That Favre Magic

[Fritz]

I'm agreeing with JH on this post.

Favre is Favre. He throws incredible passes, makes incredible plays, and throws a lot of picks. It's who he is, thought ironically he's the Packers' leader all time, I think, in least number of picks per attempts.


It's the paradox of Brett Favre. He's the team's all time leader in least number of picks per attempts, and he's the NFL's all time leader in number of picks thrown.

I also agree with JH's analysis of the Jets and Packers. I think the Jets are a good team and Favre has made them better, much better. I think if Favre were a Packer this year they'd be a bit better, but I also think Rodgers has done a fine job.

[sheepshead]

Brett's play makes me wonder what could have been. With the way he is playing (and probably would have started out playing with his knowledge of the offense), we'd be the class of the NFC imo for sure.

So, you would blame Rodgers for our losses? Come on really?

[cpk1994]

Brett's having a really good season, but the team he's on is pretty good. In the last 4 years he's been on a bad team (4-12) an average team (8-8) a really good team (13-3) and now this Jets team.

Favre struggled a little early with the system, which is understandable, but their favorable schedule early, solid running game adn good defense kept them in it. Now that Favre is clicking, that team is dangerous, but they do have stronger lines (both offensive and defensive) than the Packers. Brett's in a good spot right now. I didn't think they would have been able to stay in it with the Patriots and Favre learning a new offense, but Brady went down and the schedule was very easy early. Now they have a legit chance.

Take nothing away from Brett, he's doing really well but also don't take away from that team. They're playinig really well too and won them a lot of games while Brett got his bearings in that offense.

I do think the Packers would be a little better with Brett, but Rodgers is playing really well. The QB isn't the problem on this Packer team.

Gotta agree here. The problem with the Packers are the lines, not Rodgers.

[Gunakor]

Lance Allen said Favre is starting to garner MVP consideration.

I think Favre missing camp actually might bode well for him. Their has been a sentiment that he has been gassed by the end of the year and has struggled the past few seasons. Maybe missing the off-season has kept his body fresher!

I was talking to my dad and he brought up an interesting point about that. He said that if Favre can come in after missing all the off season activities and work outs and play like he has this year, what does that say about all the off season workouts and things like that? How necessary are they really?

Favre was absolutely fantastic today, but he is still leading the NFL in interceptions. That right there should nix MVP talk and also make your father understand the importance of an offseason program.

So what? I don't get why people harp over this. Most importantly is how much he has opened up that offense. Picks happen. I don't think that would influence people at all. What quarterback is playing at a higher level right now? It'd be tough to make a case for more than a handful of dudes.

The reason people harp over this is because nothing kills a team quicker than turnovers. How many times can you expect your QB to throw 3 picks in a game and still come out of it with a victory? It's happened to Favre several times this year, which is a real testament to the rest of the team they have up there in New York. But it doesn't change the fact that those picks could have very well cost his team those games. Picks happen, true enough, but when you are leading the league in picks that means they are happening more often than they should be.

[Partial]

Picks happen.

especially in playoff games...

Here's the thing:

I'd rather have 2 TDs and 2 picks, versus no picks and no TDs.

[Partial]

Brett's having a really good season, but the team he's on is pretty good. In the last 4 years he's been on a bad team (4-12) an average team (8-8) a really good team (13-3) and now this Jets team.

Favre struggled a little early with the system, which is understandable, but their favorable schedule early, solid running game adn good defense kept them in it. Now that Favre is clicking, that team is dangerous, but they do have stronger lines (both offensive and defensive) than the Packers. Brett's in a good spot right now. I didn't think they would have been able to stay in it with the Patriots and Favre learning a new offense, but Brady went down and the schedule was very easy early. Now they have a legit chance.

Take nothing away from Brett, he's doing really well but also don't take away from that team. They're playinig really well too and won them a lot of games while Brett got his bearings in that offense.

I do think the Packers would be a little better with Brett, but Rodgers is playing really well. The QB isn't the problem on this Packer team.

The Packers have more talent on the DL and the OL is pretty equal, though Clifton is struggling and that is ruining my argument.

I think the difference is coaching and schemes when looking at the trenches. Mangenius calls and agressive defensive game plan that keeps teams on their toes. Bob Sanders hasn't ever done anything similiar.

Faneca is a big mean guard and they take advantage of that by pulling him all the time. Colledge might be our most talented offensive linemen, especially when considering his phenomenal athletic ability. I don't think we're using him correctly at all, and not maximizing his skills in the ZBS.

Rodgers is playing OK. He's playing it safe, and as a result he has had some up games and down. Without a doubt, he was much better early. In my opinion, teams have gathered enough tape on him now to figure out his tendencies and he will have to overcome that. He's not playing in the top half of QBs. He's taking the Chad Pennington approach. Don't make plays, but don't make turnovers.

That JSO artical about not throwing picks says it all. He never throws the ball in the middle of the field. He's not a playmaker, or even close, yet.

[Partial]

Brett's play makes me wonder what could have been. With the way he is playing (and probably would have started out playing with his knowledge of the offense), we'd be the class of the NFC imo for sure.

So, you would blame Rodgers for our losses? Come on really?

Not solely, but he has had some to do with it. He has had four really bad game. We should have won the Falcons game with how well he played.

He could not generate any offense against Dallas. He didn't make any mistakes, but he didn't try and do anything either. Note the difference last year to this year. One word: Game tape.

He threw three picks against a slightly better than average Tampa team, and I believe had a fumble too. Yes, I blame him.

Against Tenneessee he through a critical pick, and couldn't convert when we got close. We had plenty of third and shorts and didn't make plays.

He was terrible against Minnesota. I completely blame him. What did we score, 10 offensive points?!?

[cpk1994]

Brett's play makes me wonder what could have been. With the way he is playing (and probably would have started out playing with his knowledge of the offense), we'd be the class of the NFC imo for sure.

So, you would blame Rodgers for our losses? Come on really?

Not solely, but he has had some to do with it. He has had four really bad game. We should have won the Falcons game with how well he played.

He could not generate any offense against Dallas. He didn't make any mistakes, but he didn't try and do anything either. Note the difference last year to this year. One word: Game tape.

He threw three picks against a slightly better than average Tampa team, and I believe had a fumble too. Yes, I blame him.

Against Tenneessee he through a critical pick, and couldn't convert when we got close. We had plenty of third and shorts and didn't make plays.

He was terrible against Minnesota. I completely blame him. What did we score, 10 offensive points?!?

I see, no blame for the OL in the Minny game? You know, the game where they pass protected like turnstiles? THe OL was just as much or more to blame for the Minny game than Rodgers.

[Partial]

Lance Allen said Favre is starting to garner MVP consideration.

I think Favre missing camp actually might bode well for him. Their has been a sentiment that he has been gassed by the end of the year and has struggled the past few seasons. Maybe missing the off-season has kept his body fresher!

I was talking to my dad and he brought up an interesting point about that. He said that if Favre can come in after missing all the off season activities and work outs and play like he has this year, what does that say about all the off season workouts and things like that? How necessary are they really?

Favre was absolutely fantastic today, but he is still leading the NFL in interceptions. That right there should nix MVP talk and also make your father understand the importance of an offseason program.

So what? I don't get why people harp over this. Most importantly is how much he has opened up that offense. Picks happen. I don't think that would influence people at all. What quarterback is playing at a higher level right now? It'd be tough to make a case for more than a handful of dudes.

The reason people harp over this is because nothing kills a team quicker than turnovers. How many times can you expect your QB to throw 3 picks in a game and still come out of it with a victory? It's happened to Favre several times this year, which is a real testament to the rest of the team they have up there in New York. But it doesn't change the fact that those picks could have very well cost his team those games. Picks happen, true enough, but when you are leading the league in picks that means they are happening more often than they should be.

I disagree. We've been on the receiving end of a flurry of turnovers and at .500 luckily.

Also, we've barely had any offensive turnovers, and are at .500.

There are times when turnovers hurt badly, but I would say a good amount of them don't result in any points. Often times an interception or fumble has the same effect as a punt.

Obviously, nobody wants to have turnovers, but they happen. Give me a quarterback who will play to win, and throw two picks and two TDs and consistently drives us down the field, versus one who plays it safe, doesn't use all his weapons, and plays not to lose.

[LEWCWA]

I don't want to give the impression that int's are a good thing, but sometimes they are a necessary evil. Just like K's are a necessary evil for power hitters in baseball. I'm sure Ryan Howard or fat boy Fielder could cut down on their k's, but that would also cut into their homerun production. It is the nature of the beast. QB's sometimes have to take shots to make explosive plays and sometimes those shots turn into picks.

[Partial]

Brett's play makes me wonder what could have been. With the way he is playing (and probably would have started out playing with his knowledge of the offense), we'd be the class of the NFC imo for sure.

So, you would blame Rodgers for our losses? Come on really?

Not solely, but he has had some to do with it. He has had four really bad game. We should have won the Falcons game with how well he played.

He could not generate any offense against Dallas. He didn't make any mistakes, but he didn't try and do anything either. Note the difference last year to this year. One word: Game tape.

He threw three picks against a slightly better than average Tampa team, and I believe had a fumble too. Yes, I blame him.

Against Tenneessee he through a critical pick, and couldn't convert when we got close. We had plenty of third and shorts and didn't make plays.

He was terrible against Minnesota. I completely blame him. What did we score, 10 offensive points?!?

I see, no blame for the OL in the Minny game? You know, the game where they pass protected like turnstiles? THe OL was just as much or more to blame for the Minny game than Rodgers.

I don't disagree with you, but surely some blame has to go on A-Rod. Half the time he was rushing to the sideline without the rush. Hopefully in time he develops the ability to feel the rush that the truly great QBs like Manning have. He's not anywhere close yet.

[Partial]

I don't want to give the impression that int's are a good thing, but sometimes they are a necessary evil. Just like K's are a necessary evil for power hitters in baseball. I'm sure Ryan Howard or fat boy Fielder could cut down on their k's, but that would also cut into their homerun production. It is the nature of the beast. QB's sometimes have to take shots to make explosive plays and sometimes those shots turn into picks.

Yep. Isn't Favre very statistically similiar to the other elite QBs in the NFL history? I recall Harv posted a breakdown, with the likes of Elway, Marino, Young, Montana, Brady, etc. and he wasn't excessive by any means for a game changer at QB.

[LL2]

Not sure if this has been posted...but interesting to see that Favre admitted he wanted revenge...what a prick!

"On the charter home from Nashville on Sunday night, before takeoff, old friend Bubba Franks walked by Brett Favre's seat on the plane. "How do you feel?'' Franks wondered.

"Like I'm 39,'' Favre said.

And he sounded weary -- weary but happy -- after the Jets manhandled the Titans 34-13, ruining Tennessee's hopes for a perfect season. "I never expected a game like this,'' he said. "When I put the film on to watch them last week, I said, "Holy crap, they're good. Really good. But it's the kind of win that means something, where there's a lot of hooting and hollering in the locker room after the game, and you say to yourself, 'This is fun. This is why I came back.'"

I told Favre it's pretty amazing that four months ago he seemed determined to play for Green Bay or Minnesota or no team, and look what's happened. "You're right,'' he said. "Who'da thunk it? Me, a New York Jet. I remember those days. I was not open to playing anywhere else, but for all the wrong reasons. For revenge, or whatever. And that was wrong. I knew what a change it would be, especially in New York. I was about to be 39, and New York wasn't a great fit. The media, coming off a 4-12 season, learning a new offense, the high expectations ... Did I really want to go through that?

"A change like that would have been tough on a 22-year-old. As a matter of fact, after I reached the agreement with the Jets, we were in the plane coming up to New Jersey and I thought, 'Oh no! What am I doing? I'm making a big mistake.'

"It might have been more than I was up for. But then [wife] Deanna said something to me that made sense. She said, 'Hey, whether you're here one year, two years, or five weeks, whatever, you've got to be committed.' And she was right. I owed it to the Jets to give them everything I had.

"And it's been great. It hasn't been all smooth, but I've enjoyed it. I'm having fun. Now, if we were 3-8 instead of 8-3, I know I'd be back on the farm next year and it'd be over. But I'm just going to play as hard as I can every week the rest of the way and we'll see how it goes.''

No promises about next year. He just doesn't know yet, and he's not allowing himself to think ahead. He did think ahead about one thing Sunday, though.

"There's a good chance we play the Titans again,'' he said. "These guys are good.''

So are the Jets. Maybe second-seed-in-the-AFC good."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/11/23/Week12/index.html?bcnn=yes

[bobblehead]

Brett's play makes me wonder what could have been. With the way he is playing (and probably would have started out playing with his knowledge of the offense), we'd be the class of the NFC imo for sure.

It pisses me off to no end, if the jackoff had just done what he was paid to do and shown up and not retired and participated in offseason programs we would probably be the class of the NFL...without Moss, Mariuchi, or whoever else GM brett was whining about. You wonder about what might have been and so do I, but I put the blame on the right person.

[bobblehead]

Favre was absolutely fantastic today, but he is still leading the NFL in interceptions. That right there should nix MVP talk and also make your father understand the importance of an offseason program.

I don't think off season program/workouts have anything to do with Favre throwing picks. There have been many seasons he's attended them and still thrown picks.

Actually no, he has been notorius for getting light duty thru camp and not attending OTAs other than the last 2 seasons when MM and TT actually held him accountable. Surprisingly those 2 seasons have coincided with the emergence of brett playing at or near MVP level.