Favre hasn't beaten Cowboys in playoffs

As a Packer, Brett Favre faced the Cowboys three times in the playoffs, with all three games at Dallas, and he lost all three.

The games were Jan. 16, 1994, when the current Vikings quarterback completed 28 of 45 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns for a 80.9 passer rating in a 27-17 defeat. On Jan. 8, 1995, Favre completed 18 of 35 passes for 211 yards, no TDs, one interception and a 58.2 rating in a 35-9 loss. On Jan. 14, 1996, Favre completed 21 of 39 for three touchdowns and two interceptions and a 84.0 rating in a 38-27 loss.

Favre hopes for better success against Dallas on Sunday at the Metrodome. None of the current Cowboys was on their roster when Favre and the Packers played those three playoff games in Dallas.

"I hope that changes," he said about those three losses. "It goes way back to way before any of the guys here were playing, but I've lost three playoff games or something like that against them."

Favre was very impressed after looking at the film of the Cowboys' 34-14 victory over the Eagles on Saturday.

"Well, I'm excited to be in the playoffs, and we have to play someone," Favre said. "Dallas is playing extremely well, they're hot, they're peaking at the right time. It's going to be a huge challenge for us, but it sure beats the alternative, and that's being at home right now."

Favre has a lot of respect for the Cowboys defense.

Favre was asked if he was surprised how easily the Cowboys handled the Eagles in the two games played in Dallas. Dallas won 24-0 in the last game of the regular season.

"Nothing surprises me," Favre said. "The Eagles are a good football team and the fact that they were shut down the way that they were, not only in this last game but in the last two, says a lot about how good Dallas is."

Cowboys have edge The Cowboys have a 4-2 edge on the Vikings in playoff games. Dallas is 2-1 both at home and in Minnesota in the playoffs.

On Dec. 25, 1971, a divisional playoff at Minnesota, Cowboys coach Tom Landry said after the 20-12 victory, "It [the Vikings] was the best defense we played all year. The statistics might not be impressive [for the Cowboys], we got ahead 20-3 and let them have the turn-ins and stuff like that."

On Dec. 31, 1973, the teams played for the NFC title. Fran Tarkenton won his first playoff game, beating the Cowboys 27-10 in Dallas to take the Vikings to the Super Bowl.

On Jan. 1, 1978, the Cowboys won the NFC Championship beating the Vikings 23-6. On Dec. 28, 1996, the Cowboys won a wild-card game by a score of 40-15. Then on Jan. 9, 2000, the Vikings won the first-round playoff game 27-10.

Praise from Knight Bob Knight called to tell me that he and Brent Musburger will be doing the Gophers-Michigan basketball game at Williams Arena on Feb. 11, and that Knight and the entire 1960 Ohio State NCAA championship team will be honored at Columbus on Jan. 31, the night the Gophers play the Buckeyes. He added a couple of comments.

"Kansas has had a couple of squeaky games, most recently against Cornell when Randy Wittman's son [Ryan] played extremely well against them," Knight said. "Randy's son is probably without a question the premier player in the Ivy League. Cornell is going after its third Ivy League championship, and I'm really pleased for Randy Wittman."

Knight also sang the praises of Cole Aldrich, the former Bloomington Jefferson center now starring for Kansas.

"He is a tremendous part of a very good basketball team," Knight said. "He's smart, he shoots free throws well, probably shoots free throws better than any big kid does, and he's very good inside with either hand. I think that Aldrich is the premier individual big player in the country."

Schroeder has 27 points in three World Junior tournaments, surpassing Roenick's previous mark of 25.

"My jaw pretty much just dropped there, I was so excited he called," Schroeder said. "He's a great guy, he's fun to talk to, and we exchanged numbers. He just said if you ever need any advice or anything, just give me a call. It was definitely a great honor talking to him. No, I had no idea he was going to call."

Jottings Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, talking about his interview Friday with Seattle Seahawks officials about their head coaching vacancy: "They hadn't hired Pete Carroll when I interviewed with them." Media reports have speculated that the Seahawks and the USC coach already have agreed to a deal. Frazier said he also had a very positive interview with the Buffalo Bills.

Gophers football coach Tim Brewster could get a two-year extension. The extension will no doubt include a raise, but also a buyout clause would practically take the university off the hook if Brewster doesn't post a good record.

University of Minnesota attorneys and Brewster's agent are negotiating, with the hope of getting it done before the signing day for recruits. ... According to Rivals.com, Iowa has the 35th-best football recruiting class in the country. The Gophers were 37th.

NBAdraft.net has Gophers freshman Rodney Williams rated as the third-highest prospect in the 2011 draft. However, Williams hasn't played a lot recently before seeing more action in the Ohio State game, in which he was scoreless and played eight minutes.