Can Favre, who turns 41 on Oct. 10, lead the Vikings to a Super Bowl title?
Pressure point: Favre’s surgically repaired left ankle. Sidney Rice will miss at least the first six games after he was placed on the physically unable to perform list after arthroscopic hip surgery. With a team-best 83 catches for 1,312 yards, Rice had much to do with Favre’s 68.4% completion percentage. Rice’s absence makes it harder for Favre to match his magical 33-touchdown, seven-interception production last season. Favre’s question-mark ankle figures to be targeted in the opening Sept. 9 rematch of the Vikings-Saints NFC Championship Game. “Gregg Williams is going to try to put it on Brett, because they put the hits on Brett in that championship game,” CBS analyst Solomon Wilcots says. 7. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have new reason to abhor their AFC archrivals — the Hard Knocks-hyped New York Jets. Pressure point: A young unproven defense. Brady acknowledged his team’s chip on the shoulder when he told Boston radio about the HBO Jets. “Honestly, I haven’t turned the
