A response to a friend:
1. In the newspapers, it says Favre’s record against the bears is 22-10. About half those games were stolen by the refs, including two where they used instant replay to overturn correct calls. Most of the other half were the result of idiotic coaching, such as the first game last year. So, his record probably should have been 31-1, not that that’s anything to be proud of against the bears.
2. I raise the point again. If the Packers had the best 10-year record of any team in the 4 major sports and you feel Favre cost them game after game, then you must feel the Packers should have been close to undefeated. I notice no mention of comparing how many games he won for them vs. the number you feel he lost.
3. You mention the only difference between the Packers of this year and last year is the QB position. I would add that since the Packers were the youngest team in the league last year (I think they still are), they should be that much better with a year of experience. Since the only difference is at QB, that must explain why a 15-1 team last year (the bear and Cowboy games were stolen by the refs) is struggling at 5-5. So, we agree–it must be the change at QB. Now, I also said Rodgers would be very good after the Cowboy game last year and love him as a QB. I only said they should offer him an additional $5 million so they could win the Super Bowl this year with Favre, and tell him he’s the QB of the future. You can’t afford a guy to learn on the job when you can win it all. By the way, what’s the difference in the Jets roster between this year (7-3) and last year (4-12)? I think it’s also the QB.
4. I LOVE your comment that the bears adjusted at halftime last year to beat the Packers in Game 1. That’s why we’ll never agree on this. Favre was 21 of 22 in the first half if you don’t count 2 spikes to stop the clock, and they would have had 30 points if James Jones didn’t fumble twice deep in bear territory. So, the bears made all these great halftime adjustments? Let’s look at how the second half started. The Packers ran the kick back to the bear 33. Favre threw on first down for 20 yards and a first down at the 13. I guess the big halftime adjustment was holding them to 20 yards on a pass. Then, they ran 3 times and kicked a FG. The next time they had the ball, they ran on first and second down, and on third-and-long, a frustrated Favre threw to Urlacher. We definitely agree there was an adjustment–the problem was the adjustment was made by the Packers. The bears couldn’t stop the pass so the Packers stopped passing! The first play of the second half proved the bears still couldn’t stop the pass. Don’t discount Greg Olsen’s pushoff for one TD (clearly visible on replay) or Maynard, I believe, recovering a fumbled punt out of bounds that was called in.
5. Regarding Game 2 last year, I will admit the Packers didn’t show up and it was the first and only time I’ve seen Favre not try. I was at the game and the conditions were ridiculous for football, but that’s no excuse. You are forgetting that the Cowboys played that Thursday night and were handed the game at the end by the refs on a terrible call, which made the odds of the Packers getting homefield advantage very slim. I’m still not excusing it, but that had to be frustrating, knowing that the Cowboys were handed this game.
6. Thompson let two All-Pro offensive linemen go to make Favre look bad, as Thompson wanted him out for 3-4 years. That year their offensive line was horrible, about 9 running backs went on IR, their receivers were hurt, etc. Then, when Favre gets Moss for nothing so they can win the Super Bowl, Thompson says no.