Brett Favre's Gone? What Now For Minnesota?

A show of hands: How many of you are utterly sick and tired of the (pre) preseason “news” of Brett Favre’s retirement?

I’ll wait.

In my imaginary crawl space of a head, I am seeing a sea of defiant hands raised proudly in the air, as if to say: “Enough is enough already! This is the NFL, not a damn soap opera!”

But whether it’s Brett Favre’s fault, or the starvation that consumes the sporting media every August, the most injured through all of this, is the team!

And you jaded little Monkies thought I was going to say the fans…shame on you.

Less than two weeks away from their opening preseason game against the Rams, the last thing the Vikings need to hear about is retirement, whether it’s true or false.

And it appears to be true this time.

But a good team will adjust to just about anything that comes their way. They will realize that one man, even if he is Brett Favre, doesn’t make a team.

Well now that the “dream run” is apparently coming to an end, does that actually mean doom and gloom for the Vikings? Was Brett Favre the only guy capable of playing football in Minnesota? Does this mean the Vikings are automatically relegated to third place in the division before even taking a single snap?

Well, to be honest: No, no, and no. And so we’re clear people…I’m a Packers fan who spends a lot of time watching this team as well as my own.

Let’s take a look at what the Vikings will face in 2010, and how Favre’s exodus will have an effect on the team’s run to the postseason.

The Quarterbacks:

It’s real simple here. Tavaris Jackson never really had a quality tandem to throw to, and he held onto the ball too long when he was a starter. But to be an impact QB, he MUST finally step up and be the QB the “Chilly” envisioned him to be before Favre came traipsing along.

Sage Rosenfels, on the other hand, has a better chance at being a quality starter, but without an actual starting experience for the Vikings, it’s really hard to tell whether or not it will happen. Many view Rosenfels as a great backup QB; nothing more.

The QB situation is widely argued without Favre at the helm, but neither of these guys are completely devoid of talent.

Adrian Peterson:

Well so much for the concerted effort to not overwork Adrian Peterson, eh? Hey, tell me something, just how do you overwork a workhorse ?

Peterson is one of the most talented backs in the league with blinding speed, and bruising power. He is capable of eluding even the best linebackers and cover men in the game, and has a penchant for running and pass catching…but!

He also has a penchant for fumbles.

Peterson will obviously assume an expanded role with Favre being gone, but he will have to cut down on the turnovers if he is to carry the brunt of the offensive load on his shoulders effectively.

If utilized properly, and if Peterson improves his protection, he is actually a bit more lethal than he is with Favre handing him the ball, and that’s scary.

The Receivers:

Sidney Rice may need surgery. Percy Harvin is still a concern with his migraines. Bernard Berrian is not the downfield threat that everyone thought he was going to be. Rookie Joe Webb has a long, arduous road ahead of him.

That leaves Visanthe Shiancoe to be another player who will have to carry an extended load on his shoulders.

It is paramount that the Vikings find some sort of semblance in their receiving corp. if they are to even compete in the division, let alone for a post season run. Greg Lewis and Darius Reynaud are not the answer.

The Defense:

This is now the strongest part of the team; a part that has the ability to carry the clock so to speak if need be, but not for 16 straight games.

The defense will also have to step things up and really clamp down on just about everyone they face namely the Saints, Packers (twice), New England, and Dallas.

But the rest of the schedule is very manageable, which is good news for the Vikes.

They will also face Chicago and Detroit twice, Arizona, Philadelphia, New York Giants, New York Jets, Miami, Buffalo and Washington.

This defense is a Top Five squad capable of being the best D in the league…now’s the time to show it.

Conclusion:

The offense as a whole will inevitably play with a handicap, now that Favre won’t be under center. Defensive coordinators won’t view Jackson or Rosenfels (whoever wins the job) as much of a threat as Favre is. Now, if the Vikes are clever, they will use that to their advantage. You don’t have to have a Pro-Bowler QB under center if the QB you have knows how to manage a game and play smart.

But it does help doesn’t it? Ya know, having a Pro-Bowl caliber under center.

Managing the clock, keeping players healthy, and taking advantage of opportunities are now a bigger focus than before for the Vikings.

On defense, the name of the game is prevention and turnovers.

Holding teams in check and keeping the game tight, or out of reach for the opposition, goes a long way towards winning a game no matter who you are.

But turnovers not only gives the offense more scoring chances, it also keeps the D fresh, ya know, so they can keep the game tight or out of reach if they are winning.

The Vikings take a huge hit with Favre leaving, but it isn’t a devastating blow. This is still a stacked team with a ton of talent, and if the team and the coaching staff can realize that now , they won’t have to remember it when it’s too late.

Of course, this is all assuming that Favre is actually done...to be continued!

Hope you guys enjoyed this piece, and let me hear you’re thought below whether you agree or not. And please come support some of my other coverage including this piece explaining why Darrius Heyward-Bey is a sleeping giant.