Print edition: 
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. —Brett Favre was on the sideline between possessions during a recent game, quizzing his receivers about what type of coverage they faced.
That's when another snapshot of Sidney Rice's increasing confidence became apparent to Minnesota's ageless quarterback.
' 'He goes, 'I was wide open,' " Favre said, recalling Rice's response. ''I look at the picture on the sideline and I'm like, 'The guy was all over him.' "
Defensive backs around the league have begun to learn that's not enough.
' 'The guy can be all over him and still not make the play,'' Favre said.
Rice is an ideally sized NFL receiver at 6-foot-4. Though his speed is below average for his position, as evidenced by his eight receptions of 30 yards or more this year and only two touchdowns , he has that instinctual knack for using his body to fend off the defense and make the tough catch in traffic even with a cornerback or a safety tugging on his arm and No. 18 jersey.
' 'Actually, it's that basketball mentality,'' Rice said, referring to one of his hobbies. ''It's just like going up for a rebound, boxing a defender out, trying to get the ball while it's in the air.''
That ability helped peg him as a one-trick player, simply the go-to guy in the back of the end zone. Now, with the progress-impeding injuries and unstable quarterback situation from his first two seasons behind him, Rice has flourished with Favre and emerged as a legitimate threat all over the field.
After totaling 201 yards on seven receptions last week against Detroit, reaching 553 yards on 27 receptions in a four-game stretch for the Vikings, Rice is fourth in the league and first in the conference with 786 yards. The second-round draft pick from South Carolina never had an 100-yard game until a month ago.
' 'I actually thought I was the 'red zone' receiver,'' Rice said, with a polite smile. ''Now I'm getting opportunities to make plays, and it's opened the coaches' eyes and they're giving me more opportunities. I'm just fortunate.''
The chance to play with Favre, the three-time NFL MVP and career leading passer, was pure luck. Rice's development, though, stems from plenty of hard work in the offseason.
He strengthened the right knee that bothered him so much last year. He ratcheted up the intensity of his training, spending several days at sessions organized in Minneapolis by Arizona All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald and attended by some of the game's greats including Cris Carter and the standard- setter himself, Jerry Rice, who is not related.
He has also joined several Vikings teammates in extra drills after practice — like running hills and catching passes in various distracting situations — that they've credited for some of this success.
' 'The past couple of years, all the talk's been about the receivers and how we weren't able to produce and things like that: 'We don't have any receivers,' " Rice said. ''We just took it upon ourselves to do the extra work and get better as receivers and make this team a more balanced team."
Favre wore a microphone last week while Rice was racking up all those yards against the Lions, providing plenty of praise on a highlight package posted on the team's Web site. Favre is shown on the video reminding anyone next to him, including Rice himself at one point, how good he thinks this lanky guy with the long dreadlocks really is.
' 'Run a go!'' Favre told offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell on the sideline as they looked at overhead photos of defensive alignments Detroit had used for the last few plays. ''They can't cover Sidney! How do you want to cover him? Off? Bump? Who cares?''
Later, Favre exclaimed the same sentiment to coach Brad Childress.
' 'Well, you've always told me that,'' Childress replied.
' 'Right. Now you're starting to believe me,'' Favre fired back.
