Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings / Image: Zuma Press

But he’s supposedly over-the-hill and in his new role as “game manager” for the Minnesota Vikings, Brett has been both conservative and consistent. But successful. Today, against a San Francisco 49ers defense that refused to let all-world running back Adrian Peterson beat them, Brett was called upon to win a game. And he did just that. Brett’s 32-yard touchdown pass with two seconds remaining lifted the Vikes to a 27-24 win over the Niners and improved the team’s record to 3-0 heading into next Monday night’s showdown with division rival Green Bay (October 5, 8:30 PM ET on ESPN).

As impressive as the game-winning touchdown pass was—a laser dart to the back of the endzone where one player (recently acquired receiver Greg Lewis) and one player only was going to make the catch—it was the 80-yard drive with just 1:29 to go and no timeouts that really impressed me. Brett remained visibly calm, cool and collected throughout—as one would expect from a grizzled veteran. And no offense to backups Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels, but to further justify the acquisition of Brett this preseason—neither of those QBs wins this game for the Vikings today.

During the week leading up to the game, Brett said playing in the Metrodome was going to be “awesome.” As it turns out, yes, it was. It was an amazing throw and equally amazing catch that won this game.

Source: NFL.com, Twitter.com/VikingsFootball

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Another Fantastic Favre Finish

Brett Favre, Minnesota Vikings / Image: Zuma Press

In last week’s preseason win over Kansas City—a game Brett never should’ve played in after having had only a couple days of practice—Tarvaris has a great game (12-of-15 passing, 202 yards, 2 TDs) and all of a sudden, someone feels there SHOULD be a controversy more than their actually is a controversy. Tarvaris did have a great game. I’ll give him that. But he’s a very streaky QB who will eventually disappoint when it matters most. He’s proven that in the past. The jury is still out on Sage but the fact remains: Brett still gives this team their best chance of winning football games. Naturally, he’ll need some time to develop a chemistry with his new teammates (in and out of the locker room), but in the long run, the Vikings will be a better team with Brett as their starting quarterback.

By the way, Brett doesn’t believe a locker room divide exists:

“You guys have to keep stirring the pot I guess. Somebody has to make up a story like this.”

Sources: ESPN.com, TwinCities.com

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No Quarterback Controversy in Minnesota

Well, it might be time for me to start saying “I told you so.” According to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer—who has spent the past couple days with the Vikings—just about everyone he talks to within the organization is convinced Brett will join the team sooner than later. It’s not a matter of “if” he’ll join the team, it’s “when” he’ll join the team. If this is true, it’s just Brett being Brett—doing things on his own terms and skipping most of training camp (which he admittedly despises) in the process.

Brett Favre / Photo: Newscom

I’m going to stick with my prediction that neither of the Vikings’ current QBs—Sage Rosenfels nor Tarvaris Jackson—can handle a full season’s workload. In fact, reports are that third string QB John David Booty has actually had a better camp than both. So, Brett should be welcomed with open arms. But Sage certainly made his early bid to secure the confidence of his teammates and coaching staff with an impressive 10-of-13 passing for 91 yards in the Vikes’ 13-3 preseason opening victory over the Colts a couple days ago. He looked very sharp and in a good rhythm. He looked like a quarterback ready to lead a football team. Still, that is only one game. As long as Brett Favre is willing to consider “unretirement,” the Vikings will consider making him their starting quarterback.

Sources: FoxSports.com, NFL.com

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Vikings Still Believe Brett Favre Will Play

Brett Favre / Image: Zuma Press

Vikings head coach Brad Childress offered his condolences:

“I just think it was a rare opportunity to explore a Hall of Fame quarterback who had background in the NFC and in this division. He knows our system inside out … This doesn’t change anything about how I feel about our football team.”

Oh, but it does. Coach Childress can’t be comfortable with his quarterback situation. The team (except for QBs Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels) has to be tremendously disappointed with this news. A healthy Brett Favre—in an offense he knows very well with a tremendous running game—gave the Vikings a much better chance of success than turning to Tarvaris or Sage to lead this team. I’m not sure either of those players could start on another team in the National Football League. I hope I’m wrong, but without Brett, I think the Vikes suffer through a mediocre season that probably won’t even produce a playoff berth. One thing’s for sure. This talented team won’t reach their full potential without a good quarterback. Jeff George, where are you?

Update: Brett told NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci he was going to continue throwing the football and working out. Why? You didn’t think he was going away that easily did you? Brett purposely left the door open for his un-un-unretirement. We all know he hates training camp. Maybe Brett thinks he’ll just skip camp and join the Vikings when he darn well feels like it. Hmm.

Source: StarTribune.com

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Brett Favre Will Stay Retired

Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings / Photo: Newscom

Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is glad his role of facing Percy will only be limited to practice:

“I’m so glad (Percy) is on our team so we don’t have to come up with a plan for him. Because that’s exactly what you end up having to do is game plan a guy like Percy Harvin.”

Of course, the Vikings need to get Percy signed and into camp on time. Plus, questions continue as to who will be throwing and handing the ball to Percy when training camp rolls around in late July. Quarterbacks Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson are currently taking turns leading the first-team offense, but I believe Brett Favre will eventually find a way to “unretire” for a second time and take over as the starting QB.

Source: StarTribune.com

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Percy Harvin Impressive in Vikings Minicamp

Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings / Image: Zuma Press

Fran made his feelings about fellow quarterbacking legend Brett Favre public today, blasting Brett for being selfish in possibly attempting to “unretire” for a second time:

“I think it’s despicable. What he put the Packers through last year was not good. Here’s an organization that was loyal to him for 17, 18 years, provided stability of organization, provided players. It just wasn’t about Brett Favre. In this day and time, we have glorified the Brett Favre’s of the world so much, they think it’s about them. He goes to New York and bombs. He’s 39 years old. How would you like Ray Nitschke in his last year (playing for) the Vikings, or I retire, and go play for the Packers? I kind of hope it happens, so he can fail ….. He told the Packers [after 2008 that], ‘I’m retiring.’ They’ve got to move on. They’ve got to go through their offseason plan, their workouts, they go with the other quarterback (Aaron Rodgers), who is a good player, and then (Favre) comes back and says, ‘I think I want to play.’ ….. You build your team in the offseason. Everybody knows that. It’s about team. It’s not about Brett Favre. So he goes and runs up to the Jets, doesn’t even dress in the locker room with the players. Has a separate facility. Playing quarterback is about the relationships you have with your coaches, with your players, with your trainers, with your managers. How can you do that if you show up on gameday and you haven’t put the time in. And now he’s trying to do it again in Minnesota. And if Minnesota bites, God bless them.”

Whoa. I have to admit, Fran has a point. It is all about Brett. But as a Brett Favre fan—as a fan of his style of football over my lifetime—I can’t get enough of the possibility of seeing him return to the game one more time. Especially as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. Sure, it would be unholy to see Brett suiting up for The Purple. But it will give me a lot of material to write about. And he’s a far better option at the most important position on the team than either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson. Maybe it is all about Brett. But in the process, it could end up being all about a Vikings Super Bowl run.

Source: StarTribune.com

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Fran Tarkenton Blasts Brett Favre

Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings / Photo: Newscom

Here are five good reasons — in no particular order — why Brett will be the Vikings’ starting quarterback this season (somewhere in Seattle, T.J. Houshmandzadeh is having second thoughts):

1. In Minnesota, Brett will be running a similar offense to the one he ran in Green Bay. Comfy.
2. With Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor in the offensive backfield, the Vikings have one of the NFL’s strongest running games. Minnesota is a run-first offense so Brett won’t be asked to throw the ball 30-40 times a game for 16 weeks. But when it comes time to win a few, Brett Favre can still do that.
3. The Vikings have one of the NFL’s strongest defenses (sixth overall last season giving up just 292 yards/game) — and a great defense is every quarterback’s best friend.
4. Minnesota plays in the NFC North so Brett will be able to get his much-desired revenge on the Packers twice this season. Maybe more if the two meet in the playoffs.
5. The Vikings are a legitimate Super Bowl contender with Brett at quarterback. The team is arguably a starting QB away from being a serious threat in the NFC. Sage Rosenfels, Tarvaris Jackson or John David Booty won’t cut it. The Vikings will be lucky to win eight games with one of those three at starting QB.
6. OK, I thought of a sixth reason — the Vikings had a hard time selling out their playoff game against the Eagles last season and the team’s future in Minnesota is on shaky ground. How many seats do you think Brett Favre can fill? He’ll re-energize the organization and city.

Source: ESPN.com

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Brad Childress to Meet With Brett Favre

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The Seattle Seahawks won the T.J. Houshmandzadeh sweepstakes today. The receiver-depleted Hawks offered Housh five years for $40 million with $15 million guaranteed and beat out the Vikings and Bengals (be serious) for his services. I think T.J. is definitely worth the money. He’s proven that on the field with 372 receptions over the past four years. No other player has caught more passes. He’s a bigger body receiver than his 6-1, 200 pound frame would indicate. He’s a guy who isn’t afraid of the middle of the field. He catches everything thrown at him. He runs good routes. He makes plays. So, he needed to get paid and he did what he felt was best for his career in choosing Seattle. There’s not much in the way of quotes yet, but T.J. did say:

“I just felt it was the best destination, it was the best team, it was the best choice for me.”

Well, obviously. And he might be right. A lot of folks felt Housh should’ve signed with the Vikings as they are supposedly poised to make a Super Bowl run, but I really don’t see it happening based on their offseason moves thus far. The Vikes completely overlooked better available free agent QBs — apparently opting to put their offense in the hands of unproven semi-journeyman quarterback Sage Rosenfels — and haven’t done anything to address their own dire need at the receiver position. At this time, Minnesota still doesn’t have a number one receiver and ultimately I don’t think they’ll be any better than they were last season. If they’re even that good. I would grade their offseason/FA work with an F at this point. As far as the Seahawks are concerned, they have much greater stability at the quarterback position with Matt Hasselbeck. Seattle doesn’t have the running game the Vikings do, but they do have the quarterback. For T.J., it was about more money and a better quarterback. Decisions, decisions. You do the math.

Source: ESPN.com, Photo: Newscom

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Seahawks Sign T.J. Houshmandzadeh

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

I’ve known all week that the Minnesota Vikings were going to trade a fourth-round Draft pick to the Houston Texans for semi-journeyman quarterback Sage Rosenfels as soon as it was nice and legal to do so. That deal went down today as the Vikes settled with Sage on a two-year, $9 million contract. Doing some quick math, that’s $4.5 million per season — more than triple what he would’ve made in Houston.

I’m not sure I understand the reasoning behind this move. With better (but yes, older) free agent quarterbacks available like Kurt Warner, Kerry Collins and Jeff Garcia, I don’t see that signing Sage makes much sense for a team who is probably looking at 2009 as their season to make a Super Bowl run. They’re just a starting quarterback and number one receiver away from making that happen. Of course, those are two of the most important positions on any team, so it’s no short order. But is Sage Rosenfels really the answer? I mean, what has he done in this league? (He throws too many interceptions, I know that.) He did have a pretty high completion percentage (66.7%) in his six games with the Texans last season. And ironically, his best game was against the Vikings. But that was when he was filling in for starter Matt Schaub. So, obviously the Vikings know something the rest of us do not. Unless, of course, they have plans to dump both Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte and feature Sage as their backup quarterback. At $4.5 million/year, it’s doubtful.

Source: ESPN.com, Photo: Newscom

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Sage Rosenfels Traded to Vikings

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

There are so many different angles I could take on this post, but after having watched the Houston Texans blow a 17-point lead with six minutes and change to go, I can’t help but think this might be the game that ultimately defines their season. Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels (filling in for sickly Matt Schaub) fumbled twice and threw an interception in the second half of the 4th quarter as the Texans lost to Indianapolis 31-27, dropping their record to 0-4. Because of the devastation of Hurricane Ike, this was the Texans first home game of the season. But the excitement of returning home and the anticipation of a first win suddenly turned into devastation. I thought they had this game won. Receiver Andre Johnson summed it up pretty well:

“You can’t put it in words. The only thing that I can say is I guess that’s why they say go out and play for 60 minutes. You never know what can happen. Everyone that’s in the locker room is in disbelief because we know we should have won that game. There’s nothing we can do about it now. We just have to move on.”

The Texans had so much promise heading into this season. So many (including myself) felt they were poised for a run at the playoffs. And while I’m not ready to tank their season just yet (although they’re a couple more consecutive losses away from just that), it’s safe to say — for one reason or another — the Houston Texans aren’t yet coming close to meeting expectations.

Source: HoustonTexans.com, Photo: Newscom

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Houston Texans Not Meeting Expectations