Vikings

Brett Favre isn't the only star player who could retire from the Minnesota Vikings. Defensive tackle Pat Williams said Monday that he's "50-50" on whether he'll return for the final year of his contract. At 37, Williams is the oldest player on the team except for Favre, the 40-year-old quarterback. Williams, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, said he feels fine physically, but is mentally "drained" after a devastating end to his 13th NFL season. The Vikings lost to the New Orleans Saints in overtime of the NFC championship game Sunday.

Defensive end Jared Allen, the most menacing (and irreverent) member of the Minnesota Vikings' defense, will do a little extra film study this week. Mapping a path to the quarterback? Breaking down the tendencies of an offensive tackle? Sure, he'll do some of that. But this is a different kind of film study. "I'm going to watch 'Road House,' " Allen said, referring to the 1989 action flick starring Patrick Swayze as a bouncer hired to tame an unruly bar. "He just goes in there and kicks the crap out of everybody.

Defensive end Jared Allen, the most menacing (and irreverent) member of the Minnesota Vikings' defense, will do a little extra film study this week. Mapping a path to the quarterback? Breaking down the tendencies of an offensive tackle? Sure, he'll do some of that. But this is a different kind of film study. "I'm going to watch 'Road House,' " Allen said, referring to the 1989 action flick starring Patrick Swayze as a bouncer hired to tame an unruly bar. "He just goes in there and kicks the crap out of everybody.

Backup linebacker Erin Henderson (Maryland) has returned to the Minnesota Vikings after completing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Henderson was at practice Wednesday. He has played in only two games for Minnesota this season, primarily on special teams. Henderson declined to specify the substance he was punished for, but says he "didn't do anything wrong" and blames the positive test on a prescription product he took in training camp to remedy allergic reactions.

Quickness is Percy Harvin's game. Always has been. So maybe no one should be surprised at how quickly he made the transition from being a productive all-around player in an unconventional college offense to being a productive all-around player in a more conventional pro offense. But we can't help be a little surprised as Harvin and the Minnesota Vikings prepare to play the Dallas Cowboys today in Minneapolis in a divisional playoff game. If the 21 teams that picked ahead of the Vikings in the April draft knew Harvin would be such a quick contributor and the Offensive Rookie of the Year, they might have selected him before the Vikings ever had a chance.

Brett Favre participated in a conference call with Dallas reporters Wednesday, and his theme was clear: The Cowboys are the most dangerous team in the NFL this postseason. Although it's not uncommon for someone to butter up his opponent, reporters who took part in the call say Favre was very convincing. And he should be; the Cowboys have been scorching. "(From) the outside looking in, if you had to look at both teams, us and the Cowboys, you'd go, OK, aside from the fact the Cowboys are playing at the Vikings, who is the hottest team right now?

Playing for their playoff lives, Eli Manning and the New York Giants were efficient, focused and dominant. Playing for their new general manager, the Washington Redskins (4-10) did a good job of convincing the boss that maybe everyone ought to be fired. The Giants kept themselves in the postseason hunt Monday night with one of the most lopsided victories in the long, storied series against their NFC East rival. New York scored on six of its first seven possessions and controlled every facet of the game in a 45-12 win that wasn't as close as even that margin of victory would indicate.

Michaels says ... Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson could each have big nights. The Vikings are looking to wrap up a first-round bye, and that should be motivation enough to keep them interested against an overmatched opponent. The Panthers do have a running game, and they've got one of the better backs in the league in DeAngelo Williams, but he'll have to have a very big game for the Panthers to have a shot. And against Minnesota's vaunted run defense? Good luck. Collinsworth says ... For Brett Favre, he has a chance to go out in a dream scenario.

Minnesota Vikings backup linebacker Erin Henderson was suspended for four games without pay Tuesday for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. The suspension covers Minnesota's final three regular-season games and first playoff game. The NFL does not specify the substances for which players test positive. A message was left seeking comment from Henderson's agent, Brian Mackler. The Vikings were off Tuesday and unavailable for comment. Henderson is the younger brother of linebacker E.J. Henderson, who broke his left leg Dec. 6 and is out indefinitely.