What Did Brett Favre and Carlos Zambrano's Sunday Performances Have In Common?

Okay, so before I roast Mr. Hall-of-Fame, I must do like everyone else and pay respect to his past as Mr. Green Bay.

Brett Favre is one of the top-10, best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL.

His accomplishments are well-documented, and his records will stand for a very long time in the NFL.

Yes, we've heard it all before.

Now that's out of the way, can I proceed?

Yes indeed.

Okay, so to say the offense of the New York Jets has been anemic is an understatement. After listening to every NFL show and analyst proclaim the Jets as the new team to beat in the AFC, I couldn't help but wonder.

Why?

It's one thing to add a future Hall-of-Famer to your offense.

It's another thing when he is 38-years-old, your offense is putrid and you won four games a year ago.

Brett Favre is great, but he indeed is aged and needs help. The Jets have basically the same offense from a year ago plus Favre. That's not enough.

After the Patriots lost Tom Brady the first game of the season, people were ready to crown the Jets as the favorite in the AFC East, despite the fact that the Buffalo Bills are playing better.

Wait a minute...

We were blessed with irony and fate, which pitted the Jets playing against the Pats in Matt Cassel's first start. How fitting?

Now we can see first hand how Brett and the Jets would look against the Brady-less Patriots.

If you would have told me that Matt "I'll approach this game like I did in High School, my last start" Cassel would outplay Favre, I would've bet you my school loan check.

I would've lost.

Here are the numbers between the two:

Brett Favre- 18/26, 181 Yards, TD, INT

Matt Cassel- 16/23, 165 Yards, NO INTS

To be honest, those numbers are nearly the same. The difference is, one guy was in his first start with double-coverage on his best receiver all day, while the other is a legend who was expected to produce more.

Maybe people were being too optimistic about the Jets, or maybe Favre needs more time. He clearly doesn't have a firm grasp on the offense, and things may change once he does in this young season.

We are left to look at what has already transpired, and that is Favre is 1-1 with a victory against the Dolphins, and a loss against the Pats without My Fair Brady.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers is ripping it up in Green Bay and he isn't afraid to talk about it.

Here's Aaron Rodgers' numbers through the first two games against the Vikings and the Lions compared against Favre's:

Aaron Rodgers- 42/60, 506 Yards, 4 TD, 0 INT, 117.8 Passer Rating

Brett Favre- 33/48, 375 Yards, 3 TD, INT, 104.1 Passer Rating

Not to say Favre is doing horribly in New York, not to mention Rodgers inherited a 13-3 team while Favre took on a 4-12 team, but Brett isn't really moving that offense.

Rodgers looks electric, while Favre just seems a tad bit overwhelmed. I only can give him so many passes and excuses because he made the decision to come back, although in my estimation he shouldn't have.

The Jets just aren't a good team, and Favre can only do so much.

What does this have to do with Carlos Zambrano you ask?

Sunday Zambrano pitched a no-no for the Chicago Cubs. Chi-town was on their feet and excited about their strong-arm bull Zambrano doing something that hasn't been done in 36 years for the Cubs.

For those who don't know, a no-no is a no-hitter. (I had to say that, maybe someone unfamiliar with baseball will question it.)

Brett Favre led the Jets to 10 points, and that wasn't enough to offset the 19 scored on them by the Patriots.

Coaching can also be blamed for the Jets demise, as they called three running plays in the red zone with goal to go instead of giving Favre a chance to pass for a TD.

Either way, Favre tossed a no-hitter too in that game against the Patriots, a terrible throw to the other teams safety, Brandon Meriweather.

Also, facing a 2nd and 3, Favre dropped back and was pressured by Adalius Thomas, and instead of falling he tried to escape and ended up losing 20-yards on the play, causing a 3rd and impossible 23.

All of that resulted in a loss for the Jets, and Favre's first no-hitter as a Jet. A loss, and a sub-par performance with one of his trademark gun-slinging pick's that could've been avoided.

If Brett doesn't elevate his play, and his teammates don't wake up like the guy in the ESPN Monday Night MC Hammer commercial, then the Jets will be lucky to win eight games.

Last time I checked that doesn't get you to the playoffs, and unlike Carlos Zambrano, Brett can't afford too many Jet no-hitters.