Brett Favre and Peyton Manning will face each other in a game for the first time Sunday, and no one knows when they’ll meet again.
The rarity of such star matchups in the NFL is a source of aggravation and attraction. Fans who would like to see them play each other more often nevertheless appreciate the special occasion.
When Favre sprained his foot against Tampa Bay last week, Green Bay coaches and trainers all but ruled him out of this week’s visit by Manning’s Indianapolis Colts. Amused Chicago fans recall Favre testing a severely sprained ankle during warmups for a Bears game in 1995 and then throwing five touchdown passes.
Favre has started 135 straight games, a modern quarterback record. The current closest streak is Manning at 42. No way Favre wants to watch from the sidelines as Manning ascends to the top of the durability chart.
“It’s one of the most impressive records around right now, in my opinion, just because it’s about consistency,” Manning said. “It’s about getting yourself ready to play every single Sunday. Certainly toughness is obvious. It’s about being accountable to your team, that’s the main thing. As a quarterback you count on your receivers and offensive linemen, so the rest of the team counts on the quarterback being there on Sunday. Brett has always been there for his team.”
Favre said his decision to play would be based on health, not the streak. He practiced Thursday to test the foot and looked sharp.
“When I say the streak doesn’t mean anything, I’m being a little vague,” Favre said. “It means a lot just because of the way I’ve played the game and what I’ve had to overcome, not just injuries. I’ve had bad streaks, bad games, almost been pulled. To fight through these things says a lot about the character and toughness of a person.
“But that’s expected of you. Football is a tough sport and injuries are part of the game. It’s not a sign of being macho. It’s just guys are relying on you.”
Taking his shot: Denver quarterback Brian Griese sustained a third-degree shoulder separation Monday night against Oakland and returned to the game after doctors gave him a “freezing” injection.
“Quite frankly, it’s amazing that he played,” Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said. “It just shows you what kind of guts he has.”
Griese is expected to miss three or four weeks.
Oakland coach Jon Gruden said: “Brian Griese, what he did, going into the locker room, getting shot up, coming back out there and finishing the game … what a performance he put on.”
Raiders defensive tackle Darrell Russell wasn’t so sure.
“He had no business being in the game,” Russell said. “Yeah, he beat us, great. He did a great job. But now look at the long run. They’re trying to make a playoff run and he’s banged up.
“I remember when I was at USC, coach [John] Robinson would say, `If you’re hurt, you’re on the sidelines. . . . I don’t want Rocky films . . . I’d rather have you for later.'”
Viking alternatives: With stadium proposals announced in Phoenix, Philadelphia and Chicago last week, Minnesota is feeling so left out that NFL owners are considering moving the Vikings out of the NFC Central Division.
In some realignment scenarios being tossed around for the 2002 switch to eight divisions of four teams, the Vikings have been shifted to the NFC West with San Francisco, Arizona and Dallas–just in case they would happen to move to Los Angeles or San Antonio.
“It would concern me to put the Central together the way it is now, which is the way everyone likes it best, and then in a few years have the Vikings in a stadium situation and no longer be in Minnesota,” Packers President Bob Harlan said.
There have been many alternatives thrown on the table. In one the St. Louis Rams replace the Vikings in the NFC Central.
“There is some feeling within the NFL owners that the league would be best served by having Minnesota in the West,” Vikings owner Red McCombs said. “We would come out of the Central Division because of the uncertainty around there being a facility. That uncertainty is obvious to everyone. I would say this is an option, a possibility.”
Is there a difference between a warning and a threat?
Bear with it: The Bears are starting their third quarterback for the third year in a row. But things could be worse. The San Diego Chargers last week became the first team since 1993 to have three quarterbacks throw interceptions in the same game. Moses Moreno, Ryan Leaf and Jim Harbaugh were the victims against coach Dave Wannstedt’s Miami Dolphins.
Oops–Moreno and Harbaugh are ex-Bears who once started for Wannstedt.
In 1993, Favre, Ty Detmer and T.J. Rubley threw interceptions for Green Bay in a game against Minnesota.
Trick and treat: Bears fans watching on television Sunday can switch directly to Wannstedt and the Dolphins in their revenge game against the New York Jets, who overcame a 30-7 deficit to beat them last month.
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Revenge may already be accomplished. The Jets are 0-3 since, and the Dolphins are 3-0. Last week Wannstedt continued his motivational ploys by giving starters first-class seats for the five-hour flight to San Diego. After efforts to get a larger plane failed, Wannstedt put 20 starters up front as coaches, team officials and other players rode in back.
“If there’s anything we can do to give ourselves an edge when it comes to winning, we’ll do it,” Wannstedt said.
Tight end Hunter Goodwin: “I’ll be the first to say it. I didn’t want to judge him when he first got the job. You didn’t know how he was going to be. All you could do is go on what you heard. He’s doing an excellent job. I think he’s learned from the past from good and bad. He’s kept the good and adapted it to us. Of course, it’s easier to believe when you’re winning.”
Donovan again: The 7-4 Philadelphia Eagles are contending for the playoffs with quarterback Donovan McNabb their leading rusher. McNabb has 404 yards in 56 carries. In the last seven games, he’s averaging 8 yards per carry.
Hi, mom: Sam Cowart’s mother is appealing for Pro Bowl votes for her linebacker son on the Buffalo Bills’ Web site mailing list.
Harriet Cowart, who lives in Florida, wrote: “I am e-mailing you today to make you aware of some very serious voting irregularities currently taking place in the state of Florida and elsewhere. Of course, I’m referring to the Pro Bowl balloting at the AFC’s inside linebacker position. Despite playing in just six of his team’s nine games and not putting up half the numbers that Sam is, Zach Thomas of the Dolphins is leading the fan voting.”
Thomas leads Baltimore’s Ray Lewis, the Jets’ Bryan Cox and Pittsburgh’s Levon Kirkland, with Cowart fifth.
The inside linebacker competition is not as formidable, in the NFC, but Bears rookie Brian Urlacher isn’t on the fan ballot. St. Louis’ London Fletcher is first, followed by Atlanta’s Jessie Tuggle (who is out for the season) and Minnesota’s Kailee Wong. When players and coaches chime in with their votes on Dec. 11-12, Urlacher should make a late push.
Fans, coaches and players each count one-third of the weighted vote.
The kicker: Placekickers sometimes earn their reputations for peculiarity. San Francisco’s Wade Richey started out 5-for-5 on field goals and has gone 2-for-7 since.
“It’s just me–I’m sick and tired of the shanks,” Richey said. “This team is going to need a field-goal kicker. There’s probably something going on, crazy stuff in my head.”
Is he worried?
“Yes, I am,” he said. “This team needs a kicker and if I’m not doing the job, I may personally walk up there and say, `Get rid of me.'”
Talk about controlling your fate.
DON PIERSON’S NFL RANKINGS
1. Rams–They like view the from the top.
2. Vikings–Schedule break until December.
3. Raiders–Should bounce back from tight loss in Denver.
4. Titans–Baltimore beat them up in their home.
5. Dolphins–Revenge week arrives against Jets.
6. Colts–Brutal schedule rest of the way.
7. Buccaneers–Late-season push nearing full speed.
8. Redskins–Not a lot of wiggle room left.
9. Bills–Robbing Flutie to play Johnson.
10. Giants–Failing tests against better teams.
11. Ravens–Impressive in Tennessee, need Dilfer.
12. Eagles–There’s something about Donovan McNabb.
13. Jets–Must change ways and wake up earlier.
14. Steelers–Are they better than .500 or not?
15. Broncos–Without Griese, Frerotte must hand off.
16. Saints–Ricky Williams needs a dose of decent luck.
17. Lions–Just like riding a bicycle for Moeller.
18. Chiefs–Promising season going down the drain.
19. Packers–Season getting away, Favre or not.
20. Cowboys–Remember the good old days? Not.
21. Seahawks–Kitna can and then he can’t.
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22. Jaguars–Coughlin finds out how other half dies.
23. Panthers–Another of many mediocre non-contenders.
24. Falcons–Hard to remember only two years ago.
25. 49ers–Offense sometimes overcomes no defense.
26. Cardinals–Time to regroup, reload, rebuild.
27. Browns–Too bad Belichick isn’t on tap again.
28. Patriots–This used to be a pretty decent team.
29. BEARS–Shane comes back, nowhere to go.
30. Bengals–Scott Mitchell, give it to Dillon.
31. Chargers–Jim Harbaugh deserves better than this.