Before the Jets received the opening kickoff, Favre and his new backup, Kellen Clemens, talked briefly on the sideline. Favre clutched a card containing New York’s offensive sets and after each snap, he discussed what transpired with quarterback Brett Ratliff, who in an instant went from raw rookie to teaching one of the game’s greats.

Following a delay for lightning, Favre and Clemens played catch.

He’s eager to put his messy breakup with Green Bay behind him and so, too, are the Packers.

“It’s like a marriage that ends,” Green Bay president Mark Murphy said. “It happens. Neither party is at fault.”

That was Favre’s read as well.

“I think we’re probably both at fault,” he said. “I’m not going to blame one side or the other. A lot of things happened this season, a lot of shocking things. But at this point it’s irrelevant.”

For the moment, Favre brings the Jets publicity and perhaps a better chance to compete in the AFC East. His preference was to be traded inside the NFC North to Minnesota. But the Packers didn’t want to send him to a division rival, and instead began talks with Tampa Bay and the Jets, who didn’t give in until they got their man.

“I woke up this morning and the trigger was pulled,” Favre said.

Already, his jersey is being scooped up by Jets fans who awakened to the news that the Mississippi country boy with the cannon right arm is on his way to the big city and its bright lights.

Told that 3,000 new jerseys had been sold online, he joked, “That’s all?”

Not long after the trade was finalized, the Jets released former starter Chad Pennington, who could wind up with Miami.

New York gave up a conditional pick for Favre. According to NFL.com, the selection would turn into a third-rounder if Favre plays in 50 percent of the plays this season, a second-rounder if he plays in 70 percent and the Jets make the playoffs, or a first-round pick if he plays in 80 percent and the Jets make it to the Super Bowl.

Favre is coming off one of his most productive seasons, one during which he answered any doubts about whether he still had game. He passed for 4,155 yards, his most since 1998, and had 28 TDs with 15 interceptions. The arm strength was still there, and so was his ability to improvise and make something of nothing.

“I hope I can play at the level that I’ve always played at,” he said. “There’s no guarantees. There have never been any guarantees for me. It’s football and anything can happen.”

Favre’s first objective is to bond with his new teammates.

“Were up against the clock,” he said. “I want these guys to

know me, know what Im about, how I play, what type of leadership I

have. Im not going to call team meetings, Im not going to be

rah-rah, Im going to do what I have to do, pat guys on my back,

hug them, pick them up off the ground and hope they do the same for me and hope thats enough to win.”

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