Helmet to Helmet: Week Three - IGN
Helmet to Helmet: Week Three
Brett Favre / 24 Sep 2007 4:54 PM PDT
Here come the Packers
And a responsible Brett Favre?
I know Packers fans hate to admit it, as doing so probably would be considered blasphemous to any member of the Lambeau faithful, but over the past five season or so, Brett Favre has hurt Green Bay more than he's helped them. By and large, the loyal Cheeseheads of Green Bay have been so busy convincing themselves that Favre's multiple-interception games were just evidence of the gunslinger mentality that makes him so great, they completely ignored the fact that Favre's many ill-advised throws - some of which bordered on negligence - were costing Green Bay a ton of games.
Favre supporters pointed everywhere else for an excuse to justify his poor decision-making; the most common being the claim that Green Bay's lack of offensive weapons forced Favre to take chances in order to try and win. Well folks, the first three games of this season have disproved that claim; surrounded by the fewest weapons he's ever had at his disposal, Favre has led the Packers to an immensely impressive 3-0 start. And he's done so by - get this - actually managing games. On third-and-longs where Favre would have once tried to thread the needle and stick a thirty-yard bomb in between three defenders, Favre is now deciding to dump it off to one of his rookie running backs or - gasp - actually throw it away and live to a fight another series.
I suspect this recent development has more than a little to do with the fact that Favre is now for the first time in a long while confident in his defense, which I imagine would make it a lot easier for him to trade in his six-shooter for a playbook. Green Bay fans and professional Favre worshippers like John Madden who once claimed that Favre's arm and gusto were alone enough to make the Packers contenders have now seen the truth in full display over the coarse of these first three weeks: the surest way to win in the NFL is to have a strong defense and a quarterback who doesn't make dumb mistakes. And for the first time in years, the Packers now have both.
If this defense is as good as it seems (and I suspect it is), and Favre can keep up this new style of responsible play, then this future hall of famer's farewell season might turn out to be his most impressive yet. Not because he shattered all of Dan Marino and John Elway's records, but because he finally checked his ego at the door and decided to prove once and for all that you can teach an old dog new tricks.
1. New England Patriots - It's almost unfair how many weapons Tom Brady has this year, really. The Patriots' offensive personal overmatches literally every single defense in the league, so much so that New England's first three games reminded me of a top-flight college program like USC beating up on some hapless, unranked punching bag like North Dakota Technical Institute for the Blind. Lost in all the hoopla about Randy Moss' return to glory is the fact that Wes Welker might be the Patriots' most valuable weapon (how the Dolphins let this incredible talent walk away without a struggle is beyond me). Because defenses have no chance of matching up with the Pats and shutting them down man to man, the only way I see the Patriots losing is if they run into a blitz-happy defense capable of wreaking havoc on Brady's decision making. A team such as the&#Array;
2. Pittsburgh Steelers - Let's say it all together now with feeling: the Steelers are back in a big way. Coach Mike Tomlin has this team clicking on all cylinders, and it's almost impossible to watch this team and not think of both the championship squad from two years ago and the 15-1 team from 2004. The only major difference is that Ben Roethlisberger seems capable of not only managing a game, but also imposing his will on opposing secondaries. The Steelers are playing nearly flawless football, and it's damn good to see the Black and Gold back in form.
3. Indianapolis Colts - This just in: the Colts' division no longer stinks. That's right, the days of Indy effortlessly bulldozing over the AFC South seem to be over, which makes the Colts last two hard-fought division wins over Tennessee and Houston truly impressive. If I'm a Colts fan, then I'm praying each and every night for the often-injured Bob Sanders to stay healthy, because without him on the field, I don't think this defense has any real teeth.
4. Green Bay Packers - After two weeks of denial, I have no choice but to put the Packers on this list. The Packers' defense is the real deal, and if Brett Farve's swan song turns into one last run at the Super Bowl, it'll be because of their solid secondary, run-stuffing linebackers and versatile pass rushers.
5. Dallas Cowboys - It looks like all the hype and praise thrown towards young offensive coordinator Jason Garrett in this past off-season was warranted after all. The Cowboy's offense is downright scary, and Tony Romo is establishing himself as one of - if not the - best passer in the NFC. Before you go telling yourself that coach Wade Phillips has fixed the problems in his depleted secondary, however, remember who the Cowboys' defense shut down last night - Rex Grossman. Still, anytime you can hang serious points on the Bears' defense, you're doing something right.