Brett Favre: Is His Monday Night Football Start Heroic Or Idiotic?
Brett Favre will play Monday Night in the snow. The Vikings quarterback will take his severely sprained shoulder and try and get a late season win against the Bears.
USA Today is reporting that Favre will take the snaps in today's freezing conditions. But what is the endgame here? Leslie Frazier let on this weekend that it was a grim chance that Favre would even suit up. With a very hard playing surface and one of the better defenses coming in to face them, the Vikings may have made a bad decision.
But then again, Favre does have a lot of reasons to force the issue. So is his start a good idea for Minnesota?
5. Heroic: Woeful Season
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This has been a forgettable season for the Vikings. Before the season started, Vikings fans believed that they needed one piece to return to the postseason and have a shot at the Super Bowl. That piece was Brett Favre's return.
It turns out that you cannot guarantee a successful season. Favre aged overnight. The quarterback looked like anything but the star QB that took the Vikings within one game of the Super Bowl last year. The Vikings got so bad that their firing of head coach Brad Childress became necessary. Favre's return very well could be one last effort to put a smile on Vikings fan's faces.
5. Idiotic: Nothing To Play For
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Favre's return, while newsworthy has little to do with necessity. The Vikings have little to play for except respect tonight. They are behind Green Bay in the NFC North with a 5-8 record. Even if they win out, they will fail to make the wild card spot in the conference.
There is no reason to send an injured player out in freezing conditions. If the Vikings were on the cusp of salvaging their season, I could see it. But as it stands, there is little point to doing so.
4. Heroic: Spoiler
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One of the better parts of sports is that there is always an interesting story line. Just when you think that a team has no exciting reasons to make you watch their game, a little digging proves otherwise.
The Bears are in first in the NFC North, but as we all know, nothing is safe yet. The Bears are not secured in their postseason endeavours. A loss tonight could go a long way to unraveling the season they fought so hard to put together.
They are still one game up on the Packers for the division title. But their road is significantly harder if they drop an assumed win to the Vikings. After tonight, they play the New York Jets. That is a game that could go either way. But a loss tonight and against the Jets in two weeks would force a must win at the end of the season with the Packers.
That game could be for all the marbles.
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4. Idiotic: Conditions
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These are not prime conditions to play in, especially for an injured quarterback. The Vikings and Bears will do battle at TCF Bank Stadium. It will be the first outdoor NFL game in Minnesota in 29 years. There is a reason for that.
The ground is frozen solid. Couple that with visibility being at an all-time low and you have all the components for disaster. Imagine getting thrown to the ground on concrete. That is what the players will be dealing with tonight. I am glad I get to watch it from home with some hot coffee.
3. Heroic: Last Hurrah
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This may be it for Brett Favre. If he gets out of this game alive, he will have only two more chances to display his otherworldly talent. We have been graced with the ability to watch one of the greatest NFL players of all-time do his thing for so many years.
We can safely say that his time taking snaps is at an end. That fact is a great reason to let it all on the line. The Vikings have nothing to play for, but that is precisely why it will not hurt starting Favre. If he gets into trouble or has a miserable game, then there is nothing lost.
But this could be a special moment that allows Favre to leave on his own terms.
3. Idiotic: Chicago Bears
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Granted, there is a lot I like about starting Brett Favre. It is a tough decision that yields great entertainment value. But does it have to be the Bears that they have to face?
The Bears are one of the toughest defensive teams that boast a terrific pass rush. An onslaught of defensive lineman is what got Favre into trouble in the first place. The Vikings quarterback will be forced from the pocket all night. You can bet that at multiple times in the game he will be pounded into the frozen surface of TCF Bank Stadium. One hit could mean the assured end of his season.
2. Heroic: It's Brett Favre
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Of course he is going to play. The fact that he is injured and wants the ball should come as no shock to NFL fans. The man has been playing hurt his whole career it seems. This game will just add to the lore of Brett Favre.
One of the greatest in the history of the game will also go down as one of the toughest. With little feeling in his hand, Favre will go out against one of the top defenses in the league. He will do it on a frozen blustery night. What is not heroic about that?
2. Idiotic: Adrian Peterson
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The Vikings get back one star but must sideline another. MSNBC is reporting that Adrian Peterson (knee, ankle) will be inactive for Monday Night's festivities.
That fact is crucial for the Vikings and their gunslinger, Brett Favre. If rookie Toby Gerhart cannot produce from the line, then Favre will have to go to the air. That is precisely the issue the Vikings do not want. With an injured shoulder, it will be beneficial to keep Favre's attempts to a minimum.
On top of that, there is no telling if he can get off the deep throws necessary to spread the field. Make no mistake, losing Adrian Peterson is huge.
1. Heroic: Treat For Fans
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While this point does not weigh on the mind of Favre, it should be considered anyway. This game just piqued the interest of even the most fair-weather of NFL fans. Anytime Favre steps onto the field it is something special.
Sports fans flock to the NFL for many reasons. But the closest to our hearts is the fierce battle that gets played out before our eyes. We like to see warriors go out there and lay it all on the line. That is one reason Favre is such a polarizing figure. Hate him or love him, you have to respect his grittiness.
1. Idiotic: He Is Still Injured
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Favre may suit up and take snaps today but he is not 100%. The Vikings quarterback will still have effects of his severely sprained right shoulder.
Head Coach Leslie Frazier told us as much as recently as Saturday. He relayed to Foxsports.com, "Yeah, he tried to throw, just to see what kind of velocity he had on the football and how much pain he would have in throwing. The pain was too much for what he would have to do on Monday night."
We all know that Favre is resilient but the truth is, he is still hobbled. He will go out in a prime time game against a fierce defense with a very questionable arm. That is not the kind of fact Vikings fans will enjoy hearing.
Conclusion
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Is it possible to be both heroic and idiotic? That may be just what this situation has yielded. If I had to choose a side in this debate I would have to side with heroic. Brett Favre may be taking the snaps, but it is Leslie Frazier's decision to start him.
Brett Favre is merely following orders. We should note that the man wants the ball. When doesn't he want it? That is what makes him so fascinating. Hurt, maligned, or otherwise, the man loves to play football. That should be the main focus of tonight. One man that refused to give up the game he loves so easily. He will fight and scrap for every minute he has left.
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