New Silverstein article - Favre Vs. Rodgers in their prime - WHO is better?

[Joemailman]

How about a "Lynn Dickey vs. Don Majkowski - who was better?" thread?

How about a "John Hadl vs. Jerry Tagge - who was worse?" thread?

[HarveyWallbangers]

They did. Favre's arm strength can only be matched by a few others in the history of the game. When he was a young kid, he was unreal. He honestly made throws that no one else could make...Rodgers included. His arm wasn't quite the same later in his career, although it remained (and probably still is) one of the strongest in the league. Favre's arm is comparable to Nolan Ryan's. The rest of their bodies declined well before their arms did...both had/will have the capacity to throw the ball at a professional level into their 60s, which is flat out ridiculous.

Comparing arm strength, I'd give Favre a slight edge, but more on slants and outs. Not on deep balls. Rodgers throws a better deep ball.

[Joemailman]

Until this year, Rodgers hadn't had a year to compare with Favre's best. This year though, he's having a season for the ages and if it continues many will say it eclipses anything Favre did. It's hard to make comparisons like that though. In 1996 Favre was the only QB in the NFL to have a passer rating over 90. This year there are 8. Last year there were 13. The one thing that can certainly be said is that both were clearly the NFL's best QB when at their best. My guess is that Rodgers' inner discipline will enable him to stay on top at least as long as Favre. That is, if he can stay healthy. Favre's physical toughness is something I'm not sure Rodgers (or anyone else) can match. He needs to find a way to reduce the hits he takes.

[Pugger]

I say enough of this bull shit. I'm sick to death of folks comparing these two guys ad nausium. Now I can understand the crap Young had to put up with following Montana. When it is all said and done and if Rodgers stays healthy he's gonna rewrite the record books and there will be no comparison.

[vince]

Comparing arm strength, I'd give Favre a slight edge, but more on slants and outs. Not on deep balls. Rodgers throws a better deep ball.

Agree. Rodgers doesn't takie a back seat to many of the greats in terms of hiis arm and release, but Favre may be one of them. Not by much and not in all facets as you say. In general, the two are pretty comparable physically.

Favre's longevity and toughness seperates their careers at this point, but it's the decision making that separates the two as players - and has for pretty much all of Rodgers' career thus far.

[Noodle]

Sorry to be Capt. Obvious, but shouldn't we take a minute to bask in how lucky we are as Pack fans to be having this debate? I doubt there are similar threads on Bear boards.

I too get a little tired of the comparison thing. Favre, when he was in his prime, was amazing, just as A-Rod is now, just as Bart was in his day.

I don't really care who is better, whatever that means. I'm just glad they both played here.

[Fritz]

How about a "John Hadl vs. Jerry Tagge - who was worse?" thread?

Jerry Tagge was worse. Hadl was awful, but at least he had been good, at one point. Tagge never was. I'd say a Jerry Tagge vs. Bobby Douglass thread would cause hotter debate.

[Travbrew]

Sorry to be Capt. Obvious, but shouldn't we take a minute to bask in how lucky we are as Pack fans to be having this debate? I doubt there are similar threads on Bear boards.

I too get a little tired of the comparison thing. Favre, when he was in his prime, was amazing, just as A-Rod is now, just as Bart was in his day.

I don't really care who is better, whatever that means. I'm just glad they both played here.

This... Noodle = elegantly wasted, elegantly elegant.

[Gunakor]

I've got to give the edge to Favre for now...his mid 90's run lasted for 3 solid years, and he had far less surrounding talent.

Favre had far less surrounding talent than Rodgers over a 3 year stretch? This year, 2011, Rodgers has far more surrounding talent than Favre had at any point in his career. Agree completely. But over a 3 year period? Favre's surrounding talent during his 3 year run in the mid 90's had a bit more on Rodgers' offenses from 09-11 than a solid running game.

For example, while Finley is significantly better than Chewy or Jackson, Finley only applies to this season. He missed most of last seaon and was a near non factor for the majority of the 2009 season. You have to compare Chewy and Jackson to guys like Andrew Quarless and Donald Lee as well.

Favre also had a more dependable offensive line over the course of his 3 year run than Rodgers has had over the course of any 3 year stretch of his career. What Favre didn't have was depth at WR. But he had comparable or better talent everywhere else.

[HowardRoark]

I curse when he holds onto the ball too long. It's not that I don't think he'll make a play on the next down. I just don't want him getting hurt.

Exactly. He's getting hit way too often lately.

[sheepshead]

Jerry Tagge was worse. Hadl was awful, but at least he had been good, at one point. Tagge never was. I'd say a Jerry Tagge vs. Bobby Douglass thread would cause hotter debate.

I actually met a woman last month that dated Tagge in college.

[Pugger]

Sorry to be Capt. Obvious, but shouldn't we take a minute to bask in how lucky we are as Pack fans to be having this debate? I doubt there are similar threads on Bear boards.

I too get a little tired of the comparison thing. Favre, when he was in his prime, was amazing, just as A-Rod is now, just as Bart was in his day.

I don't really care who is better, whatever that means. I'm just glad they both played here.

Amen.

[Fred's Slacks]

Rodgers is out of his mind good right now. Only season that compares is Brady's in 07.

That said, Favre is so unique. The thing that sticks out to me about Favre was that he played the QB position unlike any other hall of fame caliber QB and we may never see that again, from anyone.

He wasn't Aikman, Montana, Elway or any of the other HOF'ers. I hate the cliche but he really did play the position like he was a linebacker. He wasn't a technitian, he wasn't a student of the game, and he definately wasn't a great role model for kids or even teamates to look up to. But unlike anyone else who approached the game the way he did, he was succesfull.

Every few years we'd see people coming out of college who were the next Favre. They were gunslingers, wild and unrefined, but they had a cannon for an arm and could make all the throws so people drooled over them. They never pan out. One inparticular, Jay Cutler, has had a succesfull NFL career but, to me, personifies why Favre was so special. Jay can be great at times, but he can never seem to put it together for more than a few games at a time before the gunslinger mentality blows up in his face. Then he throws 12 picks in three games and costs his team a playoff spot or something.

But Favre made it work, to the tune of 3 MVPs, numerous Division titles, 4 NFC championship games, 2 superbowls and 1 ring. I'm not sure that anyone else could accomplish that the way he played.

[LEWCWA]

Favre was great, when we needed something great in the worst way. Rodgers is doing the same for the Packers now. I have to think had Rodgers failed this little rift we have going could have gotton much worse. We are very fortunate as fans. Look at Denver and Miami, they can't find a QB to save their lives. Hell Denver has hitched their wagon to a guy who completes 2 passes in a game.

[LEWCWA]

Rodgers is out of his mind good right now. Only season that compares is Brady's in 07.

That said, Favre is so unique. The thing that sticks out to me about Favre was that he played the QB position unlike any other hall of fame caliber QB and we may never see that again, from anyone.

He wasn't Aikman, Montana, Elway or any of the other HOF'ers. I hate the cliche but he really did play the position like he was a linebacker. He wasn't a technitian, he wasn't a student of the game, and he definately wasn't a great role model for kids or even teamates to look up to. But unlike anyone else who approached the game the way he did, he was succesfull.

Every few years we'd see people coming out of college who were the next Favre. They were gunslingers, wild and unrefined, but they had a cannon for an arm and could make all the throws so people drooled over them. They never pan out. One inparticular, Jay Cutler, has had a succesfull NFL career but, to me, personifies why Favre was so special. Jay can be great at times, but he can never seem to put it together for more than a few games at a time before the gunslinger mentality blows up in his face. Then he throws 12 picks in three games and costs his team a playoff spot or something.

But Favre made it work, to the tune of 3 MVPs, numerous Division titles, 4 NFC championship games, 2 superbowls and 1 ring. I'm not sure that anyone else could accomplish that the way he played.

very good post