With all the melodrama surrounding this Brett Favre situation, we do tend to lose sight of the actual football elements involved. Most of the talk has centered on Favre going to two teams — the New York Jets or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We’ve also heard that Favre doesn’t necessarily care for either situation, mostly because he feels that neither team has a chance to get to the Super Bowl.

Well, the folks at EA Sports decided to have some fun with this. Check out this link courtesy of Operation Sports — EA Sports went ahead and ran several simulations of the 2008 NFL season, with Favre at the helm of four different teams: The Jets, Buccaneers, Vikings, and Packers. And let’s just say that EA Sports doesn’t see much good coming out of either Chad Pennington or Tavaris Jackson this season. Check out the results after the jump.

First, EA Sports ran through a regular 2008 season without Favre on any roster. The results:

Okay, I admit, any simulation that has the Eagles making the Super Bowl should be called into question. But let’s suspend disbelief for a few moments. It’s interesting to note that the Rodgers-led Packers make the playoffs, but lose in overtime to the Garcia-led Buccaneers. As for the Jets and the Vikings…despite all the Adrian Peterson love, that’s about where I expect this Vikings team to end up this season. And the Jets could very conceivably finish at or just above .500…although I have a hard time envisioning a season where Chad Pennington throws for a 108.4 QB Rating. Hell, he’s only eclipsed a 100 rating once in his career — way back in 2002.

Now, let’s take a look at EA’s Favre-led simulations for each team:

So, according to the simulations, the team that stands to gain the most from getting Favre under center is…the Minnesota Vikings. Thanks to EA for confirming what everyone on the planet knew already. This makes the situation with Favre and the Packers even more entertaining, because the one team that Green Bay will absolutely, positively refuse to let Favre to go is the Vikings.

It does make one wonder, though…if the Vikings are really that desperate to land Favre, could they arrange some sort of subterfuge with one of the teams that is interested? For instance, let’s say the Vikings approach the Jets and say, “Hey, go ahead and trade for Favre. We’ll compensate you the draft pick(s) you lose in the trade when you trade him to us.” Would Roger Goodell allow such a move? Would cyanide sales experience a dramatic increase in Wisconsin? At the very least, it would make for one of the most entertaining ESPN movies ever made.