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Indianapolis rallied to beat Houston, 35-27, behind Peyton Manning's three touchdown passes. Brett Favre threw for a season-high 392 yards as the Vikings topped Chicago, 36-10. San Diego, Philadelphia and Atlanta were also winners.

Brett Favre completed 22 of 35 passes in Minnesota's win over Seattle. The Colts stayed unbeatean by edging Baltimore. New Orleans is also unbeaten after a rout of Tampa Bay. Chiefs surprise Steelers in overtime.

Brett Favre made his return to Green Bay Sunday with his new team, as the Vikings beat his former club, the Packers. Before the game, fans for both teams talked about the quarterback who spent 16 seasons with Green Bay.

AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner previews three top games this week in the NFL, including Brett Favre and the Vikings meeting Green Bay. The winless Rams take on the Lions, and the Giants visit the Eagles.

It once seemed preposterous. Green Bay Packers fans would never take a sledgehammer to a car with Brett Favre's famous number four on it. But that's exactly what happened in suburban Milwaukee on Monday.

Longtime Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre led the Vikings to a win over his former club Monday night, 30-23. Favre was 24 of 31 with 271 yards and three touchdowns in the highly anticipated game at the Metrodome.

By MARK CRAIG , Star Tribune

GREEN BAY, WIS. - Three days after the gleeful touchdown at Austin Straubel International Airport, Brett Favre was back on a plane to Hattiesburg, Miss., on Wednesday morning, leaving Green Bay for the last time as a Packer -- and just hours from a late-night trade that sent him to the New York Jets for his 18th NFL season.

The Packers, meanwhile, returned to practice knowing that Favre's days in Geen Bay were over as trade talks with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jets continued into the night. General Manager Ted Thompson was scheduled to address the media at 11:30 a.m., but that was eventually cancelled as the team wrapped up its second practice at about 9 p.m.

Favre told ESPN before leaving Green Bay that he was eager to get into training camp somewhere.

Packers trade Favre to Jets....

By CHRIS JENKINS

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Brett Favre left Lambeau Field just before Green Bay Packers practice Tuesday afternoon, taking a right turn out of the stadium's back gate — away from the field where the rest of his teammates were assembling for drills.

Favre emerged from the stadium's loading dock exit at 2:34 p.m. EDT Tuesday, hugging Packers senior security advisor Jerry Parins before getting in his SUV and driving away. Shortly after, an SUV driven by Packers general manager Ted Thompson left the gate heading in the same direction.

"We're at a stalemate," Favre told ESPN Tuesday morning. "Mike and I both agreed last night that me being out there is a distraction and will continue to be a distraction. We all know the reason I'm here is because the commissioner reinstated me so we have a lot of things to figure out. It's simple and complicated, both at the same time."

The continued disagreement on Favre's role could accelerate trade talks, perhaps with the Minnesota Vikings — something Packers officials have suspected Favre wanted all along but have been firmly opposed to giving him.

Favre was back at Lambeau earlier Tuesday, less than 12 hours after a late-night meeting between Favre and Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy concluded. Not that the two necessarily reached any conclusions.

Favre and McCarthy were supposed to talk about Favre's commitment to football and his role on the team Monday night. The fact that the meeting ran several hours over its allotted time was a strong hint that it went beyond simply welcoming Favre back to compete with Aaron Rodgers for the starting job.

Favre told ESPN he doesn't have a problem with competing with Rodgers for the starting job, and can "truly understand" why McCarthy would make Rodgers the starter. But Favre also said a competition "probably isn't going to work" and that "the problem is that there's been a lot of damage done and I can't forget it."

Favre's role still in doubt, practice unlikely....

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has ruled that the Minnesota Vikings did not tamper with Brett Favre in trying to get the quarterback to sign with them.

Goodell said that while there were conversations between then-retired Favre and Vikings coaches, that none of the conversations suggested Favre was soliciting a job or that anyone was soliciting his services.

The Packers had filed the charges, based at least in part between records of phone conversations between Favre and Darrell Bevell, Minnesota's offensive coordinator. Bevell is a former Green Bay assistant and a friend of Favre's.

Favre unretired and was scheduled to report to the Packers' training camp Monday.

Goodell says Vikings didn't tamper on Favre....

By Ed Werder
ESPN.com

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Brett Favre on Sunday, the three-time MVP said.

The Packers couldn't confirm the reinstatement, and said because it wasn't an offical business day for the league it wasn't possible Sunday.

Nevertheless, Favre was prepared to fly to Green Bay in time to attend the sold-out Packers Family Night at Lambeau Field, which more than 60,000 fans were expected to attend.

On Saturday, Goodell said he hoped the situation would be resolved by Monday, by which team and league sources told ESPN's Wendi Nix that he was expected to act on the reinstatement.

Goodell visited the Cincinnati Bengals' training camp on Saturday before heading north to Canton, Ohio, for the weekend's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

"I'm not trying to interject myself," Goodell said in Georgetown, Ky., according to The Associated Press. "I was interjected into it because there was a tampering charge initially. I'm not looking for things to interject myself to. It's an issue that needs to be addressed because of the competing interests. You want to make sure it's done properly and within our rules. This is an issue that ultimately has to be decided between Brett and the Packers."

The Packers hold Favre's rights until his current contract expires after the 2010 season.

Tensions have built between Favre and the team over the past several weeks.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy again praised his players for not allowing the Favre situation to distract them.

Favre says Goodell has reinstated him....

by FOXSports.com

If Brett Favre was in fact talking to the Minnesota Vikings, it wasn't on a phone belonging to the Green Bay Packers, according to a report Thursday.

A story in the Green Bay Press-Gazette refutes reports from earlier in the week related to allegations of tampering by the Vikings in pursuit of the disgruntled Packers quarterback.

Citing sources from the NFL and an unnamed person close to Favre, the paper reported the retired-for-now future Hall of Famer does not have a cell phone issued by the Packers. Such an arrangement could have had salary-cap implications that might have drawn league penalties against the club if the arrangement was not spelled out in his contract.

"One-hundred percent, without a doubt, no Packers-issued phone," the source close to Favre told the paper.

Report: Favre's phone didn't belong to team....

By CHRIS JENKINS

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers' general manager and coach say they don't plan to grant Brett Favre's request for his release.

GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy told The Associated Press on Saturday that the star quarterback was welcome to rejoin the team but would have to be a backup.

It was their first public comments since Favre demanded his release this week. Favre held a tearful news conference to announce his retirement March 6.

Thompson and McCarthy did not want to discuss a possible trade. Thompson said he had not received any inquiries as of Saturday morning.

GM, coach: Packers don't plan to release Favre....

By Chris Mortensen

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Three days after a conference call with Packers team officials in which quarterback Brett Favre emphatically expressed his desire to play in 2008, Favre on Friday formally asked by letter for his unconditional contractual release, sources close to Favre and the team said.

The letter was sent by Favre's agent, James "Bus" Cook, via overnight mail on Thursday and arrived at the Packers facility Friday morning.

Cook, on behalf of Favre, expressed a desire to have an amicable parting, as the Packers have been reluctant to embrace his return. Favre announced his retirement in early March.

Packers general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy weren't available for comment Friday.

Favre seeks unconditional release from Packers, sources say....

By DREW SMITH
FOX 11 Sports

Is Brett Favre having a one-way conversation with Green Bay Packers management? A new report suggests general manager Ted Thompson isn't ready to talk with number four about a return to the field.

The Green Bay Packers have a decision coming soon, and though it hasn't hit yet, the Packers know it will.

So far, with Thompson on vacation, the team hasn't had to take any action on the growing Favre situation, and while Favre's text assuring us it is just rumor is his only communication, the Packers are just going with their last official stance: Favre is still retired.

Brett Favre Reportedly Trying to Communicate with Packers....

By Chris Mortensen
ESPN.com

With his family "tugging" on him to play, Brett Favre has an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp with the Green Bay Packers later this month, according to sources close to the team and player.


Favre has communicated his potential desire to coach Mike McCarthy but talks have not advanced to a substantive stage, a Packers source said.

The source said the Packers would be reluctant to open the door for Favre because "Brett retired for the right reasons, even though I know his family is tugging on him [to play]."

Another source conceded Favre was "getting the itch" to play football in 2008.

However, Favre's agent downplayed the likelihood that the quarterback could un-retire or that he was prepared to report to camp July 28.

"As far as I know, right now, Brett Favre is retired and until he tells me something different, that's what it is," James "Bus" Cook, Favre's agent, said.

Favre was unavailable for comment. A Packers spokesman said that McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson were on vacation.

Source: Favre has 'itch' to ditch retirement, report to camp....