The Brett Favre soap opera becomes even more dramatic in the days ahead with speculation about whether he will play on Sunday and how his relationship is with coach Brad Childress. Oh, and then there’s that matter involving Jenn Sterger.
Favre gives up his NFL record of 291 consecutive starts if he can’t play in New England on Sunday because of his left ankle and heel injuries. Even at age 41, no one is betting Farve can’t take the field against the Patriots. He’s a tough old codger with a history of playing through injury and pain.
But his performance so far this season often hasn’t been sharp and some wonder whether Childress wants to change quarterbacks. The coach reportedly thought about a change in last Sunday’s Green Bay game, a night when Favre threw three interceptions and the Vikings lost 28-24 to leave their record at 2-4.
Adam Schefter, NFL reporter for ESPN, said on KSTP Radio Wednesday morning he thinks the Vikings are looking for an “excuse” not to play Favre who has 10 interceptions and only seven touchdown passes. “The ankle injury is a convenient answer right now for everybody,” Schefter said. “Because if he doesn’t play it’s going to be because of that, but I am not convinced that there aren’t other factors involved in that decision.”
Schefter said quarterbacks and coaches “have issues over time” and there have been rumors going back to last season that Favre and Childress may have differences about running the offense. Asked this week about the two of them being on the same page, Childress said: “Absolutely.”
Even if things are “ducky” there remains the issues of whether Favre’s health will allow him to play, and if he can perform effectively enough to give the Vikings their best chance to win. His passer rating is an unimpressive 68.0 (last season it was 107.2). He’s forced passes that should not have been thrown.
Yet in fairness to Favre, his offensive line’s pass protection is often sub-standard. He also began the season without his favorite receiver, Sidney Rice. Wide receiver Randy Moss, who joined the team after three games, has needed time to learn about his quarterback and the system. Big play wide receiver Bernard Berrian has been almost nonexistent.
And then, too, Favre boosters will remind us that had Percy Harvin managed to have two feet in bounds on Favre’s 35-yard pass late in the Green Bay game it would have counted for a touchdown and a Vikings’ 31-28 win.
But now the Vikings are almost desperate for a win against the Patriots, facing the possibility of falling three games under .500 with the halfway mark of the season approaching. Does Childress decide between now and game time that Tarvaris Jackson can help him more than Favre on Sunday?
Jackson hasn’t started a game since he was the team’s regular quarterback in 2008. Will he be the new and improved T-Jack? Or the one we knew who made poor decisions throwing the ball?
And what if Favre can’t play and Jackson is injured in the game? That means 23-year-old rookie Joe Webb, a project drafted on the sixth round, is the next man up.
If all this isn’t enough theater for you, then remember the NFL still has not announced the results of its investigation surrounding allegations that Favre sent Sterger inappropriate texts and photos when both were employed by the Jets.