Brett during the 07 NFCCG/Bench him now?

[longtimefan]

Pelissero: Being Brett Favre may only get him one more shot | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities | Radio home of the Minnesota Twins

DEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- It was halftime of the NFC championship game in January 2008, and Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was fed up with Brett Favre.

The veteran quarterback's numbers were fine -- 10-of-18 passing for 163 yards with a touchdown and a 104.6 passer rating -- and the Packers led the New York Giants 10-6.


But on a blustery night at Lambeau Field, where the game-time temperature was 1 below with a minus-23 wind chill, there were signs Favre was on the verge of freezing up. His body language suggested he simply didn't want to be on the field.


As those who witnessed the scene tell it, McCarthy was venting in a corner of the locker room when, in a particularly stressful moment, he blurted out something to the effect of, "If that guy weren't Brett Favre, I'd bench his ***!"


The rest of the story is well-documented. After halftime, Favre was 9-of-17 for 73 yards and threw two interceptions, including the overtime dagger into the hands of Giants cornerback Corey Webster that set up New York's winning field goal.


At 38 years old, Favre had provided evidence the Packers needed to move on when he retired, waffled and ultimately demanded his release the next summer. If Favre no longer could handle the cold, no longer could win in January, what was the point of getting strung along every offseason and letting former first-round draft pick Aaron Rodgers' development go to waste?


The Minnesota Vikings don't have Aaron Rodgers. They have 27-year-old Tarvaris Jackson, who already has flamed out in multiple shots at the starting role.


They also have Favre, a 41-year-old future Hall of Famer who has made abundantly clear he plans to start a 316th consecutive NFL game on Sunday at New England despite a significant ankle/foot injury -- and mistake-prone play that had Childress considering a switch in the second half last weekend.


There's a saying in NFL personnel departments that you compound an error by refusing to admit it soon enough. And that's precisely what Childress would be doing by sticking with Favre because of his name, a $16 million salary and the borderline-embarrassing way the Vikings begged him to play a 20th season -- if Childress thinks Jackson has a chance to do better.


Whether Jackson has that chance is hypothetical, of course. Everyone including Childress knows about Jackson's shortcomings and failings last time around, and if he had ascended beyond developmental QB, there would have been no need to entice Favre -- twice -- to come take the job away.


However, there's no question Childress is frustrated with Favre, as well as a 2-4 record that's turned the Vikings from contender to punchline in less than two months. After Sunday's 28-24 loss at Green Bay, Childress used his media conference to heap blame on officials and Favre's three interceptions -- an outburst he said on Thursday was a product of "being aggravated. That's it. You snap every now and then."


Favre ranks 30th in the NFL in passer rating (68.0). Opponents have turned his 14 turnovers -- five more than he committed in 2009, putting him on pace for a career-high 37 -- into 51 points. He was a physical and emotional wreck on Sunday night, the weight of his on- and off-the-field problems visible on his face as he held back tears in the locker room.


And even if Favre gets some practice work on Friday, he will have missed the bulk of the reps this week with an injury that had him in a walking boot for days -- making him even less mobile and no closer to finding the rhythm, timing and tempo he's lacked all season with his receivers.


All that said, this is Brett Favre, and deciding to sit him against his wishes for even one week would have far-reaching implications, particularly if Jackson flops. Considering how Favre has approached the week, it's probably a matter of when, not if, he declares himself fit to play on Sunday.


The near-comical dichotomy continued on Thursday afternoon -- Favre calling out within earshot of reporters that he needs a Size-15 shoe to accommodate a splint for his fractured heel, and Childress hours later saying Favre is "doing a little better every day. Whether it's good enough to play in an NFL football game remains to be seen."


The guess here is Childress will give the NFL's all-time ironman one more shot to prove he's willing and able to play efficiently and within the system, as he did so well one year ago. There's too much to lose, too much hell to pay, if Favre is put in a position to play the victim before kickoff.


And if he fails, because of injury or everything else, it finally wouldn't matter that he's Brett Favre. Few would fault Childress for trying to patch a sinking ship, at least temporarily, by doing the same thing McCarthy had a notion to do with Favre on that frigid night in Green Bay.


Bench his ***.

 

[Jess]

McCarthy would've been fired had he benched Favre at halftime during that game and we still lost.

He literally would have been run out of town.

 

[Forget Favre]

Seems like Farv has some kind of power over coaches.
It's just talked about benching him but it won't be done.
If Childress had been serious about it, he would have done it instead of just talking about it.
It's all like the Emperor who wears no clothes.
Very few will see or admit that Farv is a loser.
Yeah, he is the Vikings best hope. But not good enough to win this year.

 

[Jess]

Didn't Childress bench Favre against Carolina last year?

In a game they still had a chance to win, if I remember right.

 

[longtimefan]

No he didnt...They had a little lovers spat on sidelines

At least I think that was it?

 

[Murgen]

Yeah, Childress told Brett to come out and Brett flat out refused to leave the game.

 

[Jess]

That was it.

I remembered something happened in that game.

 

[packerfan4ever]

brett should make it easy on cilly and sit this one out,give the team a chance to win or is that why he will play ankle is bad back up q.b is bad that is why i'm here mine as well play they have better chance with me.:sinking:

 

[gbpowner]

After witnessing BF throwing away a couple of Packer seasons over the years, seeing him end a promising Jet season & now largely contributing to the sinking of the Viking ship; as a Packer fan...I say let the old man continue his streak. It's all win-win situation for BF fans and Packer fans alike; however, not so much for the Vikes or their fans! :viksux:

 

[ivo610]

McCarthy would've been fired had he benched Favre at halftime during that game and we still lost.

He literally would have been run out of town.

Yeah that could have turned into a disaster. If Rodgers lost he would have been run out of town too.

 

[longtimefan]

Yeah, Childress told Brett to come out and Brett flat out refused to leave the game.

Panthers beat Minnesota Vikings 26-7: Brett Favre argues with Brad Childress (video & slideshow) - National Cultural Trends | Examiner.com

Favre said Childress wanted to take him out of the game to avoid taking more hits from Julius Peppers and the Carolina defensive line.
Favre said,

"Brad wanted to go in a different direction. And I wanted to stay in the game. It's not 70-6, but we were up 7-6. I said I'm staying in the game. I'm playing."
​

LOL @ telling the coach what your going to do

I guess I never seen/heard that b4

 

[Texpackerfan]

McCarthy wanted to bench Favre at halftime 2008 NFC championship game

I hope those will forgive me for posting about about a horrible loss that happened 3 years ago but I heard something on a Green and Gold Podcast that I thought was somewhat interesting. And hey, it's the offseason.

Jason Wilde (I think) said that he heard that MM was so ticked at Favre after the first half he was thinking of benching Favre and putting in Rodgers. I don't know if it's true or not but it's kind of neat to think Rodgers could have played and quite possibly have gone to the SB. Also, Jason, made a comment that if that was true, it gives more credence to the fact that when Favre "retired" it gave them an opportunity to go with Rodgers. So with that, I thank Favre for retiring then.


On a side note:
NFL network showed one of the "greatest" games and it was about the 2008 NFC championship game. While that loss probably was quite possibly the worst loss because I thought they were going to win since they were at home. But, it's nice watching Woodson, MM, Driver, and Tauscher talk about how bad that loss was and knowing that in a just a few years, those guys WILL win a SB. Watching that game show gives me a feeling of redemption for them.

 

[LAG]

My thoughts about # 4 after he threw that pic in the NFC Championship game where not sentimental, neither.

 

[Bogart]

I don't believe this at all. Brett Favre was what got us to the NFC Championship that year. He had a hell of a year, and his stats proved it. It just seems unreal that a coach is going to pull the quarterback out at half time after such a great season. If you think about this being any other quarterback that's name isn't Favre, you'll see what I mean. (Marty Schoitenhiemer could not bench Kosar after a ****** start in the '87 AFC Championship, since it was his season leading the league in passing.)

It just seems like it's too good to be true to come out, after we just won the super bowl without him.

I do believe we were done with him after that game. Retiring and coming back had nothing to do with us finally breaking ties with him. Even had Favre not retired, I believe we would have traded him. Actually we did.

 

[bozz_2006]

I don't believe this at all. Brett Favre was what got us to the NFC Championship that year. He had a hell of a year, and his stats proved it. It just seems unreal that a coach is going to pull the quarterback out at half time after such a great season. If you think about this being any other quarterback that's name isn't Favre, you'll see what I mean. (Marty Schoitenhiemer could not bench Kosar after a ****** start in the '87 AFC Championship, since it was his season leading the league in passing.)

It just seems like it's too good to be true to come out, after we just won the super bowl without him.

I do believe we were done with him after that game. Retiring and coming back had nothing to do with us finally breaking ties with him. Even had Favre not retired, I believe we would have traded him. Actually we did.

I don't think it's unbelievable. I often want to hit certain people, or swear at them, or tell them just how stupid they are... but I don't, and I won't. If it's true, and he says that in the moment he wanted to bench him, it doesn't mean that it was actually a real possibility. Wanting to bench him and actually doing it are two very different things.

 

[Texpackerfan]

I don't think it's unbelievable. I often want to hit certain people, or swear at them, or tell them just how stupid they are... but I don't, and I won't. If it's true, and he says that in the moment he wanted to bench him, it doesn't mean that it was actually a real possibility. Wanting to bench him and actually doing it are two very different things.

I agree with you. He may have wanted to, but it's one of those things no coach would ever do, bench their star in a championship game. I think it happened once, with Unitas. Also, I think had Favre not retired, he would have started the season. However, I don't think it's out of the question that if he struggled, MM would have put in AR.

 

[dobolina]

It just seems like it's too good to be true to come out, after we just won the super bowl without him.

I do believe we were done with him after that game. Retiring and coming back had nothing to do with us finally breaking ties with him. Even had Favre not retired, I believe we would have traded him. Actually we did.

That story came out long before the Packers won the Super Bowl.

 

[longtimefan]

Someone where on this forum there is same story

Not sure is from same reporter, but it is same story..Prob from a few months ago

 

[longtimefan]

I am sure we have a thread on this?

so could some one search it

From OCT 29th 2010


Pelissero: Being Brett Favre may only get him one more shot - Minnesota Vikings news | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities | Minnesota Twins radio home

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- It was halftime of the NFC championship game in January 2008, and Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was fed up with Brett Favre.
The veteran quarterback's numbers were fine -- 10-of-18 passing for 163 yards with a touchdown and a 104.6 passer rating -- and the Packers led the New York Giants 10-6.
But on a blustery night at Lambeau Field, where the game-time temperature was 1 below with a minus-23 wind chill, there were signs Favre was on the verge of freezing up. His body language suggested he simply didn't want to be on the field.
As those familiar with the scene tell it, McCarthy was venting when, in a particularly stressful moment, he blurted out something to the effect of, "If that guy weren't Brett Favre, I'd bench his ***!"

 

[Tecmo]

I like to think this game never happened and Brett's final game as a Packer was the snow bowl against Seattle.

In all seriousness though, if MM put Rodgers in and we still lost? MM would not be the coach in Green Bay right now and we would more than likely not be celebrating a Super Bowl XLV win.

 

[Texpackerfan]

I am sure we have a thread on this?

so could some one search it

From OCT 29th 2010


Pelissero: Being Brett Favre may only get him one more shot - Minnesota Vikings news | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities | Minnesota Twins radio home

Thanks for that!

That's pretty much what Jason said on the show. If it wasn't Favre, MM would have benched him. I didn't know his numbers were that good at halftime but I remember being worried that they weren't going to win because they weren't producing at all but added to that, Grant was not able to run either.

 

[Forget Favre]

I agree with you. He may have wanted to, but it's one of those things no coach would ever do, bench their star in a championship game. I think it happened once, with Unitas. Also, I think had Favre not retired, he would have started the season. However, I don't think it's out of the question that if he struggled, MM would have put in AR.

Someone where on this forum there is same story

Not sure is from same reporter, but it is same story..Prob from a few months ago

I am sure we have a thread on this?

so could some one search it

From OCT 29th 2010


Pelissero: Being Brett Favre may only get him one more shot - Minnesota Vikings news | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities | Minnesota Twins radio home

There is this from PFT:
Benching Brett Favre is hard to do | ProFootballTalk

Benching Brett Favre is hard to do

Posted by NBC Sports on October 30, 2010, 7:38 PM EST
Mike McCarthy feels Brad Childress’ pain.

More than any current coach, McCarthy knows how difficult it can be to manage Brett Favre, quarterback, at the same time as Brett Favre, legend. Tom Pelissero of ESPN1500.com recounts a story at halftime of the NFC Championship in January of 2008 when McCarthy was frustrated with Favre.

“If that guy weren’t Brett Favre, I’d bench his ***!” McCarthy reportedly vented to others in the corner of a locker room.

The threat was empty, of course. It was a coach blowing off some steam. Aaron Rodgers stayed on the sidelines, and Favre threw two interceptions after halftime as Green Bay blew a lead against the Giants on a bitter night in Packers history.

 

[longtimefan]

yup I knew we had a thread on this already

So I merged the two

 

[PackersRS]

McCarthy would've been fired had he benched Favre at halftime during that game and we still lost.

He literally would have been run out of town.

Completely agree.

There was no possibility of Favre being benched, not with the way he played all season, had played at the half, the situation we were win, and Rodgers' innexperience.

If that wasn't Favre and was, say, Jake Plummer who had just had that season, then yes, but only knowing know what kind of QB Rodgers were in early 08.

 

[longtimefan]

HOLY balls RS thats a huge sig