 70,000 yards passing three plays earlier, when he connected with Percy Harvin for 22 yards. He needed 74 yards passing to reach the milestone, and had mostly struggled through three quarters.

At halftime, the New York Jets celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the team that pulled off the “Monday Night Miracle” against the Miami Dolphins 10 years ago.

Quarterback Vinny Testaverde, wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, offensive tackle Jumbo Elliott and kicker John Hall were among the players — wearing their Jets jerseys — honored at halftime of New York’s game against Minnesota on Monday night.

The Jets trailed the Dolphins 30-7 after three quarters at the old Giants Stadium on Oct. 23, 2000, before storming back and winning 40-37 in overtime.

Testaverde spoke for his teammates, and rattled off some of the more memorable plays from that night — including the tying touchdown catch by “the sure-handed Jumbo Elliott.”

In the first half, Nick Folk kicked three field goals to give the Jets a 9-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Folk connected from 53 yards with 5:29 remaining, and from 22 yards with 17 seconds left in the defensive battle on the rain-soaked field.

Minnesota had 52 yards of total offense in the half as Favre, in his first game against one of his former teams this season, was 3 for 7 for 31 yards. Moss had one catch for 7 yards.

New York had 206 yards in the half, but could not find the end zone.

Mark Sanchez was 13 for 26 for 139 yards while LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 10 times for 61 yards.