NFL Preview – Minnesota Vikings (6-1) at Green Bay Packers (4-2)
By Tony Moss, Sports Network
The biggest storyline of the game, of the week, and arguably of the NFL season will wear No. 4 when the Green Bay Packers welcome the Minnesota Vikings to Lambeau Field on Sunday afternoon.
Brett Favre’s presence at the center of media and fan attention for a game played in Green Bay is certainly nothing new. The fresh angle derives from the fact that for the first time, the future Hall of Fame quarterback will step onto the pitch at Lambeau wearing a different team’s uniform.
The circumstances that led Favre out of Green Bay after a storied 16-year tenure began in earnest soon after the Packers were bounced by the Giants in the 2007 NFC Championship. Favre, who had previously flirted with the notion of retirement, announced days later that he would indeed step away from the game during a tearful press conference.
But Favre began having second thoughts about retirement soon after the team had moved on with successor Aaron Rodgers, beginning a tug of war with the Packers, and in particular Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson, that elicited water-cooler talk throughout the summer of 2008.
Favre is among the league leaders in all top passing categories
After one hot-and-cold season with the Jets, Favre announced his retirement again, and New York subsequently gave the quarterback his unconditional release in a maneuver that would have barely made a ripple had Favre decided to stay away.
Then, to the surprise of almost no one, and after he had explicitly stated he would not play for the Vikings weeks before, Favre signed a two-year, $25 million free agent deal with Minnesota in August, setting up the monumental homecoming that will take place on Sunday.
Adding fuel to the fire for disgruntled Packers fans is that Favre is already 1-0 against his former team, having engineered a 30-23 win over Green Bay in a Monday night showdown at the Metrodome in Week 4.
Favre was a crisp 24-of-31 passing for 271 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers in that game, in which he became the league’s first quarterback to defeat all 32 NFL teams.
The 40-year-old quarterback’s renaissance continued during the team’s ascendance to 6-0, but the first blip on his radar as a Viking came in last week’s 27-17 loss at Pittsburgh. Two Favre turnovers in the fourth quarter, the first a strip-sack, and the second an interception that bounced off the hands of running back Chester Taylor, were returned for touchdowns that helped the Steelers seal the victory.
The Packers had a happier Week 7 result, pelting the hapless Cleveland Browns, 31-3, to continue their mastery of bottom-feeding NFL opponents.
Green Bay’s four wins in 2009 have been compiled against opponents that are a combined 5-28.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 15-of-20 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns in the win, and running back Ryan Grant had his best day of 2009 to date with 27 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Since allowing a third-quarter touchdown pass from Favre to Bernard Berrian in Week 4, the Packers defense has gone nine quarters without allowing a TD.
SERIES HISTORY
Green Bay leads the all-time regular season series with Minnesota, which dates back to the 1961 season, 49-46-1, including their 30-23 road loss to the Vikings in Week 4. The teams embarked on a conventional split of last year’s home-and-home. The Packers were 24-19 home winners over the Vikings in a Monday night game in Week 1 of last season, and Minnesota snapped a five- game losing streak in the series with a 28-27 win at the Metrodome in Week 10. The Vikings are 0-3 at Lambeau Field since last winning there in 2005, also the last time they swept a home-and-home versus Green Bay.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
No matter what he might say publicly either before or after this game, this is one that Favre will want as much as any in his career. A win at Lambeau Field against the franchise that, for whatever reason, decided to cut ties with him, would offer vindication for Favre. A loss would validate those, including GM Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy, who thought Favre needed to go. Look for a heightened level of intensity and focus out of Favre, who has played extremely well this year. The Packers will want this one too, but the matchup remains a tough one for them. Even with Clifton and Tauscher in the lineup, it’s hard to imagine the Green Bay offense being anything close to dominant against the Vikings defense. Minnesota looks like a finished product at this stage; Green Bay is still evolving, and that fact will play out on the scoreboard at the end of 60 minutes.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Vikings 20, Packers 17
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