Chargers rout Jets, Favre leaves with ankle sprain

The San Diego Chargers were desperate to avoid a 0-3 start after opening the season with two losses by a combined three points. The New York Jets and Brett Favre were essentially in the wrong place at the wrong time, and as a result were rolled up by the Chargers on Monday Night Football losing 48-29. There were some nervous moments for Jets fans late in the game when Brett Favre limped off the field with a sprained ankle, but the prognosis is favorable that he’ll be able to start on Sunday.

The Jets scored first, as David Barrett intercepted Phillip Rivers and brought the ball back 25 yards the other way for a TD. The Chargers and Rivers then put up 17 unanswered points on a Nate Kaeding FG, a Rivers TD pass and an interception return TD of their own by Antonio Cromartie. Favre and the Jets answered quickly with a TD pass to Laveranues Coles to cut the deficit to 17-14. The rest of the 2nd quarter was all San Diego, and two more Rivers TD passes put his team up 31-14 at the break.

The Chargers extended their lead with LT’s 3rd quarter rushing TD and then held off a furious rally by the Jets in the 4th. The Jets scored 17 points in the final quarter on two Favre TD passes and a FG but were unable to cut into the lead as the Chargers answered with another LT rushing TD and a FG.

Favre rolled his ankle early in the third quarter, but stayed in the game until he was replaced by Kellen Clemens with just over two minutes remaining. Favre was noticeably limping after the game and on Tuesday morning, but X-rays were negative and Jets’ coach Eric Mangini expects him to start on Sunday against Arizona:

"It's just understanding him and I think we have a good plan in place whenever guys get injured, so I feel pretty comfortable with the process. And I know that if there's any way that he can play, he'll definitely play."

Translation: Favre’s NFL record of 257 consecutive starts is on the line, so barring an amputation he’ll be under center on Sunday.