Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Favre's Greatest Plays


While watching the 2 hour and 40 minute marathon that was the Ohio State/Purdue game (Thank you Ohio State!) I was thinking about Favre's greatest plays. He's had a ton in his career and I am sure we all have different thoughts about what plays we enjoyed the most, but these are the five I came up with off the top of my head (I am sure I am missing an obvious one somewhere):

1.) December 1994: Last Second TD run against the Falcons in last game at County Stadium: Maybe it was because I was at this game, but this was the most exciting Favre play I can remember. The Packers needed this game to make it into the playoffs for the second straight season. With no TOs left and under 20 seconds on the clock, Favre took off for the corner of the end zone on a scramble and dove in to give the Packers the win. A great game and the play was remembered as an Associated Bank check. Good Times.

2.)January 1994: Wild Card game at Detroit: 40 yard heave to Sharpe with under a minute to go. An amazing throw across his body to an amazingly wide open Sharpe. As much as the NFL's greatest games episode showing the loss to the Niners angers me, this one makes me thrilled. It honestly sends shivers down my spine. An amazing game, and as Spielman says, this is the game that made Favre. Also props to Teague for the INT return, but the throw to Sharpe was amazing. If you ever watch the replay, Sharpe is damn close to not getting both feet in bounds.

3.) January 1997: TD pass to Rison in the Super Bowl: This was a 50-plus yarder on what I believe was the second or third play the Packers ran. Just awesome. Favre going crazy after that is the defining footage of his career. What a great moment. Members of TLC were also excited.

4.) September 1995: 99 yards to Robert Brooks against the Bears at Soldier on a Monday Night: I admit I had to look up the date for this one, but the replay of that play is vivid in my mind. Just beautiful. And against the Bears. No anytime the Packers have the ball at their 1, I annoy all those around me by calling for the 99 yard pass to Brooks along the right sideline.

5.)October 2007: Bomb on first play of OT to Jennings to beat the Broncos: This play makes it in over the Freeman catch against the Vikings. An 80-plus yard perfect strike to Jennings on the first play of OT after the Pack let the Broncos drive the field to tie the game at the end of regulation. This was the play that made me realize the Packers were for real this season. I jumped out of the recliner and dove head first and slid across the wood floor of my living room. It was awesome. Just a perfect strike by Favre.

Obviously the Oakland game in December 2003 was something else as well. Anybody who watched that night could really feel for Favre and it was great how everybody stepped their game up. My Dad passed away about a year later. A couple months after that, I was watching the NFL network and they had an hour long show replaying parts of that game with comments from the players. After it was over, i just sat there and couldn't move for a while. Watching the game live was amazing. A year later having experienced some of the same feeling Brett was probably feeling and seeing the game again was just an experience I will never forget.

Favre was far from perfect, but he was our QB, the one we will tell out kids about, they will have his Fathead on their wall, they will wonder why their dads are sitting around talking about this guy. For me, watching a Packer game will never be the same. Our Packer legend has hung 'em up.

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