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Brad Childress gets Brett Favre and quickly ends up with a hefty contract extension. Lovie Smith gets Jay Cutler and finds people wondering if he'll soon be unemployed. Some guys have all the luck. Nevertheless, the Bears enter Sunday's showdown against the Eagles just one game off the wild-card pace, despite losing their past two. And Cutler's old team in Denver has lost three in a row and may be without Kyle Orton against the Chargers this week. One SportsNation blogger thinks Cutler is still the right guy for the Bears, but does his new team or his old team need a win more this week?

• "Cutler has the ability to win games for his team; an ability that was overly praised when Brett Favre was in Green Bay but is now largely overlooked in evaluating today's quarterbacks (for some reason, people have fallen in love with "guys who just know how to win," forgetting that those guys have either rock solid defenses or unstoppable running games). But don't ask me, ask any of the many quarterback-starved teams in the league if they would give up exactly what the Bears gave up to get Cutler to begin with right now." Read afjumpfan23's full post.

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SportsNation would rather have Peyton Manning than Tom Brady dating their sister, but the roles are reversed if a wingman is called for. Maybe it's time to have the quarterback beauty contest settled on the field.

In the other big rivalry game of the week (no, not Chiefs-Raiders), Chad Ochocinco is winning the PR war (and food fight) for the Bengals, but fans favor the Steelers.

• Vote: Pick winners | Vs. spread | Cowboys-Eagles | Ravens-Bengals | Steelers-Broncos
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• Special guests: Jets LB Bart Scott | "First Take" analyst Drew Bennett | Len Pasquarelli
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What does Tony Romo have to do to catch a break? Wait, poor choice of words. Romo should be breathing easy these days. Criticized heavily during the Cowboys' slow start -- he had slipped all the way to No. 17 in SportsNation's quarterback rankings as recently as Oct. 12 -- Romo bounced back with three great games in a row. By Monday, he was back up to the cusp of the top 10 at the position in SportsNation's eyes. Enter Roy Williams, who managed the seemingly impossible feat of handing a popularity contest to Terrell Owens.

SportsNation says Romo isn't a leader, but one blogger is ready to follow him to a win against the Eagles.

• "I will believe, for now, that 8 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in the last 3 games is not coincidence or a streak. I will believe that the stench of the T.O. signing and leaving has finally left us. Romo is reaching more receivers -- to include the backs. Romo is tucking and running more than I've probably ever seen him do, and I'll take that & Just don't get hurt & Because our back-up QB is [Jon] Kitna. Why is all of this happening? Because T.O. is not crying for the ball. Because the show that is T.O. is not the looming and ominous cloud hanging over Romo anymore." Read MoAz2213's full post.

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd considered renaming "SportsNation" TV the "Fall Classic."

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results are as of this afternoon (ET).

• 

  Who was more impressive Sunday?

  Brett Favre threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Percy Harvin had five returns for 175 yards to go with 84 yards receiving.

• 

  Is Kate Hudson partially responsible for Alex Rodriguez's postseason success?

  After a slow start in the World Series, A-Rod has batted in three runs in the past two games and the Yankees lead the Series 3-1.

• 

  What do you think of Florida suspending Brandon Spikes for one half?

  Was his punishment for apparently attempting to eye-gouge a Georgia player too lenient, too harsh or fair?

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• Your Rankings: How do you rank all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL?
• Vote: What do you make of Sunday's NFL results?
• Chat: Gary Horton from Scouts Inc. talks NFL, 4 p.m. ET

On the eve of Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field, SportsNation was a house divided. Will Aaron Rodgers ever escape his predecessor's shadow? Slightly more than a third of voters said he eventually will. A similar percentage said he never will. In only a single, solitary state did the largest block of voters contend Rodgers already has escaped Favre's shadow.

We're guessing Wisconsin might feel differently this morning.

For the second time this season, Rodgers put up solid numbers against the Vikings. And for the second time, it wasn't good enough to beat Favre. And as good as Rodgers has been this season -- the poor guy has the league's best quarterback rating -- SportsNation voters say the Packers would have a better record with their former quarterback.

“

Congrats, Brett! You deserve both victories and another run at the Super Bowl. Ted Thompson should be tarred and feathered!

” -- Jager_61761

“

Aaron 'I cant beat Brett Favre' Rodgers is not even in the same leage as Brett Favre right now. I think he could be one day and do like him, but if he keeps getting beat up like he has been he will not make it another 2 years. Before we start compairing him to Brett Favre he needs to get us a winning seaon, he needs to get us to the playoffs.....that would be a good start dont you think???

” -- Oshvegas15

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd will be wearing No. 4 jerseys after they get off the "SportsNation" TV set.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

• 

  If you were a Packers fan, would you catch Brett Favre on a Lambeau Leap?

  Green Bay fans already have mixed emotions about No. 4's return, and a touchdown celebration probably would pour salt into open wounds.

• 

  Can the Yankees win without Alex Rodriguez?

  The slugger is 0-for-8 in the first two games of the World Series and made an error that allowed a run Thursday night. He hasn't looked comfortable at the plate.

• 

  Who fires up a crowd more?

  Musical stars Jay-Z and Alicia Keys pumped up the Yankee Stadium crowd before Game 2. Philly's hometown asset is the fuzzy, lovable Phanatic.

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• Vote: Pick winners | Against spread | Vikings-Packers | Broncos-Ravens | Vince Young
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• Weekly chatters: Chris Mortensen | Matt Williamson | Jeremy Green | KC Joyner
• Special guests: Former Packers FB William Henderson | ESPN Boston's Tedy Bruschi
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Hidden beneath the layers of Shakespearean drama involved in Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field to face the boos and settle scores with Ted Thompson, there's a reasonably important division game on tap Sunday in Green Bay. With the Bears skidding and the Lions, well, still the Lions, the Vikings could put the kind of distance normally reserved for month-old Limburger between themselves and the Cheeseheads. SportsNation is picking the visitors to get it done, and one blogger thinks this could be the beginning of the end.

• "The Packers are above average on both sides of the ball. They are a solid team. The defense is giving up only 16 PPG, and only 96 total this season. They're in the top ten in most offensive and defensive categories. Their only losses? Cincinnati and Minnesota. Sounds legit right? Unfortunately not. 3 of 4 wins have come against bottom tier opponents and based on the look of the rest of the schedule, which consists of Minnesota again this week, Dallas, San Francisco, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, another trip to Chicago, and Arizona, doesn't look good. Final Prediction: 7-9 Verdict: Pretender " Read Feldman9000's full post.

• Vote on World Series: Is Alex Rodriguez reverting to form?
• Vote on Vikings-Packers: Did Ted Thompson pick the right quarterback?

A lot of good things came out of 1969. We landed on the moon, Joe Namath lived up to his guarantee, moviegoers got to watch "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "Easy Rider," and music fans got cornerstone albums from the Beatles and the Velvet Underground. But four decades later, the year is still giving back in the form of Mariano Rivera and Brett Favre, born little more than a month apart.

Thursday night was Rivera's time in the spotlight, as the Yankees' closer went two innings and 39 pitches to shut down the Phillies and secure Game 2. But come Sunday, the two may go head to head for SportsNation's affection, with the Yankees and Phillies playing Game 4 at night and Favre making his return to Lambeau Field in the afternoon.

So it's a simple question: Which product of 1969 tops your list?

Bryan (Wichita)

What are your thoughts about playing for the Vikings and [Brett Favre's] comment about them being more talented than the '96 Pack

Former Packers FB William Henderson

I hope he said it in an attempt to motivate his own locker room. Boneheaded statement if it was meant to truly compare the No. 1 defense and No. 1 special teams from Super Bowl XXXI team to an unproven. Full transcript.

sam (new jersey)

who was the toughest pitcher you had to face?

Red Sox OF Jacoby Ellsbury

Mariano Rivera. Full transcript.

• Thursday: William Henderson, starting FB for 1996 Packers, chats, 1 ET

When Brett Favre talks, a nation listens. It may not want to listen, but it doesn't have much choice. And when Favre says his current Vikings team is better than the Packers team he won a Super Bowl with in 1996 -- and it's brought up during the week leading up to his first game back at Lambeau Field wearing purple -- we've got ourselves a debate.

Former Packers don't seem too pleased about Favre's assessment earlier this season, and Mark Chmura said he went through the rosters and couldn't find a position at which the Vikings had an edge. We invite you to do the same and vote at the bottom of the post.

“

Chmura went position by position and did not find that Adrian Peterson was better than any back on the Packers roster? Not that we can really trust his judgment anyway.

” -- cdman882

“

No disrespect to that '96, Super Bowl winning Green Bay Packer team, but if you look at the numbers right now (in other words the full season '96 Packer stats against the not even ha...lf season '09 Viking stats) the '09 Vikings are on pace to do better (or already have done better) than the '96 Packers. So yeah, I think Brett was right when he said it's the most talented team he has played on. Sorry Cheeseheads.

” -- nickdastick80

“

The 1996 Packers were the only team in the modern-era to have the number one ranked offense and number one ranked defense in the NFL. That truly was one of the greatest teams in NFL history which is why this comparison is ridiculous at best.

” -- bosoxman04

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd are deadly beyond the "SportsNation" TV 3-point line.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

Should Florida still be motivated by Georgia's '07 end-zone celebration?
Coaches have long memories when it comes to motivation. Winning a title should have changed the subject, but you never know in the SEC.

Which team should Mets fans root for in the World Series?
It's the cross-town rivals versus the division rivals. Maybe baseball fans in Queens will just switch to the NBA for the next two weeks.

How should Packers fans welcome back Brett Favre?
There's no doubt fans in Green Bay have torn loyalties about the QB who led their team to its most recent Super Bowl. Should they applaud? Boo? Turn their backs?

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.