Favre and the Vikings sweep through Lambeau and solidify their lead in the NFC North

November 1, 10:06 PMMinnesota Vikings ExaminerJoseph Oberle

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Brett Favre celebrates his first win over the Packers and follows it with another win in Lambeau.
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Football is a game of emotion -- no two ways about it. One play in your favor can change the momentum of a game. Or another can knock the emotions right out of you. Manage your emotions, battle back when a momentous tide rises against you and change it back to your way and you can win football games. Just like the Minnesota Vikings did against the Green Bay Packers.

Quarterback Brett Favre returned to Lambeau Field and no one's emotions were higher than his, as he was greeted by boos in the pregame warm-up and lustily booed throughout the game. Favre responded by leading his team to a 38-26 victory, throwing four touchdown passes and playing a near flawless game in as hostile of an environment as you could imagine. He was asked after the game how he seems to rise to the occasion when they are the most emotional:

"I don't know," said Favre. "We were having this conversation four weeks ago [after the first Vikings-Packers game]. I can't tell you how many text messages or how many guys in passing today or yesterday [said] 'Hey, you're going to play great. I know you're nervous . . . ' and I am like, 'That's easy for you to say.' But they were right again. I don't know. It's also stressful to feel that way every week. I would like to be more relaxed. But I am also pleased with the way I've played these big games."

So are the Vikings fans. Favre came to play and his teammates came along with him. They dominated the Packers in the first half, racing to a 17-3 halftime lead (the three points were a gift from a botched snap by the Vikings), holding the Packers to 47 yards in the first half. They came out in the second and kept the pedal to the floor when Favre threw a 51-yard TD pass to make the score 24-3. It looked at that time as though the Vikings were going to walk away with the game in Favre's purple return.

But that's when everything changed. On the kickoff following a Green Bay field goal, the Packers kicked a half squib/ half line drive that landed in the hands of defensive end Brian Robison, who rumbled toward the 40-yard line where instead of downing the ball, he decided to fight for more yards and was stripped of the ball. The Packers recovered the fumble and it was the momentum changer that they needed to get back in the game. They capitalized by connecting on passes over the middle and running through what looked like a very tired Vikings defense that seemed (once again) to forget how to tackle. Missed tackles and more time for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers led to three Green Bay scores and the Packers coming to within five points of the Vikings.

Then Favre and Adrian Peterson closed the door. They came out firing and Favre hit AP on a perfectly executed screen pass for 44 yards down to the Packers 14, setting up a Favre touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian. With no time outs left, the score put the game away and the Vikings were 7-1 and 2-0 against No. 4's former team.

Favre was the focal point of everything happening today, but so many of his teammates stepped up to assist their leader. Harvin had a great day -- 5 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown -- but he did the most damage as a return man. Returning five for 175 yards (including a 77-yarder), he put the Vikes in position all game. AP didn't reach the century mark on the ground (25 carries for 97 yards), but he kept banging away until things opened up for him. Chad Greenway had 11 tackles, Kevin Williams blocked two passes (including a potential two-point conversion), Jared Allen had three (of six team) sacks and rookie offensive tackle Phil Loadholt kept Green Bay's best defensive player Aaron Kampman off Favre's back all day (four tackles and one QB hit).

Still it was Favre's day and many of the players expressed how bad they wanted to win the two games against Green Bay for him. They were glad that the two Packer games are done. Afterward, the Purple signal caller agreed.

"I'm glad it's over. I'm glad we won both, but I am not going to sit here and throw any daggers. The way that we played was about as good as we can play -- I know we could play a little better, but that is what it is going to take to beat this football team. They're a good team, and people are starting to realize that we are too. That's the satisfying part. We had a tough loss last week, but we played like we were capable of playing. And that's the satisfying part about it -- we haven't underachieved."

Commenting on him playing for the Vikings in Lambeau, Favre once again tried to explain his reasons for coming back to play:

"It had nothing to do with trying to prove myself to anyone," Favre said. "I still have a passion for [the game]t. It's a little tougher to get up and bounce back. But my arm feels great. My mind is in a good place. The team has welcomed me here. All the other stuff doesn't matter and makes for a good story."
But what about those Packer fans, who showed their emotion for the situation by booing every time the Minnesota offense had the ball?  Will they come back?

"Deep down inside I know how they feel," Favre said. "But Packer fans cheer for Packers first. I know that. And I hope that everyone in the stadium and watching tonight said, 'I sure hate that the joker is on the other side, but he does play the way he's always played in his excitement and his passion for the game.' As long as I play, that is not going to change, and that's what people have admired about me through my career. And so that's all I can do. What I have done, I've said speaks for itself. What I was a part of was awesome. That will never change. So that's for someone else to decide."

Tonight it was decided by the Vikings. Emotion played a big part of it -- like it does in many NFL games. But the Vikings held on for a sweep of their most ardent divisional rival and now take a 3.5-game lead into the bye week. The Vikings proved they were better team on the field this game and the last meeting in the Metrodome. What they do with that in the second half of the season is totally up to them.
So what does Favre the competitor have to say about the return trip to Lambeau?

"It was pretty fun," he said.

The fun may have only just begun.