Souhan: 'Silver Fox' shows he still has golden touch

On Monday night, Brett Favre took a break from being a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

On this night, Favre became more than a displaced Packer wrapped in an old-school Viking uniform inside a dome that once haunted his dreams.

On "Monday Night Football," in the most anticipated football game in Minnesota in years, Favre reminded a deafening crowd and an immense national audience that he once represented so much more than ponderous summer decisions and cynical career calculations.

In a 30-23 Vikings victory that fans of both teams will remember as long as foam cheeseheads remain nonbiodegradable, Favre confirmed his old franchise's worst fears, evoking memories of his Packers glory days while wearing Viking horns.

Favre turns 40 on Saturday, meaning his first start against the Packers marked his last game as a 30-something. We don't know how long the old boy is going to hold up, but after his miracle finish against the 49ers last week and a Monday night of throwing fastballs against his old squad, we know that the guy his teammates call "The Silver Fox" still possesses the golden touch.

"We're used to Favre-a-palooza now," tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said. "We're engulfed in Favre-a-palooza. It's not even Favre-a-palooza anymore. He's family now."

Favre completed 24 of 31 passes for 271 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against the Pack. Even a 20-something Favre couldn't have been much better in the first half, going 14-for-17 for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

He hasn't even rammed into any icebergs as a Viking.

On the first drive of the second half, Favre threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian, the deep threat who finally seems to have recovered from his nagging hamstring injury. That gave Favre four vital touchdown passes in a 35-minute stretch of football.

A week after his brilliant 2-minute drill against the 49ers, Favre pulled off another one at the end of the first half against the Packers, zipping a 43-yard pass down the seam to Percy Harvin to set up a touchdown that gave the Vikings a 21-14 lead.

Favre didn't just have his fastball -- he displayed surprising "ups," celebrating his first touchdown pass by leaping into the air to collide with Viking kicker and fellow former Packer Ryan Longwell. He even ran downfield in the second quarter to throw a block, and he leaped into the air for another celebration with Chester Taylor. "I think I did knock Chester down that time," Favre said.

The quickness of his decisions trumped the strength of his arm. That's what Vikings fans have been missing in big games for years -- a quarterback who can read a defense like it was a fast-food menu, and deliver quicker than a pizza guy with a new Camaro and heavy debt.

Packers fans had described seeing Favre in purple as "surreal," and the pink shoes only added to the incongruity.

Those close to the Packers say Favre never bestowed much tutoring or career guidance on Aaron Rodgers, but that wasn't Rodgers' problem -- the Vikings' pass rush was.

Packers fans can take solace in this: Favre, with Adrian Peterson in his backfield and a solid offensive line in front of him, had a much easier task than Rodgers, who was responsible for the entire Packers offense and threw half of his passes with Jared Allen's soggy mullet draped over his face.

The Vikings defense ensured that this night would belong to Favre, the graybeard in the purple jersey and pink shoes.

"It really didn't feel that strange," Favre said.