Not for his name or the blocks he can throw downfield during a random pass play. It wasn't for his grit or his scruff or his record number of starts. The Vikings picked up Brett Favre because, unlike anyone they've had in five years, he can make plays with arms.
On a Sunday in the Metrodome, Favre did just that, scrambling around as the clock ticked away, down by four to a scrappy 49ers team that was looking to go 3-0 for the first time since 1998, and tossed one of those cannon throws towards the end zone, where Greg Lewis made the catch of the year so far in the NFL -- a snag that moved the Vikings to 3-0, and commenced the gushing over No. 4.
The last three weeks have been a blur for Minnesota Viking fans. They've gone from a quarterback competition to a completely different kind of quarterback controversy.
When Brett Favre walked into Viking headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn., on Aug. 18, he brought with him the promise of a Super Bowl run. Either that, or the promise of another glorious Vikings flop. The only certainty with Favre's arrival is that nothing is a given. All the meaningless predictions are cast aside starting Sunday, as Minnesota launches their 2009 regular season at Cleveland.
Last week, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Bobby Wade took a pay cut. It seemed to be rather curious timing, perhaps suggesting that Wade accepted the reduction in salary (to $1.5 million) in order to avoid being cut.
Wade denied it, and the reduction in salary also gave Wade the right to become a free agent after the 2009 season. Apparently, the Vikings decided that the end of the season was too long for Wade to wait. Instead, they decided to make him a free agent now.
Four of the best quarterbacks in the league, and quite possibly two of the best ever will suit up on Thursday night as week two of the NFL's preseason gets started.
While both Donovan McNabb and Brady have made headlines for off-the-field issues, (McNabb with his insistence on bringing Michael Vick to the Eagles and Brady with news of his wife Gisele and her pregnancy), none of the four play-callers are huge story line material on the field for tonight's matchups.
From now until the regular season begins, Fantasy Flings is where you'll find interesting story lines about your favorite teams from training camp. If there is a position battle, a nagging injury, a comeback story or a youngster rocketing up the depth chart, we'll let you know the fantasy implications.
Buffalo Bills Wide receiver Terrell Owens returned to practice on Monday, but it was only in a limited fashion. He spent time doing station drills but when the team went 11-on-11, Owens took off his shoulder pads and sat out. He's still listed as day-to-day with a sprained toe. Getting extra time with the first team is veteran Josh Reed. Reed caught 56 balls last season and scored once but is forming a stronger relationship with quarterback Trent Edwards during training camp. CBS Sports reporter Mark Ludwiczak says that Reed has stepped up in Owens' absence. "I've had a chance these last couple of practices to work with him and I just love the way he carries himself, the way he plays the position," Edwards said. It's not terribly likely that Owens will miss regular-season time from this nagging injury, but he is missing out valuable bond-forming time with his new quarterback Edwards. The extra time it's taking Owens to get back to full strength could also foreshadow durability issues to come later in the season.
Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's daily gathering of links from around the web, covering the goings-on in NFL Training Camp which have an impact on fantasy value.
Obviously, with training camp comes a certain level of optimism surrounding every team. At Bears camp, the entire offense has been a veritable hype machine, due mostly to the acquisition of pro bowl quarterback Jay Cutler.
With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.
Meet The ... Troops of Tom Brady. Yes, there are plenty of guys on this team who matter -- not sure if you've heard of Randy Moss, for example -- but this season it is all about the health of Tom Brady. He's going to be nearly a year removed from tearing his ACL in 2008 when the season begins. Now that Matt Cassel is gone, the weight of the team is on Brady's shoulders.
Really, the picture here is perfect. There are guys in the background wearing the same uniform, but they are a bit blurry. Brady is front and center, and the focus of the photo.
And while adding Gaffney seems innocuous enough -- he's a role player and that's it -- apparently, the Patriots took umbrage at McDaniels pilfering from his former employer on the way out the door. So much so that, according to Brad Briggs' sources, they decided to send Matt Cassel to Kansas City instead of Denver, and created the whole Jay Cutler melodrama in the process. Good times.
Missing the playoffs for the first time in five years seems to have sparked a burning desire in the New England front office to bring in every available player this offseason. After already signing Fred Taylor, Joey Galloway, Shawn Springs, Greg Lewis and Leigh Bodden, NFL.com's Vic Carucci passes along the information that the Patriots may be ready to take a run at Carolina Panthers franchise player Julius Peppers.
That sound you're hearing is the opposing AFC East quarterbacks gently sobbing into their pillows.
The New England Patriots continued to re-tool their roster on Saturday by signing veteran wide receiver Joey Galloway to a one-year deal, as reported by Steve Duemig of WDAE (via PFT). Galloway, 37, was part of the offseason roster purge in Tampa Bay after catching only 13 passes in 2008.
With Randy Moss and Wes Welker cemented as starters, Galloway will be, at best, the No. 3 option in the passing game for quarterback Tom Brady, likely competing with newcomer Greg Lewis for passes.
This is why they got him. 
The last three weeks have been a blur for Minnesota Viking fans. They've gone from a quarterback competition to a completely different kind of quarterback controversy.
Last week, 
Four of the best quarterbacks in the league, and quite possibly two of the best ever will suit up on Thursday night as week two of the 
From now until the regular season begins, 
With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all. 
No team has been more active in free agency than the Broncos. They've signed 12 players, 
Missing the playoffs for the first time in five years seems to have sparked a burning desire in the New England front office to bring in every available player this offseason. After already signing 
The New England Patriots continued to re-tool their roster on Saturday by signing veteran wide receiver 
