BOSTON -- Brett Favre told ESPN's Ed Werder on Saturday that the injuries to his left foot have healed significantly and that he expects to start on Sunday at New England.

Favre has expressed a desire to play since Wednesday, despite having a stress fracture in his left ankle and another fracture in his left foot that he suffered last Sunday night at Green Bay. Favre did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday but did work in Friday's practice and took part in the Saturday walk-through.

"My expectations are to play and play well enough for us to have a chance to win this game," Favre told ESPN.

Coach Brad Childress was unwilling on Friday to say if Favre or Tarvaris Jackson would start agains the Patriots and said it likely would be a game-day decision. But unless Childress is ready to bench Favre -- and cause an already shaky relationship to dissolve even more -- that decision is now out of his hands. Favre has started an NFL record 291 consecutive regular-season games.

As he prepared to board the team charter Saturday, Favre told Werder in a phone conversation that he wouldn't have made the trip unless he expected to be the guy. An NFL source told the Star Tribune on Thursday that Childress was leaning toward having Jackson start.

Favre, who was criticized by his coach after throwing three picks against the Packers, has thrown 10 interceptions and lost four fumbles during the Vikings' 2-4 start. That is three more picks than Favre threw all of last season.

Meanwhile, the NFL's investigation of Favre for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages and photos to former Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger in 2008 when he was with that team continues. There had been reports the investigation could wrap up this week but that isn't going to happen.

In fact, Sterger's lawyer, Joe Conway, told the Star Tribune on Saturday that he continues to work toward having his client meet with the NFL and it's "likely that is going to happen." Conway said he's not sure when the meeting would take place but added, "I don't think it will go much longer than the end of [this coming] week."

Conway has had several discussions with the league to try to set up the meeting and said he has never been given a deadline by which point Sterger must talk to the NFL.