Sunday night will be just the second time Brett Favre has suited up in another team’s uniform to play at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.
He returned for the first time last season, as Vikings quarterback, for a 38-26 win on Nov. 1. However, Favre brings much more baggage with him on this trip.
There is the Vikings’ unexpected and lackluster 2-3 start.
There is Favre’s balky right elbow, in which he has already taken one cortisone shot this season to try to relieve the tendinitis.
Oh, and there are the allegations that Favre sent lewd text messages to a Jets employee during his time with that team, allegations that have forced Favre to meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with the possibility of league discipline hanging in the balance.
Favre said all week his concentration was solely on the Packers. Sunday night, Football America gets to see if that is true.
Must-see game of the week
Vikings at Packers 6:20 p.m., KUSA-9
The skinny: The Packers are a battered team in terms of injuries right now, with the most prominent injury being to linebacker Clay Matthews. The Packers are hoping Matthews (hamstring), who was held out of last weekend’s loss to the Dolphins, will be ready to go in this one. Matthews practiced some last week and is still the league’s sack leader with 8 1/2 despite missing a game. Favre took a pounding in the Vikings’ loss to the Jets, but did rebound at least some in a win over the Cowboys last week.
The difference will be: It might be how the Packers’ injury-riddled secondary handles Favre and Randy Moss. The two are looking to prove a point right now — that they can still play, that they can still have significant impact in an offense on a prime-time stage. But the more the off-the-field controversy swirls around Favre and the more his elbow hurts, the more the Vikings should hand the ball to RB Adrian Peterson. Peterson is averaging 4.9 yards per carry, and the Vikings need to make a concerted effort to make him the centerpiece of the offense, no matter what Favre or Moss thinks.
The call: Packers 31-30
Catch them if you can
Redskins at Bears 11 a.m., KDVR-31
Mike Shanahan brings his new team to his hometown for the first time. Few coaches know the ins and outs of Bears QB Jay Cutler’s game better than Shanahan, so Cutler can expect a few wrinkles thrown at him in coverage. Redskins QB Donovan McNabb, also a Chicago native, has won four of five career starts in Soldier Field.
The call: Redskins 24-21
Steelers at Dolphins 11 a.m., KCNC-4
Now that the Steelers have gotten past QB Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension and remained in first place in the AFC North, it is time to take them seriously as a Super Bowl contender, given that their offensive numbers will improve as Roethlisberger continues to work his way back. Roethlisberger is 3-0 against the Dolphins in his career. The Steelers lead the league in scoring defense, and they are surrendering just 12.0 points per game.
The call: Steelers 27-13
Eagles at Titans 11 a.m.
Year in and year out, no team is more off-balance on offense than the Eagles. Coach Andy Reid believes in passing his way out of any situation or dilemma, but that will be a risky proposition in this one. He already has one injured QB in Michael Vick, the Titans lead the league in sacks with 24 and the Eagles have surrendered the second-most sacks in the league (20).
The call: Titans 20-16
Patriots at Chargers 2:15 p.m.
The Chargers are teetering on the edge between their traditionally slow start and a season that got away. Their special teams have been brutal, which is a big reason the team is No. 1 in the league in defense in terms of yards allowed, but it is 19th in scoring defense, giving up 21 points a game. Defense will also determine if the Patriots can really make something of this season. They are 30th in yards allowed, 24th in points allowed while they lead the way in scoring on offense.
The call: Chargers 34-28
Quick hitters
Bengals at Falcons 11 a.m.
The Bengals haven’t played in Atlanta since 2002 and have an uphill struggle in this one. Falcons QB Matt Ryan is 15-1 as a starter at home in his career and has won 11 in a row.
The call: Falcons 27-17
Bills at Ravens 11 a.m.
This is the cover-your-eyes matchup of the week. The Bills are coming off a bye, but they don’t have nearly the offensive pop a team needs to hold back the Ravens at home.
The call: Ravens 24-6
49ers at Panthers 11 a.m.
Not exactly the kind of game that would lure folks away from the HD flat screen to go sit in the stands. The Panthers are last in the league in scoring offense, while the 49ers are last in the league in turnover margin at minus-8.
The call: 49ers 10-9
Jaguars at Chiefs 11 a.m.
The Chiefs’ young roster showed its inexperience with this whole leading-the-division thing with close losses to Indianapolis and Houston since the 3-0 start. The Jaguars played terribly on Monday night and now hit the road on a short week.
The call: Chiefs 28-24
Browns at Saints 11 a.m.
The Browns are expected to give rookie Colt McCoy his second consecutive start. Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has traditionally blitzed rookie QBs often, and McCoy figures to be no different.
The call: Saints 30-10
Rams at Buccaneers 11 a.m.
Sam Bradford has done just fine on a bumpy learning curve for rookie QBs, but it is the Rams’ defense that could actually push St. Louis over the .500 mark for the first time in quite a while. Their defensive line has 13 of the team’s 17 sacks.
The call: Rams 20-17
Cardinals at Seahawks 2 p.m.
The Cardinals are coming off a bye week and have a chance to take charge of a weak division. They will have to do it with a rookie — Max Hall — starting at QB.
The call: Seahawks 24-23
