Can the Arizona Cardinals Start the Demise of Brett Favre and the Vikings
by Hawkwind on Dec 3, 2009 3:00 PM MST
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PrintFor the first twelve weeks the Minnesota Vikings and their new ageless quarterback Brett Favre have been flying high and they look to extend their four game winning streak when they travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals this weekend. For Favre this has been an almost magical season in which he ranks second in completion percentage (69.3%), touchdowns (24) and QB rating (112.1) as well as ranking eighth in yards (2,874). Quick starts aren't a new thing though for the 19 year veteran, but finishing the season strong has been an issue for the past four years. The final five games of each season have been particularly troublesome for Favre. In fact since 2005 Favre has started the season (first eleven games) with a QB rating of 88.2 and he's finished the season (final five games) with a QB rating of 59.9. Here's a look at his first eleven games of each season.
| Comp | Att | Comp% | Yards | YPA | TD | INT | |
| 2008 | 245 | 347 | 70.6 | 2,461 | 7.1 | 20 | 13 |
| 2007 | 291 | 425 | 68.4 | 3,356 | 7.9 | 22 | 8 |
| 2006 | 230 | 403 | 57.0 | 2,634 | 6.5 | 14 | 10 |
| 2005 | 255 | 401 | 63.6 | 2,714 | 6.8 | 19 | 19 |
| Totals | 1021 | 1576 | 64.8 | 11,165 | 7.1 | 75 | 50 |
Obviously the past two seasons stand out as particularly good starts and his teams fared pretty good as well. In fact his teams (Packers in 2007 and Jets in 2008) were a combined 18-4, including a very similar 10-1 in 2007. Favre's numbers this season might just be the best yet though. So far he's completing 69% of his passes for just over eight yards per attempt and he's tossed 24 touchdowns versus just three picks. So what have his final five games looked like over the same stretch?
| Comp | Att | Comp% | Yards | YPA | TD | INT | |
| 2008 | 98 | 175 | 56.0 | 1,011 | 5.8 | 2 | 9 |
| 2007 | 65 | 110 | 59.1 | 799 | 7.3 | 6 | 7 |
| 2006 | 113 | 210 | 53.8 | 1,251 | 6.0 | 4 | 8 |
| 2005 | 117 | 206 | 56.8 | 1,167 | 5.7 | 1 | 10 |
| Totals | 393 | 701 | 56.1 | 4,228 | 6.0 | 13 | 34 |
It's pretty obvious that Favre has stumbled down the stretch for the past four seasons. His completion percentage drops, his touchdowns have plummeted and he's averaged 1.7 interceptions per game. If you focus on the previous two seasons when his teams entered the final five games at 10-1 and 8-3, his teams have won just four of the ten games. So what is the difference between the Brett Favre during the first eleven games of a season and the final five? His sack rate hasn't jumped drastically in any season other than 2005 and the rate even went down in 2007 and 2008. Obviously his biceps injury played a part last year but does that tell the whole story or could his age just cause him to wear down as the season progresses?
One thing that will undoubtedly help Favre this year is Adrian Peterson and the rest of the Vikings powerful running game but his 358 attempts so far this season aren't an incredibly low number at this point in the season. So can the Arizona Cardinals expect Brett Favre to start his implosion this week?
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Would be nice to see them do that on a nationally televised game.
We did it to Eli, might as well do it to Favre.
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan.
No band-wagoner fans allowed, pick a team and stick with em, throughout the good and the bad.
Game Plan
Favre is overdue for one of those games where he’s throwing into double and triple coverage. He has been incredibly diciplined with his reads and checking the football down underneath when the play is not there down the field.
The key is for DC Davis to come up with a scheme that frustrates Favre early and often. If Favre feels the pressure of feeling like he has to do it alone then imploision is just around the corner. QB’s do have egos and It is not a strech to say that Favre has one.
This is a Nationally Televised game and maybe just maybe a little of that old gunsliger mentality will come to the surface under the bright lights.
No soup for you!
My understanding is that Favre usually knows who’s blitzing pre-snap, so conventional wisdom says to use a delayed blitz or a corner blitz. When Wilson walks up to the line, he gives away all element of surprise, so I say throw him out on a receiver and give him an angled shot at Favre. One thing I remember about the Jets game (last year) was Favre operating in the pocket pretty much all day. If we get some turnovers, we can steal this game.
As a pack fan
1. I was very upset with the scheduling this year. We played the Viqueens twice early in the season. It would like playing the 49ers twice before week 6. That would suck.
2. I hope you start the favre implosion. we hate that guy now.
3. I hope the cards get a big lead in the division race and rest their starters in week 17 :)
4. All this adds up to is: GO CARDS!!!
To be fair
Rodgers could be one of the best Quarterbacks in the NFL if the Packers o-line didn’t suck so much.
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan.
No band-wagoner fans allowed, pick a team and stick with em, throughout the good and the bad.
The Vikings aren't suddenly going to play badly.
That team is operating on all cylinders, and beating some very good teams. If the Cardinals win, it will be a tough, hard-earned win and the Cardinals will have to play their best football.
Favre will only become “due” for an implosion when the team around him plays badly enough to make him desperate.
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