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GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- At halftime, the Green Bay Packers were staring at the prospect of an unthinkable three-game losing streak at Lambeau Field. Brett Favre and company refused to let it happen. Favre and Corey Bradford hooked up for a spectular 17-yard touchdown in the third quarter as the Packers came alive in the second half to defeat the Detroit Lions, 26-17, and pull within one game of the NFC Central Division leaders. The Packers (5-5) snapped an overall three-game losing streak and avoided their first three-game losing streak at Lambeau Field since 1991-92. Favre, looking sharper than he has in recent weeks, completed 26-of-40 passes for 309 yards while running back Dorsey Levens had 10 receptions for a career-high 99 yards. Green Bay, which benefitted from three interference penalties against the Lions, showed signs of life on offense after scoring just one touchdown in each of their last three games. "Last week in practice the guys realized the urgency of this ball game," Favre said. "Hopefully, we're back on track but with a running back like Dorsey, you've got to give him the ball enough times and he'll make a big play for us." With Detroit holding a 17-12 lead, Bradford made a lunging one-hand grab in the right corner of the end zone to put the Packers ahead for good. The Lions asked for a challenge but the replay upheld the catch. "I always try to focus on the ball and I brought it in and thought I caught it but any time the other team asks for a replay, it makes you nervous but I was positive I caught it," Bradford said. Favre, who has been battling a fractured ring finger on his right hand for most of the season, also hit Bradford for the two-point conversion before Ryan Longwell added his third and fourth field goals of the game. "I tried not to take too many chances down field and when we did they were good chances," Favre said. "This is the best my hand has felt since the Denver game (in the preseason)." "He was able to grip the ball pretty well earlier this week," Green Bay coach Ray Rhodes added. "I thought we moved the football well today with two touchdowns and four field goals." Green Bay also excelled in the kicking game after having a field goal blocked in each of their previous three contests. "There were no blocked field goals today because we have been working on it," Rhodes said. Green Bay receiver Antonio Freeman was held without a catch and did not return after suffering a concussion early in the third quarter when he was hit by Detroit safety Mark Carrier. The Lions (6-4), who drove to the Green Bay 5 in the final minute, suffered their second straight loss and have not won in Green Bay since 1991. "We just didn't play well," Detroit coach Bobby Ross said. "When you get 119 yards in penalties, mostly on passing, that hurts. We can't play the long ball right now. We're not playing the pass." Rookie Sedrick Irvin's two-yard touchdown run and Gus Frerotte's 14-yard TD pass to Germane Crowell helped the Lions grab a 17-12 halfime lead. Detroit drove the ball down the Packers' throats on the game's opening possession, marching 84 yards on 11 plays and consuming seven minutes. Frerotte, getting another start in place on injured Charlie Batch, completed 20-of-39 for 225 yards with two touchdowns while Irvin rushed for 62 yards on eight carries. Crowell had eight receptions for 112 yards. "We let the game get away," Frerotte said. "We just had to do better in the second half. We didn't keep the ball out of their hands." The Packers went three-and-out on their first two possessions but found a spark when Favre briefly went to the no-huddle offense late in the first period. "Brett was really ready this week," Levens said. "On Thursday, he almost broke (defensive back) Fred Vinson's ribs on one pass. Things are starting to get back to where they need to be." With Favre executing a short passing game, Green Bay was able to move the ball but had to settle for field goals on their first two trips inside the red zone. After Longwell's 33-yard field goal pulled the Packers within 7-6 with 7:38 remaining in the first half, the Lions marched 80 yards on six plays to grab a 14-6 lead on Frerotte's 14-yard TD pass to Crowell with 4:14 to play in the quarter. Green Bay got its first break when cornerback Bryant Westbrook was called for interference in the end zone on a first down pass from the Lions 16. Levens scored off right guard on the next play with 1:13 to go but the two-point conversion pass failed. "In the second half, we came out flat," Westbrook said. "They (Packers) were killing me. Right now, I have to pick my game up." Jason Hanson booted a 46-yard field goal on the final play of the half to make it 17-12. On Green Bay's second possession of the second half, Lions cornerback Terry Fair was whistled for a 41-yard interference penalty that gave Green Bay a first down at the Detroit 17. On the next play, Favre found Bradford in the end zone to give the Packers the lead for good. Fair was called for a 27-yard interference penalty on Green Bay's following possession, setting up Longwell's 45-yard boot that staked the Packers to a 23-17 lead with 3:14 left in the third period. He added a 31-yarder 2:08 into the final quarter. "We've got to have this type of effort every week," Rhodes said.
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