Loss of Cedric Griffin for the season a major blow to Minnesota Vikings

Although the NFL investigation of Brett Favre eventually could cast a pall over the Vikings this season, Cedric Griffin's season-ending knee injury is more devastating to the team's chances for success -- at least for now.

The starting right cornerback suffered a "significant knee injury" in the fourth quarter of Monday night's 29-20 loss to the New York Jets, and it appears to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament, coach Brad Childress said during his Tuesday news conference.

"It's probably headed that way," Childress said.

This is a brutal break for Griffin, who recently recovered from a torn left ACL suffered in the NFC championship loss to the New Orleans Saints on Jan. 24. Griffin fell to the New Meadowlands Stadium turf with 10:18 left Monday defending a pass thrown to receiver Braylon Edwards.

This is untimely news for a 1-3 team looking to regroup Sunday against the 1-3 Dallas Cowboys in the Metrodome.

In Griffin, the Vikings lose a four-year starter who provided the secondary with consistency and leadership. To put in perspective what the Vikings think of him: He played 64 snaps in his first live game action in eight months against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 26.

Yes, Favre faces weighty allegations from deadspin.com that he sent messages and racy pictures to former Jets employee Jenn Sterger. The NFL is investigating the allegations and could suspend him for violation of the league's personal conduct code.

For now, however, Favre is in the lineup and preparing for Dallas. Griffin must watch a depleted cornerback unit regroup.

The Vikings have just three healthy cornerbacks -- Antoine Winfield, Lito Sheppard and Asher Allen. Rookie Chris Cook, the potential starter at right corner, could return from a torn meniscus by next week.

Griffin, who left the locker room on crutches and clearly distraught after the Jets game, has four years remaining on a five-year, $28.5 million contract. He finishes the season with eight tackles in two games.

On Tuesday afternoon, Childress said Griffin would be "sorely missed" and understood the fifth-year player had endured a difficult 14 hours. There is no timetable for surgery.

"I think he's in a little bit of a fog, and he was this morning, and kind of wanted to get out of here fairly quickly, which we wanted to facilitate," Childress said. "I think he's probably just taking it all in right now. It's probably kind of a why-me thing right now."

It will be difficult to replace Griffin's 310 career tackles, seven interceptions and 11 forced fumbles, but Childress said the Vikings are "looking at a whole bunch of roster moves right now."

The Vikings likely will search waivers this week in case a serviceable backup arises. Cornerback Marcus Sherels was cut from the eight-man practice squad late last month.

If Cook is on the fast track to recovery, the Vikings could try to make do with four corners. The secondary played without Griffin and Cook for the first two games, allowing two touchdown passes against the Saints and Dolphins during that span.

Against the Jets, the Vikings got four red-zone stops and prevented quarterback Mark Sanchez from connecting deep downfield. Sanchez finished 21 of 44 for 191 yards.

"We've got some spots we've got to address," Childress said. "We're game-planning for Dallas here, we're trying to set (the) roster, all those kinds of parts."

Even without Griffin, linebacker Chad Greenway said he expects better intensity out of the locker room for the Vikings, who have been outscored 33-23 in the first half this season.

"Obviously, we hope that this isn't what we're going to be all year," Greenway said. "We need to go out there and play better the first half right away. Offense, defense, special teams -- just as a group, go out there and start fast."