OT: Favre went from OK to bad to worse to worst tonight

[MU Avenue]

Since the announcers and others are being so neutral on the subject, we here should not be afraid to say that Brett Favre really stunk it up tonight against the New York Giants, especially in the fourth quarter and in overtime.

Three and out. Three and out. Three and out. Then, in overtime, an all-too-Favre-like interception.

His passing, especially in the game’s later moments, was really off. Then, in post-game interviews he seemed to say that the Packers lost because they never got their running game going.

Favre gets most of the applause when the Packers win. He should be answerable when they lose, especially as they did tonight.

[muhoosier260]

as a packers hater i have no choice but to admit favre's greatness. i can't believe they had the season that they did this year. in the end though, a typical favre int. ended the season for them

Manning and Manning '08

[Thomas' Danish Delight]

He's kinda like our guys.  When he's hot, he's way hot.  When he's off, he's way off.

Just like our guys right now.

[RawdogDX]

was farve good this year?  I only saw two games before this one and those were bothe the bears games. 

[77ncaachamps]

was farve good this year?  I only saw two games before this one and those were bothe the bears games. 

Let the low blows begin!

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Favre wasn't spectacular, but the problem was the Packer's defense couldn't get off the field!

[NavinRJohnson]

Then, in post-game interviews he seemed to say that the Packers lost because they never got their running game going.

While I agree the interception in OT was absolutely terrible, he's right. I can't even say they gave up on the run, because I dint think they ever even committed to trying it in the first place. I'm not sure on this, but I think their first six plays were pass plays. Coach McCarthy who I like very much, certainly didn't have one of his better days either. From the lack of a running game, to the refusal to do anything to address Plaxico Burris for 3 quarters.

Anyway, hard to be too upset given what was expected of this team coming into the year. Even though this team is very much built for the long haul, I say put the rebuilding on hold just a little - augment with some veteran talent (they don't need much) this off-season and try to win it next year while you still have a good experienced QB. Then let him ride off into the sunset, and get back to the long-term approach.

[jutaw22mu]

at least the manning that plays every scheduled nfl game during the season is playing in the superbowl  as far as im concerned i hope peyton never gets back.  resting on the last game of the year.  what did that get you again peyton?  hope you enjoy watching eli, who could have sat out the last game too but didnt, playing in the superbowl and not you.

go giants.

[ChicosBailBonds]

We have Peyton and Eli under contract so I'm a happy camper...two straight SB QB's...looks like filming more commercials soon.   

[Mayor McCheese]

That game was the worst play-calling game I have witnessed in a while, where was the WR slants?  We lived off those all year, and then we went away from them.  We also didn't let Ryan Grant touch it enough.  Yet in all of that we could have won, if only we could fall on a fumble!

[NavinRJohnson]

Yet in all of that we could have won, if only we could fall on a fumble!

There is lots of blame to go around, but to me this was a huge key that is not being talked about much. Jarrett Bush was a friggin' disaster whenever he was out there in the secondary most of the season, makes his presence known yet again - this time on special teams.  Two+ minutes to go, MCQuarters lays the ball down at midfield, and this moron tries to pick it up and run...in heavy  traffic...with the temperature at 3 below. Fall on the damn ball moron and you win the game!

If I never see that guy in a Packer uniform again, it'll be too soon.

[muarmy81]

Seriously?
Brett Favre is a hall of famer and had an MVP type season but trying to place blame on last night's game on others without at least including him is ridiculous.  His first interception was regifted back to GB by McQuarters but that ball should have never been thrown and needless to say his last INT was a poor decision also.  Brett owns every QB record there is, He's a 3 time MVP, SuperBowl Winner, etc but last night GB would have won, despite being outplayed basically all night last night, if he could take back 2 throws.
Eli took care of the ball and Brett didn't and that's the story of the game however noone metions that Brett screwed up last night.  I guess during the entire 30-40 minute post game show on Fox they didn't mention his pick once and that obviously was the deciding play of the game. 
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/extramustard/01/21/hotclicks.0121/index.html

Also mentioned here how everyone is afraid to say he messed up:
http://deadspin.com/347099/brett-favre-costs-the-packers-another-super-bowl-someone-had-to-say-it

[NavinRJohnson]

Seriously?
Brett Favre is a hall of famer and had an MVP type season but trying to place blame on last night's game on others without at least including him is ridiculous. 

Who did that?

[muarmy81]

I wasn't blasting everyone I just saw Mayor McCheese's comments and noticed those previously listed links and felt compelled to add my 2 cents.

[Mayor McCheese]

oh Brett Favre didn't play his best game, but to play it all on him is dumb.  To lose it takes more then one guy.  How about Nick Collins dumb personal foul, which in my eyes wasn't close at all.  Manning let go of that ball way before Nick Collins comes blasting in.  A couple plays later the Giants have a TD instead of a punt.  Bad playcalling on both the offense and defense.  Plexi-Glass is eating Al Harris up, help him out, or go away from straight bump and run.  The lack of mid-game adjustments by Sanders and McCarthy are to blame.  Favre had some dumb plays.  A lot was to blame for that game.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think what Army is saying (and maybe I'm totally wrong on this), is that despite how great Favre is (and he is great), he does seem to get a pass from the media often.

McNabb would be skewered for some of these playoff performances.  So would Eli.  So would many other QB's.

Brett has so much good will built up with the media that he does seem to get a pass.  He's a great guy, so more power to him.  He's treated the media well, he's genuine and they eat that up. 

I'm sure some folks will take this interpretation the wrong way, not my intention.  I have always felt he is one of the 10 best ever, unbelievable raw talent, and I've had the pleasure of working with him twice and he's terrific on the set.  At the same time, I've also felt that what makes him great is also what makes him flawed, especially in huge games were both teams are close to equal. 

Mistakes are magnified.  Teams with QB's that don't make mistakes go on to greatness...whether it's an Aikman, a Brady, Dilfer, Simms, etc.  Some of those guys were truly great, others were simply great at not killing their team. 

There's a reason why Dan Fouts, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Fran Tarkington, a younger John Elway only won 1 Super Bowl between them.  It wasn't until Elway finally didn't play gunslinger that he won his.  Favre got his with some great Desmond Howard returns, solid play on Favre's part as well...I'm not dismissing that at all...great game by many on that team.

But I don't think it's a coincidence that the all-time stats leaders in the NFL as passers don't have many Super Bowls, or at the very least didn't earn them until later in their career when they learned the critical importance of not turning the ball over.  Brady is the exception this year, but his first 3 Super Bowls were with some awfully pedestrian wide receivers.

This is also why Romo will not win a Super Bowl for the Cowboys unless he learns that same valuable lesson.  I don't think he is going to learn it, but maybe I'll be surprised.

[NavinRJohnson]

Chicos I think your premise is correct. However, I don't think you are giving proper creedence to the act that soemtimes the "gunslingers" have no choice but to be gunslingers if they want to win games - Favre in the couple years before and after the two Super Bowl years when his teams we rather devoid of talent, Elway before the Terrell Davis era, ... Yet to me, what makes those guys great and sperates them form the Phil Simms and Trent Dilfers of the world is the fact that they more or less carried very average teams and they did win games - Maybe not Championships, but consistemtly led somewhat average teams to the playoffs on a regular basis. Replace Elway and Favre on those teams with game manager types and they are nowhere near as succesful. Once those guys (Favre and Elway in particular) had championship caliber talent around them, they suddenly weren't gunslingers anymore.

Favre wasn't much of a gunslinger this year, and certainly wasn't the other night. He wasn't taking chances necessarily he just badly underthrew those balls.

As far as the pass from the media goes, you seem to think it is because of the good will he's built up, and I don't discount that is a factor, but he has something that McNabb and Eli don't have - a 16 year history of at times unbelievable play. Eli has probably had more bad games than good, and I would say injuries have severely hampered McNabb (he probably does get treated unfairly). And, of course it also helps to play in GB vs. Philly and NY.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Navin, good point but I think that also is a chicken and egg scenario.  No question early on that Favre had to be the gunslinger, but then they gave him great talent to work with and it's up to the coach and player to draw back a bit.  What I see a lot of these QB's do is still revert back to the days when it was all on them, when they don't need to.

Elway finally figured it out.  Others never did.   I think often the coaches fall in love with what their QB has done for them so many times, bailing them out or saving them late in the 4th quarter.  Then when they finally get a running back, better receivers, etc if things aren't going well the revert back into throwing throwing throwing and sometimes plays that more risky then needed.

Just my two cents.