McNabb, Favre square-off Sunday

PHILADELPHIA -- They are two quarterbacks with a strong passion for the game, an unrelenting desire to win, a willingness to play through pain, inspiring their teammates through their leadership and courage.\nBrett Favre and Donovan McNabb took a similar road to Sunday's showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles (12-4) and Green Bay Packers (11-6), enduring a season filled with injuries, controversy and personal low points.\nFavre's Packers needed a miraculous final-second touchdown by Arizona against Minnesota just to get in the playoffs. McNabb's Eagles overcame an awful 0-2 start, and didn't secure the NFC's top seed until lowly Detroit upset St. Louis on the final day of the season.\nThe perennial Pro Bowl quarterbacks have much in common -- except their playing styles -- and they'll go at it again with a berth in the NFC championship game at stake.\n"To be on the same stage as Brett Favre is exciting for me," McNabb said. "But I'm not going to get caught up in the whole situation. I'm just going to go out and play my game like we did on Monday night (in November)."\nOn a rainy night at Lambeau Field two months ago, McNabb upstaged Favre, beating the three-time MVP at his own game in his own back yard. McNabb threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Todd Pinkston with 27 seconds left for a 17-14 victory.\nIt was reminiscent of many of Favre's comebacks. But McNabb realizes he has a long way to go to match Favre's accomplishments.\nFavre has been to two Super Bowls, winning one; is second to Dan Marino in career TD passes; and ranks among the career leaders in several other categories.\nMcNabb has led the Eagles to consecutive appearances in the NFC title game, but hasn't reached the Super Bowl.\n"Brett Favre is a guy that's obviously a Hall of Famer and has done it for so many years," McNabb said. "Every time he's on the field, everyone has to know exactly what he's doing."\nFavre and McNabb are linked by their relationship with Eagles coach Andy Reid, a former Packers assistant. They play in the same West Coast offense, both have strong arms, easygoing personalities and have earned the respect of their peers and teammates. Both players are more likely to tell a joke in the huddle than chew out a receiver for running the wrong route.\nBut on the field, McNabb and Favre play a different way.\nFavre is more apt to throw into coverage, while McNabb prefers to keep the ball and run. Favre takes chances, putting the ball up for grabs, while McNabb would rather take a sack than risk an interception.\n"We all know that Favre goes in with a different attitude than most," McNabb said. "He may try to force balls into different situations. That's something that I obviously stayed away from in my game."\nBoth are stubborn, refusing to sit out any games no matter the injury. Favre broke his right thumb against St. Louis on Oct. 19, but resisted the medical staff's advice to let it heal. His NFL quarterbacks record of 207 consecutive starts and counting might never be broken.\nThe closest Favre came to missing a game was last month. His father, Irvin Favre, died of a heart attack one day before the Packers played Oakland on a Monday night.\nBut Favre wouldn't let his teammates down, leading Green Bay to a 41-7 victory over the Raiders with a classic performance, throwing for 399 yards -- three shy of his career high -- and four touchdowns.\n"I've got two heroes: my dad and Brett Favre," Packers guard Mike Wahle said afterward. "That was unbelievable what he did."\nMcNabb has earned similar respect for the way he handled adversity. He had perhaps his best game on a broken ankle against Arizona last season, then sat out the last six regular-season games.\nMcNabb overcame the worst start of his five-year career this season, playing with a sprained right thumb that affected his grip, and an ankle injury limiting his mobility.\nHe dealt with the racially charged critique of then-ESPN commentator Rush Limbaugh, who said McNabb was overrated because the media wants to see a black quarterback succeed.\nMany fans wanted him benched.\nHe used it all as motivation, leading the Eagles to nine straight wins, a third consecutive NFC East title, and earned his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl trip.\n"He's a great leader," Eagles fullback Jon Ritchie said. "He has a personality that is very powerful. He commands a lot of attention and respect at the same time. He's a great guy to be around. Guys gravitate to him"