Saints To Super Bowl: Favre Watch Begins

Jclombardi reviews Vikings loss win & iconic NFL QB Favre’s future.

Summary: For the 2009 Season, legendary NFL QB Favre will not be going to the Superbowl. The Saints battered Favre and beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime on K Hartley’s 40 yard field goal. The Vikings should have easily won the NFC Championship, but they gave the game away with 6 fumbles (Fumble-aya!), 5 turnovers, & two costly penalties, although they outgained New Orleans’ explosive offense 475-257. True, iconic Favre is human Favre committing that late-game interception in regulation. Yet, contrary to the classy Packers press (playing both sides of the Favre story for ratings) claiming “Oops, Same Old Favre” headlines, the Vikings beat themselves with TE Shiancoe saying, ”We beat ourselves. We made a lot of plays, but we left a lot of plays out there.” However, the ultimate responsibility for the loss rests with HC Childress and his clock management, especially in the final 2:37 in the game. Before you chastise Favre for his gaffe, remember that the Vikings are likely golfing on Sunday were it not for the season he had. In the end, bad Brett cost the Vikings, but Childress’ poor clock management put the quarterback in a position to fail.

Video Highlights:

Favre the Ol’ Gunslinger: “Favre is as addicted to risk and chance as a poker player is to chasing the big score. Until now, that addiction was harnessed. Then it returned at the most inopportune moment like a filthy beast.”

Espn’s haunting view of Favre: Tilting At Windmills—Favre’s journey to the Super Bowl was an impossible dream after all, thanks to another inevitable interception by the mad, idealistic knight. Still, ’twas a beautiful finale. The Inevitable Truth—Favre’s late INT was maddening for Vikings fans, but not shocking. The more Favre plays, the more he seems destined for such endings. 

Espn’s mythic view of Favre: And It Came To Pass-Favre felled by his fatal flaw–As foretold in the prophecies, Favre was undone by a fatal flaw. In two of the past three seasons, Favre has lost in the NFC Championship Game. Each time, his team seemed poised to win at the end; each time, Favre’s final play was a disastrous interception. And each of those title losses eventually came in overtime — to punish Favre for his hamartia, twice the football gods allowed him to come so close, then denied him.

Espn’s balanced view of Favre: Lasting & Painful Memory for Favre–Favre’s second interception was a killer. It deprived the Vikings of a 55-yard field goal attempt.  Blame Favre, if you want, but remember there aren’t enough fingers to point at all the Vikings who screwed up Sunday. If this was the end for Favre, he has zilch to apologize for. The Vikings wouldn’t have reached the NFC Championship Game without him.  He was the best player on a really good team at 40.  Later, he left the makeshift stage and walked very slowly down a stadium corridor to meet his family. You got the feeling that it might be the last walk down one of these corridors he ever makes.”

Future: Now, the Favre Watch begins into the coming 2010 NFL Season. Farewell for now. Now What? Favre was forthright with ESPN’s Ed Werder saying it was highly unlikely that he would play football again. FOX’s Jay Glazer reported that Favre’s teammates expect him to retire.

Hall-of-fame Future: How best to sum up a Hall of Fame career. Decisions–the good has outweighed the bad. He has placed his name in the conversation for Greatest Quarterbacks Of All Time. Where does he rank? I’d definitely have Favre in the Top 10, maybe Top 5. What’s left for Brett Favre? He stuck it to Thompson and McCarthy twice. And he proved beyond a doubt that he was still the Ol’ Gunslinger. Favre has not enjoyed a better year statistically exceeding nearly everyone’s expectations for a 40-year-old. Yes, he is going out on top with his Hall of Fame legacy intact minus many disgruntled Cheeseheads.

ALL GOOD THINGS………

Commentary: If this was the last game Brett Favre will play, though, he goes out as he came in. That howitzer arm powered a team to dizzying heights and imploded at the least opportune moment. That legendary fortitude passed one last visceral challenge. And the joie de vivre (joy of life) was evident in the effort up until the moment the other side could yell “Laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll)!” And if it wasn’t? Wouldn’t that be quintessential Favre getting up no matter what knocks him down?