Favre: ‘I wouldn’t put anything past me’

Brett Favre shed his walking boot and walked gingerly on a tender left ankle and heel Thursday, but he was still holding out hope of practicing on Friday and playing on Sunday. The signs of progress are there, but are they coming quickly enough?

Brett Favre missed practice for a second consecutive day on Thursday, but the quarterback remained optimistic that he would be able to play on Sunday at New England.

That would be no small feat considering Favre suffered a stress fracture in his left ankle and an "avulsion" fracture in his left heel in Sunday's loss at Green Bay.

Favre, 41, was wearing a walking boot on Wednesday as he addressed the media, but on Thursday he had gotten rid of the boot and had a wrap around the ankle area.

Asked if he thought he would be able to do some work in Friday's practice, Favre said: "I wouldn't put anything past me to be honest with you."

Coach Brad Childress has made it clear he needs to see that Favre would have some mobility if he's going to be allowed to extend his NFL record for consecutive regular-season games started to 292.

"We'll see," Childress said when asked if Favre needed to do some work on Friday. "He's been a little better every day. Whether it's good enough to play in an NFL football game remains to be seen. I'm just taking it a day at a time. That's all we can take it."

Part of Favre's plan is to wear a size-15 inch shoe on his left foot if he does play. He ordinarily wears a size 14. Favre wanted to give that a test on Thursday to see how it would feel. The Vikings athletic training staff would put a splint or some type of protection in the shoe as well.

As far as talking to Childress in the past day to make a determination about playing, Favre said: "We haven't talked really. I've been getting treatment. I don't think that is an unusual thing with me (to not have discussed it yet)."

BY THE NUMBERS: 291 — NFL record consecutive starts made by Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, whose status for Sunday is uncertain because of stress fractures in his left ankle and heel.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm not going to rule him out. If he's out, somebody has to step up. But unless they cut his leg off, it's going to be hard to keep him off the field. That's the type of guy he is and what he's shown throughout his career." — Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams on QB Brett Favre potentially not playing Sunday.

NOTES

G Steve Hutchinson (quadriceps) returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday after sitting out Wednesday.

OL Chris DeGeare (ankle) was limited for a second consecutive practice on Thursday.

DT Letroy Guion (hamstring) was limited for a second consecutive practice on Thursday.

CB Lito Sheppard (hand) was limited for a second consecutive practice on Thursday.

C John Sullivan (calf) was limited for a second consecutive practice on Thursday.

NT Pat Williams (quadriceps) was limited for a second consecutive practice on Thursday.

SS Husain Abdullah (concussion) took part in all of practice on Wednesday and Thursday and will return to his starting role Sunday after sitting out against Green Bay.

CB Chris Cook (knee) took part in all of Wednesday and Thursday's practice and will play Sunday.