Green Bay, Wis. ? Brett Favre went home to Mississippi Tuesday, hours after playing one of his best games ever while still struggling with the heartache of his father’s unexpected death.

Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman juggled his schedule so that he, too, could attend Irvin Favre’s funeral today at St. Paul Catholic Church in Pass Christian, Miss.

Backup quarterback Doug Pederson and his wife, Jeannie, also are expected to fly out today with Sherman.

Assistant head coach Bob Slowik will run practice in Sherman’s absence as the Packers (9-6) prepare to entertain Denver (10-5) in a crucial game that could determine whether Green Bay makes the playoffs.

The Packers have a short week because of their game Monday night at Oakland, when Favre had the best passer rating of his career in a 41-7 rout of the Raiders.

Favre and his wife, Deanna, flew to Mississippi after the game.

Although Favre played brilliantly less than 24 hours after learning his father died of a massive heart attack while driving near his family’s home in Kiln, Miss., there has to be concern in the organization that Favre will be emotionally and physically exhausted by Sunday.

“I think Brett plays a lot on adrenaline, though, and I think Sunday when Denver is here, he’ll be back to his old competitive self,” team president Bob Harlan said Tuesday.

Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre is escorted off the field with his wife, Deanna. Favre and the Packers defeated Oakland, 41-7, Monday in Oakland, Calif. Favre's father died Sunday.

Harlan, like Favre, was 34 when his father died of a heart attack in 1972.

Favre was golfing with Pederson, Ryan Longwell and Josh Bidwell at a country club near the team hotel Sunday when Pederson got a call on his cell phone from Favre’s wife. She couldn’t bring herself to deliver the awful news to her husband.

Favre informed his teammates at the team meeting Sunday night he planned to play before flying home to be with his family. He hasn’t missed a game since becoming a starter Sept. 27, 1992, and his consecutive starts streak of 205 games, including playoffs, is the most for an NFL quarterback.

“I wasn’t surprised a bit that he played,” Harlan said.

Nor was he surprised at how well Favre performed.

“Many years ago I ceased to be amazed at what he can do,” Harlan said. “What a treat he has been to watch throughout his career.”