(My Sportsbook) - When the NFL's real life Jason Voorhees touched down on Zygi Wilf's private plane in St. Paul Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings and Brad Childress finally had their quarterback.

Future Hall of Fame signal-caller Brett Favre finally signed a contract with the Vikings and instantly makes the talented team a Super Bowl contender, credibility issues aside.

The Vikings entered training camp on the heels of a 2008 season in which they rattled off nine wins in their final 12 games to capture their first division title since 2000, and the franchise's first NFC North crown since the NFC Central was realigned in 2002.

Capping off the team's first 10-win season in eight years, Minnesota also hosted its first home playoff game since 2000 and made its first postseason appearance since 2004, welcoming the Philadelphia Eagles to the Metrodome in an NFC Wild Card playoff game. Despite possessing more talent, the Vikings fell to the Eagles' superior coaching and quarterback play.

Since headstrong coach Brad Childress arrived in Minneapolis from Philadelphia with the tag of "quarterback guru," the signal-calling in the Twin Cities has left much to be desired. It's been a revolving door at the game's most important position since Childress arrived. His hand-picked choice for the job, fourth-year pro Tarvaris Jackson, has all the physical skills, but has been injury-prone and has struggled mightily with his accuracy and decision- making. The veterans brought in to caddy Jackson, players like Brad Johnson, Brooks Bollinger, Kelly Holcomb and Gus Frerotte, have all been pedestrian.

Sensing that his employment may hang in the balance, Childress did an about- face this offseason, selling out in the hopes that Favre would end another tap-dance with retirement and play for the Vikings in 2009.

Known for his controlling ways, Childress gave Favre a free pass, allowing the veteran to skip each and every offseason workout while he rehabbed from surgery for a partially torn biceps tendon in his native Mississippi, under the watchful eye of Minnesota's training staff. In fact, Childress bent over backwards for the narcissistic Favre, allowing the veteran to put together his own timetable in hopes that he would don the purple once training camp opened in late July.

Instead of rewarding Childress, Favre, citing his questionable health, waffled in the final days before camp, leaving the Vikings' mentor at the altar with egg on his face, or so it seemed.

Just like the campers in a Friday the 13th movie, the assembled media in Hattiesburg, Miss. bought Favre's declaration hook, line and sinker despite his now-comical history of waffling.

Using hindsight, it's clear that Favre just wanted to avoid the grueling two- a-day practices of training camp and like the fictional Voorhees, reappeared when you were least expecting it.

Now, Childress has to convince a skeptical locker room that Favre is indeed a team player and the kind of leader that can lift the team to its first Lombardi Trophy.

Below we take a capsule look at the 2009 edition of the Minnesota Vikings, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:

2008 RECORD: 10-6 (1st, NFC North)

LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2008, lost to Philadelphia, 26-14, in NFC Wild Card

COACH (RECORD): Brad Childress (24-24 in three seasons with Vikings)

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Darrell Bevell

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Leslie Frazier

OFFENSIVE STAR: Adrian Peterson, RB (1760 rushing yards, 10 TD, 21 receptions)

DEFENSIVE STAR: Jared Allen, DE (54 tackles, 14.5 sacks)

OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 5th rushing, 25th passing, 12th scoring

DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 1st rushing, 18th passing, 13th scoring

KEY ADDITIONS: QB Brett Favre (from Jets, QB Sage Rosenfels (from Texans), WR Percy Harvin (1st Round, Florida), WR/RS Glenn Holt (from Bengals), T Phil Loadholt (2nd Round, Oklahoma), CB Karl Paymah (from Broncos), CB Asher Allen (3rd Round, Georgia)

KEY DEPARTURES: QB Gus Frerotte (released), RB Maurice Hicks (released), T Marcus Johnson (to Raiders), C Matt Birk (to Ravens), DT Kenderick Allen (not tendered), DT Ellis Wyms (not tendered), LB Vinny Ciurciu (released), LB Napoleon Harris (not tendered), LB Dontarrious Thomas (not tendered), S Darren Sharper (to Saints), S Michael Boulware (not tendered)

QB: At the end of the day, warts included, Favre is a much better option at quarterback than either Jackson or Sage Rosenfels. Favre spent 16 years with the Vikings' biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers, before playing with the Jets last season. In 18 total NFL seasons, he has amassed 464 touchdowns, more than 65,000 passing yards and a passer rating of 85.4, a slightly more impressive resume than the incumbents. Favre is the ultimate gunslinger and loves freelancing, something that will likely drive the conservative Childress a little batty on occasion. That said, Favre immediately turns what was a pedestrian unit into one of the best in the league. With Jackson at the helm, opponents stacked the line with the intent of stopping All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson. You simply won't be able to do that with Favre under center. The big loser in all of this is Rosenfels, who was acquired from the Texans in the offseason to push Jackson. The former Iowa State star played superbly in the preseason opener and was putting distance between himself and T-Jack. Now, Rosenfels will settle in as the backup to Favre. He doesn't have great physical skills but has always been a very accurate passer when given the opportunity to play.

Former USC standout John David Booty will likely return as the developmental quarterback for the second straight year. Booty is still a long way from the field but Childress was impressed with the way Booty "remade" his body in the offseason. Time has finally run out on Jackson, who looks like the odd man out. A second-round pick out of Alabama State in 2006, T-Jack has a gun hanging from his right shoulder and more than enough athletic ability to make things difficult for any opponent. It's those physicals skills that first attracted Childress to Jackson and have kept the coach thinking he's ready to turn the corner despite all the empirical evidence pointing in the other direction. Jackson did show flashes late last season after stepping in for an injured Frerotte in Week 14 at Detroit, From that point forward, Jackson completed 57-of-89 passes for 740 yards and 8 touchdowns with just 1 interception. He then promptly imploded in the postseason against the Eagles, when highly-regarded defensive coordinator Jim Johnson drew up a game plan heavy on the blitz.

RB: The most dangerous player in the game, Peterson, resides in the Minnesota backfield. A stunning combination of power and speed, Peterson became the first Vikings running back in team history to lead the league in rushing when he finished with 1,760 rushing yards in 2008. Since arriving on the NFL scene in 2007, Peterson has rushed for 3,101 yards and 22 touchdowns with a career average of 103.4 rushing yards per game. Only one other player in NFL history with 2,000-plus rushing yards has averaged 100-plus yards a game for his career, the legendary Jim Brown (104.3 avg./118 games). Despite those numbers, Childress often replaces Peterson in third-down situations with veteran Chester Taylor, a better receiver and pass blocker. A solid back in his own right, Taylor would be a No. 1 on quite a few NFL teams. The former Toledo Rocket ranked third on the Vikings with 45 catches for 399 yards and added 399 yards on the ground, giving the team impressive depth. Taylor also led all NFL running backs with 25 catches on third down in 2008. Former Iowa star Albert Young, who spent last season on the practice squad, has been earmarked as the third back. The Vikings were able to retain fullback Naufahu Tahi in the offseason. Tahi, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet with the Cincinnati Bengals but Minnesota matched the deal. Tahi took over for free agent bust Thomas Tapeh at fullback early last season and improved as the season wore on. The 254-pound Utah native isn't a natural fullback but he has the strength and low center of gravity to be an elite one with more experience.

WR/TE: The Vikings have been looking to rebuild their receiving corps ever since trading Randy Moss, and the finished product will finally roll out this season. The team finally made some headway last year with big play free agent acquisition, Bernard Berrian. The Vikings supplemented Berrian in the draft this season by selecting all-purpose Florida star Percy Harvin in the first round. Berrian was a big-play machine last year, finishing first among NFL receivers with at least 40 catches at 20.1 yards-per-catch. Overall, he hauled in 48 receptions for 964 yards and seven touchdowns, including a 99- yard TD catch against his former team, the Chicago Bears, that tied the longest reception in NFL history and ranks as the longest scrimmage play in Vikings history. Sidney Rice was supposed to be the complement to Berrian last year but struggled with a knee injury and amassed just 15 catches for 141 yards. The 6-foot-4 Rice is an imposing red-zone target and will be given every opportunity to win the starting job again this year. When Rice went down, the Vikings went back to Bobby Wade, and the veteran led the team in receptions for the second straight season with 53. A solid slot guy, Wade just doesn't have the jets to scare opposing defenses on the outside. Harvin leaves Florida after his junior season as one of the most prolific players in recent college football history. A consummate dual threat at wide receiver and tailback, Harvin amassed 1,929 aerial yards to go with 1,852 on the ground and 32 total touchdowns in a three-year career that included two National Championships. The Vikings have already installed a package that will utilize Harvin's unique skills and have defensive coordinators playing a "Where's Waldo" type of game. Harvin will line up at wide receiver, in the slot, at running back and in the "Wildcat" at times. His mere presence on the field will also make it much more difficult for the opposition to stack the box against Peterson.

At tight end, the Vikings possess an emerging star in Vinsanthe Shiancoe and one of the game's best edge blockers in Jim Kleinsasser. After a bad first season in the Twin Cities, Shiancoe led the NFC and tied for third among tight ends in the NFL with seven touchdown receptions in 2008, one shy of the franchise record for TD catches by a tight end in a single season. Overall, Shiancoe, who has the speed to run past linebackers down the seam, recorded 42 receptions for 596 yards. Kleinsasser really is more of a glorified tackle that can seal just about any defensive end and help open up huge lanes for Peterson and Taylor. The third tight end spot is a battle between a blocker, Jeff Dugan, and receiver, Garrett Mills. Dugan is versatile and can also line up at fullback while Mills has exceptional hands but has been injury-prone.

OL: The Vikings' offensive line is taking on a new look this season with two new starters, center John Sullivan and rookie right tackle Phil Loadholt. Perennial Pro Bowl center Matt Birk fled to Baltimore in the offseason. A Twin Cities native, Birk was a team leader and pillar of the community but often butted heads with Childress. Sullivan will try to fill Birk's very large shoes and early returns have been positive. The Notre Dame grad has drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff during training camp and has handled all the line calls with a veteran's savvy, something that should be attributed to Birk, who worked tirelessly with Sullivan. The only concern is whether Sullivan can match up strength-wise with the league's top-tier run stuffers. Loadholt, the Vikings' second-round pick out of Oklahoma, has been handed the starting job at right tackle over the disappointing Ryan Cook. A massive man, standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 340 pounds, Loadholt has the girth and strength to be a road-grader in the running game but figures to struggle against speedy pass rushers. The rest of the Vikings' offensive line is rock- solid. Since joining the team in 2006, perennial All-Pro left guard Steve Hutchinson has helped clear holes for a 100-yard rusher 23 times in just 48 games. Meanwhile, since being drafted by the Vikings in 2002, left tackle Bryant McKinnie has now blocked for four of the top six single-season rushers in team history. Underrated right guard Anthony Herrera, who played last season with a painful shoulder injury, is healthy again and rounds out the unit. Depth is a problem, however. Veteran swingman Artis Hicks is OK, especially when he lines up on the left side, but Cook is not an NFL player. Former USC tackle Drew Radovich has a chance to stick as a backup.

DL: Minnesota has one of the NFL's top defensive units, and it all starts up front where the team sports three Pro Bowl level players. However, the Vikings may have to play the first month of the season without star defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams. Both players still don't know if they'll be suspended by the NFL in their ongoing dispute over the league's anti-doping policy. Hennepin County Judge Gary Larson placed state court proceedings in the case on hold early in August, pending a decision from a federal court. The players, who are not related, are not accused of taking steroids but tested positive last summer for a banned diuretic that can mask the presence of steroids after taking the weight-loss supplement StarCaps. On the field, right end Jared Allen is relentless. A high-motor player, Allen is one of the game's best pure pass rushers, recording a team-leading 14 1/2 sacks in first season with the Vikings last year. Allen isn't a one-trick pony either and plays the run better than just about any edge player in football. Kevin Williams may be the best two-way defensive tackle in the game. Last year, Williams finished tied for first among all defensive tackles with 8 1/2 sacks, added seven stuffs and finished with 52 quarterback hurries. Incredibly quick, Williams specializes in blowing up plays in the backfield. Nose tackle Pat Williams is the NFL's best pure run-stuffer and the main reason why the team has allowed just two 100-yard individual rushing performances in the past 48 games. In fact, over the past three seasons (2006-08) with Williams anchoring the middle, opponents are averaging just 70.8 rushing yards per game and the Vikings became the first team since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to rank No. 1 against the run in three consecutive seasons. The runt of the litter, so to speak, is left end Ray Edwards, but the former Purdue stalwart has a knack for the big play, specially forcing fumbles. Depth on the outside comes from pass rushing specialist Brian Robison. Inside, active tackle Fred Evans is a favorite of the front office and the Vikings are also very high on second-year defensive tackle Letroy Guion.

LB: Minnesota is also very talented at linebacker and expects a big boost with the return of its defensive captain, heavy-hitting middle linebacker E.J. Henderson. Henderson, an instinctive, athletic 'backer, went down in Week 4 last season with a toe injury that required surgery. The team's 2007 defensive MVP, Henderson is a monster run-stopper and underrated in coverage. With Henderson sidelined last year, veteran weak-side linebacker Ben Leber took over the play-calling for the defense and had a career-year in 2008. Leber finished first in the NFC and tied for first in the NFL with four fumble recoveries and had six combined takeaways last season to go along with 88 tackles and 12 passes defended. Leber also happens to be the Vikings' best blitzer form the edge. Meanwhile, strong side linebacker Chad Greenway received Pro Bowl consideration after leading the team with 149 total tackles in 2008. A very fast, athletic player, Greenway can chase from sideline to sideline and seems to improve in pass coverage each and every year. Depth was a problem last year after super-sub Heath Farwell went down in the preseason with a torn ACL. Farwell is back at 100 percent and the Vikings also beefed things up in the draft by moving up eight spots in the fifth round to take South Carolina middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley. The Georgia native was considered a possible top-round pick before injuring his knee four games into the 2007 season and the coaching staff has raved about him in camp. Henderson's brother, Erin, and David Herron may also be in the team's plans.

DB:The Vikings gave both of their starting corners, Pro Bowler Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin, big offseason contract extensions. A ball-hawk that hits like a heavyweight in run support, Winfield is one of the game's big-play corners, amassing four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 2008. Winfield also returned a blocked field goal 59 yards for a touchdown against New Orleans. Like Winfield, Griffin is solid in run support but has trouble tracking the ball in coverage. Griffin is often in position to make a play but fails to do so. Depth is improved. Rookie third round pick Asher Allen has drawn comparisons to Winfield while veteran free agent acquisition Karl Paymah has impressive athletic skills. Meanwhile, after a disappointing sophomore season, Marcus McCauley has played himself back into the mix with a solid camp and veteran Benny Sapp is an underrated coverage guy. On the back end, the Vikings are set at free safety with Madieu Williams but need to replace veteran playmaker Darren Sharper at strong safety. Williams missed the first seven games of last season due to a mysterious neck injury but returned to play well down the stretch. After returning, Williams finished with 45 tackles, two interceptions and three passes defensed. Second-year player Tyrell Johnson is the heir apparent to Sharper. A second-round pick in 2008, Johnson got playing time when Williams was on the shelf during his rookie season and was steady if unspectacular. With a year under his belt, the Vikings expect Johnson to make a bigger impact in 2009. Depth could be a problem at safety. The team likes Husain Abdullah but Eric Frampton is just a special teams guy, leaving rookie seventh round pick Jamarca Sanford an opportunity to gain a roster spot. A four-year starter at Mississippi, Sanford was the SEC's active leader in career tackles when drafted.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The coverage teams were a disaster last year, allowing an NFL record seven-return touchdowns. Despite that dubious distinction, special teams coordinator Paul Ferraro actually got a promotion to move on to the St. Louis Rams when his friend, Steve Spagnuolo, got the Rams coaching gig. Needless to say, the Vikings weren't all that sad to see Ferraro go and promoted Brian Murphy in the hopes of improving things. Much of the problem stemmed from the poor directional punting of Chris Kluwe along with the loss of Farwell to a torn ACL. The return of Farwell can't be underestimated. The veteran linebacker was a Pro Bowl alternate as a special-teamer in 2007 and is one of the four or five best coverage players in the NFL. Kluwe has a monster leg and set a team record for the highest gross punting average in a single season with his 47.6 yard average in 2008. However, he often outkicked his coverage and booted the ball right down the middle of the field, giving returners multiple options. The Vikings are loath to give up on Kluwe's leg and didn't even bring in competition for him, but they have spent an inordinate amount of time in camp practicing directional punting. The kicking game is solid. Veteran Ryan Longwell is the most accurate kickers in NFL history since entering the league as an unheralded rookie free agent in 1997. He had one of his best seasons last year with 127 points and has made 51-of-52 field goals from inside 45 yards since arriving in Minnesota. Harvin will be the team's top kick returner this season and has the speed and vision to take it to the house at any time. Second-year receiver Jaymar Johnson has wowed the coaching staff in the offseason and will have to play himself out of the punt return job in the preseason.

PROGNOSIS: Make no mistake, the Vikings are a very talented team but you couldn't take them seriously as a legitimate Super Bowl threat until the quarterback position was stabilized. Favre, despite his penchant for freelancing, is still a top-10 signal-caller. Now the questions turn toward intangibles. Can the notoriously selfish Favre lead 53 players through the ups and downs of a typical NFL season? The Vikings are clearly the class of the NFC North. A 12- or 13-win season and a second straight division crown is not out of the question but you have to expect the usual Favre implosion in the postseason, leaving the club short of its ultimate goal.