National Football League

Favre coming up short on and off field

Published Oct. 11, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

Alex Marvez

Brett Favre seemed in denial when refusing to answer questions about alleged sexual impropriety during the postgame news conference.

But there is one reality Favre must face: His Minnesota Vikings are in big trouble after Monday night’s 29-20 loss to the New York Jets.

And the quarterback has only himself to blame.

Cornerback Dwight Lowery’s 26-yard touchdown return of a Favre interception late in the fourth quarter did more than clinch the New York victory and drop Minnesota to 1-3. It also provided an appropriate finish to one of the worst weeks in Favre’s personal and professional life.

Deadspin.com provided evidence last week that the married Favre sent inappropriate text and voicemail messages — along with cellphone photos of his genitalia — to former Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger when both were with the franchise in 2008. The NFL is investigating the sexual harassment charges and could suspend one of its marquee players.

Favre’s backpedal from center has slowed after 20 NFL seasons. He was red-eyed and tired after Monday night’s contest, hobbling to the shower long after most teammates had left the locker room. His right arm aches from tendinitis so much that Favre clutched it in pain after throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Percy Harvin.

However, Favre was far quicker than the average 41-year-old when retreating from media inquiries about the Sterger brouhaha.

Some snippets:

Favre should be even more embarrassed by his handling of these claims.

Favre’s nonchalant approach — he was even cracking jokes in his 14-minute media session — is disrespectful to his fans and the league that helped make him rich and famous. Because of his stature as the game’s most celebrated quarterback, Favre represents a far bigger part of Commissioner Roger Goodell’s NFL “shield” than the average player.

Favre should have said something — anything — besides the “I'm not getting into that. I've got my hands full with the Jets” answer given last Thursday when asked by the media. Even a more expansive team-released statement last week would have shown a hint of remorse or, on the flip side, a sense of outrage if the allegations weren’t true.

Instead, the player who usually can’t stop yakking when speaking to reporters has gone mum. The only sign of emotion came behind closed doors. A teary-eyed Favre reportedly apologized to teammates during a Monday morning meeting for being a “distraction.”

“He didn’t really have to talk,” Harvin said. “But with him talking, it gave us a message that he was really touched.”

Too little, too late.

There was only one way Favre could truly make amends for dragging his teammates into this Tiger Woods-type circus: By responding on the field like when he had faced other adversity. He was brilliant in the first game following his father’s death in 2003 against Oakland. Favre handled the suffocating pressure of facing Green Bay for the first time last season with two spectacular outings against his former squad.

That Favre didn’t surface enough in Monday night’s affair.

Before last season’s NFC Championship game against Minnesota, New Orleans coach Sean Payton delivered a motivational speech urging his defense to make Favre look like an “old man who’s scared of the rain.” The Jets did just that for 2 1/2 quarters as the storms and lightning that delayed kickoff by 40 minutes swirled around New Meadowlands Stadium.

Favre’s best first-half play was drawing a face-mask penalty on New York’s Calvin Pace while being sacked. That was one of only three Vikings first downs as New York took a 9-0 halftime lead. Favre’s three completions on seven attempts equaled the number of times he fumbled (once) and was sacked (twice).

It got worse. Favre committed another turnover at midfield on his first play of the second half. Favre put his hands on his helmet after flubbing a handoff to running back Adrian Peterson that the Jets recovered.

The fumble was the 162nd of Favre’s career, breaking Warren Moon’s NFL mark, and helped set up the Jets for a fourth Nick Folk field goal. But to his credit, Favre resumed his assault on the record books on Minnesota’s next possession, surpassing 70,000 passing yards. He converted on third downs of 15 and 12 yards before hitting his best throw of the night: a 36-yard toss to Moss in the end zone. Favre celebrated his 500th career touchdown pass by running downfield and leaping into the newly acquired wide receiver’s arms.

Not even an 86-yard kickoff return by New York’s Brad Smith and a subsequent Jets field goal could kill Minnesota’s momentum. After two Peterson runs gained 40 yards, Favre worked his third-down magic again when hitting Harvin for a 34-yard score.

Favre then flubbed the ensuing two-point conversion attempt that could have tied the score at 15 when he didn’t spot fullback Naufahu Tahi open in the corner of the end zone. Favre did a pirouette to avoid Jets defensive end Vernon Gholston and then, just like against New Orleans, was intercepted after throwing across his body.

The 2009 Vikings never recovered from that error. And these Vikings couldn’t overcome that squandered opportunity.

After both teams traded touchdowns, Favre had the chance to lead Minnesota for a go-ahead score. In earlier days, Favre would have made the Jets pay for giving him the football at his team’s 23-yard line with 1:30 remaining.

But those moments have becoming few and far between. Favre acknowledged he didn’t even see tight end Visanthe Shiancoe when throwing into what he described as “in-and-out” coverage by two Jets defensive backs. Lowery snared the pass and scooted into the end zone, leaving Favre to walk slowly back toward the sideline with hands on hips.

“I wish I had it back,” Favre said.

The same can be said for a lot of things in Favre’s life right now.