Brett Favre Leads Vikings to Win, Still Getting No Respect

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

No thanks, Adrian Peterson. Brett Favre had this one.

Favre may still not own a 200-yard passing day as a Viking, but no one ever said winning games had to or would come by launching 50-yard passes.

Favre can't face the 2007 Denver Broncos in overtime every week. But then again, he won't be getting back-to-back supposed "cakewalk" matches with the Browns and Lions on a regular basis, either.

The Vikings stumbled through another sorry first half and collected themselves in time to earn their second straight victory, despite facing their second 0-2 ball club.

But no matter the excuse or reason, the criticism on Favre and the rest of this Minnesota offense has got to stop. I'm talking about you, Mike Lombardi, and the rest of you yardage-cravers that are so deep in your Drew Brees man-crush that you can't recognize pure, honest leadership when you see it.

Down 10-0 on the road, against a hungry Lions team that hadn't won in over an entire season, Favre gave his usual "whatever" shrug, and calmly presented a "we can do this" facial expression that mixes between a frown and a smile. We'll call it a smrown.

The Brett Favre smrown.

Regardless, Favre proceeded to, with the help of the running game of course, march Minnesota down the field to respond with a touchdown pass.

Favre and the Vikings then went into halftime down by three points for the second consecutive week, only to emerge victorious with a 27-13 win, out-scoring the Lions 27-3 following the Lions short-lived 10-0 lead.

Yes, Favre has not passed for over 160 yards yet. Yes, he only has three touchdowns. And yes, the competition has been average, at best.

But, like most Favre skeptics, you're only looking at the obvious truths if you banish Favre and the rest of the Vikings to the land of the mediocre this early in the season.

For instance, while both Detroit and Cleveland are sorry opponents to ramble off insane scoring sprees of 24-0 and 27-3, it must be brought to the public's attention that both of these performances have come on the road.

I'm guessing most writers bashing Favre and the supposedly "one-dimensional" Vikings wouldn't tell you that. Regardless of which team you're playing, any player in the history of the league will tell you that is impressive.

And both times after trailing at halftime? Even more impressive.

But that's not where the list of feats ends.

While Favre may not yet be airing it out to Bernard Berrian and co., he has been completely error free, while completing 77 percent of his passes, en route to a fabulous quarterback rating over 110.

The other thing to think about is how the Vikings didn't need Favre to carry them in week one. And when they hit a block in the road against Detroit, they simply borrowed him for a touchdown pass to get back in the game, and then another late in the game to seal the win.

The guy isn't trying to bite off more than he can chew, and the coaching staff is doing a fantastic job of not asking him to.

If you were to tell me the Vikings would be 2-0 against anyone to start the season, Favre wouldn't have any interceptions, and both games were on the road, I probably wouldn't have believed you.

But alas, here we are, judging and predicting, giving excuses and arguing.

The fact is, the NFL isn't about power rankings and who we think is the best player or which team has the best offense.

Whether we like it or not, Favre is playing flawless football, the Vikings are a well-balanced attack, and their defense has allowed 26 points through two games.

Regardless of your opinion of all of that, Brett Favre has got to be loving it.

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