Brett Favre Proves Revenge Is a Dish Best Served at Lambeau

In Brett Favre’s second comeback news conference, he stated playing for the Minnesota Vikings was not about revenge. Only Favre himself knows if the statement was true or not.

Still, the Vikings 30-23 win in Minnesota in week four made the rematch in Green Bay that much bigger. Minnesota had not swept the Packers since 2005, and Green Bay could show the home fans they made the right choice in Aaron Rodgers.

In Favre’s first return to Lambeau Field as a visitor, his numbers were outstanding. Favre completed 17-of-28 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns.

Aaron Rodgers, Favre’s counterpart, played just as good as the future Hall-of-Famer. Rodgers completed 26 of 41 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

The current Packers quarterback had more passing yards than the former Packers quarterback primarily because Green Bay was playing from behind for the most part. Minnesota was able to build a 17-3 lead at the half.

To start the second half, the Vikings took the opening kickoff and marched down field to take a 24-3 lead. Just when it looked to be a Minnesota blowout, the Packers came storming back.

Rodgers led the Packers to 17 unanswered points in the third quarter to make the score 24-20 in favor of the Vikings heading in to the fourth quarter. The Green Bay comeback had all the momentum swinging to the home sideline.

That is when No. 4 did what he used to do for the Packers for so many years. Favre lead the Vikings down for a touchdown two minutes into the fourth quarter for a 31-20 lead.

Rodgers, not to be outdone, brought Green Bay right down the field three minutes later for a touchdown to cut the lead to 31-26 after a two-point conversion failed. The aging gunslinger put the final nail in his old team’s coffin with another touchdown with less than four minutes to go for the 38-26 win.

Looking closely at the numbers, there are several reasons why Minnesota won this football game. The first reason was pressure on the quarterback.

The Vikings were able to hit Rodgers 10 times, compared to just four hits the Packers managed on Favre. The biggest number was the number of sacks for both teams. The Vikings had six sacks, and the Packers were not able to sack Favre once.

Another reason for the Packers’ loss has to be the lack of a running game. Rodgers was the leading rusher for Green Bay, with 52 yards on five carries. The bulk of Rodgers’ yards coming on a scramble for 35 yards in the fourth quarter.

While Rodgers led his team in rushing, Favre only had to hand the ball to Adrian Peterson to gain yards on the ground. Peterson was able to rush for 97 yards on 25 carries to lead Minnesota in rushing.

The Packers have to find a running game to ease some of the pressure off Rodgers. The Packers quarterback is already the most-hit signal-caller in the league, and if he has to be the running back as well he will not last the whole season.

The final reason for this Packers loss is easy. The job at returning kicks by Percy Harvin for Minnesota. Harvin had five kick returns for 175 yards, and three of his returns set-up a touchdown for Vikings.

Harvin has been an x-factor all season long for the Vikings. He even had a 51-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter while Minnesota was building its first half lead.

With both games against the Packers out of the way, bigger questions loom on the horizon. The Vikings have a bye week after this game, but how will Favre fare for the rest of the season?

Does Brett still care about the rest of this season after beating his old team twice this season? Is the ultimate revenge Favre can give himself a Super Bowl championship?

At 7-1 and with the second best record in the NFC—until the Saints play Monday—the Vikings and Favre will be watched closely all season long. The defense has to play two whole haves and Favre’s health could be an issue. Still, how much Brett wants to rub it in the Packers’ nose could be his major motivation.

The second fallout of this whole scenario could be the job security of Packers GM Ted Thompson, the man many believe sent Favre out of town. With every Vikings win and every Green Bay loss, all eyes must turn to Thompson.

Playing the “what-if” game, one has to wonder what will happen with Thompson if the Packers miss the playoffs and the Vikings make a deep playoff run, or win a championship. The heat will only increase with every step Minnesota takes to a playoff berth.

Thompson believes he has built a solid team, and Favre’s end-of-season “will he or won’t he” could no longer be tolerated. Thompson’s biggest fear has to be Favre having one more championship season left in him.

If Favre does win a championship, Thompson will not be alone in this and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy will be on the chopping block with him. Green Bay will have to choose a sacrificial lamb depending on how well the Vikings do this season.

On the other hand, Minnesota GM Rick Spielman and head coach Brad Childress look brilliant so far by taking a chance on Favre. Both will be safe as long as the Vikings make the playoffs and play for at least an NFC Championship.

Lost in all the Thompson versus Favre talk is Rodgers. Replacing a legend is hard, but replacing a legend who is still playing is even harder. Just ask Steve Young.

Rodgers will always be judged by what Favre did as a Packer. Every success the Vikings have only makes it harder for Rodgers to be completely accepted by Packers fans.

If Favre leads Minnesota to a title, even diehard Packers fans will always wonder what if Green Bay had kept No. 4 behind center. This team was so close in 2007 to a Super Bowl berth, another season missing the playoffs will only add more undue pressure on Rodgers.

Either way, Rodgers may not ever be as loved as Favre is in Green Bay. The only way to change those feelings is Brett not winning another Lombardi Trophy and Rodgers bringing one back to Green Bay himself.

Well, Rodgers had better make that two Lombardi Trophies. The NFL is always about one-upping the other guy. So far, Favre is up 3-0, two wins this season, and one NFL championship. 

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

“Brettsota”: Will Happen This Season in Minnesota

Finally the long and twisting road has come to an end. After reports that a deal with Brett Favre was done had come out Monday.

After an offseason that saw more trips to Hattiesburg, MS then ever in history. The news media camped on his front lawn to see if he would play again.

First he was in and then out. Then he needed surgery then he said no surgery only to have surgery in the end.

The on and off love affair between the Minnesota Vikings and Brett Favre has mostly dominated this offseason in the NFL.

Only blimps on radar to take our minds off of ‘Brettsota’ (just like a Hollywood couple) were who would sign Michael Vick and would Plaxico Burress go to jail.

Now on Aug. 18, 2009 the Green Bay Packers fans hearts are breaking. Over a player they have said they do not want.

At the same time they did not want him to play against them. It’s kind of interesting that Packers fans would whine and cry so much over a player they do not want anymore.

This whole offseason Packers fans have felt betrayed by a player they did not want anymore. It only severs them right if they are looking up at the Vikings in the standings all season long.

As Favre enters Minnesota a conquering hero like Caesar in to Rome a lot will be riding in two NFL cities.

What if Favre is able to take the Vikings to heights they have not been seen in Minnesota since 1976 their last Super Bowl appearance. Most notably a Super Bowl appearance this season and they do not even have to win the game.  

The Packers would be forced to fire General Manager Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy. This is the duo who did not want to see Favre return last season.

The Packers did not make the playoffs last year after finishing one game from the Super Bowl the previous year. True it was not Aaron Rogers fault (the quarterback tapped to replace Favre) since Green Bay had no defense.

Now with Minnesota getting Packers legend Favre after they won the NFC North last season the Packers could find their backs against the wall. If the Vikings improve on last season and go far in the playoffs the blame would have to fall on Thompson and McCarthy.

The same can be said about the Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress if the Vikings fail to reach their new lofty expectations. This season could be seen in Minnesota as “Super Bowl or Bust” and it could be that Childress will have to be Favre’s Brutus.

One thing can agreed upon is that the NFC North is a very winnable division for Favre to join. Whereas the AFC East was not very winnable division with the likes of the Patriots, Dolphins, and Bills each getting better.

The NFC North was a division the Vikings won last season with a quarterback not nearly as good as Favre even now in his 40’s. If the Vikings could go 10-6 without a proven quarterback think what they could do if Favre is healthy.

Looking at the division Green Bay has defensive concerns from last season. The Packers could not stop anyone on defense last season. If the offense struggles in year two under Rodgers and the defense cannot fix last season’s problems it could be a long year in Packer Land.

The Chicago Bears have to find offense and brought Jay Cutler in to do the job. Whereas the defense has been solid in Chicago the offense has been found lacking.  If the Bears cannot find wide receiver and Cutler does not live up to his talent level the Bears could finish third in this division.

Last, the Detroit Lions a team that failed to win a game last season. While they are going to be greatly improved this season they will not challenge for the division title this season.

That leaves the Vikings and Favre. The thing is that all the pressure will not be on Favre it will be spread out amongst Adrian Peterson, the Vikings defense, and Brett Favre.

Favre will not have to win games all by himself in Minnesota. The bulk of the load will be on Adrian Peterson.  As long as he can run the Vikings will be in any ball game.

With Favre at quarterback the running game should be even better since teams will have to respect the passing game of the Vikings. Something they really have not had to do the past few seasons.

Looking ahead at the Vikings schedule they start out with three very winnable games. Games they can and should win.

They open with the Cleveland Browns on the road, next comes the Lions, then the San Francisco 49ers.

They get the Packers at home for the fourth game and should win it.  With a quarter of the season gone the Vikings could be 4-0.

The next four games are harder but a spilt is possible. First is a game against the St. Louis Rams at St. Louis and should be a win. Next is a home game against the Baltimore Ravens and then on the road against the Pittsburgh Stealers and they could lose both or spilt.

The last game, the eighth game is away against the Packers. Favre returns to his long standing home. It is a winnable game.

If the Vikings can head in to the Week nine bye week with a 5-3 to 6-2 record they will be in great shape. If they can do better they will win the division going away.

The third quarter of the season features winnable games against the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, Lions and Bears. The Vikings could be 10-2 after ¾ of the season.

The final quarter of the season has some good late season test with games against the Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants. Sandwiched in between those two games are winnable games against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Bears.

The Vikings could finish with a 12-4 season or even better. They should at least equal last season’s 10-6 mark but should improve it.

That cheer you are hearing in Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit is from Minnesota. The first chance to see Favre in the purple of the Vikings will Aug. 21, 2009.

That’s right this Friday and it will be against the Kansas City Chiefs. Then the preseason will move to Houston to face the Texans and finish at home against the Dallas Cowboys.

 

Relax Packers Fans, Brett Favre To Stay Retired and Not Play For The Vikings

ESPN has reported that after all the speculation the last few months and all the waiting by the Minnesota Vikings, Brett Favre has decided that for now he is done playing pro football and will stay retired.

With training camps opening at the end of the week, Favre had said last week he would make a decision and then put off his answer until this week. Several players for the Vikings even had contacted Favre and asked him to come and play for Minnesota.

For now, Favre will remain retired. That is until the first snap of the new season and depending on injuries, could go on until late in to the season.

Favre haters and Packers fans can stop crying now about ruined legacies and more acts of betrayals than a cheating spouse. I have said many times I would love to see Favre come back and play, only to hear Green Bay fans complain about how he would have scorn them.

If the haters and Packers fans had a part in Favre’s decision to return to the NFL, I never want to hear a Packer fan talk about how much you miss him. If you love a player and enjoy watching him play, you should take it however you can.

I was hoping Favre would come back and some of my child-like love of the game would go with him. No matter what, I wish Favre the best and hope the haters and Packers fans realized what they have really lost.