Just how low is Brett's battery? | StarTribune.com
Just how low is Brett's battery?
A number of factors have the veteran on pace for being sacked the most times in his career. At 41, can he hold up?
By CHIP SCOGGINS, Star Tribune
Last update: October 24, 2010 - 12:50 AM
Brett Favre took a shot to the ribs on the first play last week against Dallas, got planted on the turf again on the very next play and was hit so hard in the third quarter that he felt "pretty close to death."
It was, seemingly, just another day at the office for a 41-year-old quarterback who has endured his share of jarring hits in the Vikings' first five games. Coach Brad Childress, perhaps tired of getting asked about it, called it a "broken record" when questioned again about the hits Favre took in a victory against the Cowboys.
"Quarterbacks get hit in this league," Childress said. "We're paying him enough every game. He's going to get hit."
Favre keeps getting up, but for how long? He will start his 291st consecutive game Sunday against his former team, the Green Bay Packers, who undoubtedly want to pound the iron man with the hope that he will crack.
A combination of factors has contributed to the pressure Favre has faced this season.
The Vikings started three different centers in the first five games, which impacts the entire line. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell described the pass protection overall as "up and down," and that falls on everyone, not just the line.
Favre obviously doesn't move nearly as well at age 41 and coming off ankle surgery this past offseason. And half of the team's receiving corps -- Randy Moss, Greg Camarillo and Hank Baskett -- arrived after the start of training camp, which has created timing issues with the passing game.
So Favre is on pace to be sacked the most times in his 20-year career, and teams are blitzing him nearly 40 percent of the time when he drops to pass.
"It always feels a little bit better if you win," Favre said of the punishment. "I can't be concerned about it. I know that our guys ... no one wants to let a guy come free or get beat. I know our guys are playing as hard as they can. I feel like I can endure it as long as something's not broken or torn or whatever.
Do I like it? I'd much rather not get hit, but I think that's part of my MO, being able to withstand that and come back and make plays and not be concerned about it. If I spend more time worrying about who's coming free, it's going to be hard to complete passes and make plays."
Favre has been sacked 13 times and is on pace for 41 for the season. He has been hit another 29 times, according to the official game-by-game stats.
Not surprisingly, the Vikings say opponents are blitzing more than they did last season. Favre has been blitzed 62 times -- or 38 percent of his drop-backs -- according to ESPN's Stats & Information.
"That's what you want to do if you've got a guy that isn't really that mobile," guard Anthony Herrera said. "You want to blitz him because you know his [mobility] is not as great. If I was a defensive coordinator, I would do it, too."
Favre has taken advantage of blitzing defenses over his career, viewing pressure as an opportunity for the offense to make big plays. But he has not made defenses pay as often this season.
Favre has completed 46.7 percent of his passes against the blitz, according to ESPN's research, which examined the number of times he has faced five or more pass rushers. Favre has thrown three interceptions, been sacked twice and ranks 30th in the NFL with a 57.3 passer rating in those situations.
"We always prepare for pressure," Bevell said. "It's our job to be able to pick it up. We've had some struggles. It's something we're continuing to work on and try and improve and get it targeted right. A lot goes into it, it's not always just the offensive line. Sometimes the back's involved. Sometimes the receiver's got to shake open and the quarterback's got to see it. It's still something that we're a work in progress with."
The Dallas game provided a few examples of the problems. On the first play, Cowboys Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff shoved center Jon Cooper to the side and drilled Favre. On the next play, left guard Steve Hutchinson slid over to help Cooper with Ratliff and that opened a lane for blitzing linebacker Keith Brooking, who knocked Favre down after he released the ball.
Later in the first quarter, running back Albert Young went out for a pass rather than pick up blitzing safety Gerald Sensabaugh, who sacked Favre.
"Protection is always an issue," Childress said. "It's an issue I think for every club in this league as well. Who's protecting, how they're protecting, how long they're protecting, and every week it's who you're protecting against. Every week there's different premium rushers."
Next up: Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, who is expected to return from a one-game absence because of a hamstring injury. Matthews leads the NFL in sacks with 8 1/2 and comes from all angles.
The Packers are tied for second in the NFL with 21 sacks.
"We have to get pressure on Brett," defensive end Ryan Pickett said. "The last two games, I don't think we sacked him. That definitely can't happen this time if we want to win. We have to get pressure on the quarterback, we have to get him down, we have to get some sacks."
The Packers did not sack Favre in their two meetings last season and he picked apart their defense. He completed 41 of 59 passes for 515 yards and seven touchdowns with no interceptions and a 135.9 passer rating.
The Vikings haven't seen that kind of efficiency from their passing game yet this season. The Vikings rank 24th in the league in passing offense, and they don't have one pass play of more than 40 yards. Favre completed 15 passes of at least 40 yards last season.
Favre also has thrown seven interceptions already, the same number he finished with last season. There's little doubt the pressure he has faced contributes to that, and the Packers have taken notice.
"You've seen some of the games that he's played in, the games where people have gotten pressure on him and the games where they haven't, you can definitely see the difference back there in the pocket," defensive end Cullen Jenkins said. "We'd like to go out there and get a lot of pressure on him. We can get after the run early and force him into more passing downs so we have more of an opportunity to get after him."
