Saints - Vikings

The painful end of regulation for the Vikings.

1st & 10, 1:06 to play. Ran into a 9-man front out of 2WR, 2TE, 1RB set. Should have been audible to a pass.

2nd & 10, :25 to play at snap. Ran into a 7-man front out of 1WR, 2TE, 2 RB set. Should have had a decent chance of gaining yards but didn't.

3rd & 15, :19 to go after the penalty. The play has gotten OK reviews, but WR Sidney Rice was the only guy who could have been considered open on the play. And on his 40-year old legs, I don't know that Favre would have gained even the 5 yards back that Joe Buck and Troy Aikman thought. None of the 3 receivers on the roll side of the field were open. I don't fault Favre for throwing to Rice, you have to give the K the best chance you can (but he can't allow an INT to occur unless the WR tips the ball).

Bottom Line - If you only get to the 33 due to time and have to kick from there, that's one thing. But you don't pull the plug on the offense there (especially when (a) you are on the road, and (b) the other team has just burned its last time out). When you get inside the 15, you can focus on the kick. But not until then.

I expect that Favre will play in 2009 - though I don't expect any decision one way or the other until training camp opens. He should report when the rest of the veterans do, but I wouldn't consider him done until he isn't in camp for the 2nd preseason game. Either way they should look at a QB in the draft. Neither Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels is a guy that a team will have 100% confidence.