updated 1:25 a.m. ET Dec. 30, 2005

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Last Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears offered proof Brett Favre has still got it: a 56-yard dart to wide receiver Donald Driver, putting the Packers in position for a last-minute comeback.

What happened next is why people are wondering if Favre’s time is up.

Back-to-back sacks, a desperation heave for an interception — his fourth of the game and career-worst 28th of the season — and another Packers loss.

“He’s trying to do everything possible to win that game, somehow, some way,” said Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, Favre’s former mentor in Green Bay. “You can’t do it by yourself. I don’t care how great you are. You need protection, you need somebody to hand it to, somebody to catch it.”

Injuries and free agency have cost Favre most of his supporting cast this season, but that’s only one reason Sunday’s game against Holmgren’s Seahawks at Lambeau Field might be Favre’s last.

With victories suddenly hard to come by for the Packers (3-12), the football field no longer serves as a sanctuary from his family’s recent string of hardship. Favre also wonders if the team’s management is preparing to rebuild without him, and is just trying to figure out how to break the news to him.

And Favre doesn’t see a losing season, his first in 14 years in Green Bay, as motivation to return.

“I’ve had so many people say, ‘Well, you can’t go out that way. You’ve got to come back and redeem yourself and redeem this team’s season,”’ Favre said. “But in all honesty, if this is it, I have gone out on top. I mean, I really have. One season does not define me, no matter how good or how bad it is.”

Physically, Favre, 36, says he feels fine. Nobody’s arguing with him.

MICHAEL VENTRE ON THE NFL Favre's status secure Return? Retire? No matter what, Pack QB a legend MSNBC.com

“He still runs around, still plays with passion,” Packers general manager Ted Thompson said. “I don’t see anything diminished there.”

Holmgren says Favre is still throwing well and might be moving his feet better than in recent years, the result of ramped-up offseason workouts with a personal trainer.

But Holmgren wonders if the game is wearing on Favre mentally.

“Not many guys can do what Brett’s done for 15 years,” Holmgren said. “But then you get turnover with players, you get turnover with coaches. When that part of the game stops being what you remember it as being, then I think it bothers them.”

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There has been a lot of turnover on the Packers’ offense. Starting guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera signed with new teams in the offseason. Then they lost several top players to injuries, most notably wide receiver Javon Walker, running back Ahman Green and tight end Bubba Franks.

Favre admits he’s tried to make up for their absence by forcing risky passes. He knows it isn’t working, but can’t seem to stop.

“At times, I’ve tried to offset the personnel problems we’ve had or basically tried to cover for everyone else when I didn’t need to, and maybe, at times, have hurt the team,” Favre said.

Even when the Packers were winning, Favre’s willingness to take chances often resulted in interceptions.

“But the problem is that we’re not good enough to overcome those mistakes that I make, where in the past maybe we were able to,” Favre said.

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