Monday, January 18, 2010

Mea culpa on Favre, sort of



Back on August 18th, 2009, I posted my thoughts on Favre and his comeback in this blog.  I thought signing with the Vikings was the wrong decision in terms of his Packers legacy and I also thought that he wouldn't be able to produce the way he and Coach Childress thought he would.  I still don't respect the fact that he flip-flops every offseason and selfishly causes multiple organizations to be unable to make good decisions.  But, I was wrong:

- I thought that Favre shouldn't have been handed the starting job without being in camp.  With Rosenfels and last season's starter, Jackson, having already slaved through training camp, I thought Brett should've been forced to earned it.  I figured that Favre at his advanced age would be, at best, marginally better than those two.  oops.

- I argued that Favre shouldn't be considered one of the top 10 greatest of all time and used the fact that his TD to INT ratio was far subpar compared to true QB greats.  Then Favre goes this season and throws 33 TDs to 7 INTs for a ratio of 4.7.  Its his highest ratio of his career, in which he averaged a ratio of 1.5.  While I don't know how he should rank all time until the season is over, I must now concede that he's in the top 10 somewhere.

- Let me stress this: he's thrown 7 interceptions this year.  SEVEN.  Favre has never thrown less than 13 except in his rookie year, when he only played 2 games.  Before this season, he had averaged 18.5 per year and managed to throw as many as 29 in 2005.  Just last year he threw 22.  This year, 7.  shocking.  This was the biggest knock I've had against Favre and he utterly deprived me of the joy of watching him repeatedly throw boneheaded interceptions this year.

- I estimated that Favre would have 22 TDs this year at most, in an Adrian Peterson centered offense.  Even halfway through the season, I was thinking that Favre couldn't keep up this level of production.  Letting the offense center around his 40 year old arm would backfire against the Vikings.  Nope.  The last time Favre threw for more TDs was back in the 1995-97 seasons when he won 3 MVPs awards.  In fact, 33 TDs is tied for 4th most in his career.  On Sunday in the Conf semis, he threw for another 4.

Other noteworthy stats: Favre threw for 4202 yards this season, which is his 3rd highest of his career.  His completion percentage was 68.4%, easily the highest of his career.  His QB rating this season was 107.2, by far his best (2nd highest was 99.5 in 1995).  And its not like he just aired it out all season by his standards.  In fact, he's attempted more passes in 11 other seasons in his career, however he's only completed more passes once (in 2005).

So I was wrong.  Favre went out and proved that he wasn't washed up by having the single greatest season of his entire career.  Unbelievable.  Sticking the dagger in Packer fans everywhere, he also managed to win both contests against his old team, showing almost no remorse for his decision.

That said, I rooted against him all season and I'm rooting against him now.  I thought his decision to throw for a 4th TD against the Cowboys when the game was completely over was utterly bushleague.  It was trojan-like.  It was Belicheatesque.  I hope Brees wipes the floor with him this Sunday.  I do not want to see this man win another Superbowl.



Saints - Cardinals

Watching Kurt get hit like that was physically painful to watch.  Seriously.  I think my back started aching while I watched that replay.  The Saints defense, bolstered by the return of healthy defensive backs, showed what a real contender looks like on Sat.  The Cards' defense gave up 45 points in successive playoff games and completely disqualified themselves from contention.  The worst part of this?  Watching Reggie Bushleague go off like that.  It was the first Reggie sighting since what, the 2006 playoffs?  He's good for another appearance in 2014...


Colts - Ravens

The Ravens knew Peyton would have to throw and he still beat them soundly.  I've never seen so many completed passes to receivers who were clearly covered.  I'm a little worried that they can't keep this up.  The big story is what I've read about Marvin Harrison the past week or so.  For someone so quiet and hardworking, its hard to imagine that he's the violent murderer that GQ has said he is.  But it certainly appears that way, doesn't it?


Vikings - Cowboys

The Cowboys couldn't protect Tony Romo at all and that was the game.


Jets - Chargers

The Chargers looked just shocked that everything was going so wrong in the 2nd half.  Rivers was throwing ridiculous interceptions.  Eric Weddle couldn't tackle Shonn Greene on that backbreaking TD.  Their kicker missed an easy FG. And the Chargers squandered their best chance to reach a Superbowl in years.  Its amazing that the 2 hottest teams coming into the playoffs, the Chargers and the Cowboys were both unceremoniously dumped in the conf semis.


Looking forward, it will be a great Superbowl as long as the Colts get past the Jets.  Does anyone want to see a rookie QB in the SB when you could have Peyton, Favre or Brees?  With Warner out, here's hoping Peyton wins it all again.

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