OT: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

... I have to say that since Brady came into the league, up to 09, we never saw a significant dropoff in production. Until 08, he was simply invulnerable, injury-wise.

Much as I hate Favrevrah, it's a great reminder that "football's 50% physical and 90% mental." Of course in Favrevrah's case (IMO), that "90% mental" part comes from being a backwoods hick whose most impressive mental accomplishment is figuring out which side is the front of his jersey. I don't think there is life after football for the guy which might add to the fire in his belly. He also doesn't give a sh1t for anybody but himself and doesn't pretend to really, so he's free to decide in a very honest way how to best look out for #4. Any team he goes to understands they're there to host the Favrevrah parasite, win or lose, and that the point of the team is as a support environment for Favrevrah's ego.

All that said, there's a pernicious nagging feeling I've gotten this year, that I know is just a psychological effect... in terms of career, Brady is now solidly in "middle age," just as Favrevrah was when he beat us in the SB in '96. And Favrevrah spent his time in the wilderness after that point, especially lately, struggling with interceptions and low production in many years. Now this - Favrevrah is having his best year ever.

I don't think NE should ever be held hostage if Brady pulls a Favrevrah. I think, given a word-for-word replay of Favrevrah/Green Bay, we kick him in the buttocks with a bus ticket in hand (metaphorically... we all know it's really a private jet out.) Let him have his last hurrah somewhere else and let our "next guy" get ramped up. I'm not a Brady fan, ultimately, I'm a NE fan. If the decision one day in 5 years is to cut the cord on Brady, I'll grit my teeth and say, okay.

But the guy's 40. Brady's 32, 33? It's a reminder we've just seen a Brady season that can quite easily be an anomaly, production-wise. We can always surround him w/better talent -- receivers, o-line -- and you can always say the playcalling can be better. But the upside is, we have a long time to b1tch and moan about these things, if the Favrevrah example is anything to go by.

Hopefully we won't have to suffer through too many INTs > TDs seasons... but that sort of happens when you're and "old gunslinger" that "has so much fun playing the game." A bad Brady becomes more like good Pennington than Bad Favrevrah. And say what you want about Pennington, good Pennington > Bad Favrevrah. At least you still have the ball.

PFnV

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

Favre is the man, I'm sorry but the dude is fun to watch. Hopefully Brady can play at that level when he is in his late/early 40s

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

or how about now

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

I don't understand. You seem to be saying that Brady has become a gunslinger and you hope we don't have to sit throught to many INT>TD seasons?

Where is that coming from?

Also, re-watch the GB superbowl. If you had to say one guy beat us, then Desmond Howard beat us, not Favre. Farve was a distant fourth in terms of significance, behind White and (alas, Bledsoe).

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

All the retirement issues aside - I admire Favre's passion for the game of football. I don't know what it's like to play football for x amount of years and then retire only to get that itch again.

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

No thank you. Favre's had a great season thus far but let's not forget his playoff performances. Unless you want to see more of the Brady from a couple Sundays ago. With a QB like Favre it's going to be very hard to beat 3 or 4 consecutive great teams in January. I can obviously accept that Brady's not going to be throwing 50 TD's later on (or even now), but if he keeps the TD/INT ratio around where it has been throughout his career I'm happy... aka not playing like Favre. Besides, all our titles came when Brady was a 20-25 TD player. Whether our defense ever gets back to the way it was remains to be seen, but I think it's clear we're not going to win titles but outslinging teams.

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

No, I am saying the devolution of Brady is more likely to produce good Pennington than bad Favre, the opposite of your statement.

Not referencing specifically his production in that game, but the time period of his "peak."

I always ramble too much.

Let me boil it down:

Seeing that there's eight years to go in age for Brady to be Favre's age, the fact that Favre is competing for a SB berth -- much as I "want him to fail" to use a Rushism -- is heartening.

PFnV

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

Not only the D but the running game was better as well....by a longshot IMO, wearing down defenses with a slammin' style of football that I always loved, and having TFB find the open man.

I personally feel that winning the Big Game will require a better running game, as well as a MUCH better D and a better pass game...
Priorities:
Defense
Defense
Defense
Defense
Running Game
Passing Game

I also think Howard was the hero of that game, Brett was along for the ride.

Re: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

He threw 2 TDs and ran for another. The Packers had a lead when Howard ran back the kickoff for a TD because of Favre & the defense. Howard's play put the game away basically, but Favre definitely did a lot in that game and wasn't just along for the ride.

Re: OT: I HATE Favrevrah... BUT:
 

Yeah let's not act like he didn't have a big hand in that Super Bowl. Both TD passes were big plays and on the money. He also played well enough to win the next super bowl, but Denver was just that much better. Green Bay had some great teams but he was a huge part of it. However those years are long gone until he proves it today and/or 2 weeks from today.