After six games last season the Vikings were 6-0 but on Sunday they play at New England with a 2-4 record.  Last year was Favre’s first with the Vikings and he had one of his best seasons ever, 33 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.  After six games this season he has thrown 10 interceptions and seven touchdown passes.

In Sunday’s 28-24 loss at Green Bay, Favre threw three interceptions including one returned from a touchdown.  After the game coach Brad Childress was asked on KFAN Radio by Greg Coleman if the 41-year-old Favre “still has what it takes” to play in the NFL.

“He has what it takes,” Childress said.  “He needs to play within our system. That’s the biggest thing.”

The Vikings have an emerging superstar in second-year kickoff returner and wide receiver Percy Harvin.  After being chosen NFC Player of the Week a week ago he followed up with another high impact game against Green Bay.  He is averaging 27.1 yards on kickoff returns and leads the team’s receivers in receptions (25), yardage (289) and touchdowns (three).

The Patriots have an undersized third-year running back named Danny Woodhead who was undrafted coming out of Chadron State in Nebraska.  He’s reportedly shorter than 5-9 but has 165 yards rushing on 30 attempts so far in his busiest NFL season yet.

New England is 5-1 and the franchise has won three Super Bowls since 2000.  Vikings veteran placekicker Ryan Longwell was asked if there’s extra excitement about going to play against the Patriots.

“Yeah, they’re probably the model for what every franchise wants to be for winning Super Bowls, and winning multiple Super Bowls in a short period of time,” he said.  “Any time you go play teams like that, coaches like that, or places like that, it’s certainly a challenge but it’s certainly more rewarding if you can pull off a victory.”

Longwell talking about whether winning or losing the week before impacts the next game for the Vikings: “I don’ think we put much stock into wins and losses going into the next game because each game is a clean slate.  You can’t let it affect you whether you won or lost the week before.  …”

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New Mexico State’s football team, which comes to Minneapolis to play the Gophers in a nonconference game next year, generated national publicity earlier this month when the Aggies defeated New Mexico.  Not only was it the Aggies’ first win of the season, but the victory came after flyers were distributed on campus “urging female students to refrain from having sex with members of the football team” until the team won a game, according to the October 18 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Look for the Twins to make a decision on free agent Jim Thome soon.  Despite being 40 years old, the power hitting designated hitter will have other bidders after hitting 25 home runs in 276 at bats last season.  It’s likely better than 50-50 Thome and the Twins will work out a deal.

Minor league center fielder Ben Revere probably won’t challenge Denard Span for his job next year, but he might in future years.  Conversation about Span sometimes questions his ability to effectively go backward on deep balls to the outfield fence.

The Timberwolves open their season tonight against Sacramento, a team that drafted Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins right after Minnesota chose swingman Wesley Johnson in last June’s NBA draft.  The pick was second-guessed but Cousins has to prove his work ethic can approach his considerable ability.  Cousins averaged 14.3 points and eight rebounds during pre-season.  Johnson, who averaged 7.9 points and 2.4 rebounds, is athletic and appears willing to learn.

The Wolves and Kings are predicted to be two of the worst teams in the league again this year.  They figure to be competing for lottery picks in 2011, despite 6-2 and 3-4    pre-season records.  NBA exhibition records are usually inaccurate predictors of what’s to come in the regular season.

A side story for local NBA fans will be the performance of former Wolves’ star Al Jefferson, now in Utah.  He will play defense and execute the famous Jazz pick and roll for taskmaster coach Jerry Sloan or he will see the bench more often than he wants.

The Minnesota State High School League has a new offering called Student Sports Information Directors.  The program provides opportunities to learn about journalism and publicize school activities.  Student-produced stories will appear on the MSHSL website.  See Student SID at www.mshsl.org.

Winona State is the NSIC men’s basketball preseason favorite, according to a vote by league coaches.  The Warriors, last year’s NSIC Tournament champions and NCAA national semifinalists, have been the preseason choice four of the last six years.  They return four starters and 12 letter winners from last season’s team.  The top five conference favorites are Winona State, St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, Augustana and University of Mary,

St. Cloud State senior guard Taylor Witt is the Preseason Player of the Year.  He averaged 16.7 points per game last season and scored a career high 43 points in an NCAA tournament game.

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Vikings coach Brad Childress was fuming about the officiating following last night’s bitter 28-24 loss in Green Bay to the Packers.  In a tense Central Division game the Vikings moved two games under .500 at 2-4 while the Packers record went to 4-3, and afterward Childress was angry during his post-game interview on KFAN Radio.

Trailing 28-24 in the last minute of the game the Vikings had a first down at the Green Bay 15-yard line after Adrian Peterson ran 20 yards on a pass from quarterback Brett Favre.  On first down tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was called for a false start five-yard penalty.  With first and 15 an official called a face mask penalty on right tackle Phil Loadholt.

The Vikings were looking at first and 30 from their 35 yard line, and Childress was livid about the penalty on Loadholt.  “The guy (the umpire) hadn’t called a penalty all night long,” Childress said on KFAN.  “And then I don’t know if he got religion or what happened. …And now we’re gonna get a face mask. Come on now. Come on.”

Childress said the game “was the worst officiated game” he’s seen.  He also said one official came over and apologized to him for not calling Green Bay left tackle Chad Clifton for holding.  “Holding his tail off,” Childress said.

It was a night of misfortune for the Vikings.  In the first half TV pictures appeared to show that Packers tight end Andrew Quarless didn’t have both feet in bounds in the end zone but the officials ruled he scored a touchdown on a nine yard reception.

Perhaps the most controversial call of the night came in the second quarter.  Shiancoe appeared to make a diving catch for a touchdown but after looking at the replay the officials ruled the Vikings tight end didn’t have possession of the ball.  Instead of seven points, the Vikings later settled for three on a field goal to go ahead 17-14, and lost a very meaningful four points.

The officials did correctly rule that Percy Harvin had only one foot in the end zone on a 35-yard pass from Favre after the penalty on Loadholt.  The catch would have been a miracle ending to a game where Favre was trying to change from flop to hero.

The former Packers quarterback threw three interceptions in the second half.  One of those INT’s was by Desmond Bishop who ran 32 yards to score late in the third quarter.  The Packers went ahead 28-24.

In the second half Favre re-injured his left ankle.  A limping Favre tried to battle through the closing minutes and help produce a win but the game ended with frustration, a word that describes his season so far and that of a Vikings team that last year was within one play of making the Super Bowl.

Favre’s troubles include a bad ankle, sore arm and an investigation by the NFL regarding alleged texts and pictures to Jenn Sterger when both she and Favre were with the Jets.  After last night a national TV audience was pondering whether Favre can recover both on the field and off.

With a game in New England next Sunday against the 5-1 Patriots, the Vikings have to be wondering not only about their quarterback but whether they can send their season into comeback mode too.

Neither Favre nor his teammates will have to wait long for some answers.

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