Favre set to start Sunday against 49ers

Vikings get veteran back on the field

Brett Favre will start tonight against the San Francisco 49ers and should play a series or two and about 10 plays. From there he'll turn it over to backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.

Oddsmakers dog Favre in his return

Most sportsbooks have the Vikings set as 2.5-point underdogs with the game's total at 37 points.

It has been a bit of a busy week for the Vikings. The publicity of the whole Favre saga was a lot to deal with, even if the veteran quarterback did his best to reassure the team.

"I did feel -- more so than last year, believe it or not -- I needed them to know I'm all in," Favre told reporters. "Not that they didn't know. I think they did just from me being there. And that was kind of the mantra from all of those guys: 'We knew if we got you here, we were going to get you and you'd be all in. It was getting your [butt] here that is the problem.'

"The hardest part for me is leaving Hattiesburg and the tranquility and that stuff, leaving that. But when I left it, I knew it was nose to the grindstone for five months now."

There Goes the Neighborhood: TO Joins Ocho in Cincy

Terrell Owens finds a home

Don't look now, but Terrell Owens signed a one-year deal with none other than the Cincinnati Bengals. Of course. It's a match made in heaven. TO's deal is reportedly worth $2 million with the chance to earn another two mil through incentives.

At least one person is happy to see him

You have to wonder what Carson Palmer thinks about this now that he has two of the NFL's biggest sideshows split out wide for him.

I mean, isn't this just adding grease to a grease fire? These two guys have been buddies for a while and now they'll be sharing the field together, but I can't see them sharing the limelight nearly as easily.

Ocho's going to be whining if he isn't getting his looks and we all know how Owens reacts when things aren't going his way. I guess it's a decent signing at this price for Cincy, but I'm not sure it's going to be worth the turmoil. For the record, Owens had 829 receiving yards with five TDs last year with Buffalo.

Vikings Coach Visits Favre

One more time, with feeling

This is becoming a yearly pilgramage for Brad Childress. The Vikings head coach has been spotted in Southern Mississippi again, which just happens to be where his quarterback Brett Favre has been working out with some high school kids. A local TV station reported Favre and Childress were seen chatting together on Monday at the University of Southern Mississippi's football camp.

Childress wouldn't come right out and say why he made the trip but said "you can fill in the blanks" when a local TV station questioned him about it.

Favre gives Men's Journal magazine a decent quote (kind of)

When asked if he was concerned about his long-term health after having ankle surgery in the offseason he replied "playing another year probably isn't going to make a difference. The damage has already been done."

Minnesota's training camp is set to get underway in 10 days.

The Gunslinger Speaks

Favre wants to play again

Brett Favre made it pretty clear at Wednesday's ESPY awards that he wants to play for the Minnesota Vikings this season. The only thing that's keeping doubts in his head now is his surgically-repaired left ankle.

"I still have a little bit of time, and believe it or not, [I'm] not completely healthy," Favre told reporters after the show. "I guess at 40 I may never be. I'm not getting any younger, but I am working hard trying to feel as best I can. Last year, I felt great. My arm was totally different than it was the year before [in 2008 with the Jets] and that made my decision a little bit easier. But we'll see."

Vikings hold their breath

That "we'll see" part has to be killing the Vikings right now. If Favre doesn't come back, their quarterback depth chart is a complete crapshoot.

"It starts with the ankle," he said. "This coming Friday will be eight weeks [since the surgery], and I had hoped it would be a little bit better at this point. I can walk fine, but you don't walk in football.

"Then it kind of works from there up. If you wake up in the morning and your feet hurt, it kind of makes the rest of your body hurt, and if you've been sacked 700 times, that usually adds to it."

Ochocinco Strikes Again

Cincy wideout makes another bold claim

Chad Ochocinco has a reputation of being a great interview and he gets such a reputation by making comments like he did the other day on the Dan Patrick Show.

When asked about whether he expected to wear a Super Bowl ring or a wedding ring first Ochocinco replied "A Super Bowl ring. I believe that Super Bowl ring will be this year."

When one is not enough

And as for that other ring?

“I just talked to Pat Riley,” Ochocinco announced. “When I see the ends, I’ll be coming off the bench for the Heat. I can average 10 points per game. I might be the first player to get two rings in one year.”

Ochocinco had some pretty solid numbers last season, piling up more than 1000 receiving yards and nine TDs for Cincinnati.

Getting Caught Up: Your Latest Headlines

LaDainian Tomlinson hops on the guarantee train

LT is tired of all the talk that he's too slow, too worn, too old to make a difference any more. After signing with the Jets this offseason, Tomlinson recently told reporters that New York will "absolutely" win a Super Bowl within the next two years. Don't worry about the fact that he's probably the No. 2 back in the depth chart. And if that wasn't enough, he already got himself a New York Jets tattoo.

Mark Brunell owes HOW much?

Somehow, Mark Brunell has filed for bankruptcy and owes $24.7 million. He picked up a cool $1.55 million with the New Orleans Saints last year. Looks like some awful real estate investments are the major issue.

Drew Brees figures Brett Favre will be back

For what it's worth, reigning Super Bowl champ Drew Brees is expecting to see the ol' gunslinger lining up under centre when the Saints host the Vikes in their season opener on Sept. 9.

"I don't think there's any doubt that Brett Favre is coming back, and he's going to be as good as he's ever been," Brees said Monday in an interview with FanHouse. "We're going to need our best game to beat him, I know that. They're a good team. A very good team."

Ronnie Brown Plays the Waiting Game

Dolphins running back weighs his options

They say patience is a virtue, but it isn't often seen in the cash-crazy NFL these days. Ronnie Brown is a different story all together though. He hasn't signed a $3.7 million tender yet because he's holding out for a multi-year contract and it doesn't look like he's going to waver on this. Problem is, it seems unlikely that the Dolphins are going to budge either, especially for a running back who has had problems staying healthy.

What's Ronnie Brown worth these days anyway?

He definitely has flashes of top-notch talent, when he's feeling well enough to drop the shoulder on opposing linebackers and put it in another gear to race by DBs. Last year he only played in nine games and still managed to roll out 648 yards and eight touchdowns, so there's no question he can play. But, he is 28 years old, approaching that dreaded 30.

"I can't worry about it too much. I can't sign myself," he told reporters. "If I start to worry about it, is it going to change it? If I start to talk about it, is it going to change it? Is [my contract situation] going to become a positive or a negative?"

Oddsmakers have the Dolphins set at +2500 to win the 2011 Super Bowl.

Randy Moss: You Can Go Your Own Way!

Moss ain't finished yet

Randy Moss has always had a great talent for speaking his mind at every turn, often saying the worst possible thing at the worst possible moment. But to his defense, he's his own man and always will be. And today, he's a little upset about persisting rumors that he's going to be hanging up the cleats anytime soon. He also canned his agent recently and he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season. So he has a lot going on.

"The way it was brought to my attention was that it seemed like I'm retiring soon," Moss said. "I have no intention of retiring soon. What I did with firing an agent was, I thought time had run out. There were some things that couldn't be done that needed to be done."

Uncertain future

"Those things" probably have a lot to do with somebody finding him one more big payday and it's hard to knock his production - Oakland years aside, of course. Moss, now 33, has cracked 1,000 yards and pulled in 47 touchdowns over the last three years.

Oddsmakers have the Patriots set at +1200 to win the 2011 Super Bowl.

Report: Saints TE Shockey Hospitalized

Shockey in stable condition

Jeremy Shockey had an interesting day on Thursday. Reports out of New Orleans claim the New Orleans tight end collapsed in the weight room at the Saints' complex. New Orleans teammate Darren Sharper told media that Shockey suffered a seizure in the weight room and was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. He is expected to stay overnight at least while undergoing more tests.

Who Dat?

Fortunately, it seems like Shockey's feeling a lot better, even though the entire incident has to be pretty concerning. Apparently, he tweeted "Who Dat?" from his hospital bed, so maybe things are looking up.

The Saints are set at +900 to win the 2011 Super Bowl.

NFL News and Notes: NYC Super Bowl and Dancing With the Stars

The Super Bowl is coming to the Big Apple

Bring on a Snow Bowl in 2014! For the first time ever, the NFL's Super Bowl will be hosted by a city that usually sees sub-50 degree weather in February. It was thought that New York's bid would be little more than a lay-up, but it took four rounds of voting to bring in the final decision.

This is just so overdue. Football's played in all sorts of elements all year long, so to settle it all without weather being a factor was a corporate joke. I'm actually a little surprised the bigwigs didn't drag their collective heels a little longer on this on.

Watch that first step, Ocho

Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco has been swooning all the ladies on Dancing With the Stars for the last little while, but reportedly sat out the series finale following a workout injury. Ocho tweeted that he didn't stretch before trying a 420-pound squat. Sounds like a whole lotta La Bamba, to me.

The Bengals are set at +4000 to win the 2011 Super Bowl.

The Brett Favre Retirement Watch: No News is Good News?

Brett Favre leaving Vikings in limbo

The Minnesota Vikings have no idea who their quarterback is going to be in Week 1 (does this sound familiar?) and according to recent reports, they don't even know if or when the ol' gunslinger is going to have surgery on that ankle that was giving him problems.



Apparently, this surgery (IF Favre decided to have it) would be a minor procedure, but that doesn't do much to set anybody in the Vikings organization at ease considering teams are opening minicamps this week.

Retirement?

Favre hasn't given any indication whether he's going to play another year or not, so for now, we wait. We wait for Favre to buckle that chin strap again, or usher in the next wave of Vikings quarterbacks - that means you, Tavaris Jackson/Sage Rosenfels/Marc Bulger/Kerry Collins. I'm not sure what would be worse.

Oddsmakers have the Minnesota Vikings set at +1500 to win the Super Bowl.

Is Darrelle Revis Worth $20 Million?

Darrelle Revis Looking to Get Paid

There’s no denying Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis had one heck of a year in 2009-2010, but should he really be one of the NFL’s highest-paid players? Seems as though that’s what he’s after.

The New York Jets had a terrible time getting his name on his rookie contract three years ago (he’s due $1 million this year) and now nobody would be surprised if he held out for the big money. Huge money, actually.

The $20 Million Club

The New York Post reports he’s looking for $20 million per season, which would put him in the same ballpark as Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Jay Cutler – the only three players in the league who crack the 20-million mark annually.

Then again, cornerback Dunta Robinson signed a $57-million, six-year deal with the Falcons this offseason, so Revis just might get what he wants from New York. And if the Jets won’t give it to him, somebody else will. Revis recorded 54 tackles, six interceptions, and 31 passes defended last season and made the Pro Bowl for the second time in his third year in the league.

The JaMarcus Russell Watch

Now what?

The most inept organization in the National Football League made a step in the right direction by cutting ties with former No. 1 overall pick, JaMarcus Russell. Since then, Russell hasn't attracted much interested around the league, which is understandable considering his fitness and commitment issues. The Raiders threw away about $40 million over the last three years on this guy and it looks as though the rest of the league is hesitant to give him another shot right away.

Bengals say "thanks, but no thanks"

There were rumours circulating late last week about a possible fit with (who else?) the Cincinnati Bengals. Chad Ochocinco dropped a tweet about seeing Russell at minicamp, but the Bengals have backed off since then. Right now, it looks as though Russell's best option might be to play in the CFL. That's half a world away from his playboy days in Oakland.

Update: Ben Roethlisberger's Suspension

Big Ben takes first baby step

Ben Roethlisberger, suspended six games by the NFL late last month for violating the league’s code of conduct policy, has completed the first round of a series of mandated evaluations in an attempt to get back on the field with his teammates.

Don’t hold your breath though, Steelers fans.

NFL commissioner Roger Godell is going to take his time with this one, waiting for more information (and possibly more tests) before he allows Roethlisberger to take part in any team activities. It may seem like a hard stand, considering Roethlisberger hasn’t been convicted of anything, but it’s the right decision. Roethlisberger has had a reputation of dragging the NFL brand through the mud for a while now, so maybe this is what he needs to get on the straight-and-narrow.
NFL players can’t control what’s reported about them, but they can control their actions and who they’re associating with. Goodell has this one right.
Let Big Ben sit in the corner for a while until he learns how to act like an adult.