Anyone watching Sunday's Vikings game could see that the Saints players were trying to hurt Brett Favre. Why doesn't the NFL do more to prevent players from being intentionally injured? No one from the Saints team was ejected after Favre took 15 hits. If it's OK to intentionally hurt a team's quarterback, what would keep another team from intentionally hurting and ending the career of New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees at the Super Bowl? JERRY T. JOHNSON, BLOOMINGTON
•••
In the aftermath of the Saints' win Sunday, a sore loser's reaction is all Patrick Reusse can come up with ("NFC's most talented team choked away all its chances," Jan. 26)? Reusse's rant about the NFC's "most talented team" doesn't hold up. "We lost, but we're still better than you!"? Everybody knows yardage totals are often misleading in many games. Brees decided to be more careful and smarter with his throws than you-know-who. The Saints counted their men on the field consistently better. As far as yardage goes, the Saints did have a huge advantage in kickoff returns. EUGENE GOMES, MINNEAPOLIS
•••
Whether you're a disappointed Vikings fan or a gleeful Packers fan (and I can't imagine the glee, given that the man took the state of Wisconsin to a glorious Super Bowl victory), one has to step back and salute the fire, intensity and top-notch play a 40-year-old quarterback brought to the field this year. Brett Favre's performance this season will be remembered not only for its quality, but for what it did overall for the game. DANIEL W. HOMSTAD, APPLE VALLEY
•••
Thank you to the Vikings players and coaches for giving us something to look forward to every Sunday (and some Mondays)! I've been a fan for more than 30 years, and I can't remember a more exciting team nor a team that was more in tune with each other. What a fun ride this year has been -- you did your best and it is much appreciated! RENA HALL, CHASKA
