So I knew as soon as the ball was intercepted that Favre was going to get all of the crap. Maybe he deserves it. They basically had the game won. All he needed to do was run the ball or at least throw it away. Longwell comes on and kicks a field goal and the Vikings are in the Super Bowl.
Of course it didn’t happen that way. For the 3rd time in 6 years Favre threw an interception at a crucial time at the end of a playoff game. All kinds of people are blaming the loss on Favre. I don’t see it that way though.
What I saw was so completely different. The man is 40. It’s not that old in lawyer years or youth ministry years or doctor years. In quarterback years it is. Without Favre there is no way they are in the NFC Championship game. Tarvaris Jackson is not getting them there. Sage Rosenfels is not getting them there. The rest of the team was trying to fumble the game away to the Saints and Favre kept bringing them back. I know the blame will fall to Favre but how about these other players. How about Harvin and Berrians 4th quarter fumbles. The 12th player who joined the huddle. The coverage team for allowing Pierre Thomas to gain 40 yards on the overtime kick return. Asher Allen’s holding call that gave the Saints a first down in overtime. Ben Leber getting a pass interference call in overtime. Favre deserves some blame but not all of it.
Also, there were 2 plays that will I will probally remember for the rest of my life and that make me appreciate Favre even more. During the 4th quarter Favre was leveled by two of the Saints. After Favre had gottened leveled he needed help to get off the field and a friend I was watching the game with said, “That’s it. Favre is done. No way he is coming back in the game.” At that moment I knew that Favre would be coming back. The only way I could see him not coming back in was if his leg had gotten completely ripped off. I truly believed he would back in but there was a small part of me that was really sad. “Is he really done. Is that the last time I will ever see him play in a game?" But then he did it. He got the ankle wrapped again and came back in. A few plays later Favre was leveled again but got the ball off to Percy Harvin. Favre was one of the only players to chase after the ball to try to recover it and got nailed again in the process. As a fan of Favre he has given me so many great memories and a few not so great. If he is done playing football I hope others will remember the toughness he showed throughout his career and not dwell on the interceptions he threw.
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Why do you feel it is necessary to put blame on everyone? Of course everyone deserves some amount of blame on the Vikings loss. Purely for the fact they are a team. As a team they made those mistakes. As a team the blame should be spread around. Every player on that team made some mistakes including Favre. Unfortunately, Favre's mistake was a more crucial one based on timing and field position. Fumbles in the 3rd and early 4th quarter are of course negative things for a team, but interceptions and fumbles in the winding seconds are crucial and inexcusable.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a quarterback in the NFL, you are outright the captain of your offense. Your job is to get your team to the Superbowl and age has nothing to do with your position. Let me repeat, age has nothing to do with the position you play. No one twisted his arm to come out of retirement, he made that decision, the consequences of it are 100% his issue (well and the Vikings). But no one will argue that it isn't impressive that a 40 yo is doing that well as a qb. This season Favre gave the Vikings the best possible opportunity to go to a Superbowl, but was unsuccessful.
Now, I don't think anyone can dispute Favre being the man. He is an insane human with unreal strength, toughness and a passion for the game. Those are qualities that makes him one of the most talked about and watched players to play the game. When all is said and done, no one will dwell on some interceptions he threw. As a fan forever of Favre's, I will stand up for him when he decides to retire. But I'll let him finish his legacy first.