Favre Plays Brilliantly. Leads Vikings to Rout of Cowboys.

Author: Scott Taylor

January 18, 2010

Scott Taylor's E-Take is sponsored by Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital, a comprehensive medical fitness facility that is a place to learn to become well and to stay well. www.wellnessinstitute.ca

MINNEAPOLIS – He entered the game as the oldest quarterback ever to start a National Football League playoff game.  He left as the oldest ever to win.

Yesterday afternoon in front of 63,547 deliriously happy spectators at Mall of America Field inside the Metrodome, 40-year-old Brett Favre completed 15-of-24 passes for 234 yards, four touchdowns (three to the magnificent Sidney Rice), no interceptions and a passer rating of 134.4 as the Vikings eviscerated the visiting Dallas Cowboys 34-3.

Favre was sacked three times, but didn’t cough up the football and made very few mistakes.  Meanwhile the Vikings’ defence played an almost flawless football game as Minnesota advanced to the NFC Conference final next Sunday against the powerhouse New Orleans Saints, 45-14 winners over Arizona on Saturday.

“I was just a great football game,” Favre said afterward.  “The defence was outstanding, just outstanding and our offence did the things it needed to do.  We made some big plays.  A lot of the guys, Sidney (Rice), Chester (Taylor), Shank (Visanthe Siancoe), Adrian (Peterson), Bernard (Berrian) and the entire line stepped up and made some real big plays for us.  It was a great game to play in, but we don’t have any time to rest.  New Orleans is explosive and we have to go down there next week.

“It’s going to be a real tough week for us.”

There were five things that had to happen if the Vikings were going to beat a Dallas team that had won five straight games.

1) The offensive line needed to keep Favre upright and give him time to throw.  Check Favre’s numbers.  (Mission accomplished).

2) The Vikings needed to adjust to the Cowboys offence AND defence as the game went along.  When Favre threw his third TD pass to Rice, the game was over and the last adjustment had been made.  (Mission accomplished)

3) The Vikings had to run the ball effectively and while Adrian Peterson didn’t set the world on fire, he was able to carry 26 times for 63 yards, run the clock in the second half and set up the passing game.  (Mission accomplished)

4) The Vikings defence had to hurry Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and stop Miles Austin.  Wow!  Romo was 22-for-35 for 198 yards, no touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of just 66.1.  He was also sacked six times (three times by Ray Edwards) for 42 yards and lost two of three fumbles.  Romo hadn’t turned the ball over that many times since Week 2.  Meanwhile, the red-hot Austin caught four passes for 34 yards and was not a factor.  (Mission absolutely accomplished)

5) And the Vikings had to use the pass to set up the run.  Guess what, Favre used the pass to win the football game.  Favre was brought in to take the Vikings to the next level and yesterday he got the Vikings to that elusive next level.  His numbers were remarkable.  His touch was superb.  (Mission accomplished)

“Brett Favre means so much to this team.  Man, he means a lot, a lot,” said Rice, who caught six passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns.  “He means even more as a leader.  He’s played a long time and he’s just so smart.  We’re not in the position we’re in now without him.”

The Vikings have not won an NFL championship in 50 years of existence.  With Favre at quarterback, they’ll have a chance to go to the Suyper Bowl, if they can by a Saints team that has been superb all season long and were unstoppable against Arizona on Saturday.

“That is a very satisfying win for our football team.,” said Vikings head coach Brad Childress.

“I know it might sound trite, but our team did a great job.  Whether you talk about Ryan Longwell or Chris Kluwe kicking the football, unbelievably outstanding, our defence I thought was stifling.  I thought they chased him (Romo) around all day long.  It took a minute to get our rhythm on the offensive side of the football, but we got a good football team.  I heard all the nonsense and all the hype about the Dallas Cowboys coming to town, the hottest team in the playoffs.  I asked my players this week to just choke it back and shut up.  And we’ll play the game when they get here on Sunday.

“The game is always won on the football field so I’m tickled to death for our guys.  I knew they’d play their tails off and dispel the myth about whoever was coming to town.

“All I heard all week was that the Tasmainian Devils from Dallas were coming in to bombard the state of Minnesota and were about to run through us like Sherman through the south.  That was the aura that was left after last week’s games.  Our guys had enough of it by Tuesday.  They did a great job with that.  That was a team victory.  We were a good football team all season and a good football team today.”

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