There seems to be a new topic of discussion in Minnesota each week. Unfortunately for the Vikings, most weeks have ended with the same old familiar loss.
At least Brett Favre can be thankful that his situation has taken a back seat this week to the sudden release of Randy Moss as the struggling Vikings prepare to host the likewise bewildered Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Over the last month, Favre has faced intense scrutiny from the league office and Minnesota (2-5) head coach Brad Childress.
The NFL has been investigating his text-messaging habits from a few years ago with a former New York Jets employee.
Childress criticized his veteran quarterback in front of the media after Favre threw three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, in a crushing 28-24 loss to Favre’s former team, the Green Bay Packers, on Oct. 24.
That led to a backlash against Childress and speculation that the coach had lost the respect of his club.
Then talk swirled as to whether the broken bones in the ankle suffered against Green Bay would end Favre’s consecutive streak of 291 starts and whether Childress would use that as a reason to sit the struggling superstar.
But Favre answered the bell against the New England Patriots last week and completed 22 of 32 passes for 259 yards. However, his one interception on a fluke bobble by Percy Harvin set up a New England touchdown and the 41-year-old was whistled for two intentional grounding calls.
The Vikings also failed to convert a fourth-and-goal in the first half that helped seal their 28-18 loss despite 410 total yards of offense. Favre wasn’t on the field to watch the last few minutes after he was knocked silly by a hit to the chin midway through the fourth quarter.
But all of that, including a pass rush that never got to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and has registered a league-low six sacks this season, was forgotten in the aftermath of the release of Moss on Tuesday for repeated episodes of misconduct since joining the team five weeks ago.
Minnesota was 1-3 with Moss, who was picked up on waivers by Tennessee on Wednesday.
Favre may get favorite receiver Sidney Rice in the near future. Rice has been out all season with a hip injury and was taken off the physically unable to perform list Wednesday. Harvin, who had a career-high 104 yards last week, is questionable with an ankle injury,
Meanwhile, Favre seems to have recovered from the chin injury just fine and is set to continue the streak against an Arizona (3-4) team that has a lot of talk centered around its quarterback position all season.
Derek Anderson won the job from Matt Leinart in preseason after Kurt Warner retired. However, Anderson was replaced by rookie Max Hall in Week 5. Hall held his own the first two games but his lack of experience was exposed last week against Tampa Bay. The Brigham Young product threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns, and coach Kurt Whisenhunt decided to pull him.
Anderson rallied Arizona from a 17-point deficit to a 35-31 lead before Tampa Bay drove the field for the winning score. Anderson then cost the Cardinals a chance for a tie when he threw an interception after the team had reached field goal position.
Anderson completed 16 of 24 passes for 234 yards and on Wednesday was named the starter for this week’s game.
The Cardinals are a far cry from the offensive juggernaut that Warner piloted the past few seasons. They rank 31st in total offense (260.4), 29th in scoring (17.5) and 30th in third down conversions (31.4). That doesn’t bode well when your club also ranks 31st in scoring defense at 28.3 points per game.
The all-time series is tied 10 games apiece, but Minnesota has won six of the last eight. Arizona won 30-17 last year behind three touchdown passes by Warner.