Last night was an unforgettable roller-coaster ride. As a Saints fan, it was the moment and the night that I've waited on for 20 years. All of the pain, happiness, close calls, thrilling moments, and years of waiting culminated when Garrett Hartley's 40 yard FG went through the uprights. But, it will take some time for last night's game to sink in from the Saints perspective. That will come later this week. Today, we have to touch on Brett Favre. If last night were the final game of Brett Favre's career, it is the perfect ending for a Greek tragedy that would make Homer proud.
I'm no Brett Favre fan. As was outlined in the pregame fan diaries, there are several reasons not to root for this guy. But, I will say this - last night's performance was incredible. Even I was in awe of what Favre accomplished, and how he played last night. Even though he was not sacked, Favre was pounded like few QB's have ever been in a big game.
The hits he took from McCray, Sharper, Ayodele and others were brutal. After the first INT made by Jonathan Vilma, it looked like Favre was finished. His ankle seemed twisted and sprained. Lying on the training table in between posessions, some people might have thought he was finished.
*By the way, since I'm being extra nice to Favre, I have to take a shot at the arrogant Joe Buck. Buck gave us this absolute beauty as Favre was smashed and threw a pick, I'm still smiling Joe, at your flippant attempt at professionalism...
In the end, Favre got up and went on. Favre was heroic throughout the game, but in the tragically flawed way he has always been. Like in Green Bay, his last pass was an INT. He committed a cardinal sin of quarterbacking - throwing across his body, with a game winning FG beckoning. Tracy Porter stepped in front of Sidney Rice, and Favre would not get another chance to win the game. You can blame the Vikings coaches, referees, Adrian Peterson, and voodoo curses all you want, but Favre threw the pick. The worshipping media can make all the excuses they want, but Favre threw the pick. Favre played an unbelievable game, he made great throws and showed his legendary toughness, but Favre threw the pick that cost the Vikings the game.
In the NFC Championship Game, Favre set records for most playoff completions, passing yards... and interceptions. Should we have expected anything different? Although Favre took the Vikings to within an eyelash of the Super Bowl and took care of the ball all season, is it a surprise that he made the fatal error in the end? Like so many seasons before, Favre led his team to within reach of the promised land, but was stopped there.
He says his return is "highly unlikely." Who cares what he says now, we all know this soap opera will continue until mid-August. But, if it does end this way, it is the perfectly fitting ending to Favre's career. We saw what has made Favre one of the all-time greats last night: the gunslinging mentality, the great throws, and the toughness to withstand the Saints D laying the wood all night. So much brilliance, so much determination, and yet that fatal flaw that haunted him in the end.
If that's the last throw of Favre's career, we'll remember him as one of the all-time greats. By the time Peyton Manning's career is done, maybe he'll have some records, and maybe he won't. But the records are insignificant to Favre's legacy. His legacy on the field is tied into how he played the game, the good and the bad, even what was possibly the last pass of his career. We'll remember him as the ultimate tragic hero.
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