GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Maybe a guardian angel is watching over Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.
Ahman Green set a club record with 218 rushing yards, including a 98-yard touchdown, to lead the Packers to a 31-3 rout of the shorthanded Denver Broncos.
But the Packers (10-6) needed the Arizona Cardinals to upset the Minnesota Vikings in order to qualify for the postseason as the NFC North Division champion. It didn't appear it was likely to happen when the Vikings held a 17-6 lead with under two minutes left.
However, Arizona staged a dramatic rally as Nathan Poole made a leaping 28-yard touchdown catch on the final play of the game for an 18-17 victory over Minnesota, sending the sellout crowd of Lambeau Field listening on radios into a frenzy.
Favre, the three-time MVP quarterback of the Packers, waved to the fans and hugged teammates on the sidelines. It was quite a culmination to the week for Favre, who learned last Sunday that his father died of a heart attack. He played on Monday and threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a win at Oakland.
"I've been around people who have lost a family member or have lost someone close to them and they say that person's there watching or they have angels watching over them," said Favre, who buried his father on Wednesday. "I would say two weeks ago I didn't really believe in that, but I think we'd better start believing in something."
The cheers turned to angst when it was determined that Poole's touchdown catch was being reviewed, but replay upheld the play and the crowd erupted again as the Packers raced off the field in celebration.
"Crazier things have happened," said Packers safety Darren Sharper. "Now we're just excited to get into the playoffs. It's a new season."
Green Bay will host former coach Mike Holmgren and the Seattle Seahawks in the wild card round next Sunday.
Ironically, Holmgren traded Green to the Packers in 2000 and his performance on Sunday gave him an NFC-best 1,883 yards this season. He also broke Jim Taylor's club record with 20 touchdowns.
The playoff-bound Broncos (10-6) had wrapped up a wild-card berth and coach Mike Shanahan rested seven starters, including quarterback Jake Plummer and running back Clinton Portis.
"This was the game plan initially," Shanahan said of his decision to sit the starters. "It was the direction we were going to go."
But the Packers were unable to break open the game until the second half when they bridged the third and fourth quarter with 21 points in a 3:25 span.
Green scored on a two-yard run with 1:35 left in the third to increase Green Bay's lead to 17-3. Rookie Adrian Madise returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards to the Green Bay 12. But after a goal-line stand by Green Bay, Green raced 98 yards for a score, the longest ever run by a Packer and the longest run ever against by the Broncos.
"Every time we need something, he (Green) seems to be the guy to do it," said Packers center Mike Flanagan. "He's had an amazing year, he's an amazing player and we're going to ride him as long as we can."
On the ensuing kickoff, Madise had the ball stripped away by Jason Whitley and Marcus Wilkins recovered the fumble in the end zone with 13:10 remaining.
