4-telling the future

I don't have a crystal ball. Don't possess any psychic powers. And, unlike most reporters, I don't have any unnamed sources.

But none of that is necessary to make this proclamation: Brett Favre will play against the Patriots on Sunday.

The status of the aging Vikings quarterback, officially, is uncertain. But realistically, there's nothing that will keep No. 4 from making his record 292nd straight start. If he won't listen to his body (aching from two fractures in his left ankle and heel) when it's telling him he shouldn't play, what chance does coach Brad Childress have? The answer, of course, is none.

How much Favre plays, and how well, is very much open for debate. So here are a few possible scenarios:

1. Favre limps out for the Vikings' first series, takes a snap, turns and hands off to Adrian Peterson, then limps off the field, replaced by Tavaris Jackson. In his post-game comments, he'll say he "just wanted to give it a try," which would be partly true. But in reality, he wanted the streak to remain intact.

2. Favre stays in the game until the Patriots put it out of reach, which they will do, and leaves after throwing his second or third interception.

3. Favre plays the whole game with a noticeable limp, but torches New England for 400-plus yards and three or more touchdowns as his linemen carry him down field (a la Byron Leftwich at Marshall in 2002) and the Vikings pull off the improbable upset. This is the least likely outcome, but Favre has a way of coming up with unlikely performances when people are writing him off. Just when you think his career is on its last leg (pun intended), he shows why teams have willingly put up with his crap for so many years.

Again, I'm not psychic, but my money's on 2.