When the Green Bay Packers host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the energy flowing through the seats and over the playing surface at Lambeau Field may be strong enough to travel clear into living rooms across the entire country.

Brett Favre is coming back to the place he once called home and everyone will be watching.

This is not news to cornerback Charles Woodson, arguably the defensive equivalent of Favre for the Packers and a guy who may be looking forward to this game more than any player on either team.

Betrayal? Animosity? Revenge?

No, those reasons ring hollow for Woodson, a teammate of Favre's for two seasons, including one in which they made it all the way to the NFC Championship. This game is important because Favre is the next quarterback standing in the way of Woodson's mission to win a Super Bowl.

There is no other motivation for the 33-year-old, five-time Pro Bowl cornerback than to beat the Vikings (6-1), the team that currently stands between the Packers (4-2) and first place in the NFC North division. Maybe five or six years ago, Woodson might have felt differently about a grudge match of this magnitude, but when you can count the opportunities you have left on one of your hands, your focus is a little different.

"When it comes down to football we're all here for one reason," Woodson said. "It ain't about Brett. It ain't about the Vikings. It's about playing football and getting to the ultimate goal. I don't want to put a ceiling on how many (more years) I play, but who knows? This is 12.

"When I'm done playing, I want to be able to say I was a champion at this level."

Not at a loss for words

Some might have felt that Woodson was out of line when, after the Packers' 30-23 loss to the Vikings Oct. 5, he questioned defensive coordinator Dom Capers' game plan and general manager Ted Thompson's decision to cut safety Anthony Smith.

But Woodson said later that his words came out of frustration over losing a game he thought the Packers should have won.

Unlike some players who complain about not getting the ball enough or being left out of the blitz package, Woodson's criticisms weren't self-serving. He didn't necessarily want to blitz more, he wanted the defense to blitz more.

Again, what he saw was a blown opportunity to put the Packers in better position to win a Super Bowl.

"I think if you play the game for any period of time, especially as long as I've played, and you don't have a chance to say you've won it all, then you feel like you've left something on the field," Woodson said. "I don't want to be 45 years old and I say I played 15, 16 years in the NFL and never won a championship. Then I'll feel like I kind of failed as far as that is concerned."

According to Rick Ruiz, Woodson's partner in a wine-making business and one of his closest friends, the Packers cornerback has just about everything he wants in life. He has a supportive family, a burgeoning business, a Heisman Trophy and college national championship, along with enough money to never have to work another day in his life.

There's just that one thing missing on his finger.

"That's why he has that tattoo on his neck, 'Blessed,' " Ruiz said. "He was blessed by being raised by a great single mom, he had a great high school career and then a phenomenal college career. Then going to the NFL, and recently he had a little baby boy.

"I think that's the only thing missing in Charles' life right now, is to get that (ring). This is his career, that's what players play for, to get to the show."

Woodson came close, playing for the runner-up Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII and the NFC Championship-losing Packers in 2007. He was still young enough to dream of another Super Bowl with the first, but the second was a stark reminder of how tough it has been to get to another.

This season, Woodson has been playing like the ring is right in front of his nose. He is tied for second in the NFL in interceptions with four - including one returned for a touchdown - ranks fifth on the team in tackles with 32, has forced one fumble and broken up four passes.

Despite lining up in the slot on passing downs - the most difficult coverage assignment for a cornerback - he has not given up a touchdown in single coverage and was in coverage or shared coverage on gains of 20 or more yards just four times. Capers has used Woodson like a linebacker, safety and cornerback, and really hasn't scratched the surface of how he could be used as a blitzer.

High praise

"He's everything," nose tackle Ryan Pickett said. "He means a lot. He's a special player. 'Wood' does everything for us, he gets sacks, interceptions, causes fumbles. He's dependable. He's one player you can always count on.

"To me, he's the best corner in the league, hands down. It's not even close. Everybody likes Champ Bailey and all them who get the hype. But he's probably the best corner."

It has been hard for Woodson to get that kind of recognition around here, in part because he rarely does anything to promote himself. Aside from some media events done for the wine business, "Woodson Wines," you'll almost never see him doing a radio or television spot, a commercial appearance or an autograph signing.

In his younger days, he did more of it, but he said he found it wasn't his style, that his personality doesn't fit being a salesman. As a result, sales of Woodson's Packers No. 21 jersey rank "among others in the top 10" at the team's pro shop, according to a team spokesman. Aaron Rodgers, Donald Driver and Greg Jennings are the top three, although the spokesman said Woodson's jersey is tracking upward.

Still, it's not like with the Raiders when his No. 24 was once No. 1 nationally.

"It did (matter) early on because for a couple years I was the top-selling in Oakland," Woodson said. "It mattered because that's what people told me, 'You're the top-selling jersey.' I'm like, 'Yeah.' But at the end of the day if you're not winning a championship, what does it mean?"

Woodson's attitude toward winning is something that has rubbed off with some of his teammates, particularly younger players who watch him prepare with countless hours of video preparation, practice time and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get a runner down.

If they're not impressed with that, then how about the fact that in three-plus years with the Packers he ranks tied for second in Packers history in interceptions returned for touchdowns (five), third in defensive touchdowns (six) and is the only player in franchise history to score on an interception in four consecutive seasons?

Most of Woodson's defensive teammates know they're not blessed with his great hand-eye coordination, receiver-type hands and cunning intuition, but they can see the dedication to the game and devotion to winning that he carries in his latter years.

"I think Charles Woodson, for me, is one of the most complete football players that ever suited up," safety Atari Bigby said. "You're talking about - and you have to be in the fire with him to understand - he's a guy who's going to throw his body around. He's very physical, at the same time and he's very athletic. You know you don't get that combination with one player.

"He's a guy who comes in every day, gets his work done and goes home. He's a guy that you have to respect."

Plenty of respect

There's no question, he's a guy that Favre will respect on Sunday.

In the first meeting, Woodson was unable to create the deception that leads to him making interceptions and sacking quarterbacks mainly because Capers called off the blitz.

If he's cut loose, you can expect a game of cat-and-mouse all day long between Favre and Woodson, one trying to deceive the other, both knowing the final outcome will most likely come down to more than just themselves. For Favre, this may be a chance to validate his decision to play for the Vikings, but for Woodson it will be a step toward the big reward.

"The energy is going to be high," he said. "If you're focused on a championship, all that other stuff is secondary."