There might have been more hype heading into the Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers game than any other regular season NFL game in a long time. It marked the return of Brett Favre to Lambeau and the first time he’s played in that stadium as a member of an opposing team. Every sporting news media outlet covered this game to the extreme. How would Brett react? How would Aaron Rodgers answer?

The Vikings got up to an early 17-3 lead at halftime, but the Green Bay Packers answered with 17 points of their own in the 3rd quarter, narrowing their deficit to only 4 points. The 4th quarter of this game was very exciting… if you’re a Brett Favre/Vikings fan that is. The Vikings scored almost immediately in the 4th quarter and were able to hold on to their lead to beat the Packers by a final score of 38-26.

A lot of people pitted this game as a Brett Favre vs. Aaron Rodgers matchup. In all honesty, neither quarterback disappointed. Favre finished the day with 244 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. Rodgers, on the other hand, had 287 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. Rodgers also had 5 rushes for 52 yards. Really, there was nothing more Aaron Rodgers could do to help his team. Both quarterbacks played great.

Unless the Vikings and Packers meet again in the playoffs, it looks like Brett Favre came out the winner. He may be 40 years old, but he still has what it takes.

I really didn’t want to write this… I’m just as tired of all the Brett Favre hoopla as anyone else. Will he or won’t he? That is the question. Just about 2-3 weeks ago, I posted The Brett Favre Era Comes To An End… a big premature I guess. I was foolish to think that the Favre Saga would come to a close. It was reported this morning that Brett Favre boarded a Vikings plane headed to Minnesota and will sign a 1 year deal worth about $10-12 million pending a physical.

After a mediocre 2008 season, in which Favre’s arm all but fell off in the final few games, he said his farewells and we thought the story had come to an end. Then Favre asked to be released from the Jets, next comes meetings with the Vikings, followed by him working out at a local high school, and finally he has come to terms. The ups and downs in this guys career over the last several years are unmatched by any player in recent memory. Michael Jordan retired a few times, but he didn’t do it with the all the drama Brett does.

It’s hard to tell if Favre had intended on signing with the Vikings all along, and he just didn’t want to participate in training camp, or if he really kept going back and forth in his mind. I tend to think that he just didn’t want to practice in the sun twice a day during July and early August. Favre must be confident that he can step right in an be the best QB on the team. I feel really bad for Sage and Jackson, who just a few days ago were competing for the starting job not the backup role.

Now Favre gets to run out of the tunnel in the Purple and Gold. He’ll get to play his former Packers twice, including once at Lambeau Field. No doubt this will be the most hyped, publicized football game outside of the Super Bowl.

Brett Favre Vikings Jerseys are in!

The Brett Favre era has officially come to an end… for now. As much as I was looking forward to Favre running on to Lambeau Field wearing the purple and gold (and selling a few jerseys to Vikings fans) I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. Even after all the offseason conversations, surgeries, workouts, etc … Favre decided he wanted to stay retired.

A lot of sports blogs are poking fun at Favre’s second (or is it his third?) retirement. This guy has flip flopped on retirement more than any athlete in history. I won’t pretend that I know what it’s like to leave a game I’ve played my entire life. Athletes go through this all the time… “What do I do now?” Yesterday, Favre told ESPN that saying goodbye to the Minnesota Vikings “was the hardest decision I’ve ever made.”

The Minnesota Vikings now turn their attention to Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, who will duke it out in training camp for the starting job. I’m not sure how much of an impact Favre would have had on the field for the Vikings. They are completely stacked in the running game and really only need a QB that can manage the game and avoid turnovers (something Favre couldn’t avoid). It would have been awesome to see Favre play one more season, but the game will go on without him.

It’s the time of year again… the annual ‘will I’ or ‘won’t I’ retire decision brought to you by New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre. Still feels weird typing New York Jets instead of Green Bay Packers. Packer fans are disappointed about how the season has turned out, but Brett Favre drama is one thing they don’t have to cringe about this offseason.

“I’m an emotional guy, and I’m sure people are tired of seeing me get emotional. People would probably say, ‘Oh, here he goes again.’ I think it would just better for me to just thank the Jets, and I sincerely mean that. It was well worth what I invested. But I’m going to just quietly step away if that’s what happens.”

The Jets went 1-4 over their last five games. Over that span Favre (who allegedly was injured for most of those games) threw 2 touchdowns and 9 interceptions for a QB rating of about 55.

“I have the ability to turn it off just like that,” Favre said. “I don’t feel I have anything else to prove. Do I have to redeem myself for the last five games? No. I could be trying to do that until I’m 60 years old. There is nothing left out there for me from that standpoint. I’m disappointed with the last five games, sure, but I know I did everything I could have.”

What’s your take on this year’s Favre Saga? Do you think he will/should retire, or come back for one more year?