Bob Sansevere: Minnesota Vikings would be a different team without Brett Favre at quarterback

ST. LOUIS -- The other day, when rookie Toby Gerhart felt he had been hit and shoved and abused enough, his emotions uncoiled and he got into a dust-up with defensive end Ray Edwards. In describing Gerhart's retaliation, Vikings coach Brad Childress invoked Popeye's mantra: "That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more."

When it comes to Brett Favre, Childress and others in the Vikings organization can stands plenty.

Childress and the others have let Favre take his sweet time deciding whether to return or retire. There have been no ultimatums, no text messages telling him to "get your creaky old bones in here or else."

The closest anyone has come to imposing a deadline is defensive end Jared Allen, who told ESPN this past week that Favre needs to make up his mind by the third exhibition game. Allen can spout all he wants. It's not his call. That decision will come from much higher up than the defensive line. Allen also opined to ESPN that the decision should be made "out of fairness to the team and Tarvaris Jackson."

You know that if Favre shows up, Allen will be one of the first in line to give him a man hug. Chances are Allen is saying this stuff now to throw a little love Jackson's way. If Favre actually does retire, Jackson will be the starting quarterback. So why not show him some support, just in case?

The Vikings coaches have been in rave mode about Jackson this training camp. They say he's matured. He's improved. He's this much better at that, and that much better at this. Then again, what are they going to say? That he reeks. You can bet they don't want him taking snaps come the Sept. 9 season opener against New Orleans.

They want Favre.

This is a different team with Favre. A more dangerous team. A more explosive team. A Super Bowl-caliber team.

With Jackson, it is a team that must rely more -- much more -- on the defense.

When Favre joined the Vikings last season, he was going to be more of a game manager because it was Adrian Peterson's offense. Remember that? It didn't take long for it to become Favre's offense, Favre's team.

With Jackson as the starting QB, it goes back to being Peterson's offense. Jackson's primary role would be to avoid screwing up.

He didn't screw up Saturday night in the Vikings' 28-7 victory over the St. Louis Rams that opened the preaseason. Then again, he wasn't given time to do much of anything. Playing just the opening possession, Jackson hit 2 of 4 passes for 11 yards, and the drive wilted after just six plays. It didn't help that he was surrounded by backups at the skill positions, with Percy Harvin (migraines), Sidney Rice (hip) and Visanthe Shiancoe (strain) back home in Minnesota and Peterson staying on the sideline.

There will be fewer key players in a Jackson-quarterbacked offense than there would be with Favre. With Favre in there, Rice and Bernard Berrian would have a much greater impact because, simply put, Favre can get them the ball in situations Jackson can't.

Jackson's arsenal would be whittled to where Peterson, Shiancoe and Harvin would be more vital cogs. Rice and Berrian wouldn't be ignored, but Rice wouldn't put up another 83-catch, 1,312-yard season with Jackson flinging the ball. A steady diet of runs and short passes would be hallmarks of that offense.

Of course, the effectiveness of a Jackson-run offense would be linked to whether Harvin can deal with the migraine headaches that have plagued him since childhood. Harvin is one of the league's most dynamic players, capable of denting a defense as a runner or receiver and the Vikings have a slew of plays they're itching to give him -- once he returns.

The team is getting a roster exemption for Harvin because debilitating migraines have kept him from practicing. The Vikings' collective hope is that Harvin stops suffering from headaches and starts creating them for defenses.

And if Jackson becomes the starting quarterback, the hope will be that he causes more headaches for the opposition than he does for the Vikings.

Bob Sansevere can be reached at bsansevere@pioneerpress.com .