After visiting with Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, I get the idea that to add one more game to his NFL-record streak of 291 consecutive starts is not very important to him if it hurts the team.

Some teams, in order for an injured player to keep a long streak going, might start that player and then quickly take him out.

That is not what is going to happen with Favre, who suffered two fractures in his ankle and heel during Sunday's loss to the Packers. It will be some type of miracle if he plays against the Patriots on Sunday.

But don't give up on this man, because he is one of the greatest competitors who has ever played any game. While visiting with him, I got the impression that he is going to find a way to play. And nobody at Winter Park is more determined to improve the team's 2-4 record. He will play if he can walk.

"Well, the streak is not nearly as important as winning football games," Favre said. "The only reason I want to play [against the Patriots] or would like to play is to give our team a chance to win. The streak has always been awesome, and I'm very proud of it, [but] one more game is not going to make a difference one way or the other. It's still a great streak and once again, I'm proud of it. But I just want to try to turn this around and get our team back on track."

In his 20-year NFL career, Favre said he has never suffered an injury as serious as this one.

"I broke one [bone] in my throwing hand, that's the only one," he said. "I never broke a bone in my foot. I hope I can [play], that's my intention, but we'll see as the week goes on.

"I feel fine other than a broken foot. It's kind of a freak injury. It's one that wasn't necessarily even a hard hit, it just really got twisted. But overall I feel fine."

Favre was asked if he had any regrets about coming back this season.

"Not at all. I'm glad I'm here," he said. "I wish we were in a different situation, but I'm committed to helping this team win."

The Viking offense has been sputtering all year and has not operated like it did last year, when the team advanced to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Saints. The Vikings are ranked 30th in the league in passing.

"There's no doubt in my mind we can get it going," Favre said. "You know, there's a lot of football left, and if you look across the league it's wide open. The Saints have struggled, Dallas obviously has struggled. I would say right now the Giants are playing as well as anyone in the NFC. Our division is still wide open with a lot of football left. So I think we can get on track and I think we will, but we are running out of time. We've got to do it in a hurry."

One of the unfortunate NFL career records Favre holds is for most interceptions (327). He threw three against the Packers.

"Well, I can't sit here and say I'm pleased with it, but it's part of football," Favre said. "That's something we have to deal with, not turning the ball over, I know that as well as anyone. All three phases [offense, defense and special teams] have to get better, and all I can concern myself with is how I play and playing at a high level."

Favre was asked about his rumored bad relationship with coach Brad Childress.

"You know, every quarterback and head coach has always had disagreements," Favre said. "No, we're OK."

Then, with a big smile on his face, he added: "I had him in a headlock yesterday and a body slam, but other than that, we're fine."

Maturi, Mona in Atlanta Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi and newly appointed assistant athletic director Dave Mona were in Atlanta on Tuesday visiting with officials from Parker Executive Search about determining candidates for the football coaching vacancy at the university. Maturi's aim is to have a coach after Thanksgiving.

University of Minnesota Regents Richard Beeson, David Larson and Dean Johnson spent 90 minutes on a conference call last week with former Kansas State president Jon Wefald to hear about the football turnaround at his institution and the impact this major revenue sport had on the institution's brand and fundraising. Wefald, a former chancellor of the Minnesota state university system, would have been interested in the University of Minnesota president's job before Robert Bruininks was hired, but he didn't want to be involved in any search committee.

Brady on Moss At Tom Brady's news conference this week, the Patriots quarterback was asked about facing the Vikings and, especially, former teammate Randy Moss.

"Randy is a great player," Brady said. "I'm glad I don't have to defend against him. I'm sure he will want to come out and have a great game against us. It's a very talented team we are playing.

"They have guys in each [phase] that are exceptional players -- offense, defense, special teams -- very similar to last week in San Diego, in that they certainly have a ton of talent and easily could be 6-0 as well. It's going to be a challenging week for all of us, especially defensively, defending all of the things they have to defend over there."

Asked if Moss will give the Vikings an advantage because of his familiarity with the Patriots, Brady said: "He can probably tell them the plays. He knows the signals and stuff, and that is why you have to change them. Hopefully he tells them one thing and you fake it, and then they are guessing -- maybe they guess wrong. Who knows? He might come out and have a great game against us."

Jottings Former Gophers wide receiver Eric Decker hasn't seen much action with the Broncos after they drafted him in the third round, but on Sunday he did return one kickoff for 23 yards against the Raiders. ... One former Gophers player whose name has been brought up by former teammates as a coaching candidate for Minnesota is former quarterback Mike Hohensee, who had great success coaching the Chicago Rush in the Arena Football League from 2001 to 2008 and in 2010, and now has a similar job with the Philadelphia Soul, who will resume play for the 2011 season.

There is a good chance former Gophers football coach Tim Brewster will be back working for Redskins coach Mike Shanahan. Brewster was a tight ends coach for Shanahan at Denver before he was named Gophers football coach in 2007.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. • shartman@startribune.com