With the Vikings struggling at 0-2 and preparing to face a game against whom they’ve won 21 of 24 games since 1998 and who have at quarterback a former Vikings backup and at tailback a dynamic rookie who was picked with a first-round selection that Minnesota gift wrapped and shipped to Detroit, that 0-3 will be a lot worse than 0-3 if the Vikings lose to the previously hapless Lions on Sunday.
Win or lose, quarterback Brett Favre already is having second thoughts about his decision to return for one more season, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.
Per Mort, Favre may have not returned if he had known that receiver Sidney Rice would miss up to half the year after hip surgery that unexpectedly occurred a week after a trio of Vikings fetched Favre from Hattiesburg.
And that raises legitimate questions regarding whether a divorce could be coming. Jason Whitlock of FOXSports.com has speculated that Favre could land on injured reserve if/when the Vikings chances of making it to the postseason have been destroyed.
Then there’s the point that Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has raised. Though his “don’t print that” style has prompted many Minnesotans to say “won’t read that,” Walters floats the possibility that the Vikings and Favre would work out a settlement of the balance of his $16 million salary and let him slink off into the twilight.
Meanwhile, Bob Holtzmann of ESPN reported earlier today that coach Brad Childress held a veterans-only meeting on Friday that one player described as “awkward.” Childress reportedly encouraged the veteran players to win now because a lot of them won’t be back next year.
The bigger question is whether, if they lose today, the starting quarterback won’t be back next month.