Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre's Top Six Meltdowns: The Stuff of Legend

Best of Randy (January 22, 2010)- Revised to include 2010 NFC Championship

If anyone truly believes the Minnesota Vikings will go into the Superdome on Sunday afternoon and win a scoring contest with the New Orleans Saints, as Judas Priest reminded us in 1984, "You've Got Another Thing Coming."

For those who have bought into the myth that New Orleans is a one-dimensional team, the Saints averaged over 120 rushing yards a game this season, featuring brilliant performances by Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, and Mike Bell.

We already know how lethal the Saints' passing game is. Pick your poison.

As if Saints fans needed any more reasons to believe New Orleans is a better team than the Minnesota Vikings (and their overrated defense that allowed yardage in chunks to Dallas last week in the first quarter and possesses a weak, suspect secondary), here's more evidence Sunday's game may not be close.

A list of Brett Favre's top five playoff meltdowns as compiled by Don Gulbrandsen, author and manager editor of Triumph Books, and Ross Bernstein, author of I Love Brett Favre, I Hate Brett Favre.

1. The Ugly End

Date: Jan. 20, 2008

Score: Giants 23, Packers 20

Why It Mattered: On a frigid night in Green Bay and with a Super Bowl berth on the line, Favre faded badly in the second half of the NFC Championship game. He ended his Packer career with an ugly overtime interception to Corey Webster that the Giants converted into the game-winning field goal. Favre said good-bye to Green Bay looking old, cold, and indifferent.

2. QB Matchup Meltdown

Date: Jan. 21, 2002

Score: Rams 45, Packers 17

Why It Mattered: The hype for the "Brett Favre vs. Kurt Warner" showdown in the NFC playoffs was huge, but Favre delivered one of the worst postseason quarterback performances in history, tossing six interceptions with two returned for touchdowns.

3. Humiliated by the Vikes

Date: Jan. 9, 2005

Score: Vikings 31, Packers 17

Why It Mattered: Minnesota visited Lambeau Field as a lightly regarded, 8-8 Wild Card team. The Packers were division champs on a late season roll. Favre responded with yet another playoff stinker, throwing four interceptions. The bad taste of this game carried over into a disastrous 2005 and led to the firing of coach Mike Sherman.

4. Outplayed by Michael Vick

Date: Jan. 4, 2003

Score: Falcons 27, Packers 7

Why It Mattered: As NFC North champs, the Packers were a big favorite going into this Wild Card matchup. Green Bay never got on track offensively, Atlanta jumped out to a big lead, and Favre killed any second half comeback attempt with poor play—a lost fumble and an interception in Green Bay's first home playoff loss in history.

5. Gift Pick for the Eagles

Date: Jan. 11, 2004

Score: Eagles 20, Packers 17

Why It Mattered: Favre led Green Bay to a first-quarter advantage in this NFC playoff contest, then seemingly disappeared for the rest of the game. Handed a chance to win in overtime, Favre heaved an ill-advised pass into the hands of Philly's Brian Dawkins. The Eagles converted the pick into the game-winning field goal.

Since this article was originally published, Favre suffered arguably the biggest meltdown of his career against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game.

6.  Favre throws away Vikings Super Bowl chances.

Date: January 24, 2010

Why it mattered: The Vikings outgained the Saints 475-257 as Adrian Peterson scored three touchdowns, but Minnesota fumbled three times and Favre was intercepted by Tracy Porter in the final minute of regulation to send the game into overtime.

Minnesota never saw the ball again. New Orleans won the flip of the coin and Garrett Hartley nailed  a 40-yard field goal to send the Saints to the Super Bowl.

And the rest is history.