In the fourth quarter, the Panthers dominated the Vikings to win 26-7. Matt Moore had 299 yards through the air and three touchdowns. Jonathan Stewart had 109 yards on the ground and one touchdown. Wide receiver Steve Smith had 157 yards on nine catches and scored a TD.

Favre once again didn’t look as good as he did earlier in the season. He had 224 passing yards on 17-of-27 passing and an interception. He only has one touchdown pass in his last two games and has posted a quarterback rating below 80 in three straight outings.

Adrian Peterson also struggled for the Vikings. The superstar RB had a touchdown but gained only 35 yards on 12 carries.

At 11-3, the Vikings have clinched their division. However, this loss hurt Minnesota’s chance to get a bye week. Also possibly hurt this week was the relationship between Favre and Childress. Stay tuned.

Brett Favre struggled in Sunday Night Football (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Brett Favre Fights with his Head Coach

The good news for Harvin is that he was able to get back on the practice field on Friday. When asked about his status, he indicated that he’s likely to play this Sunday in the game against the Carolina Panthers.

Harvin has been an immediate help to the Vikings. He’s quickly become one of Brett Favre’s favorite targets and his versatility makes Minnesota a much more dangerous squad. On the season, he has 48 catches for 681 yards and six touchdowns. He also has 13 rushing attempts for 113 yards.

Back in May, Harvin had a swine flu scare. However, further tests indicated that he was simply suffering from severe dehydration and a virus. With regard to the migraines, it is a condition that Harvin has dealt with for his entire life.

Percy Harvin - Minnesota Vikings (Image: Zuma Press)

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Percy Harvin Injury Update – Migraines

Swine flu maybe? I can’t think of what this might be. Of course any time we’ve ever heard that Favre is “probable” he has always played. Through personal tragedy and injury he’s not only started but played the entire game. I think that’s the thing that people really don’t get about that iron man record. He didn’t just start the game, toss a couple balls, and sit down. He played the entire thing.

ProFootballTalk.com says Favre practiced Wednesday and Thursday, but “was a limited participant on Friday.” The site says they believe this means he was given some time off of practice to rest up for the big game against the Bengals. Still, listed Favre as “probable” is really pretty ridiculous if they are just resting him. Do the Vikings believe this will throw off the Bengals?

Image: Bauer-Griffin

Post from: EveryJoe

Favre on Injury List

He Had Surgery
Favre is great at playing hurt, but having surgery in the off-season meant he doesn’t have to. His arm is strong and will remain so.

The Cold Isn’t (as Much) of a Factor
The cold gets to old-man Favre these days. But despite a late-December game in Chicago, he’s playing in warmer climates or the dome.

He Knows the West Coast Offense
Let’s face it, that complicated 2,000 play offense of Eric Mangini’s is something else. Who can really learn this thing? It’s mentally taxing, especially to an older quarterback who played one offense for nearly his entire career. With the Vikings, Favre is back to the offense he knows and is comfortable with.

Childress Knows How to Coach Him
Favre can play like a hero or a maniac. With the right team and coach, he doesn’t feel that he needs to make every single play himself. He’s got the weapons now and he also has a coach he trusts and who understands him. Childress knows how to call plays that calm Favre down and keep him in a positive rhythm.

He Played Green Bay Early
He’s already played his old team, the Green Bay Packers, and beaten them both times. The pressure, which can leave a quarterback like Favre mentally drained, is off. Now he can just play. Business as usual.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Reasons Brett Favre Will Stay Strong

Shrug. Didn’t he always do this? I don’t remember him making the late night appearances when he played with the Packers during the regular season ever. I did see him once in a while on the boob tube in the off-season, like this particular appearance after his very first retirement.

I remember watching that appearance and saying to my husband, “I think he’s coming back.” Oh the memories!

All in all, if Favre really is making a conscious choice not to appearance on chat shows, I think it’s a very wise idea. He just needs to lay low (as much as that’s possible with someone as high profile as he is) and focus on the game.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Favre Declines Talk Show Appearances

The Packers, in the three weeks leading up to this match up played the Lions and Browns and got themselves feeling very confident. Overconfident. So it was a definite reality check to see the Vikings, a solid and mature football team, come in and trounce our behinds up and down our (home) field. Here are a few thoughts from one Packer fan:

Booing is a Classless Act
Sorry, but the one thing I always counted on was the class the Green Bay fans have. After seeing the fans boo Favre, a guy that put Green Bay on the map for 16 years, I couldn’t help but to think it left them looking very, very small.

Here’s what should have happened. The minute Favre returned to Green Bay he should have been applauded. He gave the team great years and led them like no quarterback had before. Stand and applaud. Then, stand and applaud even louder for the Green Bay Packers to beat the Vikings fair and square. Support your team. Booing made the fans look like sour losers even before the Packers got beat.

Packers Have Problems That Have Nothing to Do With Favre
Was Brett Favre really our problem on Sunday? Seriously? This game was just about “his revenge?” No. It showed even more clearly the problems the Packers have right now. Our offensive line can’t protect Rodgers, and more than that, Rodgers can’t scramble and come up with a thing even when they do. Rodgers looked every bit the rookie quarterback he really is. Don’t tell me about stats. Rodgers stats may be good, but he hasn’t shown himself to be a leader. The only stat that means anything right now is that he is the quarterback of a losing football team.

Favre Is Worth the Hype
Does Favre have a big ego? Is the hype really worth it? Who cares. You know what’s really important? Favre hit yet another record in his win against Green Bay. He had an outstanding game. He played like a mature, truly great quarterback. The “Favre haters” love to suck down negatively, but they miss one very important point: Favre really is that good.

Quit Comparing Favre to Rodgers
The issue of whether Brett Favre should have been replaced by Rodgers wasn’t about whether Rodgers was better than Favre. Who the heck ever believed that? Rodgers ISN’T better than Favre. The issue was timing. Rodgers was younger and “the future” of the team. But was it a good idea to replace Favre (and make no mistake, Thompson put pressure on Favre to leave) at that year? The year following the fact that the Packers were one game out of the Superbowl?

Thompson obviously believed it was. I’m not sure I agree. But one thing is sure, Rodgers can’t be compared to Favre. He isn’t Favre. NO ONE will ever be Favre. Rodgers has to create his own legacy, and right now, he’s got a long way before anyone can define him as a good replacement. That kind of definition takes years.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

The Favre Return, a Packer Fan’s Thoughts

And Favre wasn’t just along for the ride. He was arguably the game’s best player. He finished his Week 8 contest 17-for-28 for 244 yards and four touchdowns. In two starts against the Vikings, Favre had seven touchdowns and no interceptions.

Favre and the Vikings got off to a fast start. After Favre connected with Percy Harvin on a 51-yard touchdown two minutes into the second quarter, the Vikings had a 24-3 lead. Aaron Rogers and the Packers battled back but Favre was just too good on this afternoon.

Rogers, who became the new quarterback in Green Bay after Favre was allowed to leave, wasn’t bad himself. He had 287 yards passing and three touchdowns. Rogers also rushed for 52 yards on five carries.

With the win, the Vikings improved to 7-1. The Packers dropped to 4-3 with the loss.

Brett Favre got his revenge (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Brett Favre Gets Revenge, Beats Packers

No player has ever won a playoff game at the age of 40 plus. Favre turns 40 next week, and people are already buzzing about the Vikings chances for a playoff. Favre has been one of those amazing folks that has broken so many records, you might think there’s not a chance of breaking a new one. Yet last night he proved he can still surprise us and still etch his name in the record books.

So let me ask you, can Favre win in the postseason? Will he add yet another record to his repertoire and become the only player ever to win a playoff game at 40?

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Can Favre Break the 40+ Playoff Record?

Despite all the hatred that sportscasters like to stir with Brett Favre, I would say average fans like me feel a bit differently. I am rooting for the Packers to win. But seeing Favre fail? My heart just isn’t in it. Truth be told, there is a part of me that still misses him.

Don’t get me wrong. I was angry with his antics during the “retire/unretire” saga over the past few decades. Then, I was angry with Ted Thompson for the way they were handling the situation. Let’s put it this way, you don’t hire an ex-White House press secretary (Ari Fleischer) to “spin” for you unless you’ve done some questionable things that you don’t want to fans to see. The Packers did just that.

They pointed the finger at Favre, which, let’s admit is easy to do. He isn’t known for being eloquent. But at the same time, I think that’s one reason we like him.

And we do like him. Despite it all, we still do.

I suspect many fans tonight will be just like me. We’ll root for our beloved green and gold, but we’ll smile when Favre takes the field as well. Football is better with Favre in the game. It’s more exciting, more unpredictable. Favre kept up smiling, laughing, and shouting. We were engaged. We saw his passion and it fueled us to cheer along.

I look forward to beating him tonight like I would any opposing quarterback. I’ll be cheering tonight for my team tonight like I always do, but there is a part of me that will tip my hat to Favre as well and say, “Nice to see you again. Now let’s play.”

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Packers vs Vikings: One Fans Thoughts

If it’s the Wrangler commercial (with a YELLOW tee shirt – yellow – so close to GOLD), I might have to turn the channel. The memories are just too painful.

But this was Favre poking fun of himself. Or, to put it more specifically, Favre making fun of his WAFFLING. The commercial is outstanding, take a look at it (including some out-takes:)

I think this is a good move for Favre. What do you think?

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Favre Pokes Fun of Himself