Favre is NFC offensive player of the month

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has been named the named the NFC offensive player of the month for November after leading the Vikings to a 4-0 record and completing 91 of 130 passes for 1,193 yards, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions with a passer rating of 129.4.

Favre said Wednesday, before it was announced he had won the award, that he feels his performance this year is definitely comparable to his three MVP seasons in the mid-1990s. He also said he is surprised as anyone that he has achieved that success despite missing all of training camp in Mankato this summer.

"Had I felt healthy, this is the way I look at this, being a coach's son I always pride myself on being out there every snap," said Favre, who had surgery to repair a partially torn biceps in late May. "Whether it be practice [or] games. Whether you feel like it or not, I know how important it is for the quarterback to be there. Had my arm felt better and I decided to play I would have been there the first day of camp. I'm as surprised as anyone showing up late. I know how difficult it is even if you know the system, you know the guys and everything is in place. I know how hard it is to come in without those reps and stuff."

In the next breath, Favre made it clear he isn't exactly a huge fan of the training-camp process and indicated he felt missing the time helped. There are many who felt Favre initially told coach Brad Childress in late July that he was going to remain retired because he had no interest in spending a couple of weeks in a dorm room in Mankato.

"Do I think training camp is long?" he said. " I think for old players it probably is because you don't play in every game, you don't play a lot of plays in games anyway in preseason. But I really feel like that it almost helped me as far – and I'm not talking about arm -- I'm talking about the rest."

Favre has been outstanding this year, leading the Vikings to a 10-1 record. He is tied for second in the NFL with Peyton Manning with 24 touchdown passes and has thrown only three interceptions. Favre said age and his confidence in his teammates has helped.

"When called upon all of our guys have stepped up and I just don't feel like I have to do it all," Favre said. "Maybe that's being a little bit older and a little wiser. Where in '96, '96, '97, I probably knew that but it was hard to restrain. I always felt like I could make every play. I still feel that way ... there's, I don't want to say doubt, but at 40 years old to me it's a lot easier to kind of question, 'Can I can get the edge on this bootleg?' I knew I could in '96, which was not always the case, but I sure thought I knew it all. I'm thinking I'm using discretion better and making plays when I need to."

Childress impressed by Saints: Vikings coach Brad Childress said he watched New Orleans' 38-17 victory over New England on Monday night and came away very impressed. The Vikings (10-1) are a game behind the Saints (11-0) in the race for the best record in the NFC and both teams have quarterbacks (Favre and Drew Brees) playing at an MVP level.

"It was an explosive game," Childress said. "Back and forth and there were a lot of plays made on both sides. I've seen New Orleans on tape a couple of times just out of curiosity just to see what they're doing. I admire some of the things they do offensively and I think Sean [Payton, the Saints coach] is very creative. He always has been.