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Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
A breakdown of a memorable play
Posted by: under Vikings, Packers, Brad Childress, Darrell Bevell, Vikings offense, Bernard Berrian, Brad Childress, Brett Favre, Darrell Bevell, Sage Rosenfels, Sidney Rice, Tarvaris Jackson, Visanthe Shiancoe Updated: September 28, 2009 - 2:19 PM
Two Jet Aggie Spread Right.
It was that play called out of the Vikings' Eagle personnel package that will forever connect Greg Lewis and Brett Favre in Vikings lore. Depending on whom you listened to after Favre's miraculous throw was caught in even more miraculous fashion by Lewis in the back of the end zone to give the Vikings a 27-24 victory, this is a play Minnesota either works on a little or not at all.
"We haven't practiced that play, I can assure you," said Favre, who arrived on Aug. 18.
But coach Brad Childress said, "it's one of our last few plays we practice during training camp when we've got to have a play." That could mean the last time the Vikings ran through the play was with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels in Mankato.
What's interesting if you go back and watch the play, is the fact it happened despite the fact three of Favre's potential targets stopped short of the end zone -- with virtually no time left on the clock. Look as Lewis makes the catch over safety Mark Roman with two seconds left and you'll see he is the lone Vikings receiver in the end zone.
Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice and Visanthe Shiancoe had cut off their routes. Why? Good question. "It was four verticals," offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. "We were sending four guys vertical to the end zone and I told Brett, 12 seconds, the ball had to go in the end zone."
There were 2 seconds left when Lewis caught that ball and given the situation time could have easily expired. There would be no reason for Berrian, Rice and Shiancoe not to keep going. But they didn't.
And it worked to perfection.
Watch again and you'll see the 49ers defenders also begin stopping with the receivers, thus leaving two defenders in the end zone around Lewis.
Given that Favre is in his 19th season, it comes as no surprise that he plays against many of his former teammates. And Roman is one of them. Roman played for the Packers in 2004 and 2005 and he had a reunion of sorts with the future Hall of Fame quarterback in the second quarter when Roman came on a safety blitz and blasted Favre.
Favre didn't even know Lewis had caught his pass when he let fly -- "I just saw one of our guys streaking across," he said -- so he sure didn't know that Roman ended up as a defender on the play. Favre took a big hit from behind by 49ers linebacker Manny Lawson and ended up on his stomach.
So when will we next see Two Jet Aggie Spread Right? Maybe never.
"We probably will have to throw that out since it has been seen now and come up with another last play," Childress said.
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