Quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for December, the NFL announced Wednesday.
Favre led the Packers to a perfect 4-0 month, defeating opponents by an average of 23 points per game, as Green Bay clinched its second consecutive NFC North division championship. Favre guided the club's red-hot offense to 144 points in December and 442 in 2003, fourth-most in the NFL.
The Kiln, Mississippi native completed 79 of 117 attempts for 1,003 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions, finishing December with a 111.9 passer rating. Favre's 10 scoring strikes gave him an NFL-leading 32 touchdown passes, joining Johnny Unitas, Len Dawson and Steve Young as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to lead the league four times.
Favre twice had games of four touchdown passes in the month, including an inspiring performance in a 41-7 road-win over the Oakland Raiders on December 22. One day after the death of his father and high school football coach, Irvin Favre, the Packers' quarterback completed 22 of 30 attempts for 399 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 154.9 passer rating, the best of his career.
Favre also tossed four touchdowns in a 38-21 triumph against the San Diego Chargers on December 14, completing 22 of 33 attempts for 278 yards. The strong-armed passer has thrown a touchdown pass in 25 consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history.
"This team is going into the playoffs with a better mind-set than last year's team," Favre said. "To overcome the Jets loss last year was tough. But this team is feeling good and it would have been a shame to miss the playoffs because of the way we're feeling and playing right now."
In his 13th season from Southern Mississippi, this is Favre's fourth-career Player of the Month Award and first since September 1999.
2003 NFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
September
QB Daunte Culpepper, Minn.
DE Mike Rucker, Car.
K Jeff Wilkins, StL.
October
WR Torry Holt, StL.
LB Mark Simoneau, Phil.
K John Kasay, Car.
November
QB Donovan McNabb, Phil.
S Adam Archuleta, StL.
K Jason Hanson, Det.
December
QB Brett Favre, GB
DE Grant Wistrom, StL.
K Jeff Wilkins, StL.
