NFL

Brett Favre

FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reports that “every player” in the Minnesota Vikings locker room believes that Brett Favre will retire this offseason. At this point, Favre hasn’t indicated if he will return next season.  It is worth noting that Favre told ESPN last week that his mind is already made up about the future.

Favre is still playing at an elite level and probably will not want to retire when his last throw was intercepted. He threw for 310 yards, a touchdown and two picks on 28-of-46 passing in Sunday’s NFC title game loss.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

New Orleans:  Saints QB and leader Drew Brees completed 17-of-31 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns as the New Orleans Saints defeated Minnesota 31-28 on Garrett Hartley’s overtime field goal in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.

The three TDs look nice from a fantasy perspective, but Brees spent most of the game backpedaling as the Vikings generated consistent penetration up the middle and off the edges.

The Saints won the coin flip in overtime, and got help from a pair of penalties in the Vikings’ secondary before Hartley knocked home the game-winner from 40 yards away. Brees has a 6:0 TD-to-INT ratio in the playoffs and the Saints face the Colts in two weeks.

Indianapolis:  Pierre Garcon caught 11 balls for 151 yards and a touchdown as the Indianapolis Colts advanced to Super Bowl XLIV in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game win.

Torching the Jets’ combination of Lito Sheppard, Dwight Lowery, and Drew Coleman, Garcon was Peyton Manning’s go-to guy with “No. 1″ receiver Reggie Wayne covered by Darrelle Revis.

Garcon made highlight-reel caliber catches along the sidelines and showed off his underrated after-catch skills. He’s up to 16 receptions and 185 yards through two playoff wins.

Minnesota:  Adrian Peterson ran for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries and caught two passes for 14 yards in the Vikings’ season-ending NFC title game loss at the Superdome.

It was all or nothing for “All Day,” who was credited with two fumbles but actually had three if you include a botched exchange with Brett Favre. A.P. was a game-breaker when he held onto the football and the Vikings’ offensive line got push, hitting numerous big runs. Despite his take-no-prisoners running style, Peterson hasn’t missed a game since his rookie year.

Oakland:  Jamarcus Russell will be back with the Raiders in 2010, sources tell ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli.

This just confirms that Raiders owner Al Davis isn’t going to give up on Russell yet. Pasquarelli says Oakland brass still believes JaMarcus can be a productive player in the league, particularly with the right coaching.

We’re skeptical about that because of Russell’s work habits, decision making, and poor accuracy. Look for the Raiders to sign or trade for a veteran and Russell to return as a backup next season.