No revenge for Favre in another loss to Saints
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}By Simon Evans
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - The new season started as last year's ended for the Minnesota Vikings and Brett Favre -- with defeat in New Orleans and the quarterback taking his share of blame for the loss.
Favre, who will be 41 next month, was unable to inspire his team to a revenge win over the defending Super Bowl champions, who defeated the Vikings in last season's dramatic NFC Championship game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a game which did not truly live up to expectations, the Saints ran out 14-9 winners with Favre throwing for 171 yards and a touchdown.
"There were three or four throws I just missed -- there is no excuse, I just missed. There were a couple of reads I should have made differently. If I do that then it is a different ball game," he told reporters.
Citing misplaced passes to receivers Greg Camarillo and Greg Lewis as the main throws he missed, Favre also rued an interception that went unpunished by points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He said he was not, however, left feeling that he had missed a chance to redeem the game-changing interception he threw the last time the teams met.
"I am more concerned with us, than who we play or redemption, revenge or any of those things," he said.
"If we get better at the things we made mistakes on and I am talking about me first -- then I think we can be pretty good. It has nothing to do with last year."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was not vintage Favre but there were reminders of the class of a player who is regarded as one of the leading quarterbacks in the game's history.
He smartly led his team down field for a second quarter touchdown, finishing it off with a superb 20 yard pass to Visanthe Shiancoe which was a much needed response to the Saints' early dominance.
Unlike in last year's epic encounter, Favre was well protected and avoided being on the end of any big hits.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It was clear, however, that Favre and his team, which include some news faces among the receivers, were not yet firing on all cylinders.
"The timing was a little bit off but I have to give credit to the Saints, they create confusion with their defense," he said.
Vikings coach Brad Childress played down talk of Favre being out of sync with his receivers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I wouldn't say so," he said. "There was not a lot of timing throws out there because of how they rushed things. There were not a lot of throws to be made far down the field.
"We need to be a little more patient and we have to run the football," he said.
(Editing by Nick Mulvenney.