Saints Advance Through A Disaster of Favre-Ian Proportions

Brett Favre got the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game with his gunslinging. Brett Favre stopped the Vikings from reaching the Super Bowl with his gunslinging. 

Minnesota gambled this off-season on a 40-year-old quarterback that had a penchant for throwing interceptions along with touchdowns.

Favre played out of his mind in the regular season, keeping his INT's in check and lead the Vikings to a number two seed with a 13-3 record. He started the season as the perfect team player and was even named a team captain.

However as the season went on, the old Favre started to emerge. Changing called run plays to passes wasn't that bad, but he started to argue with Brad Childress as the season wore on.

The Vikings got the player that they had feared, a self absorbed, egocentric pretty boy that wanted to run the team. 

Well, he got his chance, and when the season was on the line, the ball was in Favre's hands. Favre appeared to have enough room to run to put the Vikings into field goal range, yet decided to throw across his body and the field, resulting in a late interception that sent the game to overtime.

This game was all about turnovers and Favre had the last one. 

The Saints definitely deserve credit and were playing for something more than just the Super Bowl.

They were playing for the victims of Katrina.

They were playing for the city of New Orleans.

They were playing to show that New Orleans was alive and kicking.

When asked about the win, coach Sean Payton believed it was about something more. "This is for everybody in this city. This stadium used to have holes in it and used to be wet. It’s not wet anymore. This is for the city of New Orleans."

The Saints played well in a see-saw battle of potent offenses and opportunistic defenses. They were able to keep Favre off balance, forcing him to throw two interceptions and lose one fumble.

The 'Aints no more, the Saints have just one more game ahead of them, the Super Bowl matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. The memories of fans with paper bags over their heads is still there, but this team is as far removed from that era as they can be.

The Saints capitalized on their chances and on Favre's mistakes. The Saints played well but the key reason they are in the Super Bowl and not Minnesota is Brett Favre.