At center of NFL universe, fans awaiting the Big Bang

Antoine Winfield passed along some secondhand information as a way of explaining the magnitude of the Vikings-Packers matchup on Monday Night Football in Brett Favre's first game against his former team.

"I heard they were thinking about moving -- what's the Monday night show, 'Dancing with the Stars?'" Winfield said. "I think they're trying to postpone that or move that back because they're scared of their ratings falling."

Turns out, the stars will still be dancing at the same time Monday. But Winfield's message was on target. Thanks to the Favre angle and a week's worth of national hype/hyperbole, this figures to be one of the most anticipated regular-season games in NFL history.

"It's like in high school when you're playing a crosstown rival," offensive guard Anthony Herrera said after a light Tuesday practice. "It's for pride. For the NFC North, for pride. We've just got to go out there and battle. Green Bay is going to be ready for us. They're going to take this personal and we're going to take this personal."

The two head coaches, Brad Childress and Mike McCarthy, tried to lower the temperature at their respective news conferences Monday. Childress said Winter Park "won't be vibrating or anything like that," but he also noted that his players "don't live in a vacuum."

Linebacker Ben Leber jokingly tried to act like he resides in that vacuum when asked about the circus atmosphere this week.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said. "It's just a regular game to me."

Nice try.

"There's been a buzz in the city about it and people have been talking about it since we got the schedule," Leber said. "Everybody at the time -- Brett was still not on the team -- people were still speculating, I think. Everybody in the back of their minds had an idea he might be on the team, so even from day one when the schedule came out, it's been talked about on both sides of the border, so it'll be exciting."

The Vikings-Packers rivalry is always a big deal in itself. Monday Night Football adds an extra buzz and excitement. The Favre factor takes it to seismic levels.

"This is probably the most anticipated game, I think, for a regular-season game that I've ever been a part of," Leber said.

Said Winfield: "Once this game starts, it's all about business. But right now, it's the buildup. The media, Brett coming from Green Bay, and all the years he played there. That's what all the hype is going to be about."

Herrera called the hype "ridiculous" but in a good way.

"I love it," he said. "We're 3-0 and shooting for 4-0. We've got Brett. ... They're going to come after him. It's going to be a battle."

Not to mention a hot ticket, even for players. Vikings players are limited to six tickets each, which has led to some brokering inside the locker room.

"Of course everybody wants to come to this game," wide receiver Sidney Rice said. "We're limited to six tickets unless you find somebody on the team who's willing to give you some of theirs, which is not going to happen for this game. ... This is a game that everybody in the family wants to go to. They've had it circled on their calendar just like everybody else has."

Herrera is trying to find six extra tickets for his family members visiting from Florida.

"It's going to be big," he said.

And strange. Favre, after all, spent 16 seasons in Green Bay where he built his Hall of Fame résumé, which includes a 17-14 record against the Vikings. In eight of those victories Favre rallied the Packers from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie to defeat the Vikings.

Now he's engineering late-game heroics in purple.

"I'm think it's more karma for me because I've been a good boy now for a few years," said tight end Jim Kleinsasser, the longest-tenured Vikings player in his 11th season. "Maybe I'm getting some good karma now, having him on my team."

The Favre vs. Packers hype is certain to build as the week unfolds. As much as the coaches hope to limit distractions, the reality is that this is not a normal week for either side.

"It is literally one game at a time, but even with that said, this is Green Bay," Herrera said. "It's just one of those things where they know we're coming and we know they're coming and vice versa -- and may the best man win."