Favre TD Throws Wins for Vikings

Brett Favre of the Minnesota is just steady on the offense and he just lets the running game and defense do the work and just go with the flow.  The Vikings are just enjoying themselves, but Favre who just had a surgical repair of his right arm is really doing his work.  He finished with a passer rating of more than 100 for the four straight games that ties Culpepper’s franchise record made in 2004.  Favre is the first player in NFL history to make 500 total touchdowns. 

Favre finished 32 of 48 passes for a season high 392 yards and three touchdowns.  The Vikings intercepted Jay Cutler twice in a 36-10 victory against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.  Favre said they have to throw some and not just hand it over. Brett who’s already 40 year old was quite surprised by how much he’s been getting the ball.  But for him it was fine, even if it’s more than he has bargained for.

Favre Lead Vikings To Victory

Brett Favre came out of the tunnel wearing a purple helmet.  He didn’t relish playing the villain in his Lambeau Field return.  But a chorus of boos will not throw him off his game.  For the second time in a month, he crushed his former team and jammed it to the franchise that threw him as the Vikings beat the Packers to the tune of 38-26 at Lambeau on Sunday.  In spite of being repeatedly booed by Packers fans who before cheered his up, Favre completed four touchdowns and 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards without an interception. 

There were high-stakes at hand aside from emotional drama.  But the clear thing is that the Vikings (7-1) have a firm hold on the standings of the NFC North.  There is a tension between the Packers, Favre and the fans who felt bad about their favorite player returning to join the team’s biggest rival.  Charles Woodson a cornerback accepted the fact that the game was important beyond the division standings.

Vikings Wins Against Ravens

Brett Favre a quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings he was not good enough in last Sunday’s game.  He was so sure that they were moments away from their first defeat of the season.  He could not even look at Steven Hauschka the Baltimore kicker who was ready for a 44 yard field goal with only 2 seconds to go.  But still, thanks to Favre, Sidney Rice a receiver and a lot of luck, the Vikings salvaged a 6-0 win.   

A completion of Favre’s 58-yard to Rice and set up Ryan Longwell with his fourth field goal and a wide left kick by Hauschka at the final whistle, made the Vikings retain its undefeated, 33-31 status.  The game started from a blowout and wend town to the wire in a exciting final period, with the Ravens rallying from a 17-point deficit with only 10 minutes to go.  A throw by Ravens (3-3), Joe Flacco for 385 yards and two touchdowns scored twice on drives.

Minny (-9.5) VS. St. Louis

The Rams are in bad shape offensively with just one legitimate play maker (RB Steven Jackson) now that top WR Laurent Robinson is out for the season. St. Louis has an average of just 4.3 yards per play this season and managed just 3.1 yppl last week against the Niners in their first game without Robinson. Robinson got an average of a decent 7.3 yards on the 23 passes intended for him and the other Rams’ wide receivers are averaging a pathetic 4.8 ypa, so the drop-off in the already bad pass attack was expected and has nothing to do with Kyle Boller being the quarterback (Marc Bulger is no better). With no pass attack to worry about, the Vikings can solely concentrate on defending Jackson, who is averaging a solid 4.4 ypr regardless of facing teams that would allow just 4.1 ypr to an average back. Minnesota isn’t quite as dominant against the run as they’ve been in recent years, but they’ve still allowed just 3.7 ypr to teams that would average 4.3 ypr against the normal team. St. Louis is going to need a big day from Jackson, but that’s not likely to happen.

Brett Favre as well as the Vikings’ offense is still below the average on a yards per play basis (5.2 yppl against teams that would allow 5.5 yppl to the usual team), but they’ve been effective in their ball control scheme with Favre having been intercepted just 1 time in 4 games. The Rams have permitted 5.7 yppl to teams that would average 5.3 yppl against an average team, so Minnesota should move the ball at a decent rate – although I don’t see a huge offensive output here since Favre has no reason to throw the ball downfield as he did last week.

Favre’s Big Night May Be Bad Sign

I might be crazy for saying this, and I am sure to get a dirty, ugly earful from Vikings fans on this. But Brad Childress might have planted a bad seed Monday night, one that ultimately could cost his team in the long run. Brett Favre was magnificent tonight. He might be one of the best athletes of our generation at generating the most hype and then living up to the moment. But you can’t overlook the fact that he has not been a great finisher in recent seasons, long before last year’s biceps injury.

The worst thing that happened tonight is that Favre gave the Vikings a glimpse of his old self. He teased them with his Hall of Fame ability. He re-stoked the legendary fire. And with that, he might have changed the way the Vikings draw up their offensive game plans the rest of the season.

Never-Fret Brett: Not Just Another Game

Brett Favre kept altering his story and by the end he had everyone as puzzled as that Sears salesman in the commercial. This was either about retribution against his old management, or not. This was about letting Green Bay know that he could still play, or not. This was about antagonizing Packers exec Ted Thompson for not treating Favre as well as Favre anticipated, or not. Actually, everyone but Favre knew what is was all about, and it’s the former instead of the latter. He may have managed to convince himself though that Monday night, his new Minnesota Vikings against his old Green Bay Packers could well be “just another game”. Then he got to the Vikings’ hotel Sunday and even he had stopped pretending.

In the 299th game of his career, a fresh experience delivered the most memorable of performances – a dazzling Favre leading his team to a 30-23 win. On November 1, the rematch would be held, this time at Lambeau Field. The uniforms were all jumbled but the play was something out of a decade ago. Favre threw 24 for 31 for a total of 271 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Vikings’ big risk on an injured, fading, training camp-skipping quarterback was working. Brett Favre had established his old arm, finished off his old team and now had everyone thinking of the new potential in front of them. Back in Green Bay payback will still be sought, but over here this isn’t just about soap operas anymore. It was ideas of a Super Bowl that were dancing through everyone’s head.

Favre Takes it to His Former Team

Brett Favre showed the Green Bay Packers he has a plethora of fire left inside, and in his right arm. Favre’s first game against his previous team was all cool for the Minnesota Vikings and all nuisance for the Packers, as the grizzled quarterback connected for three touchdown passes and 271 yards in a 30-23 win on Monday night. Favre completed 24 of his 31 passes, without a turnover. He did an embarrassing body bump with kicker Ryan Longwell, also an ex-Packer, and stayed balanced in the pocket all night long.

The Vikings sacked Favre’s successor, Aaron Rodgers, a total of eight times. Jared Allen was attributed with 4 1/2 of them, a career high, plus a safety in the fourth quarter that extended the lead to 16. Rodgers accumulated his first two turnovers of the year, and Favre turned both of them into classical touchdown passes in the first half. Favre hugged Rodgers, Donald Driver and several other Packers once the game had ended. Rodgers tried to coax the kind of drive his predecessor is well-known for, but he came up short.

Magnificent Manning Leads Colts Past Seahawks

On Sunday, Peyton Manning was magnificent once again as he drove the Colts to touchdowns in four of their five drives. He tied league records established by Fran Tarkenton and Dan Marino and extended Indianapolis’ regular-season winning streak to 13 with a 34-17 win over Seattle. For Manning, whose resume already includes three MVP awards and a Super Bowl ring, it’s possible that this is his most impressive start in 12 NFL seasons. He was 31 of 41 for 353 yards, marking the first time Manning has topped 300 yards in four consecutive games – also a franchise record.

Manning had already achieved two other milestones by that time. His first TD pass went to Reggie Wayne for 5 yards, making Peyton Manning and Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw 55 TD passes to two different receivers. Marvin Harrison caught 112 of Peyton Manning’s TD passes. Mark Clayton and Mark Duper were Dan Marino’s 2 receivers. Manning’s second TD pass, 21 yards to rookie Austin Collie after a dazzling audible, put him along with Tarkenton for 3rd place on the NFL’s career list. Peyton and Tarkenton have 342, trailing only Dan Marino with 420 and Brett Favre with 469.

5 Reasons Why Packer Fans Can’t Hate Brett Favre

He is going to be playing against his old team mates in the Monday Night Packer vs Viking game and you Green Bay fans may need some reasons not to hate him, here are my top 5 reasons why you Packers fans can’t hate Brett Favre: 5. Record Breaking Game: On September 30 2007 Brett Favre threw a pair of touchdown passes, but most importantly he threw the 421st of his career, making him the NFL’s all-time leader in that category passing former Dolphin’s QB Dan Marino. 4.  September 30, 1992: Favre replaced Don Majkowsk and threw the game winning TD pass to Kitrick Taylor with 13 seconds remaining for the win over the Bengals 24-23.

That was Favre’s first game dressed as a Packer and the beginning of an All-time consecutive starts record win streak of 293 games.

3. Back to back playoffs appearances:  Packers fans can’t forget that he led his team to the playoffs for the second straight time, he ran for the game-winning touchdown with 14 seconds left against the Falcons on December 18 1994. 2. Out of this world performance: A Monday Night that Favre and the Green Bay faithful will never forget was in 2003 against the Oakland Raiders when he started one day after his father died of a heart attack. 1. Super Bowl ring: On January 26 of 1997 Favre and the Green Bay Packers beat the Patriots 35 -21 at the Super Bowl XXXI. Favre passed for two touchdowns and ran for another in the Packers’ first Super Bowl win in 29 years.

Vikings VS. Packers

Brett Favre is the headline heading into this game, as he faces his old team for the first time. However, Favre has averaged just 5.0 yards per pass play so far this season and he’ll need stud running back Adrian Peterson to carry the burden of winning this game. Green Bay is mediocre in run defense so expect Peterson to average around 5 ypr to lead the Vikings’ attack. The other key for a Minnesota victory is the ability of their good defense (0.6 yards for each game which is a whole lot better than the norm) to normalize a rather superior than usual offense of the Packers (0.1 yppl which is a lot better than average) that has improved their numbers in every game.

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is a better quarterback than Brett Favre at this stage of Favre’s career, but the rest of Favre’s team has an advantage of their Green Bay counterparts and my ratings favor Minnesota by 4 1/2 points. Also, 3-0 teams are 21-4 ATS in game 4 if they’re at home and not favored by more than 4 points and the Vikings also apply to a solid 76-31-3 ATS statistical profile indicator. I’ll favor the Vikings to cover the number.

Favre Says He’s Not Out for Revenge Against Pack

Brett Favre firmly insists he isn’t out for revenge against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. Or so he says, now he says it’s only human for him to feel like he has to prove something to the team he spent for so long and has traded him. Favre will be wearing quite the familiar purple uniforms of the Packers’ bitter NFC North rival, the Vikings, at the Metrodome on Monday night, but has repeatedly said that his point for all career moves was not for revenge.

Part of Favre’s motivation last year for coming back was so that he could “stick it” to Thompson, Favre accredited he did want to show the Packers he still belonged in the NFL. Favre said his chief motivation for signing with the Vikings as a free agent — after calling it quits for a second time subsequent to a season with the Jets—was to win a Super Bowl. Well, maybe Favre isn’t out for revenge against the Pack after all.

Colts Power Past Cardinals

In his first game in Arizona, Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes, three in the second quarter, as he powered the Indianapolis Colts past Kurt Warner and the turnover-prone Arizona Cardinals 31-10. Manning and Warner are two of the most prolific NFL quarterbacks in NFL history. The only difference was that the Colts’ offensive line gave Manning all the time he needed to carve up the Cardinals while Warner was under extreme pressure all night long.

For the 18th time, Manning had four touchdowns in a game, moving him past Johnny Unitas into third on the NFL career list, only trailing Dan Marino’s 21 and Brett Favre’s 20. Manning also reached 300 yards passing for the third time in three games this season, giving him 50 for his illustrious career. Manning started slowly but ate the Cardinals for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a show of precision in the second quarter. He threw 20 yards to Reggie Wayne for the first TD, 10 yards to Dallas Clark for the second and a clever 53 yards to Pierre Garcon as the Colts took a 21-3 halftime lead and they were well under way in powering past the Cardinals.

Another Favre Finish

The end was as good as the Vikings could have anticipated: Brett Favre swished a pass to a little-used reserve wide receiver in the back of the end zone in the dying seconds for a another classic Favre finish. Greg Lewis leaped for a 32-yard touchdown catch with 2 seconds remaining while a trampled Favre watched from his stomach, and the Vikings surprised the San Francisco 49ers 27-24 on Sunday to stay unbeaten. The final play began with 12 seconds left, and Favre stepped forward in the pocket and slid to the right purposely to buy time for his receivers to move in position. Instead of throwing a ball up for grabs, he thought he could get close enough to the line of scrimmage to fire a line drive that would be tougher to defend. Lewis looked at the quarterback’s eyes, and went the other way to find room near the right corner. He caught his first pass from Favre, who completed six throws on that drive, and is looking forward to the next one.

That’s precisely why the Vikings sought after Favre so badly, for not just another, but a lot of Favre finishes.

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