PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : TODAY’S GAMES : Means Warm, Rested and Ready to Go

Natrone Means was in the safest place possible as the San Diego Chargers were pummeled with snowballs during last Saturday’s victory against the New York Giants.

“I just watched the game at home in bed, watched them getting pelted with snowballs,� Means said. “I can’t say I missed that.�

Because the Chargers didn’t subject Means to the cold weather and artificial turf of Giants Stadium, the star running back will be ready to make more than just a cameo appearance when the Chargers are host to the Indianapolis Colts in today’s AFC wild-card playoff game.

“I’ll definitely be ready to play,� said Means, who helped carry the Chargers to last year’s Super Bowl but has sat out all but a few plays of the second half of this season because of a strained groin.

“I definitely expected to be back a while ago, but it just wasn’t working out that way. I was fortunate that the guys played well and extended the season, and I do get to play at least one more game and hopefully four more.�

While the Chargers are in the playoffs for the third time in four years, the Colts are making their first playoff appearance since 1987. They haven’t won a postseason game since 1971, back in the days of Johnny Unitas.

*

Back in 1992 when Atlanta dealt an erratic and eccentric rookie named Brett Favre to the Green Bay Packers, the Falcons figured they’d gotten a steal of a deal.

Who wouldn’t jump at a first-round draft pick for a third-string quarterback who was always partying and constantly late for meetings, who never studied and never played--he had no completions and two interceptions in five passes--and who even missed the team photo?

“I’m surprised it took them that long to trade me,� said Favre, who has blossomed into the NFL’s top quarterback and will lead the Packers (11-5) against his former team today in a wild-card game at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.

Like the Curse of the Bambino, it didn’t take long to see Atlanta’s bust was Green Bay’s boon.

All the coveted defensive backs were gone before the Falcons drafted, and they settled for running back Tony Smith, who returned kicks for two seasons before being released.

The Falcons fell to 6-10 in 1993 and Favre soared from backup to the Pro Bowl in three months, guiding Green Bay to a 9-7 finish, its best in 20 years.

The Falcons eventually opened the vaults for Jeff George, the top pick in the 1990 draft. He guided the league’s last run-and-shoot offense to a 9-7 record this season, amassing 4,143 yards, 24 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions.

Favre tossed an NFC-record 38 touchdowns to go with an NFL-best 4,413 yards in leading the Packers to their first NFC Central championship in 23 seasons. He was named the starter for the NFC in the Pro Bowl and the NFL offensive player of the year.

Favre said he has no ill feelings for the Falcons: “It wouldn’t be any sweeter to beat them just because they traded me, no.

“As I look back now, I wanted to play in my first year. I was begging Jerry [Glanville] to let me play. It looks like now that one of the best things to ever happen to me was not playing. Because I could have gone in and played awful and just blown my ego right out the window.�