National Football League

Vikings QB Brett Favre endures a tough night in loss to Jets

Published Oct. 12, 2010 10:18 p.m. ET

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Brett Favre acknowledged being "embarrassed" Monday night after the Vikings' 29-22 loss to the New York Jets.

The beleaguered Vikings quarterback is battling tendinitis in the elbow of his throwing arm and enduring an NFL investigation into allegations he behaved inappropriately toward three Jets employees in New York in 2008.

During his post-game news conference, Favre deflected questions about the investigation and steered reporters back to his performance on the field -- a tale of two halves in which Favre finished an erratic 14 of 34 for 264 yards and three touchdowns but also three turnovers.

Favre declined to address the investigation and sidestepped a question about whether the allegations of lewd text messages and photographs were true. Asked if the episode caused him embarrassment, he shrewdly reeled the topic back into game conversation.

"I'm embarrassed we lost this football game. Forty or 50 yards? That's embarrassing," Favre said in reference to his flat-lined 3-of-7, 31-yard first-half performance. "I want to talk about the football game. I want to talk about Randy Moss. About Percy (Harvin)."

Earlier in the day, Favre reportedly apologized to his teammates during a meeting at the team hotel for being a distraction and told them he was prepared to play "lights out tonight," according to ESPN.

Kicker Ryan Longwell, Favre's longtime friend from their days in Green Bay, told ESPN's Michele Tafoya before the game the quarterback broke down in tears during the meeting.

"He certainly apologized and we let him know that we had his back," linebacker Ben Leber said.

The Vikings' inability to convert on third down -- none on their first six attempts -- led to a woeful two-plus quarters as Minnesota fell behind 12-0. Favre was sacked twice and lost two fumbles to set an NFL record with 162 career fumbles (71 lost).

However, Favre and the offense heated up midway through the third quarter.

On third and 17 from the Jets' 37-yard line, Favre lined up in the shotgun and lofted a pass to Moss, who beat Antonio Cromartie down the right sideline and hauled in the pass over his shoulder in the end zone for his first touchdown with Minnesota in six years.

Favre's first scoring pass to Moss also was his 500th career touchdown as he continues padding his NFL record.

On the Vikings' next possession, Favre continued picking up first downs, connecting on third and 19 with Harvin on a slant route underneath for a 34-yard touchdown that pulled Minnesota within 15-13 with 12:47 remaining.

The Vikings went for two points hoping to tie. Favre rolled out to his right but apparently did not see fullback Naufahu Tahi wide open in the end zone and instead had his attempt to Visanthe Shiancoe intercepted by Cromartie.

After Shonn Greene's 23-yard touchdown run pushed New York's lead to nine, Favre led the Vikings on another scoring drive. This one covered 54 yards on five plays and ended when Favre connected with Harvin again for an 11-yard touchdown pass that made it 22-20 with three minutes remaining.

The Vikings defense held the Jets and forced a punt, which was downed at the Minnesota 16. Favre returned with 1:56 remaining and no timeouts. On third and five, his pass to Shiancoe was intercepted by Dwight Lowery and returned 26 yards for the game-sealing touchdown.

Asked about his ailing elbow, which Favre gripped in pain during the second half, Favre said it "probably is the worst it's felt in four games" but was not sure whether it affected his passing.

Still, he admitted to missing passes "I can make in my sleep."

The worst was an overthrow to a wide-open Harvin underneath during the two-minute drill in which Harvin had about 30 yards of open field he could have run through to carry the Vikings across midfield and, perhaps, into field-goal range for Longwell.