Brett Favre told NBC during a pre-recorded interview prior to last night’s Vikings-Saints game that he would have retired had his team won the Super Bowl last February. “No brainer. I would be gone (retired),” Favre said.
During the game NBC announcer Al Michaels reported the Vikings quarterback second guessed himself this week about coming back for a 20th NFL season. The 40-year-old Favre missed pre-season practice and games by reporting late to the team (August 17).
Last night Favre’s timing with his receivers sometimes didn’t look right. There were only four receptions by wide outs, with tight end Visanthe Shiancoe being the favorite receiver. He caught four passes for 76 yards including the Vikings only touchdown in the 14-9 loss.
It was evident the Vikings were not only without a less than sharp Favre but also hurting without his favorite receiver from last season, wide receiver Sidney Rice out indefinitely following hip surgery. The Vikings passing game couldn’t get established with either Percy Harvin, who missed a lot of August practice time because of his migraine headaches, or veteran Bernard Berrian who even last year didn’t seem to click with Favre.
Favre was 15-27 for 171 yards. In the second half the Saints adjusted to Shiancoe who was a Favre favorite earlier in the game.
After the game Vikings coach Brad Childress was asked on KFAN about his quarterback. “I thought he did okay,” he said. “I think he’ll get better and better again working with these guys and with the offensive line. He probably missed some but made some nice plays as well.”
The Vikings didn’t have much to brag about after losing to the Saints in the nationally televised NFL opener that followed last January’s NFC title game in which New Orleans won in overtime 31-28 to advance to the Super Bowl. The Vikings offense, featuring All Pro Adrian Peterson, tried to establish a running game to take pressure off Favre and the depleted receiver corps. That didn’t work very well with the Vikings rushing for 91 yards, including 87 by Peterson.
The Vikings defense was consistent enough against the run to hold the Saints under 100 yards but that defense wasn’t good enough to stop New Orleans from making some important yardage in the first drive of the third quarter when the Saints went ahead 14-9. Nor could the highly hyped defense stop the Saints running game when everyone watching knew New Orleans was trying to run time off the clock in the closing minutes. That’s what they did while the Vikings offense watched the final minutes from the sidelines.
The Vikings have 15 more games to ease the frustration of another loss to the Saints, the Super Bowl champs. Maybe they will but last night New Orleans only added to the hurt the Saints have caused the Vikings twice in nine months.
“We got a lot to work on, and we’re going to be a good football team before the season is over,” Childress said on the radio last night.
That’s why Favre came back.