MINNEAPOLIS — Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury in the first quarter against Buffalo on Sunday.
Shortly after extending his NFL record by starting his 297th consecutive regular season game, the 41-year-old Favre was crushed by linebacker Arthur Moats on his first pass play of the game. The pass was intercepted by Drayton Florence, and the 41-year-old Favre was slow to get up.
He staggered to the sideline and later walked to the locker room with athletic trainer Eric Sugarman. The team called his return questionable.
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Tarvaris Jackson took over and got off to a rocky start, throwing an interception that Florence returned 40 yards for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead.
But Jackson settled down, completing all four of his passes on the next drive for 76 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown to Sidney Rice.
Favre returned to the sideline later in the second quarter and had a long conversation with interim coach Leslie Frazier and Jackson. It appeared Favre was going to come back into the game, but Frazier stuck with Jackson, whose second TD pass of the game to Rice gave the Vikings a 28-7 lead with eight minutes to go in the first half.
Jackson completed 10 of his first 12 passes for 152 yards with two TDs and one interception.
Favre watched from the sideline with his arms folded, talking to Jackson after each series. He occasionally wound his throwing shoulder slowly to try and loosen it up after getting leveled by Moats on the third play of the game.
Favre rolled to his right and was blindsided by Moats just as he started to throw. The ball fluttered in the air and fell into Florence's arms for Favre's 18th interception of the season.
It's been a difficult year for Favre, who has struggled with a sore shoulder, tendinitis in his elbow, two broken bones in his ankle and 10 stitches in his chin from a hit against the Patriots earlier this year.
He also entered the game 30th in the NFL in passer rating, a far cry from his 33-touchdown, seven-interception performance in 2009 that helped the Vikings reach the NFC title game.