Despite the fourth quarter interception, it was an absolute pleasure to watch Brett Favre this season.
- Anthony21 at Daily Norseman.
That's the thing about Brett Favre: He's not afraid to throw interceptions. You have to admire him for that...
This is a subject I've been trying to avoid. But I was listening to Bill Simmons' BS report, the one after the Jersey Shore recap, and he devoted an entire episode to the Vikings' final drive against the Saints. His buddy Geoff came on and pointed out all the things the Vikings did wrong in the game (fumbles, any coaching decision by Brad Childress, 12 men in the huddle). Favre's INT was just one of those many Viking mistakes. Yes, he made a terrible decision, throwing a pass into coverage, on the run, and across his body, but he was so great the rest of the game! He was different this season! Though not all Viking fans feel this way.
I can understand why many Viking fans might look at it like Geoff and Anthony. I made a lot of apologizes and defenses for Favre while he was a Packer. Yes, he threw a horrible INT at Philadelphia in the playoffs in 2004. Sure, he gave the NFC Championship away with a terrible INT in OT. But the team wouldn't have made it that far without him, and plenty of other players had the chance to make a big play too. However, only one player was the same for all of those Stomach Punch games: Favre. He was each team's big play maker, expected to make a big play, and he failed. And it wasn't just that he failed to make a big play, but he made his opponent's big play for them.
Maybe it's better to have been 2nd best with Favre than to miss the playoffs without him. But maybe settling for almost isn't enough. Maybe it's why many Eagle fans are ready to move on from the Andy Reid/Donovan McNabb era despite all their wins over the past decade. I've been punched in the stomach by Favre too many times in the past few years, and maybe it's time for the Vikings to punch Favre in the stomach before he can take another shot at them.