Hotmail
Packers, McCarthy ready to put Favre saga in past
BRETT FAVRE'S REVENGE
|
|
In case you haven't heard ... Nah, you've heard. Favre — the spurned Packers legend — will return to hallowed Lambeau Field hoping to again extract revenge with the archrival Minnesota Vikings.
The once unthinkable has come to pass. McCarthy himself admitted such to FOXSports.com on Friday.
"I never expected it to come to this," he said.
Because it has, McCarthy spent the early part of this week preparing two things: An offensive game plan to avenge a 30-23 loss to Minnesota earlier this month and a warning to his team not to get sucked into the Favre media hype.
During his last interview before Sunday's game, McCarthy said he's happy with his squad's focus on and off the field. Players have bought into McCarthy's message that Sunday's matchup has far greater consequences than being the Favre Bowl. Even if Fran Tarkenton were under center for the Vikings, Green Bay (4-2) still needs a win or will fall the equivalent of three games behind Minnesota (6-1) in the NFC North.
"What's happened has happened," Packers cornerback and former Favre teammate Charles Woodson said. "When it comes down to playing football, we are all here for one reason. It isn't about Brett or the Vikings. It's about trying to get to the ultimate goal.
"If you focus on a championship, all the other stuff is secondary."
McCarthy said nobody in the Packers organization "wants to make it personal" with Favre. Maybe so. But how can't it be to at least some degree, especially for those involved in the controversial decision to jettison Favre in 2008?
"There are implications here," Packers outside linebacker Aaron Kampman said with a smile on his face.
McCarthy was Favre's quarterbacks coach in 1999. He remained just as close with Favre and helped rejuvenate his career after returning as Packers head coach in 2006. With a mutual respect for the other's gridiron knowledge, professional ties blossomed into more.
"We talked a lot of football — a lot," McCarthy said. "I felt like we had a very good relationship."
The other part of their relationship — the one involving the cold, hard business decisions required from every head coach — destroyed that bond. McCarthy said he hasn't had a conversation with Favre since several days before the trade that sent the latter to the New York Jets.
"And understandably so," McCarthy said on the topic. "He's fulfilling his desires and ambition to continue to play. I don't think anybody disrespects or has a hard time with that.
"There's a time for him to focus on his situation. I know I am focused on the Green Bay Packers."
McCarthy was so convinced that Favre had retired for good this offseason that he didn't bother watching film of the 2008 Jets until Minnesota signed him in mid-August. Favre struggled in the final five games last year because of a torn biceps tendon that was surgically repaired in May.
The difference in Favre's 2009 performance is stunning. He's on pace for a career-high 68.9 completion percentage. Should his 4-to-1 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions continue, Favre would post his gaudiest passing statistics since winning three straight NFL Most Valuable Player awards in the mid-1990s. Favre is working such magic despite having to overcome two major obstacles: age (he turned 40 on Oct. 10) and his late arrival to Vikings training camp.
"I've always thought his strength was his aggressiveness, but sometimes it caught up to him," said McCarthy, referring to Favre's penchant for interceptions. "I don't want to say he plays conservative now, but he does a lot better job of managing the game and taking what the game gives you. That's reflected in his completion percentage."
McCarthy analyzed Favre's play after the NFC Championship game loss that ended Green Bay's 2007 season. McCarthy told general manager Ted Thompson that Favre could continue to thrive for another "two or three years."
"People always talk about a quarterback's arm, but I always felt it was the feet and legs that go first," McCarthy said. "That's what gets guys. They can't avoid the rush in the pocket. As long as he has his feet, (Favre) can play."
That's why McCarthy was so stunned when Favre initially retired in March 2008 after such an impressive 2007 campaign.
"Nobody thought Brett was going to retire," McCarthy said. "I mean nobody."
The he-said, she-said fallout from that decision and Favre's failed attempt to return to Green Bay has continued to this day. Favre has publicly directed his anger at Thompson for not welcoming him back in the 2008 preseason and then refusing his subsequent trade request to Minnesota. The Packers say they were initially willing to take Favre back when he expressed interest in returning shortly after his retirement. When Favre got cold feet, the franchise fully committed to Aaron Rodgers as the new starter. By the time Favre reconsidered once again months later, Green Bay was unwilling to do the same.
"As an organization we were in a tough spot," McCarthy said of the 2008 Favre brouhaha. "I can honestly say during that time, I had two things on my mind: To make sure to respect the organization and not disrespect Brett Favre. I felt we did that.
"You didn't want to disrespect him or his time here. We want to be respected for being put in a tough situation and making a tough decision."
That decision set the tone for a tough season. The Packers were 6-10 last year largely because of injuries and a porous defense. Rodgers posted roughly the same passing numbers as Favre from the previous season but also had yet to show the same penchant for late-game heroics that punctuated No. 4's Packers tenure.
 |
| Mike McCarthy and Brett Favre had a close relationship in Green Bay, but the two haven't talked since Favre's trade to the Jets in August 2008. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images) |
Rodgers is well aware that the NFL legacies of McCarthy and Thompson will ultimately be shaped by whether Green Bay made the right decision in trading Favre.
"I know that I'm here because Ted picked me (in the 2005 draft) and Ted, Mike and (Packers president) Mark Murphy stood behind me in making their decision," Rodgers said. "I know my legacy, whatever it might or might not be, will be tied to Mike and Ted. I know I'm tied to theirs as well. We're all in this together."
Packers players feel the same way because of how McCarthy handled the team's transition into the post-Favre era.
"He was honest with us," Kampman said. "Players are smart. We see through things. This was unprecedented, tough stuff, but we hung together. That helped galvanize our team."
Added Packers center Scott Wells: "Coach McCarthy has done an excellent job of emphasizing that we're a family and to focus on what is here. He constantly is harping that this is our team."
During his last substantive talk with Favre 14 months ago, McCarthy said the possibility of a Lambeau Field return in another uniform was broached.
"I was surprised that he was going to play (in 2009)," McCarthy allowed. "I misjudged that based on everything that was going around and being said at the time."
The Packers are doing nothing special to commemorate Favre's return. Murphy told FOXSports.com that team officials discussed honoring Favre for his 16 Packers seasons but opted against it.
"This is a special game, but from a football standpoint, we're going to approach it just like any other game," Murphy said. "I think that's how you have success."
A victory Sunday wouldn't take all the heat off McCarthy and the Packers for trading Favre. But topping Favre in his old stomping grounds would move Green Bay much closer to finally closing one of the most controversial chapters in the franchise's 90-year history.
"We know we'll hear stuff if we happen not to win this game," Woodson said. "But at the end of the day, they're going to judge Mike on whether he did or didn't win a championship."
And at least for this season, the player who once guided Green Bay to a Super Bowl victory is standing in the way.
"Everybody just wants to beat the Vikings — Brett Favre included," McCarthy said.
Add a comment
advertisement
