Vikings are patient with QB Favre

Whether it will take a month or an entire offseason for quarterback Brett Favre to make a decision on his return to NFL, the Minnesota Vikings are just willing to wait. Their patience seems the contrary to the enthusiasm of Vikings fans who used billboard and newspaper ad to urge Favre to make mind.

According to Vikings coach Brad Childress, the three-time MVP is still healing up from the injury he suffered in the NFC championship game and the team has no intension to press the issue. He had two conversations with Favre this week but did not mention much about football.

Not only to Vikings but also to all NFL fans, Favre’s decision is worth waiting. He can just also ways cause hot discussions by making decision to retire or not to retire. Two years ago, he announced retirement at the end of his 16th season with the Green Bay Packers but put on the New York Jets jersey for 2008 season. Then last year, he made all believe that he was determined to retire with a shoulder injury. What happened at the end was that he joined the Vikings after missing all of the offseason workouts and training camp. It’s really hard to say what decision the 41-year-old quarterback will make this year. So just wait like the Vikings.

Vikings was beaten for the third time

It seemed that Brett Favre’s best time has gone and the Minnesota Vikings have lost the power to keep a winning streak. Starting the season 6-0, they were firstly beaten by the Pittsburgh Steelers, then after a four-game streak, they lost the second game of the season to the Arizona Cardinals. As fans began to be optimistic again after the Vikings won last week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, they were disappointed again this week as their beloved team lost the third game of the season, being beaten by the Carolina Panthers.

Steve Smith caught the go-ahead touchdown pass and his long catch and run set up the clinching score and the Panthers used a ferocious defense to stifle Favre, Adrian Peterson and the Vikings in a 26-7 victory. 40-year-old Favre was not the best quarterback on the field any more, instead Matt Moore, a rookie quarterback in Panthers jersey starting for the third game as replacement to injured Jake Delhomme, took the honor by throwing for a career-high 299 yards and three touchdown passes.

Smith caught nine passes for 157 yards and keyed Carolina’s 20-point fourth quarter, and Jonathan Steward added 109 yards rushing and a TD on 25 carries.

Brett Favre jersey is still best selling

According to sales records form the NFLShop.com, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre can still be considered to be the most popular football player as Brett Favre jersey remains No.1 in NFL player jersey sales ranking.

By helping the Vikings start at 10-1, Favre has proved that he is still in his best time despite the fact that he is at age 40. Partly because of his jersey being at the top of the jersey list, the Vikings are ranking third in team sales, following the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. And Brett Favre is followed by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Vikings’ runningback Adrian Peterson in the top 3 best selling player jerseys.

Eight of the ten best selling jerseys are quarterback jerseys, including Favre jersey, Tom Brady jersey, Peyton Manning jersey, Jay Cutler Jersey, Ben Roethlisberger jersey, Eli Manning jersey, Tony Romo jersey and Mark Sanchez jersey. Polamalu and Peterson are respectively the only safety and running back whose jersey is among the top 10 best selling jerseys.

Vikings CB Winfield may return to play against Seahawks

The Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said he was“85 percent” sure he will play this Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks and“100 percent” sure he’ll play next Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

After missing the last three games with injury to right foot, Winfield participated in much of Wednesday’s practice. And according to Coach Brad Childress, the last season’s Pro Bowler has been “green-lighted” to push as hard as he feels he can during practice.

Although backup cornerbacks Benny Sapp, Karl Paymah and Asher Allen have filled in relatively well, the team is just expecting Winfield to return in his Vikings jersey as soon as he is able to play. They just do not want to rush him back until he has been fully recovered as precaution.

Vikings RT Loadholt skipped practice and was questionable for Sunday game

The Minnesota Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt skipped the team’s Friday practice with an ankle injury and his playing status was questionable for this Sunday’s game against the Rams in St. Louis.

Loadholt was put on the injury report on Thursday. The rookie from Oklahoma is coming off probably his best game as a pro and contributed to the Vikings’ win over the Green Bay Packers without allowing a sack.

Left guard Steve Hutchinson and quarterback Brett Favre are listed as probable for Sunday’s game. Hutchinson was limited in practice, and Favre was out with injuries on foot, ankle and knee ailments.

Plus, punt returner Darius Reynaud was ruled out for Sunday’s game with injury on his left hamstring and some family matter to deal with. He also skipped the team’s last game against the Packers.

Vikings cut four players in move of reducing rosters to 75

Tuesday was the NFL’s deadline to reduce rosters to 75 players, so the Minnesota Vikings cut four players to trim their roster. The released included kicker Taylor Mehlhaff, cornerback Derrick Roberson, running back Antone Smith and guard Nick Urban.

That was not the end of trimming. By Saturday, teams must be down to the regular-season limit of 53 players. And for the Vikings, the most urgent to do is to decide which backup quarterbacks to keep, behind Brett Favre, who put on his No. 4 vikings jersey not long ago and became the team’s starting quarterback.

The Vikings won over the Houston Texans by 17-10 in Tuesday night’s preseason game. They will play their last preseason game on Friday against the Dallas Cowboys at home.