Heatherthepackgirl
Cheesehead
By GREG A. BEDARD
The talk about Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre the past few years has revolved almost solely around the timing of his eventual retirement. It seemed time was being extended each year.
Now, with the Packers armed with a first-round bye in the playoffs by virtue of their 13-3 record, time may be running out.
"I would say that the chances of going 13-3 for any team, the chances of getting the first-round bye - in our case, we had a very good chance of getting home-field advantage - don't come around very often," Favre said Friday. "I would say, at this stage of my career, as opposed to '95 and '96, where you could say, 'We'll get 'em next year,' a lot can change in a year. If you look at last year and the previous year, yeah, it is an opportunity that is right in front of us that hasn't presented itself in quite a while."
A decade, to be exact.
In 1997, the Packers finished the regular season 13-3 and had a bye as the National Football Conference's second-seeded team, just like this season. They converted that into an appearance in Super Bowl XXXII, where they fell, 31-24, to the Denver Broncos.
Green Bay hasn't been past the divisional round since, going 2-5 in the process.
That's why many players in the Packers' locker room realize that an opportunity as good as this one, to get Favre one more Super Bowl title, doesn't come around very often.
"Oh, absolutely," wide receiver Koren Robinson said. "Hopefully we get it, but I'm definitely happy to be part of the whole ride. We would love to send him out right."
"Right" means sending Favre into retirement like former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway. He beat the Packers and then the Atlanta Falcons the next year in consecutive Super Bowls and then rode off into retirement.
If Favre is to follow Elway, he's likely going to have to use the same script. Elway had long since shed the gunslinger label and rode a potent rushing attack on his glory trail. Although Favre carried the Packers for much of this season, his recent playoff history would indicate that he needs to be part of an ensemble cast, starting with the divisional playoff game next Saturday.
In those seven playoff appearances since the Packers' last Super Bowl, Favre was intercepted 16 times (six against the St. Louis Rams in 2001), threw 11 touchdown passes and had a passer rating of 70.8.
From 1993-'97, Favre owned an 8-4 post-season record, threw 23 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions, and his rating was 92.0.
"I'm disappointed we didn't win more Super Bowls," Favre said. "But you know, I'm not ashamed by anything I did."
Obviously Favre has not often had the same talent level around him since the consecutive Super Bowl appearances. And the Packers trailed at halftime in all but two of the five losses, one being the infamous fourth-and-26 game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2003.
Favre has often pointed to the fact the Packers were playing from behind for some of his past struggles.
"There's a total different mentality when you're playing from behind or things just aren't going your way," Favre said. "You get down, it's a different game. It's just totally different. You can't play the way you normally do. Sure you can, but you're probably going to lose."
Whatever the reason for Favre's past playoff struggles, it's no worry to the current Packers. Coach Mike McCarthy said he wouldn't even look at film from Favre's playoff previous performances.
"I just think those are situations that he can definitely learn from as an individual but I don't think affects our football team," McCarthy said.
"I don't think it factors into how he played this year, what he's been asked to do in this offense."
Under McCarthy's tutelage, Favre has obviously improved. His completion percentage of 66.5 was the best of his career. His seven 300-yard passing games tied a career high, and his 4,155 passing yards (third-best of his career), 95.7 passer rating (third), 15 interceptions (tied for third) and 356 completions (fourth) were among the best marks of his 17-year career.
"If you look at us offensively this year, we're back up where we were when we were very productive and ranking with the all-time Packer greats," Favre said. "That's pretty good."
With 13 victories, these Packers are also among the franchise's best teams. Only the '96 and '97 teams matched that total. Both those teams went to Super Bowls, with the '96 squad winning it all.
That's why the Packers know the kind of rare opportunity they have in front of them, especially for a veteran like Favre.
"I think three years ago we were saying, 'He's done.' And I was saying the same thing, and here we are," Favre said.
"Stranger things have happened. We may go 14-2 next year, so who knows?"
Maybe in the end, time will end up standing still a little longer.
"He might be here until he's 45, if he keeps having years like the one he just had," guard Daryn Colledge said. "He had a great season: 66% completion rate and broke all kinds of records. If he can keep doing that, I mean, let's keep him around."
The talk about Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre the past few years has revolved almost solely around the timing of his eventual retirement. It seemed time was being extended each year.
Now, with the Packers armed with a first-round bye in the playoffs by virtue of their 13-3 record, time may be running out.
"I would say that the chances of going 13-3 for any team, the chances of getting the first-round bye - in our case, we had a very good chance of getting home-field advantage - don't come around very often," Favre said Friday. "I would say, at this stage of my career, as opposed to '95 and '96, where you could say, 'We'll get 'em next year,' a lot can change in a year. If you look at last year and the previous year, yeah, it is an opportunity that is right in front of us that hasn't presented itself in quite a while."
A decade, to be exact.
In 1997, the Packers finished the regular season 13-3 and had a bye as the National Football Conference's second-seeded team, just like this season. They converted that into an appearance in Super Bowl XXXII, where they fell, 31-24, to the Denver Broncos.
Green Bay hasn't been past the divisional round since, going 2-5 in the process.
That's why many players in the Packers' locker room realize that an opportunity as good as this one, to get Favre one more Super Bowl title, doesn't come around very often.
"Oh, absolutely," wide receiver Koren Robinson said. "Hopefully we get it, but I'm definitely happy to be part of the whole ride. We would love to send him out right."
"Right" means sending Favre into retirement like former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway. He beat the Packers and then the Atlanta Falcons the next year in consecutive Super Bowls and then rode off into retirement.
If Favre is to follow Elway, he's likely going to have to use the same script. Elway had long since shed the gunslinger label and rode a potent rushing attack on his glory trail. Although Favre carried the Packers for much of this season, his recent playoff history would indicate that he needs to be part of an ensemble cast, starting with the divisional playoff game next Saturday.
In those seven playoff appearances since the Packers' last Super Bowl, Favre was intercepted 16 times (six against the St. Louis Rams in 2001), threw 11 touchdown passes and had a passer rating of 70.8.
From 1993-'97, Favre owned an 8-4 post-season record, threw 23 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions, and his rating was 92.0.
"I'm disappointed we didn't win more Super Bowls," Favre said. "But you know, I'm not ashamed by anything I did."
Obviously Favre has not often had the same talent level around him since the consecutive Super Bowl appearances. And the Packers trailed at halftime in all but two of the five losses, one being the infamous fourth-and-26 game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2003.
Favre has often pointed to the fact the Packers were playing from behind for some of his past struggles.
"There's a total different mentality when you're playing from behind or things just aren't going your way," Favre said. "You get down, it's a different game. It's just totally different. You can't play the way you normally do. Sure you can, but you're probably going to lose."
Whatever the reason for Favre's past playoff struggles, it's no worry to the current Packers. Coach Mike McCarthy said he wouldn't even look at film from Favre's playoff previous performances.
"I just think those are situations that he can definitely learn from as an individual but I don't think affects our football team," McCarthy said.
"I don't think it factors into how he played this year, what he's been asked to do in this offense."
Under McCarthy's tutelage, Favre has obviously improved. His completion percentage of 66.5 was the best of his career. His seven 300-yard passing games tied a career high, and his 4,155 passing yards (third-best of his career), 95.7 passer rating (third), 15 interceptions (tied for third) and 356 completions (fourth) were among the best marks of his 17-year career.
"If you look at us offensively this year, we're back up where we were when we were very productive and ranking with the all-time Packer greats," Favre said. "That's pretty good."
With 13 victories, these Packers are also among the franchise's best teams. Only the '96 and '97 teams matched that total. Both those teams went to Super Bowls, with the '96 squad winning it all.
That's why the Packers know the kind of rare opportunity they have in front of them, especially for a veteran like Favre.
"I think three years ago we were saying, 'He's done.' And I was saying the same thing, and here we are," Favre said.
"Stranger things have happened. We may go 14-2 next year, so who knows?"
Maybe in the end, time will end up standing still a little longer.
"He might be here until he's 45, if he keeps having years like the one he just had," guard Daryn Colledge said. "He had a great season: 66% completion rate and broke all kinds of records. If he can keep doing that, I mean, let's keep him around."
