NFL Power Rankings: Week 9 (It’s Not Unusual to Have the Saints at #1…)

Another great week of NFL action: the Colts won (but looked human), the Saints continue to roll, and the Giants continue to spiral out of control.

It seems like every week brings more drama to the stage during what has been a very exciting season thus far that we are now halfway through.

One thing is for sure….THE REDSKINS DIDN’T LOSE THIS WEEK! (But the Browns did!)

[Editor's Note: There you go dick Myles. Keep rubbing salt in the wound jackass buddy. Keep kicking Browns fans when they're down you no talent ass clown my friend.

I can't wait until Peyton Manning retires and your one-man franchise returns to sucking and all of its fair-weather fans go away.  Go ahead, shake your head. But you know it's true.]

Now, onto this week’s Power Rankings.

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NFL Betting Week 8 Odds and Picks: Bears-Browns, Giants-Eagles, Vikings-Packers

Just like the World Series odds put pressure on the Yankees, the NFL is placing the heat on several teams this week. The Bears, Giants and Vikings all have plenty to prove; we focus on them for our Week 8 NFL picks.

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NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

With a another very interesting week of NFL Football in the books, the Power Rankings have decided to be like Elvis for Halloween this week….they’re “All Shook Up”.

O.K., that was terrible, but on a more serious note, it was a very interesting week with a lot of changes in the rankings. Take a look and comment; tell me what YOU think!

[Editor's note: I'll tell you what I think right now. How in the hell can you drop the Saints below the Colts after NO showed the heart of a champion on the road this past Sunday? Oh wait, that's right...I forgot that you live in Indianapolis. Never mind. Makes perfect sense. "All shook up" indeed...]

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NFL Power Rankings: Top 15 for Week 6

Another interesting week of NFL football and it’s time to see how the top 15 teams in the NFL stack up.

It should come as no surprise that last week’s top two stayed in the same spots this weekend.

(Hint: both teams have Archie Manning’s sons calling the signals!)

After the jump, check out my current top 15 and then chime in with your comments/disagreements in the comment section.

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Week 5 NFL Power Rankings

This week, we have our first ever tie in the Power Rankings. I had a real tough decision choosing who would be first and who would be second so there is a tie for first place.

T-1. New York Giants (Last 6 [+5])

Ok, so Archie Manning must be sitting at home smiling at both of his boys who will tie for 1^st in Big MB’s Power Rankings for Week 5.

Obviously, the Giants don’t miss Plaxico Burress one bit. The G-men’s destruction of Kansas City only showcased Manning and his receivers. Smith and Manningham continue to impress and Brandon Jacobs is the beast of the NFC East. Next week is a HUGE NFC power game as the Saints come to town.

[Editor's Note: it's Big MB writing this column...any guess who the other 4-0 team is that he has tied for first? It shouldn't take more than one...]

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Big MB’s NFL Power Rankings, Week 4

[Editor's note: Today we introduce a new weekly feature here at MSF, courtesy of Big MB, our soon-to-be renowned NFL expert and already renowned teller of "this".

Every week around this time, Big MB will be checking in with his NFL Power Rankings. He goes 1-15 and gives you the low down on the NFL's best teams.

Bold prediction: the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins will not be making it into Big MB's first list.

Find out after the jump.]

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Some Packers Fans Okay with Aaron Rodgers

Another day, another video to share with you that I found on Hot Clicks.

The video below features a song by the band The Replicates and chronicles the inspiring tale of a jilted fan base that has had to move on from the most beloved object of its affection and learn how to love someone new.

The fan base in question is the Green Bay Packers, the beloved object of its affection now gone is, of course, Brett Favre, and the man they are moving onto is none other than Scott Stapp Aaron Rogers.

It’s a pretty clever video (after the jump), although they certainly don’t think much of the Packers’ defense.  

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Brett Favre Proves He Still Has the 4th Quarter Magic

As I sat in the Edward Jones Dome Sunday afternoon and watched the Green Bay Packers beat the hapless St. Louis Rams, I couldn’t stop a wandering eye from glancing up at the far side of the building.

There on the ring of honor, beside Rams greats like Marshall Faulk and Merlin Olsen, and other St. Louis football icons like Dan Dierdorf, were digital displays providing scores and stats from around the league.

Packers fans delighted in seeing the Minnesota Vikings trailing San Francisco late at home. Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre was having a yeoman’s day, completing 50 percent of his passes for a pedestrian 221 yards.

At the same time inside the Edward Jones Dome, new Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was hitting big plays to Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, and leading the Packers to a 36-17 win.

Rodgers had a sparkling passer rating of 126.9 by virtue of his 13-for-23 day with 269 passing yards and touchdown tosses to Driver and fullback John Kuhn. Rodgers also ran for a score, and picked up another 38 yards with his legs.

What the thousands of Packers fans in St. Louis were unable to see was the switch in Favre’s head they had grown so accustomed to seeing for 16 seasons get flipped.

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Rams-Packers Preview: St. Louis Looking to Pull Off Upset of Green Bay in Home Opener

The St. Louis Rams host the Green Bay Packers Sunday in their home opener. The Rams are winless through two weeks, losing 28-0 to Seattle, and 9-7 to Washington. The Packers are 1-1 following a 21-15 win over Chicago, and a 31-24 loss to Cincinnati.

Here is the TV and odds info for this weekend’s game:

• Packers-Rams Date: Sunday, September 27th
• Packers-Rams Time: 1:00 ET
• Packers-Rams TV Network: FOX
• Packers-Rams Announcers: Chris Myers and Trent Green
• Packers-Rams Point Spread: Packers -6.5
• Packers-Rams Over-Under: 41

There may be more Packers fans at the Edward Jones Dome than Rams fans with thousands of Packers faithful traveling to see their team. Couple that with disappointed Rams season ticket holders selling their seats, and you’ve got another version of “Lambeau South,” as the Dome was referred to two years ago when Green Bay came to town and left with a lopsided victory.

If the Rams expect to stay close and have a chance to win at the end, they must do these three things.

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Bengals-Packers Odds, Preview, and Prediction

NFL Week 2 odds will feature a pair of teams that were involved in a couple of thrilling matchups during the first weekend of the season, and there should be a wild affair when Cincinnati heads to Lambeau Field to take on Green Bay.

Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) at Green Bay Packers (1-0)

Bengals vs Packers odds - Packers -9.5

• Bengals-Packers Date: Sunday, September 20
• Bengals-Packers Time: 1:00
• Bengals-Packers TV Network: CBS
• Bengals-Packers Announcers: Ian Eagle and Rich Gannon
• Bengals-Packers Over-Under: 42
• StubHub: Bengals-Packers tickets as low as $80!

The Bengals were stunned 12-7 by Denver when the Broncos’ Brandon Stokley took a tipped pass and ran 87 yards for a touchdown with 11 seconds left on the clock. Carson Palmer, who hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Week 6 of last year, went 21-of-33 for 247 yards, but he was picked off twice by the Broncos. The defense played very well in shutting down the Broncos, but cornerback Leon Hall will see that tipped pass for the rest of the season.

The Packers picked off Chicago’s Jay Cutler four times in his Bears’ debut to pull out a 21-15 win on Sunday night. This was a typically hard-hitting NFC North affair, and the Packers’ offense struggled to get it going against the Bears, although Aaron Rodgers was 17-of-28 for 184 yards and a touchdown to Greg Jennings, who caught six balls for 106 yards. However, the defense proved that they would be the key to Green Bay’s Super Bowl odds, and they look like they’ve been playing their new 3-4 scheme for years under coordinator Dom Capers.

The Packers are a whopping 9-point favorite at Lambeau Field, where the Bengals haven’t played since 1995. However, they’re only 1-3 in four trips to Green Bay, and last year they were an atrocious 1-7 away from home. The Bengals will have to put aside the disappointment of last week’s gut punch from the Broncos, but heading into Green Bay isn’t the best place to get away from your troubles. The Packers’ defense is swarming and opportunistic, while it looks like Palmer needs a little more time to get back into NFL regular-season shape. Rodgers will play much better than he did in the Chicago game, and this offense could possibly hang a lot of points on a disheartened Cincinnati defense. Go with the Packers in your NFL picks.

Chicago at Green Bay Preview: Bears’ Strengths/Weaknesses and Matchup Analysis

It is sure to be one hell of an exciting weekend for NFL fans and for football fans in general. The first official Sunday games are only a day away, and there are plenty of good games to watch.

Out of all these great games, there is one that you can’t miss: the matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.

The Bears-Packers rivalry is the longest in NFL history, and it’s also one of the greatest. These two teams have played in 177 regular and post-season match-ups with the Bears currently holding the all-time series lead with a 91-80-6 record.

Before looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the Chicago Bears that will have the most bearing on Sunday night’s game, here is all of the info you need to be ready for kickoff:

Chicago Bears (0-0) at Green Bay Packers (0-0)

• Bears-Packers Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Bears-Packers TV & Kickoff Time: 8:30 ET on NBC
• Bears-Packers Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay
• Bears-Packers Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
• Bears-Packers Point Spread: GB -3.5
• Bears-Packers Over-Under: 46.5
• Ronald Clements, MSF: Bears-Packers Preview and Analysis
• StubHub: Bears @ Packers Tickets | Packers @ Bears tickets 12/13/09 as low as $79
• StubHub: 2009 Green Bay Packers tickets
• StubHub: 2009 Chicago Bears tickets
• StubHub: great deals on all NFL tickets

And now let’s take a lot at the strengths and weakness of the 2009 Chicago Bears, and how they will impact Sunday night’s game against Packers, as well as the rest of the season.

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Chicago Bears’ Weaknesses That Could Lead to a Packer Beatdown

Sunday’s matchup will be a test for how well these teams’ defenses will play in 2009. The Packers, with no doubt, were the best team this preseason. Their new 3-4 defense worked flawlessly and Aaron Rodgers looked sharp, just as he always does. That tandem — an improving defense and an emerging star at QB — could be a nightmare for the Bears.

The Bears had a modest preseason, with neither the defense nor offense really blowing any team away. What worries me the most is the Bears defense. It is a toss-up as to how well they will perform Sunday night because it’s really up to the defense to stop the pass. If they can’t do that, Rodgers and top WR Greg Jennings may make the Bears defense look like an intramural football team.

The receiving positon also makes me worry.

While I believe the Bears have a good enough receiving corps to make the offense work, I still, in the back of my mind, feel like the Bears need a proven go-to receiver. Devin Hester hasn’t shown enough talent as a route runner to show me that he deserves the #1 spot. In fact, no receiver has shown me that, and it worries me the most.

The Bears are going to need every receiver to chip in a little for this team to be successful.

Now that we’ve discussed the Bears’ weaknesses, let’s take a look at this team’s strengths.

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Bears’ Strengths That Could Lead to a Victory Over the Packers

Every team has their weaknesses and strengths. It’s just a question of which category will shine through on game day.

As a team, the Bears have a lot of reasons to be optimistic about their chances of winning Sunday night’s game against rival Green Bay.

First of all, there is Matt Forte.

Forte was just breathtaking last season. A steal in the 2nd round, Forte has the talent to be a Pro Bowler for many years to come. A strong, yet agile running back, Forte can run, block, and catch. Is there anything else you could ask for from a back?

I think not.

If the Bears have any chance of having a good game Sunday night and a good year in 2009, Forte has to at least repeat his success from his rookie year.

Jay Cutler also has to perform like a Pro Bowler.

All eyes will be watching this guy after the Bears gave up a lot to get him. He could be the answer the Bears need at the QB position after failed attempts with the likes of Jim Miller, Chris Chandler, Rex Grossman, Kordell Stewart, Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Orton, and many more.

Most Chicagoans are optimistic about the 2009 season and the future with Cutler taking the snaps, but the truth is that it could be a hit or a miss for the Bears. If Cutler doesn’t perform it could be really bad. When you give away that many draft picks for one player, you better 100% believe he can drive your team victory. If not, there are going to be lots and lots of formerly optimistic Chicagoans who become angry and frustrated.

Probably the most underrated part of any football team is the O-line. In the Bears’ case, the O-line has to play well or, like with any other team, the whole season will be lost. If there is no protection, neither Forte’s nor Cutler’s talents will be worth anything.

The Bears’ O-line is significantly younger this year, and that’s actually a positive thing. It seemed that every year in the recent past the old O-line would be bullied around by the defensive tackles. It wasn’t a pretty sight to see the Bears suffer so much on offense. With the offense not killing time so the defense can rest, both parts of the team suffered.

This aspect of the Bears’ attack should be improved this season.

All strengths don’t have to be 100% percent perfect this Sunday, but they darn well better be close, or I sense a beat down by the Packers.

In reality, this game could be a spectacular coming-out party for the Bears, or it could be a nightmare. It can really go either way. That’s something you don’t want to think about as a fan.

No matter what the turnout of the game is, it’s still football season and that’s all I need to make me happy.

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* – Jay Cutler / Matt Forte photo credit: Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune via ChicagoTribune.com

Bears-Packers Rivalry To Renew at Lambeau: Preview and Prediction

After all of the games are played Sunday afternoon, there will be one remaining – and it’s the oldest rivalry in the NFL.

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will meet for the 178th time Sunday night at Lambeau Field. It will also be the 21st time the two teams have met in the season opener.

The storied teams split last year’s series, with the Packers routing the Bears at home 37-3, while the Bears escaped with a 20-17 overtime win on a frigid December night at Soldier Field. (I should know. I was there.)

Before we break down the two rosters, here are the particulars for Sunday night’s Packers-Bears matchup:

Chicago Bears (0-0) at Green Bay Packers (0-0)

• Bears-Packers Date: Sunday, September 13th
• Bears-Packers: TV & Kickoff Time: 8:30 ET on NBC
• Bears-Packers: Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay
• Bears-Packers: Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
• Bears-Packers: Point Spread: GB -3.5
• Bears-Packers: Over-Under: 46.5
• StubHub: Packers-Bears tickets – Week 1 in Lambeau
• StubHub: all Green Bay Packers tickets
• StubHub: all Chicago Bears tickets
• StubHub: all 2009 NFL tickets

This year brings with it a lot of questions for both teams:

1. How will Green Bay adapt to its new 3-4 defensive scheme under new coordinator Dom Capers? 
2. How will Jay Cutler do in his new city with less-than-average receivers? 
3. Can Aaron Rodgers build on last year, when he threw for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns? 
4. Will Cutler’s big arm mean more passing from the Bears offense? 
5. Will Ryan Grant return to his 2007 form, or was that just an anomaly?

The questions go on, and most will be answered, at least in the short term, Sunday night.

The Packers have been downright dominant in the preseason, posting a 3-1 record — the same as the Bears — with the first-team offense scoring touchdowns on nine of 13 possessions. The Packers were 3-0 before dropping the backup-filled finale to Tennessee.

The Pack seem to have a slight edge at quarterback, mainly because Cutler’s effectiveness is a relative unknown with receivers such as Earl Bennett, Devin Aromashodu, Rashied Davis and rookies Johnny Knox and Juaquin Iglesias. The supposed top receiver for the Bears is Devin Hester, who is still learning the ropes on offense bytdefinitely trumps any return specialist the Packers have.

The Packers certainly have a huge edge is at wideout. Aaron Rodgers has a plethora of weapons, including Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Jordy Nelson. Jennings, in fact, just might be emerging as the best player from the 2006 draft. Add Donald Lee and Jermichael Finley at tight end, and it makes the weapons pool even deeper for Rodgers.

The Bears have their own talented tight end in third-year player Greg Olsen, but neither Desmond Clark, Michael Clark, nor Kellen Davis give Chicago a 1-2 punch at tight end like Lee and Finley.

The running back edge belongs to Chicago, mainly because the versatile Matt Forte can flat out carry the rock and is effective catching passes out of the backfield. The second-year stud from Tulane ran for 1,238 yards last year to set a new franchise record for rookie tailbacks. Adrian Peterson is a nice change-of-pace back for Chicago, which recently lost Kevin Jones for the season.

Green Bay has plenty of runners, but none with the talent of Forte. Ryan Grant did eclipse 1,200 yards last year, but averaged less than four yards per carry. If he can get that number back up this year, the Packers will be all right. Spelling him in the backfield will be Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn.

Both teams have solid offensive lines, which they’ll need against the aggressive defenses they’ll see on Sunday night. Despite finishing the year 6-10, the Packers led the NFL in defensive touchdowns last season. Where they struggled was in the pass rush, something the new 3-4 scheme is supposed to remedy. Cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris are two of the best in the business, and safety Nick Collins was a Pro Bowl selection in 2008.

Chicago has another aggressive unit led by linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. If they can control the middle, the Bears can exert their will on pretty much any team. Green Bay’s backers are also good with Nick Barnett, A.J Hawk, Brandon Chillar, rookie Clay Matthews, and now Aaron Kampman added to the mix as an outside linebacker.

Kampman led the Packers with 9.5 sacks last season, his first year without registering double-digit sacks since 2005. If the Packers can get some pressure on Cutler, it could be curtains for the Bears.

It’s hard to overlook that Green Bay led last year’s game in Chicago 14-3 before imploding and handing the game back to Chicago. The Packers were clearly the more talented team last season, and look to be again this year.

Green Bay wins its home opener by beating up on the Bears, 31-13.

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* – Brian Urlacher getting owned photo credit: Mouth Piece Sports

NFL Preseason Betting: Patriots-Redskins, Packers-Cardinals Odds and Predictions

Whether you’re an NFL odds aficionado or just a die-hard football fan, you’ve probably heard the old saying that the preseason “means nothing” or that you “shouldn’t bet on preseason NFL football because it’s so unpredictable.”  The truth, however, is that you can properly forecast preseason games if you know what to watch for. Let’s put this theory into effect and make picks for Friday night’s NFL games.

New England Patriots @ Washington Redskins

Friday, August 28, 8:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Patriots -3

One of the tricks to betting on preseason football is asking yourself: “What, if anything, do these teams have to play for?” The Patriots are solidly established already this preseason. Tom Brady looks healthy, having posted big yardage in his first preseason game and having shrugged off some big hits last week. Now that the Pats know Brady is ready to go, they have nothing more to learn or prove. They know they’ll have a running-back-by-committee approach and that Randy Moss and Wes Welker will be the focal points of the passing game.

The Redskins haven’t played as well as the Pats in the preseason but I like them to pull off the upset this week, because they’ll have more motivation to win. Quarterback Jason Campbell is struggling, perhaps distracted by trade rumors surrounding him over the summer; he was just 1/7 against Pittsburgh last week. His No. 2 receiver still isn’t determined, as Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly are reportedly neck-and-neck for the job. Don’t you think, then, that the Redskins’ passing offense will (a) play a few more series than Brady’s unit and (b) work extra hard? Toss in a stingy defense and Washington looks good Friday night.

NFL pick: Redskins +3

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

Friday, August 28, 10:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Cardinals -3.5

Here’s a game that would’ve been tough to predict a couple of weeks ago but now gives us plenty of hints based on the first two preseason games. The Packers look razor-sharp on both sides of the ball. Aaron Rodgers is firing lasers, Ryan Grant is running with purpose and the new 3-4 defensive scheme may be ahead of schedule, as it showed when the Pack shut out Cleveland in their opener and were ball hawks in their win over the Bills, sacking them four times and picking them off twice.

The normally potent Cardinals offense seems out of whack. Whether it’s because they can’t establish a running game with Chris Wells on the mend or because Kurt Warner is battling hip pain, they’re not themselves. It’s smarter betting management to go with another upset here and pick the Pack.

NFL pick: Packers +3.5

LOTD: Clothing the Homeless – How Midwesterners Dish Out Revenge

So, you know all of those Green Bay Packers fans whose closets are lined with Brett Favre gear and who splurged on Favre Jets jerseys the minute he announced his unretirement last season? (I know at least one such family…but I will not call them out by name because I don’t want my supply of the world’s best meatloaf to be cut off.)

Well, what are these folks to do now that their beloved is playing for a different team and *gasp* one that is in the Packers’ very own division? (If it’s the family I know, more Favre fans than Packer fans, it’s head over to NFLshop.com and get Favre Vikings jerseys, of course!)

The good folks at 1670 WTDY in Madison, Wisconsin — namely, “The Wisconsin Guys”, Dan and Kurt — have an idea: donate all of your old Brett Favre clothes to the homeless! It’s called the “4 The Poor Jersey Drive.”

Today’s link of the day, from TheWisconsinGuys.com (via Sports By Brooks):

So, how do you get rid of that old Brett Favre jersey, hat, sweatshirt, etc…?

There is no need to blow it up, light it on fire, run it over, shred it, or any of the other pretty good ideas you may have. If you give it to us, we’ll put your name in a drawing to win tix to see Benedict Favre take on the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday, November 1st.

We will be taking those used but now useless clothing items to Minneapolis just prior to the Green Bay/Vikings Monday Night Football game on October 5th and we’ll be giving them to a Twin Cities homeless shelter. See, they don’t have to go to waste!

That, ladies and gentleman, is a constructive way to deal with feelings of anger, betrayal, and revenge…and could only come from the good folks who inhabit the glorious Midwest.  Think Philly fans would be clothing the homeless with old Mike Schmidt jerseys if he had unretired to play for the Yankees?  Shoot, they might not even give a homeless guy an old McNabb jersey and he’s still their QB!

(Philly fans, feel free to email me to express disgust that I just perpetuated the old stereotypes again…you were the first fan base that came to my mind…I’m sorry!)

And here you go, some other solid links from around the web today.

Sports:

• University of Oregon threatening cheerleader Amanda Pflugrad over online bikini photos? — (Busted Coverage)
• Rick Pitino has had it with you lying liars — (Deadspin)
• Who cares what the topic is, this is always worth a click — (Hot Clicks)
• AFC West Preview — (MoonDog)
• I’ve finally kicked the Cubsahol…for now — (Not Qualified to Comment)
• MLB realignment is stupid — (Sharapova’s Thigh)
• Blogs With Balls Radio premieres on the Joe Sports Fan Radio Network — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)
• Colt McCoy and his Heisman ’stache — (Major League Jerk)
• QB controversy in Minnesota? What? — (The Viking Age)
• Jay Cutler 2009 Predictions — (Jay Cutler Superstar)
• Team-by-team success when top two starters pitch — (MLive.com)

Non-Sports:

• Granny goes nuts, attacks news crew with a garden hoe (AWESOME!) — (Straight Pinkie)
• The hotties of beer pong — (Spewf.com)
• Courtney Starburst looks good in Jamaica — (Hail Mary Jane)

Brett Favre: The Man, The Myth…..The Legend or The Letdown?

[Editor's Note: It is with great pleasure that I present to you MSF's newest contributor: Myles Berry (aka BigMB). Myles and I know eachother from my time living in Indianapolis, during which he and I engaged in many highly competitive sports debates and games of Madden. (He'll tell you that he owns a lead in the all-time series...but he's wrong.) Myles will be covering the Colts for sure, as well as chiming in on the sports world at large. We are happy to have him as part of the team and hope that you enjoy his work, the first example of which is below.]

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Maybe I should apologize to John Madden ahead of time, but with the turn of events in the most recent Brett Favre Saga, a question still lingers that needs to be answered.

Has Brett Farve perhaps turned what would have been a legendary career into a letdown?

We all know that many athletes have overstayed their welcome in the past. Some do it for the money, some do it for the fame and notoriety, and some do it because they love the game and can’t imagine life without it. Most likely, it’s a combination of all three reasons.

With respect to Brett Favre, let’s first take a brief look at his career with Green Bay. In sixteen years, Favre only produced one losing season, alongside his ten Pro-Bowl appearances and three MVP awards. He went 5,377 of 8,754 for 61,655 yards, and had 442 touchdowns with 286 interceptions, while winning one Super Bowl.

Fast forward to his 2008 one-year stint with The New York Jets. He led the Jets to a 9-7 record, yet another winning season, and started out in true Brett Favre fashion until the bottom fell out in the final five games of the season during which he completed 343 of 522 passes with 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. A shoulder injury was partly to blame for the decline, but many would point the finger at Favre, accusing age and his reckless style as major contributors to his and the Jets’ downfall.

On September 27, 1992, Favre was named Green Bay’s starting quarterback against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since then he has maintained a living record of 269 consecutive starts, a record whose closet challenger is Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning, who is at a distant 176 games. This accomplishment knights Favre as the NFL’s, and perhaps all of sports’, true Iron Man.

So has Favre tainted his legend with this offseason’s teeter-totter of antics and surprises? Let’s take a quick look at another sport’s most famous player, who did much of the same thing.

You may know the name Michael Jordan.

His first season with the Bulls was in 1984. Two years later, he was on his way to becoming the most dominant force in basketball.  After three championships, Jordan retired in 1993, only to come back one year later. Another three-peat championship followed. 

Then, in 2000, he announced another retirement, followed by Jordan becoming partial owner and President of Basketball Operations for the Washington Wizards.  In January of 1999, Jordan was quoted saying the he was “99.9% certain” that he would never return to the NBA hardwood again (Sound familiar?). However, in September of 2001 he returned to the NBA, playing for the team in which he had previously staked ownership. Two sub-par seasons followed, and Jordan retired again, this time permanently.

Other players have overstayed their welcomes as well.

Emmit Smith stayed around a few years to long to break the all-time NFL rushing record that was previously held by Walter Payton, a player who retired in his prime. Vinny Testaverde started NFL games well into his 40’s. Gary Payton and Karl Malone, both past their prime, joined a stacked Lakers team in an attempt to win a NBA championship.

Agree or disagree with these athletes, playing sports becomes a way of life and becomes quite difficult to give up, especially when you still have the talent to stick around.

With the 2009 NFL season looming, Favre will again suit up, this time with the Minnesota Vikings. Perhaps he will have a great season. Perhaps he will have a poor season. Maybe it will just be quite average. But one thing is for sure: he will be exciting.

Will his reputation be tarnished? Let me ask you this: When you look back at Michael Jordan’s career, do you think about the 6 championships, the scoring titles, the amazing buzzer beaters, as well as the Nike and Gatorade sponsorships? Or do you even, for one second, think about or remember one game with #23 in a Wizards Jersey?

I think you have your answer, and I have mine.

Regardless of the ensuing 2009 NFL season and its results, Brett Favre remains The Man, The Myth, and The Legend.

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* – Brett Favre with Viking photo credit: Fantasy-Info.com

* – Brett Favre young in Green Bay photo credit: The Sporting Truth