The Vikings' 30-23 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 4 at the Metrodome featured a play late in the game that sparked a bit of debate. With the Vikings leading by 10 points and 3 minutes, 27 second left in the fourth quarter, Minnesota faced a third-and-10 at the Green Bay 45-yard line.
The Packers were out of timeouts, so it seemed like a perfect time to run the ball, eat up clock and, if you're the Vikings, get that much closer to victory. Only that didn't happen. Instead, quarterback Brett Favre dropped back and aired out a deep pass down the right side for Bernard Berrian that fell incomplete. Chris Kluwe came in to punt.
The Packers got a field goal to pull within a touchdown on their next and final drive and many wondered who had made the call for the Vikings to go deep and, because the pass was incomplete, stop the clock. Well, it turns out it might have been Favre trying to get some revenge against his former team.
ESPN reported Monday night that Favre's decision to change a run play to a pass nearly got him benched by coach Brad Childress. If you think you've heard this before, you're not wrong. We reported Sunday night that Childress wanted to remove Favre from the Vikings' victory over Detroit in the second quarter on Nov. 15 at the Metrodome.
ESPN has reported today that Childress wanted to pull Favre in the fourth quarter of both of the Vikings' victories over the Packers this season because of the quarterback's decision-making. In each case, he changed a run to a pass.
In all these cases, it sounds as if offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has gone to bat for Favre so there would not be an issue. At least that was the case before the VIkings' loss at Carolina on Sunday night when Favre simply told Childress he wasn't going to come out.
Why do I have a feeling that Favre's news conference this Wednesday could be an interesting one.
