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. …”