Brett Favre

The NFL's household names can't quite take it to the house. The big-money players are putting up bargain-basement numbers. The VIPs are standing on the wrong side of the velvet ropes. All over the league, some of its highest-profile players are having disappointing seasons ? Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer and Brandon Marshall among them. The news of the day Monday was partly a byproduct of that. Minnesota fired Coach Brad Childress and replaced him with defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, promoted to interim coach.

The War of 1812 lasted about 2Ã?Â?Ã?Â? years. The NFL's version -- pitting 18 ( Peyton Manning) and 12 ( Tom Brady) -- has gone on nearly four times longer. When New England plays host to Indianapolis on Sunday, it will be the eighth consecutive season the teams have squared off. That's the longest streak among non-division opponents since realignment in 2002. And that's not counting the three postseason rematches over that span. "There have been some great games between the Colts and the Patriots during this past decade, and Tom and I have been the quarterbacks.

Brett Favre expects to start for the Minnesota Vikings against the New England Patriots on Sunday despite two fractures in his left ankle, according to a report by ESPN. The network reported Saturday that Favre said his injuries have healed significantly and that he plans to start, which would extend his record streak of consecutive regular-season starts to 292 games. Favre wore a walking boot the first three days of the week and did not practice until Friday, when he only participated on a limited basis.

Brett Favre missed his second straight day of practice for the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, but he walked around the team's facility without the oversized boot that had been protecting an injury that is putting his league-record streak of 291 consecutive starts streak in jeopardy. The 41-year-old quarterback limped through the locker room with a heavy wrap on his ankle, which was injured in a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. Asked if he thought he could play against New England, Favre said, "I wouldn't put anything past me, to be honest with you. " Favre has a stress fracture in the ankle as well as an avulsion fracture in the heel bone, where a fragment has been torn away by a tendon or ligament.

The end is near. Or so it appears. Then again, with Brett Favre it's always hard to tell. But with the news Monday that the Minnesota Vikings quarterback has two small fractures in his left ankle, it seems likely that his NFL-record streak of 291 consecutive starts soon will be coming to an end. Favre has not been ruled out for the Week 8 game at New England but was clearly in pain during Sunday night's 28-24 loss at Green Bay. He...

Minnesota's Brett Favre and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers have quite the ground games this season. That is to say, they've found themselves on the ground a lot. Favre has been sacked 13 times, and Rodgers has been sacked nine in the last two games. Whichever quarterback gets better protection could walk away the winner Sunday night when the Packers play host to the Vikings in the latest chapter of a bitter NFC North rivalry. A matchup to watch is Packers Pro Bowl left tackle Chad Clifton against Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, who was so dominant against Green Bay last season that Minnesota Coach Brad Childress called it a "feeding frenzy.

Earlier this season, before returning to play at Philadelphia for the first time as a visitor, Washington's Donovan McNabb joked about accidentally coming out of the home team's tunnel. Minnesota's Brett Favre might say the same thing about playing the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. After all, Favre has started 118 games at that legendary stadium, tying him with Denver great John Elway (118 at Mile High Stadium) for the most starts by a quarterback at a given venue. Favre on Sunday will own that record alone.

The NFL still is investigating allegations that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre sent lewd photos and inappropriate text messages to a New York Jets game hostess two years ago, with the door open to a conversation between the woman and league officials. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Friday the review is ongoing. "At this point we have not reached any conclusions," Aiello said. "We will continue to pursue opportunities to speak with individuals that potentially have information.

Brett Favre has spoken with an NFL security official about text messages and lewd photos he allegedly sent to a New York Jets employee two years ago when he played for the team, ESPN reported. The network, citing unidentified sources and without providing further details, said that Favre and NFL vice president for security Milt Ahlerich finished their meeting. Commissioner Roger Goodell said previously the Vikings quarterback would meet this week with a league official about the below-the-waist photos he allegedly sent to Jenn Sterger , now a TV personality with the Versus network.

Brett Favre doesn't want to talk about any subject but the Green Bay Packers, while the NFL is seeking more information about allegations he sent suggestive messages and lewd photos in 2008 to a woman who worked for the New York Jets. Speaking on a conference call with reporters in Green Bay ahead of Sunday night's Minnesota Vikings-Packers game, Favre called the NFL's investigation into his alleged behavior a "league matter. " Minutes later, he declined to answer a series of questions about the situation in his weekly Wednesday news conference with Minnesota media.