Two must-watch games for Vikings fans in 2010

The 2010 NFL schedule was released on Tuesday, and for those who love the purple and white Minnesota Vikings jerseys, there are at least two games you must watch and care the results. The first one is the season opener against last year’s Super Bowl champions, the New Orleans Saints, and the other one is against Brett Favre’s old team, the Green Bay Packers.


According to the schedule, the Vikings will have only one chance to try if they could beat the team that cut their way to the Super Bowl last season in the NFC championship game and caused the Vikings to run out of chance again where it seemed only one step away from the championship. The team has been division champions for 18 times, nine NFC or AFC appearances and four Super Bowl appearances since the combination of AFL and NFL but never made it to the League Championship. However, hopes are always greater in new beginning, and the Vikings will definitely do their best for the redemption. On the other side, all Saints fans will hope that their beloved team will also keep their perfect performance to defend the championship. So, whatever team’s fans you are, this game just can’t be missed.

What is worth more expectation is that whether Brett Favre would wear back the No. 4 Vikings jersey in 2010 season. As recent speculations have been tending to his return, the other game on Oct. 24 Sunday night against the Packers will attract as much attention as the season opener. If Favre really decides to play his 20th season with the Vikings, the team would be the only team he has ever played for more than one year out of Green Bay. His first NFL season with the Atlanta Falcons was almost nothing, and his first season after leaving Packers with the Jets resulted in another retiring announcement. Being a Packers quarterback for 16 years, Favre, however, had his best season with the Vikings. If he returns to play another game against the former home team, I guess he will have more haters in Green Bay but also more fans in Minnesota.

Saints safety Sharper had knee surgery

The New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper will not make his decision on his career future as a free agent until he is fully recovered from the knee surgery that was performed on Monday to correct a lingering knee issue.


Before the surgery, Sharper was believed to have to miss two games because of the very knee injury last season, the sixth season that he did not played in all 16 regular-season game since putting on NFL jersey. Fortunately, the injury did not prevent him from playing for the Saints in the Super Bowl victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

By so far, Sharper has not offered any information about where to go after becoming a free agent, but there is common belief that he will re-sign with the Super Bowl Champion team, who is also believed to want Sharper back. Before the free agency began last Friday, the Saints did not take the expected action to place the franchise tag on Sharper, however, it is still believed that there would be at least a one-year contract worth $1.7 million to retain Sharper for the 2010 season.

Saints are unlikely to tag safety Sharper

Although veteran safety Darren Sharper made great contribution to the New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl win and a lot of fans believe that he should be retained for 2010 season, the possibility of the Saints placing a franchise tag on him seems unlikely.


Tagging Sharper would be an expensive move to the Saints. Signing the safety as a free agent last march with $1.7 million deal, the Saints would have to pay Sharper $6.455 million this season for placing franchise tag on him. Also, Sharper is turning 35 this year, meaning that there will be few seasons left for him to continue playing football in NFL jerseys, and that should be included in Saints’ consideration before they make decision on a deal with Sharper.

If the Saints do not tag Sharper, he will become a free agent on March 5 and then has the right choose what team to join. Will the Saints have a deal with him or just let him walk away to make his own choice with other teams? It remains a question to be answered in this offseason.

Two Saints missed Super Bowl practice

The New Orleans Saints cornerback Randall Gay and reserve running back Lynell Hamilton both missed practice Friday respectively because of a stomach illness and sore left ankle. While Gay is still probable to play Sunday’s Super Bowl game against the Indianapolis Colts, Hamliton, missing all week’s practice with the injury, is questionable for the game.


And they were the only two players who missed the practice, the Saints’ final one before the Super Bowl game. The practice on the campus of the University of Miami lasted just under two hours and was their shortest workout of the week, not even at full speed. However, starting tight end Jeremy Shockey took every snap in most drills again despite a sore right knee.

According to Saints Coach Sean Payton, the Saints will have a midnight curfew Friday and an 11 p.m. curfew on Saturday. And they will put on their Saints jerseys to conduct a final walkthrough practice at Sun Life Stadium on Saturday.

Saints WR Moore is going to play Saturday game

The New Orleans Saints wide receiver Lance Moore is hoping that he would be able to put on his No. 16 Saints jersey and play this Saturday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals after missing eight of the last nine games because of a series of ankle and hamstring injuries.


The Saints would like to use the shifty, 5-9, 190-pound Moore a lot like the New England Patriots use Wes Welker and the Dallas Cowboys use Miles Austin. That could be why the team has not placed Moore on injured reserve by so far. Plus quarterback Drew Brees has great trust and confidence in Moore, who became his go-to guy last year. And Moore showed his value well in Week 6 by catching six passes for 78 yards and a touchdown in a high-profile showdown with the New York Giants, who remained unbeaten till the game ended with Saints’ 48-27 victory.

Other Saints who were still dealing with injuries but are possible to play Saturday’s game include cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and tailback Pierre Thomas. Jenkins with a hamstring injury missed last Saturday’s practice but will return to practice on Tuesday and play Saturday. Thomas practiced despite ribs injury and he was confident that he will be able to play at a high level with some extra padding around the middle.

Passing stars of Week 14

Again, the No.9 black New Orleans Saints jersey is a hot pursue online now as Drew Brees continued with his perfect performance, throwing 296 yards and three touchdowns, he helped the New Orleans Saints win their 13th straight win and remain one of the only two unbeaten teams.


The Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub had 365 yards passing and two touchdowns to lead his team to a 34-7 win over the Seattle Seahawks, proving he was the right choice on the team’s starting quarterback.

Peyton Manning did not give a perfect performance this week, but his team still remains unbeaten by beating the Denver Broncos 28-16. Again the quarterback had another milestone in his NFL career, passing Warren Moon for fourth on the NFL’s yards passing list with 49,513 passing yards.

Saints RB Bush missed another practice with knee injury

The New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush may need more than expected time to take care of his injured left knee. Missing the second straight practice on Thursday, Bush remains an uncertain part of the team that will play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday.


Bush gained 98 yards and scored two touchdowns on six rushes and a pair of receptions while playing against the St. Louis Rams last Sunday, making it one of his best games of the season. But the knee he had surgery on last December to repair cartilage seemed in need of more care, and he began to have some swelling in the knee after last Sunday’s game.

According to Saints Coach Sean Payton, Bush is getting some rest for the knee and team will be cautious to avoid doing anything that may worsen the injury, although they all hope that Bush could wear back his Saints jersey and return to practice Friday.

Brees back with Saints, ready for playing in preseason game

Quarterback Drew Brees returned to the New Orleans Saints’ practice field and was ready for Saturday’s preseason game against the Houston Texans.

Brees skipped practices because he went to attend the funeral of his mother, Mina Brees, who died Aug. 7 in Colorado. Upon the returning on Thursday, Brees said that time has helped him deal with his mother’s death and that he can focus on his work as an athlete wearing nfl jersey now.


“When my mom first passed away, it was just such a shock,” he said. “And now that it’s been almost two weeks, and we’ve already had the memorial services, so to have those and feel like there’s some sense of closure, that makes it (where) I’m able to compartmentalize that enough and try to think about football.”

Brees expressed his gratitude to the team’s support. Saints owner Tom Benson let a group of players and coaches use his private jet to attend Monday’s service. He said that he would get back into rhythm in shortest time and be ready to start the Saturday preseason game against the Texans.

Saints signed rookie CB Jenkins with a 5-year contract

On Sunday night, the New Orleans Saints signed a five year contract with rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins. The financial terms have not been released yet. The contract opened the way for Jenkins to report to training camp.

The former Ohio State standout was the Saints’ first-round draft pick. He started 45 games in a four-year career at Ohio State and earned himself first-team All-America honors and the Jim Thorpe Award as a senior. During his career, he had 11 interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. While he was playing on the special teams, he blocked three punts, two during his senior season.

Before the contract was signed, Jenkins had missed the first 10 days of camp, including the club’s scrimmage on Saturday. But Saints GM Mickey Loomis was confident that with the contract signed, Jenkins would get up to speed soon. At the moment Jenkins is used as a backup, but he will have an opportunity to play in all four exhibition games as he attempts to work his way into the Saints lineup.