Brett Favre will be back before the faithful at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Saturday night, when Favre and the Minnesota Vikings welcome the Seattle Seahawks to town in the third preseason game for each team.
Favre, who returned to the Vikings Aug. 17 after contemplating retirement, played just one series in last Sunday's 15-10 loss at the San Francisco 49ers. The future Hall of Famer completed his only pass attempt for 13 yards to running back Adrian Peterson, was sacked when Peterson missed a blitz pickup, and handed off twice.
Favre should see more extensive time on Saturday than he did against the Niners, though it is doubtful that he'll play the entire first half as he continues to recover from offseason ankle surgery.
Favre's group of wide receivers should be worth watching on Saturday night. Percy Harvin has a chance to be in the lineup after requiring hospitalization last week due to migraines, while the team also signed veteran Javon Walker and dealt for ex-Dolphin Greg Camarillo earlier this week. The Walker and Camarillo moves were in response to the hip injury that will sideline Sidney Rice for at least the season's first six games.
Vikings fans will also get their first live look at second-round running back Toby Gerhart (Stanford), who has struggled in the preseason, with just 34 yards on 12 carries.
Favre's former Green Bay teammate, Matt Hasselbeck, will be looking for consistency as well as he leads the Seahawks into action.
Hasselbeck shook off a rough first week of the preseason in last week's 27-24 loss to the Packers, completing 11-of-15 passes for 127 yards, including an 11- yard touchdown strike to wideout Deion Branch.
Among the other positive signs for the Seattle offense was the work of running back Leon Washington, who scored off an 11-yard touchdown run in his first action since the then-Jet suffered a gruesome leg fracture last season. Washington is expected to start in Minnesota on Saturday.
On the injury front for the Hawks, left tackle Russell Okung (ankle) will not be available.
The Seahawks lead the preseason series with the Vikings, 6-5, breaking a deadlock in the series with a 30-13 home victory prior to the 2007 season.
The teams last met in meaningful play last Nov. 22, a 35-9 Minnesota rout at the Metrodome.