Brett Favre: Another Awful Performance in a Big Loss

Yes, mark it down on the calendar.

January 20th, 2008, NFC title game. The overrated Brett Favre and Green Bay played host to the New York Giants at Lambeau Field for the right to face New England in the Super Bowl.

And yes, those Green Bay fans taunted me and continued their Favre-worshipping.

Didn't matter. The quarterback is overrated.

Two touchdowns, yes. But also two interceptions, with the second one coming in overtime on the Packers' second play of the extra session—which led to the winning field goal by the Giants. 23-20 New York.

So where was that so-called greatness by Favre?

With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, he came up with a stinker? Where was that so-called awesome performance that he dished out against Seattle a week earlier? Or could it be that the Seahawks were that inferior—not tacking on more points after being given a two-touchdown lead?

Lambeau magic? Please.

And again Favre was lucky. His first interception didn't cost the Packers the game because the Giants gave the ball right back. And again he got huge breaks when the Giants' Lawrence Tynes missed two fourth-quarter field-goal attempts. The latter would have won it for New York at the end of regulation had the kicker made good on it, but didn't thanks to a bad snap.

Imagine. Favre still had a shot to win it for the Packers in OT, and he did what he has done repeatedly in the last decade—choke.

He threw an interception in overtime that cost his team the game.

Isn't that what people were laughing at Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck about for that memorable playoff loss at Lambeau a few years back? Well, Matt, move over, because you've got company.

And yes, this was the third-coldest title game in history, so-called perfect weather for Favre. He never loses in these types of games. And yet there he was, going just 19-for-35 for 236 yards. Favre was supposed to be better than the much more inexperienced Eli Manning, and yet it is the latter going on to the Super Bowl.

And if Manning makes it back again once more in his career he will have tied Favre in appearances in the big game. After all, Favre has only been to two. Lots of other quarterbacks have been there before too. And of course, this will be Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady's fourth appearance. (Two more than the overrated Green Bay pivot if you're keeping score.)

And while fans from New England and New York wait in anticipation of the big game in Arizona in two weeks, Cheesehead fans in Wisconsin can just await the Brett Favre soap opera again with his on-and-off, "should-I-retire-or-come-back" routine.

There will be those who point to that 13-3 regular season. Come on. Look at that schedule Green Bay had during the season. Soft is an understatement when you look at how the Packers had the Lions twice, the Raiders, the Chiefs, and the Rams. Five gimme wins right there. Had they played against real competition, the Packers would have been lucky to go 8-8.

Yes, the Packers routed the Giants in week two at the Meadowlands. Big wow.

Who came out to play in the biggest NFC game of the year? Not Brett Favre.

Ironic, isn't it, considering he threw three touchdowns in that week two romp and became the all-time winningest pivot as a starter in NFL history?

And then he stunk on Sunday.

Yes, this was supposed to be a magical year, being Lambeau's 50th anniversary. And Favre blew it.

"For me, I kept thinking: How many opportunities are we going to let slip away?" Favre was quoted as saying. Damn right, Brett. You'll probably never get to another Super Bowl unless you get a ticket to get in the stands.

But one consolation: whatever you do, Brett Favre, there will be millions out there worshipping you. No matter how many losses you endure, there will always be those who say you're great. You will always be forgiven for your failures.

Is there any other way to define "overrated"?