EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. » Brett Favre sure doesn’t look like a guy ready to play a game in four days, not with an oversized walking boot covering most of his left leg.

But who would bet against Minnesota’s 41-year-old quarterback? Whether it’s reckless pride, simple determination or an exceptional tolerance of pain, he’s played through all kinds of pain — including a broken thumb in 2003 and a badly sprained foot in 2000 — and never sat out.

His NFL-record streak is at 291 consecutive games started, 315 including the playoffs. Naturally, Favre is not ruling himself out of Sunday’s game at New England despite two fractures in his left ankle.

"I would love to play, for no other reason but I’m in this, committed to this team," Favre said. "I’d love to get this back on track and be a part of it, and more than anything function at a level that gives us a chance to win. That’s basically it."

Favre said he won’t consider participating in any part of practice until Friday. He spent Wednesday in the training room, joining his teammates for their post-practice huddle and walking off the field wearing the boot, shorts, a sweatshirt and a Twins cap.

He’s always had a knack for healing quickly, which gives him hope he’ll be back when the Vikings (2-4) play the Patriots (5-1). If he can’t go, Tarvaris Jackson will take over.

Coach Brad Childress kept the option open, too.

"I wouldn’t put it past him," Childress said.

Troy Smith to start at QB

San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary tapped Troy Smith, the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State, over David Carr against Denver on Sunday in London.

Singletary said he chose Smith because "the bottom line is: I think Troy Smith gives us a good opportunity to win the game."

Starter Alex Smith is out 2-3 weeks with a separated left shoulder.

NFL INJURY REPORT

The National Football League injury report, as provided by the league (OUT – Definitely will not play; DNP – Did not practice; LIMITED – Limited participation in practice; FULL – Full participation in practice):

SUNDAY

BUFFALO BILLS at KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — BILLS: DNP: T Demetrius Bell (knee), S Jairus Byrd (thigh), T Cornell Green (knee). LIMITED: LB Keith Ellison (knee), CB Terrence McGee (back). CHIEFS: LIMITED: S Reshard Langford (ankle), G Ryan Lilja (hand), WR Dexter McCluster (ankle).

CAROLINA PANTHERS at ST. LOUIS RAMS — PANTHERS: DOUBTFUL: RB DeAngelo Williams (Foot). RAMS: No injuries.

DENVER BRONCOS at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — BRONCOS: DNP: LB Robert Ayers (foot), CB Perrish Cox (concussion), S Darcel McBath (ankle), WR Eddie Royal (groin), DT Kevin Vickerson (groin), LB Wesley Woodyard (hamstring). FULL: S Brian Dawkins (knee), CB Andre’ Goodman (quadriceps). 49ERS: OUT: C Eric Heitmann (neck), QB Alex Smith (shoulder). DNP: LB Ahmad Brooks (knee), CB Tarell Brown (back), TE Vernon Davis (ankle). LIMITED: CB Nate Clements (ankle), RB Anthony Dixon (hamstring).

WASHINGTON REDSKINS at DETROIT LIONS — REDSKINS: OUT: RB Clinton Portis (groin). LIMITED: T Jammal Brown (hip), CB DeAngelo Hall (back), T Stephon Heyer (ankle), S LaRon Landry (Achilles), QB Donovan McNabb (hamstring), S Kareem Moore (knee), LB Brian Orakpo (ankle), RB Mike Sellers (foot), RB Chad Simpson (hamstring). FULL: TE Chris Cooley (foot), C Casey Rabach (foot). LIONS: DNP: LB Zack Follett (neck), QB Shaun Hill (left forearm). LIMITED: RB Jahvid Best (toe), S Louis Delmas (groin), DT Andre Fluellen (concussion), LB DeAndre Levy (ankle), DE Turk McBride (ankle).

GREEN BAY PACKERS at NEW YORK JETS — PACKERS: OUT: LB Brad Jones (shoulder). DNP: WR Donald Driver (quadriceps), DE Ryan Pickett (ankle). LIMITED: T Chad Clifton (knee), S Nick Collins (knee), DE Cullen Jenkins (calf), T Mark Tauscher (shoulder), CB Charles Woodson (toe). FULL: G Marshall Newhouse (back). JETS: LIMITED: LB Calvin Pace (foot). FULL: C Nick Mangold (shoulder), CB Darrelle Revis (hamstring).

MIAMI DOLPHINS at CINCINNATI BENGALS — DOLPHINS: DNP: CB Nolan Carroll (ankle), S Reshad Jones (knee). BENGALS: OUT: DE Jonathan Fanene (hamstring). DNP: CB Leon Hall (hamstring), LB Brandon Johnson (knee), CB Johnathan Joseph (ankle), S Chinedum Ndukwe (knee), CB Morgan Trent (knee), S Roy Williams (knee). LIMITED: LB Keith Rivers (foot), T Andre Smith (ankle). FULL: RB Brian Leonard (thigh).

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at DALLAS COWBOYS — JAGUARS: LIMITED: QB Todd Bouman (finger). FULL: QB Trent Edwards (thumb), QB David Garrard (concussion), G Justin Smiley (foot). COWBOYS: DNP: DE Jason Hatcher (groin), G Montrae Holland (groin), G Kyle Kosier (ankle), QB Tony Romo (left shoulder). LIMITED: WR Dez Bryant (ankle), CB Terence Newman (ribs). FULL: LB Bradie James (knee).

TENNESSEE TITANS at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS — TITANS: DNP: DT Tony Brown (knee), QB Kerry Collins (right finger), DE Jacob Ford (hamstring), RB Chris Johnson (thigh), CB Ryan Mouton (hamstring), LB Jamie Winborn (shoulder). LIMITED: G Leroy Harris (hip). FULL: WR Justin Gage (hamstring), QB Vince Young (knee, ankle). CHARGERS: DNP: WR Buster Davis (ribs), LB Larry English (foot), WR Malcom Floyd (hamstring), TE Antonio Gates (toe), K Nate Kaeding (right groin), LB Brandon Siler (foot). LIMITED: WR Richard Goodman (hand), WR Legedu Naanee (hamstring).

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at ARIZONA CARDINALS — BUCCANEERS: Practice not complete. CARDINALS: DNP: LB Clark Haggans (groin). LIMITED: WR Steve Breaston (knee), WR Early Doucet (groin), LB Joey Porter (groin), CB Greg Toler (back). FULL: QB Max Hall (head), LB Reggie Walker (hamstring), DT Dan Williams (groin).

MINNESOTA VIKINGS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — VIKINGS: DNP: QB Brett Favre (foot/ankle), G Steve Hutchinson (quadriceps). LIMITED: G Chris DeGeare (ankle), DT Letroy Guion (hamstring), CB Lito Sheppard (hand), C John Sullivan (calf), DT Pat Williams (quadriceps). FULL: S Husain Abdullah (concussion), CB Chris Cook (knee). PATRIOTS: DNP: S Patrick Chung (knee), S Jarrad Page (calf), WR Matthew Slater (ankle), RB Fred Taylor (toe), DT Vince Wilfork (not injury related). FULL: QB Tom Brady (right shoulder).

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — STEELERS: DNP: T Flozell Adams (ankle), DE Brett Keisel (hamstring), DE Aaron Smith (triceps), LB LaMarr Woodley (hamstring). SAINTS: DNP: RB Reggie Bush (fibula), C Jonathan Goodwin (groin), CB Jabari Greer (shoulder), CB Tracy Porter (knee), RB Pierre Thomas (ankle). LIMITED: LB Scott Shanle (hamstring). FULL: G Jahri Evans (ankle), RB Julius Jones (shoulder), S Darren Sharper (knee), DE Will Smith (groin), T Zach Strief (knee), CB Leigh Torrence (shoulder), LB Anthony Waters (hamstring).

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at OAKLAND RAIDERS — SEAHAWKS: DNP: DE Chris Clemons (coach decision), G Ben Hamilton (coach decision), CB Kelly Jennings (hamstring), LB Matt McCoy (hamstring), DT Brandon Mebane (calf), T Russell Okung (ankle), RB Michael Robinson (hamstring), WR Brandon Stokley (oblique), CB Walter Thurmond (head). RAIDERS: DNP: G Robert Gallery (calf), WR Louis Murphy (chest), WR Chaz Schilens (knee). LIMITED: RB Michael Bennett (hamstring), S Hiram Eugene (pectoral), LB Travis Goethel (back), QB Bruce Gradkowski (shoulder), DT John Henderson (foot), LB Thomas Howard (knee), C Samson Satele (concussion), LB Kamerion Wimbley (groin). FULL: TE Zach Miller (foot).