Packers expect Favre to recover in time to face Oakland

Favre had a first-degree separation of the left shoulder Nov. 15, 1992, against Philadelphia. He was able to finish what was the seventh start of his streak and rallied the Packers to a 27-24 win.

McCarthy is optimistic the extended break between games will allow the league's only three-time MVP ample time to heal.

"Anytime you have a player go down in the game and you receive the news this morning that he'll be able to play in 10 days, that's a big sense of relief, especially when it's your quarterback," McCarthy said.

During his 16-year tenure in Green Bay, Favre hasn't finished seven games in the starting streak because of injury. He's always come back to play the next game.

Favre's more notable hasty recoveries include overcoming a bruised hip in 1994, a badly sprained ankle in 1995, a sprained right thumb in 1999, a sprained knee in 2002, a broken right thumb in 2003, and a concussion and a sprained right hand three weeks apart in 2004.

"He's a gamer. He's got the streak alive," Packers backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after the game Thursday. "So, you just get used to not taking any reps in practice and still preparing to play but knowing you're probably not going to get in."

The Packers have only two quarterbacks, with receiver Ruvell Martin the emergency backup.

McCarthy said Favre would have re-entered the game Thursday had something happened to Rodgers, who played well in relief the last two-plus quarters.

Rodgers directed two touchdown drives to rally the Packers from a 27-10 deficit to get within 27-24 in the third quarter.

After holding out injured defensive standouts Charles Woodson and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila to preserve them for the stretch run of the season, McCarthy hasn't ruled out giving Favre a game off against Oakland.

"That's something that we could talk about," McCarthy said. "But, we're less than 24 hours away from the actual injury. So, being on the long week, that's something we can talk about Tuesday or Wednesday."

Even Favre admitted Thursday night he can envision a game he doesn't start.

"Sure, I could. I hope this is not one of those times," he said. "I couldn't go back in the game (Thursday). Believe me, I wanted to. But, we have four days before we start back into a normal week. I anticipate being fine; I hope I am."