When it comes to Favre, take off the rose-colored glasses
(Photo by AP)
My, what a short memory NFL fans and analysts seem to have. As Brett Favre dominates headlines and talk radio, it seems everyone is blinded by his great 2007 season -- a perfect point, I thought, for No. 4 to make a graceful exit.
It seems many assume that with Favre at the controls, the Packers would be assured a return trip to the playoffs – maybe even a Super Bowl berth. But being widely overlooked is the fact that during the two seasons prior to 2007, Favre looked like an aging, declining quarterback.
That is something the Jets, too, should consider if they are indeed serious about trading for the three-time MVP.
In 2005, Favre threw the most interceptions of his career, 29 – that was 12 more than any other quarterback that season. He also posted a career-low quarterback rating of 70.9 – 31st best in the NFL.
In 2006, Favre’s QB rating improved only slightly, to 72.7. To put that into perspective, he was ranked 25th among NFL quarterbacks – just behind Chicago’s Rex Grossman, whom Bears fans clamored all season for the team to bench, and just ahead of Charlie Frye, who the Browns discarded last year in a trade with Seattle. That season, Favre also had his lowest completion percentage since becoming an NFL starter – 56 percent.
In those two seasons, the Packers were a combined 12-20.
Yes, Favre rebounded with a remarkable 2007 season, and it was a great story. But common sense says that quarterbacks don’t get better with age. His plunging production in 2005-06 was probably more indicative of the direction Favre’s play is headed, while 2007 was a shining aberration.
The Packers likely realize what most of the country seems to be ignoring: there’s too great of a chance that Favre will return to his 2005-06 form and statistically rank among the worst starting quarterbacks. So why not invest in their future (Aaron Rodgers) instead of living in their past (Favre)?
