Brett Favre: Will His Focus Be on Green Bay in His Return To Lambeau Field?

The Minnesota Vikings are quite familiar with being in the limelight every since Brett Favre came rolling into town.

Between his retirement fiascos, the “first time” going back to Green Bay, and other media worthy events, the Vikings have become acclimated to the often annoying camera lights, and countless microphones surrounding them.

This past week has been no different.

As the NFL probe into the Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger dilemma continues, more and more questions are being thrown at not only Favre but also random teammates.

Their matchup with Green Bay seems almost ancillary, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The NFC North has become rather competitive with Chicago leading by one game, and the Packers and Vikings relatively tied for second—that other team is still trying to put things together so we won’t go there.

But it’s the Vikings who are the only one who is on a winning streak—albeit one game—and it is the Vikings that could erase a tepid start to the season by elevating to 3-3 in the division, and if the Bears lose to the Redskins, the Vikings would be tied for first place by Monday morning.

How about that for a possible turnaround?

But there are two glaring factors that could act as game changers; one on either side of the ball: The Green Bay pass rush and the Vikings shut down defense.

The Packers have been able to keep themselves in every game for several reasons—notwithstanding their offensive prowess—but a big part of that has been getting to the quarterback.

The Vikings have been able to keep themselves in every game for several reasons—again, not withstanding their own offensive prowess—but the biggest reason has been a lights out defense that is ranked fifth in the league.

But the Vikings have struggled to close games out, developed a penchant for letting the opposition stick around, and other wise underperformed in the 11th hour of each game; something you can’t get away with against the Green Bay Packers.

But let me digress for a minute.

Let’s actually go back to the media issues surrounding Favre and add in the fact he is once again “going home”.

Regardless of how much Favre will be focused on this game—and he will be—the embarrassment of this particular issue will inevitably take its toll as he enters Lambeau Field, and with the physical punishment he could face, many wonder if there will be additional mental punishment added on.

The fact is, the probability is very high.

If the Vikings vicariously get caught up in Favre’s turmoil, then a chance for a possible first place bid will be swept away, relegating them back into survival mode.

But if Favre can truly be that warrior he has always been considered, then it could be the Packers that will be in for the long day.

So much to gain, yet so much to lose.

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