woodbuck27
07-12-2006, 05:30 PM
FAVRE SHOULD OFFER PRESENCE, NOT PRESENTS
By Rick Gosselin / wfaa.com
The Green Bay Packers have seen every bit of Brett Favre's skill in his 15 NFL seasons. Now the Packers hope to see every bit of his maturity in 2006 in what looms as his final NFL season. In the 1990s, when Green Bay fielded one of football's most talented teams, Favre could take chances with his arm. He knew that the supporting cast was strong enough to overcome any mistakes. The Packers were a young team with a young quarterback, and Favre's gunslinger mentality served them well. He won three MVP awards, and Green Bay went to three NFC title games. Quarterback and team both played with a swagger.
But now the Packers are a younger team with an older quarterback. Any mistake Favre makes can sink Green Bay, as was the case in 2005. He threw a league-high 29 interceptions last season, and the Pack lost a division-high 12 games. Quarterbacks can single-handedly win games. They can also single-handedly lose them. Favre has thrown 20 or more interceptions in five of his 15 seasons. His Packers are 42-38 in those five seasons. In his 10 seasons with fewer than 20 interceptions, he has posted a 97-44 record.
Jimmy Johnson used to say it's not how many good plays a team makes that win games. It's how many bad plays you don't make.
That's where Favre's maturity must come into play in 2006. Favre needs to play smart to keep a young team out of bad situations. Turnovers create bad situations.
Favre has thrown 7,610 career passes. He knows the difference between a good pass and a bad one. The fewer bad passes Favre throws in 2006, the better the Packers' chance is to compete for a playoff spot. The success of the Packers has always been on Favre's shoulders.
This season in particular, failure also rides heavily on his shoulders.
By Rick Gosselin / wfaa.com
The Green Bay Packers have seen every bit of Brett Favre's skill in his 15 NFL seasons. Now the Packers hope to see every bit of his maturity in 2006 in what looms as his final NFL season. In the 1990s, when Green Bay fielded one of football's most talented teams, Favre could take chances with his arm. He knew that the supporting cast was strong enough to overcome any mistakes. The Packers were a young team with a young quarterback, and Favre's gunslinger mentality served them well. He won three MVP awards, and Green Bay went to three NFC title games. Quarterback and team both played with a swagger.
But now the Packers are a younger team with an older quarterback. Any mistake Favre makes can sink Green Bay, as was the case in 2005. He threw a league-high 29 interceptions last season, and the Pack lost a division-high 12 games. Quarterbacks can single-handedly win games. They can also single-handedly lose them. Favre has thrown 20 or more interceptions in five of his 15 seasons. His Packers are 42-38 in those five seasons. In his 10 seasons with fewer than 20 interceptions, he has posted a 97-44 record.
Jimmy Johnson used to say it's not how many good plays a team makes that win games. It's how many bad plays you don't make.
That's where Favre's maturity must come into play in 2006. Favre needs to play smart to keep a young team out of bad situations. Turnovers create bad situations.
Favre has thrown 7,610 career passes. He knows the difference between a good pass and a bad one. The fewer bad passes Favre throws in 2006, the better the Packers' chance is to compete for a playoff spot. The success of the Packers has always been on Favre's shoulders.
This season in particular, failure also rides heavily on his shoulders.