"It's hard to do," Favre said, "and I tip my hat to [Marshall]. At his position, it was harder. You get hit on every play. I can hand off and watch sometimes."

But Favre didn't do much watching Sunday, throwing the ball 48 times for 392 yards and three touchdowns.

Favre threw a season-high 51 passes in Minnesota's only loss, at Pittsburgh in October. But his 392 yards were his most since a 399-yard game against Oakland in 2003. That came with the Green Bay Packers. His best previous game for the Vikings was a 344-yard effort against Detroit this month.

"I didn't come here just to hand off," Favre mused.

But Favre hasn't had to throw much as the Vikings have carved out a 10-1 record. With NFL rushing champion Adrian Peterson sharing the backfield and an elite defense sharing the spotlight, Favre was been able to spend much of the fall as an offensive spectator.

Before the Bears came to town, Favre had gone three consecutive games without throwing as many as 30 passes. He only threw 30 or more in three of Minnesota's first 10 games. This from a player who averaged almost 35 passes per game in his 19-year career.

But the Bears were inviting him to throw Sunday.

"They were determined to stop our run," Favre said. "We had a lot of run-pass options, and if they have too many [defenders] in the box, you throw it."

Favre threw on his first two snaps of the game and seven of the first nine. He threw 31 passes by halftime, as the Vikings built a 24-7 lead. Those included touchdown passes of 15 yards to wide receiver Percy Harvin, 10 yards to running back Chester Taylor and 6 to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Favre opened the second half with three consecutive passes and five in the first six plays. He would have collected his first 400-yard game since 1993, but had four passes dropped.

rgosselin@dallasnews.com

IN THE HUDDLE

Observations from Week 12

*Vince Young squared off against Matt Leinart for the first time in almost four years Sunday. Nothing's changed - Young and his team are still three points better. Young and his Texas Longhorns toppled Leinart and his Southern Cal Trojans, 41-38, for the BCS title in January 2006. In their rematch in the NFL, Young and his Tennessee Titans toppled Leinart and his Arizona Cardinals, 20-17. Young passed for a career-best 387 yards and a touchdown Sunday, Leinart for 220 yards and no scores.

*Peyton Manning threw two interceptions against Houston - the third consecutive game he has thrown at least two interceptions. You have to go all the way back to the first three games of the 2001 season to find the last time Manning threw at least two interceptions in three consecutive games.

*For the second time in three weeks, the Colts overcame a 17-point deficit to stay unbeaten. Indianapolis trailed New England by 17 in the fourth quarter two weekends ago and trailed Houston by 17 in the second quarter Sunday on the way to a 35-27 triumph.

*Ryan Fitzpatrick's 31-yard touchdown run in Buffalo's victory over Miami was the longest of the season by a quarterback. The longest run by a quarterback this season was a 35-yard non-scoring jaunt by Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers. Fitzpatrick's previous long run was a mere 7 yards.

*The Atlanta Falcons lost their quarterback and their Pro Bowl running back, but they didn't lose the game. QB Matt Ryan left in the first quarter with a toe injury and RB Michael Turner left in the third with a sprained ankle, but backup QB Chris Redman delivered a 20-17 come-from-behind victory, passing for 243 yards and two TDs.

*With Cedric Benson nursing a hip injury, Cincinnati signed former AFC rushing champion Larry Johnson two weeks ago as an insurance policy. He paid his first dividend Sunday, rushing 22 times for 107 yards in a victory over Cleveland. It was Johnson's first 100-yard rushing game since last December against Miami as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

*When Philadelphia WR DeSean Jackson scored a 35-yard touchdown against Washington, it was the shortest of his eight touchdowns this season. He has scored six TDs through the air, one on the ground and one on a punt return.

*Carolina QB Jake Delhomme suffered his second four-interception game of the season Sunday against the New York Jets. The Panthers lost both games. Delhomme also threw four in the opener against Philadelphia.

*NFL rushing leader Chris Johnson of Tennessee Titans scored on an 85-yard run against Arizona - his third touchdown of 80 yards or more this season. That's a career for most NFL running backs. Emmitt Smith's longest touchdown run was a 75-yarder.

NFC East

Eagles hot on Cowboys' heels

Circle Jan. 3 on your calendar.

It appears the NFC East will be decided that day when the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Cowboys . That became obvious with Philadelphia's victory over Washington on Sunday and New York's stunning loss to Denver on Thanksgiving.

The Cowboys lead the division at 8-3, with the 7-4 Eagles a game back with five to play. The Giants are two games back at 6-5 and sliding into December with five losses in their last six games.

The Eagles barely got to seven victories Sunday, rallying in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive week. This time they fought back from an eight-point deficit to beat the injury-ravaged Redskins, 27-24, on a late 32-yard field goal by David Akers.

"Any win in the National Football League is a good win," Eagles coach Andy Reid said.

The Eagles have road games remaining against Atlanta, the Giants and Cowboys , plus home dates with Denver and San Francisco. The Cowboys also play three road games - New Orleans, the Giants and the Redskins - and two at home, against San Diego and the Eagles.

The Cowboys have the tougher road. Their opponents have a combined 34-20 record, including division leaders New Orleans and San Diego. The Eagles close against teams with a combined record of 32-23, including one first-place team - Dallas.

But the Eagles aren't thinking Cowboys . They aren't even thinking playoffs. Reid won't let them.

"Right now we're shooting for the Atlanta Falcons," Reid said of Philadelphia's next opponent. "If you don't take care of business every week and focus in on that... If you worry about all that other stuff, then you have problems."

RANKINGS

Rk., Team Prev.

1. Indianapolis 1

2. New Orleans 2

3. Minn. 3

Brett Favre's three touchdown passes against the Bears made him the first player in NFL history to produce 500 career TDs. He's at 502, with 488 passing and 124 rushing. Dan Marino is next with 429.

4. San Diego 4

5. New England 5

6. Cincinnati 7

7. G. Bay 8

With five takeaways against Detroit, the Packers rank second in forcing turnovers. Green Bay has 19 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries. Only New Orleans (29) has more takeaways.

8. Dallas 9

9. Philadelphia 11

10. Denver 14

11. Arizona 6

12. Baltimore 18

13. Atlanta 17

It doesn't matter who the quarterback is. Tight end Tony Gonzalez remains the go-to guy. When Matt Ryan left in the first quarter with a toe injury Sunday, backup Chris Redman completed nine passes to Gonzalez for 83 yards.

14. Pittsburgh 12

15. Jacksonville 13

16. NY Giants 10

17. Tennessee 19

18. San Francisco 22

19. NY Jets 23

20. Houston 15

21. Miami 16

22. Buff. 29

Halfback Fred Jackson rushed for two touchdowns and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick another as the Bills gave interim coach Perry Fewell his first NFL victory, ending a three-game losing streak.

23. Seattle 27

24. Chicago 20

25. Carolina 21

26. Kansas City 24

27. Oakland 25

28. Wash. 26

Jim Zorn has done some of his best coaching against the longest odds. His Redskins scared the Cowboys and Eagles the last two weeks despite the absence of Pro Bowl RB Clinton Portis and $100 million DT Albert Haynesworth.

29. Detroit 28

30. St. Louis 30

31. Tampa Bay 31

32. Cleveland 32