OPINION

By Albert Breer

updated 9:57 p.m. ET Aug. 19, 2009

It's not easy for a quarterback to find the perfect fit with an NFL team. Nor is it conventional for a team, seemingly set to compete for a championship at every position except quarterback, to pursue a quadragenarian to fill that spot. But when it comes to Brett Favre, on the field or off, things rarely go according to script.

So is it possible that Favre — up and down this decade after winning three MVPs in the 1990s — has one more renaissance left as he ends his second retirement? And is it possible this could work because the Minnesota Vikings provide the most ideal situation for Favre since Mike Holmgren departed the Green Bay Packers?

Well, maybe -- and maybe.

"A great quarterback is always good for a coach, and having a great runner and a great defense is always good for a quarterback," said Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, who worked with Favre as a Packers assistant in 1995-96 and was a staffmate of Vikings coach Brad Childress from 2003-05 in Philadelphia. "It's an outstanding spot for Brett and an outstanding time for the Vikings to get a player like this.

"It's hard to see Brett having any difficulty at all adapting to a situation like this. I won a Super Bowl with Brett. He's a football player. He can play for any style of coach in any system. He'd be outstanding anywhere, but he'll be more outstanding playing in that system, with that run game and that defense."

This isn't like going to New York, where Favre played for Jets coaches not rooted in the West Coast offense. Favre has a close relationship with Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who served as a Packers assistant for six years (2000-05), the last three of which he spent as Favre's position coach. Also, offensive line coach Pat Morris and receivers coach George Stewart were assistants to Favre confidant Steve Mariucci in San Francisco.

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And perhaps more important than Favre's "fit" in Minnesota is the talent around him. It starts with Adrian Peterson, who will be the best back Favre has played with.

"I told Brett, 'You're just not going to be required to do as much as you were with the Jets or even Green Bay,' " said Saints safety Darren Sharper, Favre's teammate from 1997-2004 and a Viking the past four years. "He's going to be asked to keep defenses honest, and he's going to be throwing the ball 25 times a game. It'll be easier for him. Teams respect Adrian and Chester Taylor so much, it's going to make his reads easier. And they got the kid from Florida (Percy Harvin) to make plays, too, for them. He's got help.

"Bringing him in to the fold, he'll have the least responsibility he's had the last five years."

Ideally, Minnesota can duplicate the formula Denver created for John Elway, one of seven quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl after turning 36 (Johnny Unitas, Fran Tarkenton, Roger Staubach, Jim Plunkett, Rich Gannon and Kurt Warner are the others).

Elway won it all at age 37 and 38, becoming the oldest QB to win the big game. In both seasons, he had a top-five running game and a defense that ranked in the top 11. Those elements exist in Minnesota, plus there is an ideal play-action threat in Bernard Berrian (20.1 yards per catch in '08) and a potential one in Harvin.

Overall, the Vikings have sent 13 players to the Pro Bowl the past two years, a number bested only by the Dallas Cowboys. Clearly, that didn't play a small role in Favre's decision to put his tractor in his Mississippi barn for the fall.

Favre joins Vikings AP file   Video: Vikings are ‘the perfect fit,’ Favre says   Video: ‘I didn’t want to say ‘What if’ ’ Curran: Win-win for Favre and Vikings Celizic: Worst flip-flopper in sports history Newsweek: Let's give Favre a break Live vote: How will Vikings do with Favre Live vote: Does this hurt Favre's legacy? Packers not shocked by Favre's move   Slide show: Tracking QBs who couldn't quit Timeline of Favre's career  |    Slide show Fantasy impact: Favre not a huge get Vote: Top star in Minnesota sports history?

"He's excited, just to have the chance to play with a team as talented as Minnesota, and playing Green Bay makes it even more enticing," Sharper said. "The thing is, with Adrian there, it's going to make second down that much easier for Brett. Adrian can get 8 yards on first down, and then you go into second-and-short and can go play-action, with that chance to go deep.

"That offense is going to be explosive with the respect Adrian demands. Again, it'll be easier on Brett. You have to drop an extra guy in the box, and with those receivers, it'll be pitch and catch."

So on paper, all of this works. But whether this move is enough to push the Vikings from a division-winning team that exited quickly from the playoffs to a Super Bowl team is open to debate.

"Does it put them over the top?" Sharper said. "They have as good a chance as anyone else, but coaching's a big part of it. So it's yet to be determined."

Mornhinweg said Favre's biggest challenge will be getting in sync with new teammates and achieving precision despite the fact Minnesota already is through the guts of training camp. But Mornhinweg was quick to emphasize: "Brad and the Vikings have built that team up. They're outstanding in a lot of areas, and they add now at a position that was a perceived weakness and turn it into a strength.

"There's no question that the Minnesota Vikings will benefit from having, even at his age, one of great players of all-time. That's just a given."

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