This week was do or die.  Playing the league leader, we needed a win, and while we were in good shape on points, we wanted a big one.  Of course, fifteen minutes before kickoff, we realized half of our team was on a bye week.  So, we did some quick adds and drops, picking up Michael Crabtree and Laurence Maroney, as well as the San Diego kicker.

This worked out fine. Cedric Benson had his biggest week…ever, with 189 yards and a TD.  Maroney had over ten points, since he hada TD as well.  Wes Welker came through with a big week.  Vincent Jackson got 20 points…all in the first half…and Crabtree played on every drive.  It’s not entirely his fault he plays for San Francisco, but he had a solid debut regardless with almost 6 points.  And oh yeah, the Steelers defense?  Totally up to the challenge of the Vikings.  Just sayin’.

And then, the Saints game started.  And Drew Brees had negative points IN THE FIRST HALF.  Meanwhile, our opponent still had a reciever and a running back to play. plus Colston, who seemed the be the only person Brees could complete a pass to to save his life. 

Eventually? It turned out we were so far ahead that even if Brees had ended the game with that same score,  we’d STILL have won.

Us: 140.43

Our opponent: 104.37

We went from eighth place (last) in our league, to fifth. A win next week and, depending on points, we could have our eye on second.  Stay tuned…

All of you who said Favre was done?  All the Jets fans–and players–who said he shoulda just stayed retired? Well, shoulda, woulda, coulda. As in, shoulda, woulda, coulda kept Favre.

There’s no super-duper analysis needed here, which is a relief, because it’s awfully early in the AM for us to be thinking.  Favre’s performance stands on its own merits, and the Vikings’ 30-23 win–despite a good day by Aaron Rodgers, who had the unenviable task of replacing Favre in Green Bay–felt much more decisive than the score showed.

Was it personal?

As they might say in the midwest, heck yes, you guys.

“You guys are going to print what you want.  I just did what I was expected to do today. You make that decision,” quoth Favre upon being asked whether or not this win–over a manager, owner, and coach he probably don’t like so much no more–was maybe just a little sweeter than your run of the mill Sunday.

This is not to say that Favre’s our new favorite.  We still think he’s a drama queen, and we’re not actually prepared to say this wasn’t a fluke.  His standard performance last year was much lower quality than what he showed last night.  Favre is clearly, given his off-season shenanigans, a guy who responds to emotional triggers: a team has to go way out of their way to show their love to sign him after he unretires (again), and he’s loath to give up the game. We think he’ll be trying to play long after he has any business in pads.

But last night showed us that day could be a long time coming.  Now if only the Vikings could light  a fire like this under Favre every week?  Minnesota ain’t exactly known for its’ dramatic personal interactions, y’all…

Interestingly, the article under the headline on ESPN is a Favre lovefest (typical) about how he won’t let his streak of 270 straight starts get in the way of what’s best for the team.
But what we’re reading? He isn’t really sure he can or wants to play a full season.
Calling Roger Clemens…

The turnout was pretty good, but it didn’t matter one way or another, broadcast-wise, because the closed roof at Reliant made for plenty of noise. We showed up about seven minutes into the first quarter, and the Vikings were already up.

Turns out Brett Favre was right: he can still throw the ball.  But he isn’t going to get to do so effectively if his o-line doesn’t tighten up.  Mario Williams, the Texans number one pick of a few years back (over Vice Young, as you may recall), sacked him once and got too close for comfort a few other times.  Williams is beyond talented, but he shouldn’t be able to break in that often and that seemingly easily.  Favre could have a crappy season, regardless of his talent, if that doesn’t change, and that would be a sad way for his career to end.  Through three quarters (though he was advertised as only playing the first half), Favre himself looked fine and at times even good.  Until he had to start backpedaling because he was about to get hit. Stupid o-line.

As for Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, Rosenfels’ return to Houston didn’t go as planned–he wasn’t able to do anything effective.  Jackson looked fine despite his shoddy protection–he looks like a starting QB to us, but the fact is nobody can be sure how Favre’s going to develop (or, more likely, regress.)  Whether or not his less-trained-than-last-year body can survive the rigors of the season, we’re not sure, but we’re sanguine about the Vikings’ QB sitch:  they have two plus what, given what Rosenfels showed last year, should be an ok backup, assuming their offensive protection improves.

Oh, and the Texans freakin’ lost. Bah.

You know what? We’re over it.  Bill Simmons just started calling Farve “VD” because “we can’t get rid of him.”  Yup, he’s back, and he’s signing with Minnesota today.

Will he make the Vikings appreciably better?  Well, when he was with the Jets, he was up and down, and he doesn’t seem to have been working out quite as hard this off-season as last. We’d personally rather see Sage Rosenfels get some reps–the kid showed us something last year with the Texans.

We’ll have more on this later, but for now, just rest assured in the knowledge that the world rotates as usual: Brett Favre will be playing football tomorrow.