Favre's quality control puts Jets on higher plane

Quarterback curbing his gunslinger ways for first-place New York

By Gerry Fraley, Special to the Rocky

Published November 27, 2008 at 9:24 p.m.

Text size  

• 1 Comment
• Email
• Print

Broncos quick links

Drew on the NFL

Scores and statistics

• Broncos statistics
• Broncos schedule
• Broncos roster
• Broncos depth chart
• NFL scoreboard
• AFC standings
• NFC standings

Broncos inbox

• Submit a question for Jeff Legwold's inbox and look for the answer each Wednesday morning in the Broncos 24/7 blog.

The football gunslinger is mellowing. The mere mention of "manage the game" no longer makes Brett Favre gag.

Throughout his glorious NFL career, Favre has gone against the grain of quarterback play. Let others play like robots and "manage the game." He would throw it around, take as many chances as possible and live with the boom-or-bust results.

When Favre hit, it was spectacular. When Favre missed, he would live for another day. It never was dull.

He played that way for 16 seasons with Green Bay. Favre, after the shortest of retirements, now is with the New York Jets. He is fitting into a new uniform and a new system.

Jets coach Eric Mangini wants a bus-driver quarterback who can "manage the game." Favre, always a race-car driver, tries to go along with it. When the Broncos play at the Jets on Sunday (2:15 p.m. MST, CBS 4), Favre will do his best to "manage the game."

Why change now?

"I'd love to throw 70-yard touchdowns, love to throw six (touchdowns) every game," Favre said in a recent weekly media session. "But I'd much rather win.

"I've got no problems doing whatever it takes to win. I'm not going to leave this room and say, 'I lied to them again.' . . . There's not one thing left out there for me to achieve. Not one thing I set as a goal other than if I'm coming to play for the Jets, it's to win."

So far, it's working.

The Jets lead the AFC East at 8-3, and Favre is adding to his legacy instead of than subtracting from it.

There have been times when Favre could not help himself. He leads the NFL with 13 interceptions, one more than Jay Cutler of the Broncos and Minnesota's Gus Frerotte.

There have been other times when Favre has toned it down and been a magnificent game manager. After giving Tennessee its first loss of the season Sunday, the Jets have won five in a row and seven of their past eight. Favre has been immune to the ravages of the "Last Hurrah" syndrome.

It claimed Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Namath and Johnny Unitas, who embarrassed themselves by moving to a new team for one more season at the end of their careers and playing poorly.

Joe Montana, another Hall of Fame quarterback, beat the "Last Hurrah" by moving from San Francisco to Kansas City and twice getting the Chiefs into the playoffs, including an AFC Championship Game.

If Favre pushes the Jets into the playoffs, it will dwarf Montana's achievement.

Montana joined a team that had made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. Favre joined a team that went 4-12 last season. The Jets made wise free-agent additions on both lines, but Favre has changed the personality of the team.

"That quality that makes a difference for the Jets is with Brett Favre, at no point are you out of a game," said former Baltimore coach Brian Billick, an NFL analyst with Fox. "He might have thrown three interceptions to put you in that position, but you know he can still get you out of it. A team draws strength from that."

Aging gracefully

In an October game against Oakland, Favre got up slowly after taking a hard shot to the right shoulder. Backup Kellen Clemens started to warm up, but Favre stayed in the game.

"You're one tough joker," Clemens told Favre.

"I don't know if it's tough or stupid," Favre responded. "Maybe a combination of both."

At 39, ancient for a quarterback, Favre is in remarkably strong condition. He is nothing like Namath and Unitas, who barely could hobble to the line at the end.

Before the deal, Mangini watched tape of Favre from a year ago, when he threw for 28 touchdowns with a 13-3 team. Everything told Mangini that Favre still had plenty in reserve.

"He looked pretty good (in 2007), and we were not far removed from that," Mangini said. "After talking to him, his energy, his excitement, all those things were impressive."

Favre has taken 460 sacks in 268 regular-season games, and each one left its mark. Despite that, Favre still can move outside the pocket to create a play and has one of the league's biggest arms. Not as big as 10 years ago, but "I would still put it up there with the top guys in the league," Favre said.

The Jets are not treating Favre as if he were falling apart. He has taken the snap on 675 of their 695 offensive plays and shows no signs of fatigue. He has completed at least 70 percent of his passes in seven of the past nine games.

"I love his competitiveness, his arm strength, his mobility, his toughness," St. Louis coach Jim Haslett said. "He's 39, and you can still see all of that. He's everything you want in a quarterback."

Haslett said before Favre put up 40 points in the first half of a 47-7 win against the Rams.

With Favre, the Jets ranked second in the league entering Week 13 for points at 29.4 a game and have scored 65 more points than all of last season. If the Jets continue at that pace, they will set a club record for points in a season at 470.

The 1968 club holds the record with 419 points in a 14-game season. That team featured Namath at quarterback and shocked Baltimore in the landmark Super Bowl III victory.

Bumps along the way

Favre might be the first high-profile athlete to move to New York and find relative anonymity.

In Green Bay, everything revolved around Favre. In New York, Favre is part of the constellation. There is some comfort in that, although Favre insisted the job description has not changed.

He signed on to win games. If he also helps the Jets sell expensive personal-seat licenses for their under-construction new stadium they will share with the Giants, all the better.

"I've always put a lot of pressure on myself, as every player should," Favre said. "Quarterback carries a bit more weight than other positions."

The ride has not been without bumps.

There was Favre's decision to come out of retirement almost as soon as he had clocked out, and the cold shoulder he received from the Packers after changing his mind. The midsummer game of quarterback roulette that led to him landing with the Jets had a mercenary air about it.

Favre was accused, in a report by Fox, of trying to help Detroit prepare for a game against Green Bay by telling the Lions everything he knew about the Packers. Favre has denied the charge, and Green Bay beat the winless Lions 48-25.

Favre also has been given the true New York treatment: Torrential boos after he threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, in a narrow win against Kansas City.

"They seem to follow me everywhere I go," Favre said of the interceptions.

No kidding. Favre is the NFL's all-time leader with 301 interceptions.

New Yorkers still are learning that interceptions come with the Favre package, no matter how he tries to "manage the game." Favre can taketh away as quickly as he giveth.

"The one thing about Brett is he's going to give (the opponent) some opportunities," said former NFL coach Jimmy Johnson, a Fox studio analyst. "Can you balance that with the throws that he makes for touchdowns? That's his style."

Favre recognizes interceptions are no way to "manage the game." At some point, the inner Favre emerges and "you have to turn it loose," he said.

A gunslinger of a quarterback still lurks.

Twilight changes

Brett Favre is the latest in a line of highly successful NFL players to change teams late in a career. How the switch turned out for others:

* TONY DORSETT

By 1988, Dallas' backfield was not big enough for Dorsett and Herschel Walker. The Cowboys traded Dorsett to the Broncos for a fifth-round pick in the 1989 draft. Dorsett, 34, ran for 703 yards and averaged only 3.9 yards a carry, second-lowest figure of his career, for an 8-8 team. A knee injury forced him to retire.

* JOE MONTANA

Convinced San Francisco management would not give him a chance to beat out Steve Young as the starting quarterback. Montana engineered a trade to Kansas City for the 1993 season. Montana had two strong seasons with the Chiefs, going 17-8 in his starts, but he walked away at 38 after a disappointing playoff loss at Miami.

* JOE NAMATH

Namath, worn down by injuries and hard living, joined the Los Angeles Rams to great fanfare in 1977 at 34. He started the first four games at quarterback but was benched by coach Chuck Knox in favor of Pat Haden after a four-interception performance during a loss at Chicago. Namath never played again.

* EMMITT SMITH

Smith rejected Dallas' contention he was finished as a running back at 34 and moved to the Arizona Cardinals for the final two seasons (2003, 2004) of his career. Smith's only accomplishment was adding 1,193 yards to his record career-rushing total. The Cardinals were 10-22 during Smith's stay.

* JOHNNY UNITAS

After Baltimore switched to Marty Domres at quarterback, Unitas ignored suggestions he should retire and joined San Diego in 1973 at 40. He started the first four games and struggled. Unitas threw for three touchdowns and seven interceptions before being replaced by rookie Dan Fouts, also a future Hall of Famer.

* NORM VAN BROCKLIN

Unhappy at splitting time at quarterback with youngster Billy Wade, Van Brocklin demanded a trade after a successful run with the Los Angeles Rams. They exiled him to lowly Philadelphia in 1958. In 1960, Van Brocklin took the Eagles to the NFL title and retired at 35.

Win some, lose some

The Broncos have won the battles against Brett Favre but lost the war against his teams. The teams Favre has had difficulty with statistically during the regular season in his career.

Favre vs. Broncos

A game-by-game look at Favre's career performances against the Broncos while with Green Bay.

• November 28, 2008

  12:31 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  MATTP1 writes:

  Welcome to the Brett Farve love fest,ha ha! Come on Jay this is your chance to play smart and pull out a win.Lets hope they give you a game plan with some imagination ,maybe a roll out or two.Defense play the receivers tight don't give them a ten yard cushion and put some pressure on the old vet.The Jets are looking past this game,play with heart and fire and come home with a win.Go Broncs

Featured

• DNC in Denver

  

  Complete coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

• The Crevasse

  

  A five-part series that examines one tragic day on Mount Rainier.

• Deadly denial

  

  Sick nuclear workers applied for government compensation but most haven't seen a dime.

• Final Salute

  

  The Rocky followed Maj. Steve Beck as he took on the most difficult duty of his career.

• 'Colorado's burning'

  

  Coverage of the state's worst wildfires.

• Columbine shootings

  

  Coverage of the April 20, 1999, shootings at Littleton's Columbine High School.

• The Crossing

  

  Colorado's deadliest traffic accident killed 20 children on Dec. 14, 1961.

• Osveli's journey

  

  Osveli Sales left Guatemala for a better life. Two months later, he came home in a box.

• Wake for an Indian warrior

  

  Oglala Sioux bestow a tribute to the first tribal fatality in Iraq.