Devin Hester Sets Record, Favre May be Done

The Chicago Bears clinched the NFC North after beating the Minnesota Vikings 40-14 at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Field on Monday Night Football December 20th.  The game was of course, moved to TCF because heavy snow collapsed the roof of the Metrodome.  Outdoor NFL stadiums in cold weather cities have heating systems to keep the turf from turning into frozen concrete, but the U of Minnesota football team doesn’t play there this time of year, so there is no field heating system.  (Minnesota’s team usually doesn’t play anywhere else this time of year either as they often fail to make it to a bowl game.  Like this year.  But I digress).  The grounds crew did as good a job as is possible getting the field in playable condition, and snow and sleet fell during the game making for a slick surface.

The Bears’ Devin Hester set an NFL record with his 14th punt or kickoff return for a touchdown.  “There’s going be a lot more.  I guarantee that” Hester said after the game.  Jay Cutler threw three touchdown passes for the Bears, and Robbie Gould somehow kicked four field goals in the bad weather conditions. 

After snapping his consecutive starts streak at 297 games  the week before with an injury, Brett Favre surprised everyone by saying he was OK to play, and started at quarterback for the Vikings.  On the opening drive, Favre looked like the Favre of old, leading a drive down the field and throwing a touchdown pass to Percy Harvin.  But in the second quarter, Favre was sacked and hit his head on the turf.  He was motionless for a few seconds, before recovering enough to walk to the sidelines.  His injury was later diagnosed to be a concussion, and with two meaningless games left for the out of contention Vikings, that may have been the final play of his great career.  “I probably should have went straight up the tunnel after that” Favre said of his touchdown pass.  We’d have preferred that type of end to his great career, like the way Ted Williams hit a home run in front of the home crowd in Boston in his final big league at bat and then ran into the clubhouse and took off his uniform.  He had finished, and did not play in the Red Sox final three games on the road.  The Vikings play their final two games on the road as well.

Despite the concussion, the Vikings will not place Favre on Injured Reserve.  Coach Leslie Frasier thinks Favre might be able to play in two weeks in the last game of the season at Detroit.  If you do play again Brett, and throw a touchdown pass, run up the tunnel this time.

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