Favre/media (1 Viewer)

[DavidM]

your making my point for me....it's rare that a QB plays as long as favre, marino or montana.....some guys are lucky to play for 10 years.....i am not trying to take anything from him.....i am just not sure that he's top 5 of all time...that's all

More or less the way I feel about him.

First of all, Favre seems like a genuinely cool guy and there's no denying he's had a very successful career. I like that he seems to really enjoy playing the game. But I think some fair points and criticisms have been made about him.

I don't think it's crazy for somebody to suggest, despite his place in the record books, that he's not one of the 5 all-time best to play QB. Depends on what you value. Stats (and then which stats)? Accuracy? Wins-losses? Fundamentally sound? Poise? Super Bowl appearances (a flawed standard to judge a QB, IMO, but it has its place in the discussion.) Etc.

Below is a list of the NFL's highest rated QBs going into the 2007 season. (Searched out of curiosity and chosen only as a point of reference. I recognize that QB ratings are by no means the be-all/end-all in compiling a ranking of QBs).

In bold are the QBs I'd hold in higher regard than Favre. Elway isn't on the list but he has to be considered (and I'd rank him ahead of Favre).

And the list doesn't include greats like Unitas and Starr. And then there are guys like Namath, Bradshaw, Aikman, Staubach, Moon, and Fouts -- all of whom at least have a place, to varying degrees, in a discussion of all-time greats. And because I'm no historian, and because I'm only trying to scratch the surface enough to present an opinion, I've no doubt made some obvious omissions.

1 Steve Young* 96.81
2 Peyton Manning 94.37
3 Kurt Warner 93.77
4 Joe Montana* 92.26
5 Marc Bulger 91.26
6 Daunte Culpepper 90.75
7 Chad Pennington 89.32
8 Tom Brady 88.36
9 Drew Brees 87.54
10 Trent Green 87.48
11 Jeff Garcia 86.43
12 Dan Marino* 86.38
13 Donovan McNabb 85.19
14 Matt Hasselbeck 85.10
15 Brett Favre 85.05
16 Rich Gannon 84.71
17 Brian Griese 84.54
18 Jim Kelly* 84.39
19 Mark Brunell 84.21
20 Jake Delhomme 84.05


* - Hall of Famers
Italics - Players active during 2006 NFL Season

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All-time passer rating - listing of passer ratings for every quarterback in NFL history who attempted 1,500 passes.

Source: Elias Sports Bureau

http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.jsp?story_id=2355

Clearly Favre has his place in history and he's one of the most accomplished. But the best? One of the five best? Not at all unreasonably debatable, IMO.

 

[AsaPW]

You can also argue that Farve never really had a top notch reciever like Montana, Young, Manning, etc. Driver is no slouch, but he's no Marvin Harrison, Jerry Rice, T.O.

Well, he did have Sterling Sharpe, but not for long IIRC.

I dunno...I think I'd take Farve over Marino. I think Peyton is #1.

 

[bearsfanforever]

your making my point for me....it's rare that a QB plays as long as favre, marino or montana.....some guys are lucky to play for 10 years.....i am not trying to take anything from him.....i am just not sure that he's top 5 of all time...that's all

I see your point about Favre being a top five if you look at stats and length of career. There are quite a few great QB's in the history of the game so the competition is tough. Favre holds many of the records now but I wouldn't consider him far above any of the top QB's. However, he certainly deserves to be an equal.

Brett Favre may have never orchestrated a superbowl dynasty like Montana, Aikman, Brady etc... but that does not make him a lesser player. No different than Elway and Marino not being able to have several SB wins.

I'm tired of all the media love Brett Favre gets believe me. But Favre, besides a few off field issues, is an example of what the NFL is about. Brett Favre is tough as nails, loves the game, and has had many great seasons. I wish he wasn't a Green Bay Packer because I would have more fun watching him. Instead, sometimes, I admit our D would simply lay him out and hope he would exit for a game. It never happened even after some tremendous hits. The guy has guts and talent to go along with it.

Is he the greatest simply because the stats? No. Does he deserve to be included with the best? Yes. Stats don't mean everything.

Like our very own Walter Payton. Do the stats reveal that he is the greatest at his position? No. Was he one of the greatest at his position? Yes, the greatest complete running back of all time without a doubt.

 

[Professor]

I wonder how the media will cover for Favre since he threw that interception.

His career speaks for itself; it doesn't need the media to "cover for" it. Geez... the disrespect around here...

 

[RANdom_Saint]

I don't get all the hate, is it jealousy? I am in no way a Packer fan myself, but, jeez even I respect Brett's career. He is that gunslinger that people enjoy win or lose. It's not about superbowls people or the Saints should have folded tents a LONG time ago.

If anyone should know that we should. It's the passion, the heart of the game! I would say some need to let go of their hate for the man, he is in the twillight of his career and seriously Rogers isn't anywhere near as good. When Brett leaves the packers lose their identity.

 

[SaintSausagehead]

You can also argue that Farve never really had a top notch reciever like Montana, Young, Manning, etc. Driver is no slouch, but he's no Marvin Harrison, Jerry Rice, T.O.

Well, he did have Sterling Sharpe, but not for long IIRC.

I dunno...I think I'd take Farve over Marino. I think Peyton is #1.

I agree with you cant blame farve for not having the talent at wr. I have alway wondered why they never drafted any or picked up any big time wr for him the year he had rison fergason and robert brooks he tore teams up i would hate to see his numbers if he had a true tandom or trio of wr.

 

[HardCard]

your making my point for me....it's rare that a QB plays as long as favre, marino or montana.....some guys are lucky to play for 10 years.....i am not trying to take anything from him.....i am just not sure that he's top 5 of all time...that's all

The Stats and Records he holds would tend to disagree.

 

[antipop]

The Stats and Records he holds would tend to disagree.

disagree with what??? i am not sure you even understand my point.....if tom brady retires from football tomorrow, he is easily a better QB that favre ever was.....and his stats would be half of favres if that were the case....and still a better QB

 

['79 Saints]

your making my point for me....it's rare that a QB plays as long as favre, marino or montana.....some guys are lucky to play for 10 years.....i am not trying to take anything from him.....i am just not sure that he's top 5 of all time...that's all

Favre played for 17 years w/o missing a single game. Marino, Montana, etc. all missed games/seasons due to injuries.

Yes, he throws picks, but he also throws passes that no one else can complete, except for perhaps John Elway.

Joe Namath is famous for Super Bowl III... he would never again quarterback a winning team after that season. His TD/Interception ratio stinks. However, he still deserves his place in NFL history because he was the right quarterback at the right time for the AFL/NFL.

The same is true for Brett Favre... he has singlehandedly silenced the ghosts swirling around Green Bay... Yes, the names, Starr, Lombardi, Horning, Taylor, Kramer, Lambeau, Hutson, "Blood" McNally etc. still swirl in the winter chill, but they don't represent that the Olympian gods to the fan base they used to during the 70s and 80s.

Brett Favre made Green Bay a viable franchise during a time when they could have very well been reduced to a joke/non-existence when free agency started. Yes, Reggie White, made GB attractive to FA's, but Favre has kept the franchise one of the tops in the league long after White retired and Holmgren has moved on.

Listen to the players in the league... they all have the highest respect to Favre... something very few other players enjoy.

 

[antipop]

Favre played for 17 years w/o missing a single game. Marino, Montana, etc. all missed games/seasons due to injuries.

again, thanks for making my point

 

[NCSaint]

There is no perfect QB. They all have their faults. Favre is a sure fire HOF QB. To think otherwise is silly.

 

[Professor]

Man, some of you guys need to stop taking drugs. It seems you missed the past fifteen or so years of the NFL and think one of the game's greatest is some jouneyman QB. I'm just not sure what some of you are thinking. I am not a big fan of the Packers, though I do like to see them win when such a win is meaningless to the Saints, but I can tell you this: Favre is one of the most exciting, talented, and gifted QB's to come around in the past forty years. I can't really speak to prior years because I am only 52 right now, but I can tell you he is one of the best I've ever seen play.

I don't know. Perhaps in some cases it's just your youth. Maybe you really haven't been around long enough to recognize greatness or something. I just don't get it.

:dunno:

 

[srcampbell]

I'm glad Favre played like crap. There is a reason that he also holds the record for most int's. He's really not that good. I will say that he is alert on the field and makes strange random plays at times, but he is no way top 5 or maybe even 10 quarterbacks of all time.

How dare you blaspheme!

Farve is perhaps the greatest qb of all time!

 

[Superfan]

how many fourth quarter comebacks has he had? now how many int's he has thrown to end the game?

 

[MrSt0nEd]

How dare you blaspheme!

Farve is perhaps the greatest qb of all time!

i totallly agree,,,

#4 will be a legend!

IMO,
its sad that #4 didnt make the supper bowl,,, but Pats vs NYG D is better match up than Pats vs GB D.

Saints 4 ever,, Go "PERFECT" Pats!