An MRI performed on Brett Favre's injured left knee Monday confirmed team physician Dr. Patrick McKenzie's initial diagnosis of a sprained lateral collateral ligament (LCL), Packers GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman said.
In addition, the MRI revealed no cartilage or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage. That's positive news for the Packers, who could see Favre recover in time to start their next game against the Miami Dolphins, November 4.
"It looked fairly bad on the field yesterday," Sherman said of Favre's injury. "This guy is just a very resilient individual and we're very fortunate that he's okay."
With the Packers approaching their bye weekend, Favre will undergo regular treatment this week. The Packers practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week and are then off until Wednesday, October 30.
Asked if Favre would be able to participate in next Wednesday's practice, Sherman said he would play it by ear.
"I'm not going to make that prediction just yet," Sherman said. "In regard to a Monday night game that's the extra day (of practice). He'll be out at some point next week, when I can't exactly tell you.
"We'll be very cautious with it to make sure that we don't put him at risk and to make sure that he's ready to go when we do put him out there."
In addition to the MRI, Favre was fitted for a stabilizing brace Monday, which will be delivered Tuesday. Sherman did not say that Favre's injury would require him to wear the brace.
Sherman expects Favre to recover his full range of motion in 7-10 days. He also said that if the Packers had been faced with playing this weekend, Favre would likely have been available.
"I think he would have played the game," Sherman said. "I don't know whether I would have played him or not, but I think he would have been able to play the game. But I probably would have held him out."
Favre sustained the injury on the Packers' second possession of the third quarter Sunday evening, when his left leg twisted underneath him while being sacked by the Washington Redskins' LaVar Arrington. After the play, Favre got to his feet and hobbled most of the way off the field under his own power before being met by members of the Packers' medical staff.
He was then examined on the sidelines before eventually being carted off the field to the locker room for further treatment.
After the game, Favre met with members of the media. Although his left knee was heavily wrapped, Favre walked without the aid of crutches.
Favre told the media Sunday night that after the immediate pain of the injury subsided he felt he'd be able to return to the game. McKenzie persuaded otherwise, suggesting that he would be putting his ACL at risk due to the instability of his LCL.
"Once I got to the sideline, it felt a little bit better, which I understand knee injuries are kind of that way," Favre said. "The concern is that even though there is a little bit of pain, you have no stability. Whatever ligament is torn, you lose stability there and then further damage is done easily by no stability. When Dr. McKenzie said that, I understood.
"He said there would probably be more pain, probably not as bad as the initial injury, but there will be more pain (Monday), more stiffness, more swelling. It's more of a two- or three-day period and then it's more strengthening -- to see if the ligament can come back."
Favre has started 164 consecutive games for the Packers, an NFL record for quarterbacks and the longest active streak among NFL players.
