NFL scores week 3
Brett Favre Still has the Magic, Lifts Minnesota Vikings Past San Francisco 49ers with Last Second TD Toss
Brett Favre finished 24/46 passing for 301 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Adrian Peterson rushed for 85 yards on 19 carries and Greg Lewis hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left in the game to lift the Minnesota Vikings (3-0) to a stunning 27-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers (2-1) on Sunday.
Favre got things started for the Vikings in the first quarter when he hooked up with Sidney Rice on a 30-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead. That was extended to 10-0 early in the second when Ryan Longwell kicked a 40-yard field goal and Minnesota was looking like they were in complete control of the game. Shaun Hill changed that when he found Vernon Davis on a short 5-yard TD toss to put the 49ers on the board.
Minnesota managed to put another three points on the board when Longwell kicked a 52-yard field goal with 3:26 left in the half to move in front 13-7. In the closing seconds of the second Longwell lined up for his third field goal of the half but San Fran blocked the kick and Nate Clements collected the ball and went 59-yards for a touchdown to give the 49ers a 14-13 halftime lead.
Brett Favre Will Be a Viking After All
Brett Favre, who only three weeks ago said he planned to remain retired, changed his mind yet again Tuesday, agreeing to join the Minnesota Vikings after all. It’s the second time in two years that Favre announced he was retired, only to reverse course soon after.
The Vikings, who had courted Favre throughout the off-season only to be left empty-handed on the eve of training camp, planned to address the media later Tuesday. When Favre initially said he would not come back, Coach Brad Childress said the team would move forward with the quarterbacks on its roster and had no interest in Favre.
But now, Favre is en route to the Vikings training camp. He and his wife Deanna were spotted boarding a team plane at the Hattiesburg, Miss. airport.
The U-turn in Favre’s future wasn’t a complete surprise. He had left the door slightly open for a return – likely only to the Vikings – back in July, but almost everyone expected that he wouldn’t make a move until the regular season. Instead, Favre becomes the Vikings starter ahead of Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson with three preseason games remaining. He is already familiar with the offense run by his friend, the Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. The Vikings have viewed Favre, 39, as the final piece needed to make them the N.F.C. favorite to reach the Super Bowl.
Favre too had viewed the Vikings as a perfect fit for him, because of his familiarity with the N.F.C. North. Favre also said earlier this year that he was motivated to come back last season in part to get back at Packers General Manager Ted Thompson, who shipped Favre to the Jets.
Favre’s play with the Jets dropped off precipitously late last season and the team missed the playoffs, leading to the firing of Coach Eric Mangini. Favre asked the Jets for his release and they granted it, in part because they did not want to endure Favre’s drawn-out retirement deliberations.
Favre had arthroscopic surgery during the off-season on a partially torn right biceps muscle, but then, with the Vikings urging him on, he began throwing again and preparing for a comeback.
Taken from:
Brett Favre Decides to Stay Retired
The Minnesota Vikings had seemed a perfect fit for quarterback Brett Favre, a playoff-caliber team that would give him an opportunity to play in a familiar offense while seeking the vengeance he craved against the Green Bay Packers.
Brett Favre had surgery on his shoulder in May, but decided not to test it in the N.F.L.
The Vikings courted him, waiting hopefully through the off-season as Favre, a near-certain Hall of Famer, tested his shoulder after surgery to relieve the pain that plagued him last season with the Jets. Favre has talked about his retirement for so many years that no one was shocked when it appeared he was about to return to the N.F.L. again.
But on Tuesday, Favre surprised the Vikings, and just about everyone else, when he called Coach Brad Childress and told him he would remain retired. This time, after his second dalliance with unretirement since his tearful Green Bay goodbye last year, Favre appears to mean it.
With their players scheduled to report to training camp Wednesday, the Vikings are now in the awkward position of choosing between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels for the starting job, which Childress clearly did not want either to have.
“It was a rare and unique opportunity to consider adding not only a future Hall of Fame quarterback but one that is very familiar with our system and division,” Childress said in a statement. “That does not detract from the team that we have.”
Childress said the mental and physical grind of a season was part of the reason Favre decided to remain in Mississippi rather than begin his second comeback. Last year, Favre’s play, and the Jets’ season, collapsed down the stretch, leading to the firing of Coach Eric Mangini and Favre’s release.
The Vikings could still try to coax Favre from retirement if Rosenfels or Jackson were to fall flat or were injured.
Taken from:
