There's a misconception out there right now that Brett Favre is so significantly hurt that it'd be a huge longshot for him to play Sunday in the Vikings' vital game at New England. In the wake of the news that Favre has two significant injuries to his left foot and ankle, Peter King of Sports Illustrated spoke with a top NFL team orthopedist, who said not only is it realistic to think Favre will play Sunday, but also that if this were a playoff game, most quarterbacks in the league would very likely play with what Favre has. It's always dangerous to ask a doctor about a patient he has not seen, so take what this ortho says with a grain of salt. "I think it's extremely misleading to say he has two ankle fractures and leave that impression,'' the orthopedist said. "Technically, with what I have read, he does. But you are not playing an NFL game with two fractures in the sense that we think of fractures.'' Favre has two situations, according to coach Brad Childress. One is a stress fracture of his ankle, and the other "avulsion fracture'' of his calcaneus, or heel area, where a portion of the heel bone has chipped away. Source: Sports Illustrated
There was an orthopedic specialist on the local sports radio show today. He said if Farve really had a "avulsion fracture'' of his calcaneus, there is no way he would be walking around boot or no boot. Vegas doesn't buy into Favre not playing either, because they haven't taken the game off the board to adjust the line to indicate Jackson starting.