Heatherthepackgirl
Cheesehead
By Dylan B. Tomlinson
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
Mike Holmgren knows better. After Brett Favre injured his right elbow and throwing hand in last Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots, it would be easy for the Seattle Seahawks' coach to think his team might be playing the Green Bay Packers at the most opportune time.
But Holmgren knows better.
"Would I be surprised if he wasn't 100 percent? I don't think that's really the key thing here," Holmgren said. "I've seen him get hurt worse than that. And he comes back and plays."
Nobody knows that better than Holmgren. He was the Packers' coach in 1992, when Favre had his left shoulder separated but stayed in the game.
"He had a shoulder separation he got against Philadelphia in the first half of a game. Reggie White caused the separation," Holmgren said. "He returned to the game, played in the game and we won the game in the end."
When Favre was knocked out of last Sunday's game, it marked just the sixth time in his illustrious career that an injury prevented him from finishing a game.
In the games that have followed those injuries, Favre has proven he may be at his most dangerous when he's far less than 100 percent. In the previous five games, the Packers have a 4-1 record.
"If it was anybody else, people would say we're in a lot of trouble with an injured quarterback," Packers receiver Donald Driver said. "But it's Brett Favre. Teams know better than to think they're going to see anything other than his best."
Holmgren said that in the seven years he coached Favre, there only was one time, during the 1995 season, where he thought Favre would be unable to go.
"I had to take him out of a game against Minnesota. He hurt his ankle pretty good, and then the next week we played the Bears, and he didn't practice all week. We listed him on the injury report as doubtful," Holmgren said.
"He said he could play, and practiced on Saturday, kind of gingerly. I said, 'If I'm looking out there and you're at risk or something, then I'm taking you out.'"
Favre made his 56th consecutive start, and responded by throwing for 336 yards on 25-of-33 passing.
"We started him in the game, and he ended up throwing five touchdown passes," Holmgren said. "I mean, really, he couldn't move. He played as fine a football game as he has."
When the Packers take the field tonight against the Seahawks, it will be Favre's 232nd consecutive regular-season start. Among his many accomplishments, the streak is the one he cherishes.
"Physically, you have to overcome some injuries and play through some, but you also have to play well on a consistent basis," Favre said. "Up to this point, I've been pretty reliable, and I'd like to think I've given this team a chance to win. I'm almost as proud of the fact that I've played in every game as anything."
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck played behind Favre from 1998 to 2000, and said he never ceases to be amazed by Favre's ability to stay on the field.
"I know as well as anyone how one hit can take you out of the mix for a month," said Hasselbeck, who will make his first start since injuring his right knee on Oct. 22 against Minnesota. "I just missed four games, and to think about Brett never missing one for 15 years and continuing to play at that level, that's difficult to comprehend."
Holmgren said even as he heard about Favre's injury last Sunday, he never thought anybody other than Favre would be under center for the Packers tonight.
"With Brett, you always know two things," Holmgren said. "You always know he's going to play, and you always know he's going to play well."
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers
Mike Holmgren knows better. After Brett Favre injured his right elbow and throwing hand in last Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots, it would be easy for the Seattle Seahawks' coach to think his team might be playing the Green Bay Packers at the most opportune time.
But Holmgren knows better.
"Would I be surprised if he wasn't 100 percent? I don't think that's really the key thing here," Holmgren said. "I've seen him get hurt worse than that. And he comes back and plays."
Nobody knows that better than Holmgren. He was the Packers' coach in 1992, when Favre had his left shoulder separated but stayed in the game.
"He had a shoulder separation he got against Philadelphia in the first half of a game. Reggie White caused the separation," Holmgren said. "He returned to the game, played in the game and we won the game in the end."
When Favre was knocked out of last Sunday's game, it marked just the sixth time in his illustrious career that an injury prevented him from finishing a game.
In the games that have followed those injuries, Favre has proven he may be at his most dangerous when he's far less than 100 percent. In the previous five games, the Packers have a 4-1 record.
"If it was anybody else, people would say we're in a lot of trouble with an injured quarterback," Packers receiver Donald Driver said. "But it's Brett Favre. Teams know better than to think they're going to see anything other than his best."
Holmgren said that in the seven years he coached Favre, there only was one time, during the 1995 season, where he thought Favre would be unable to go.
"I had to take him out of a game against Minnesota. He hurt his ankle pretty good, and then the next week we played the Bears, and he didn't practice all week. We listed him on the injury report as doubtful," Holmgren said.
"He said he could play, and practiced on Saturday, kind of gingerly. I said, 'If I'm looking out there and you're at risk or something, then I'm taking you out.'"
Favre made his 56th consecutive start, and responded by throwing for 336 yards on 25-of-33 passing.
"We started him in the game, and he ended up throwing five touchdown passes," Holmgren said. "I mean, really, he couldn't move. He played as fine a football game as he has."
When the Packers take the field tonight against the Seahawks, it will be Favre's 232nd consecutive regular-season start. Among his many accomplishments, the streak is the one he cherishes.
"Physically, you have to overcome some injuries and play through some, but you also have to play well on a consistent basis," Favre said. "Up to this point, I've been pretty reliable, and I'd like to think I've given this team a chance to win. I'm almost as proud of the fact that I've played in every game as anything."
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck played behind Favre from 1998 to 2000, and said he never ceases to be amazed by Favre's ability to stay on the field.
"I know as well as anyone how one hit can take you out of the mix for a month," said Hasselbeck, who will make his first start since injuring his right knee on Oct. 22 against Minnesota. "I just missed four games, and to think about Brett never missing one for 15 years and continuing to play at that level, that's difficult to comprehend."
Holmgren said even as he heard about Favre's injury last Sunday, he never thought anybody other than Favre would be under center for the Packers tonight.
"With Brett, you always know two things," Holmgren said. "You always know he's going to play, and you always know he's going to play well."
