But on Wednesday, it was more like exhaust fumes, as Favre compared his 39-year-old body to an automobile.

"At some point, I have to fall apart," Favre said with a smile. "I'm not going to lie to you. It's like any car. (If) you drive it long enough, it's going to fall apart, you're going to have a flat tire, or something's going to happen. At some point, I'm going to fall apart. Right now, I'm still together."

The Jets certainly hope so, as they try to begin their, uh, drive to the NFL playoffs.

Like older models sometimes do, Favre didn't handle the wet conditions very well Sunday, completing only 23 of 43 passes in rainy and windy weather in the Jets' loss to Denver. The weather will be much better when the Jets visit San Francisco on Sunday, as temperatures are expected to be in the low 60s with dry conditions.

But after that, the Jets have two more home games this month, plus a visit to often soggy Seattle. So Favre's ability to handle weather again could be an issue.

Despite being from Mississippi, Favre earned a reputation as a tremendous cold-weather player during his 16 seasons in Green Bay. As a starter, Favre is 66-23, including 1-1 this season, when playing in temperatures of 45 degrees or less. He's also 43-6 at home, including the playoffs, when playing in 34 degrees or less.

"I grew up in south Mississippi," Favre said. "I never saw snow fall until I got to Green Bay. It wasn't like all of a sudden I got off the plane and said, 'Woo, my kind of weather!'"

Favre had some rough games in the cold at the end of last season. He went 17-for-32 with two interceptions in a loss at Chicago on Dec. 23, with a game-time temperature of 16 degrees plus strong winds. And one week after he braved a Green Bay snowstorm with three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a playoff victory over Seattle, he had two touchdown passes and two interceptions against the Giants in the NFC championship game in sub-zero temperatures. His second pick set up Lawrence Tynes' game-winning field goal.

"I thought I played pretty well in the championship game last year," Favre said. "I threw an interception to end the game. ... Everyone said all of a sudden, 'Brett can't play in bad conditions anymore.' The week before, I played one of my better games in a blizzard. No one was saying anything about it then."

Then there also is the issue of whether time is catching up with Favre, and he's struggling as he gets deep into the season. Favre threw 22 touchdown passes and eight interceptions in the first 11 games of the 2007 campaign. He had six touchdowns and seven picks in the last five, and suffered an injury to his right (throwing) elbow against Dallas in the first of those five games.

Favre admitted he missed some throws he should have made against the Broncos, but refused to blame it on a slick ball slipping out of his hands. He also said fatigue wasn't a factor.

"It's not because all of a sudden," he said, "it's the latter part of the year and I'm falling apart, yet."

"I haven't noticed a difference (in Favre's passes)," rookie tight end Dustin Keller said.

He jokingly added, "He's still breaking fingers left and right."

And Favre said that at his advanced NFL age, there is one advantage for him in December.

"I find that I don't get quite as tired in colder weather," he said, "if you're looking for something older versus younger."

For Favre and the Jets, the objective is not to be out in the cold when playoff berths are decided.

SERIES HISTORY: 11th regular-season meeting. 49ers lead series, 8-2. These teams haven't met since 2004, when the ground out a 22-14 victory at home to go 5-0. In that game, Curtis Martin had 111 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. On Sept. 21, 1980, RB Clark Gaines set a team record that stands 28 years later, with 17 receptions in a 37-27 loss to San Francisco. Gaines is now a regional representative with the NFL Players Association.