Even though his annual retirement dance has long become an absurd spectacle, I’ve always maintained that Brett Favre can do whatever he wants.
Play. Don’t play. Sit on your tractor. Take pictures of weird people at Wal-Mart – I don’t care. Who am I to say when an athlete’s time is up? It’s not my decision.
With that in mind, no, I don’t think that it’s a mistake that Favre has decided to come back. Regardless of whether or not you’re entertained by his offseason antics or he makes you want to give yourself an at-home lobotomy, there’s no question that he can still play. And play at an elite level, for that matter.
But will he lead the Vikings to a Super Bowl? I think there are two distinct reasons why he won’t:
1. His Health.
Two years ago, Favre suffered a biceps injury and it played a huge role in sinking the Jets’ playoff hopes in the final month of the season. Last year, he made it all the way to the NFC title game, but he suffered a nasty ankle injury (the same ankle that required surgery in the offseason), which was one of the factors in the Vikings’ demise. Say what you want about Sir Fickle, but the man is a warrior. He’s never missed a game throughout his career and I suspect he never will. But at 40 years old, does anyone really think he’s going to stay healthy enough to lead the Vikes to the Super Bowl? Granted, no player is healthy by about Week 10 of the season, but they’re not 40 years old either. Let’s just play the trends here; the last two years an injury has sunk his team’s Super Bowl hopes. So let’s make it a third this year.
2. Brad Childress.
The Vikings proved last year that with Favre under center, they’re going to compete for a playoff spot. That said, I don’t think Brad Childress is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Why? I think he has troubling developing talent (Adrian Peterson still can’t block and still can’t hold onto the football, Sidney Rice was the next Troy Williamson before Favre arrived, Tarvaris Jackson is arguably no better now than when he was drafted). I think he mishandles situations with players (see Favre, Peterson, Matt Birk, Dwight Smith to name a few). And I don’t think he does a good job of masking his team’s weaknesses (especially when he has a hole to fill on the offensive line). So the question of whether or not Favre can win a Super Bowl with the Vikings gets a little convoluted when you remember that Childress is still the man in charge. Can anyone say with any certainty in their voice that they can envision Childress making the right decisions in crunch time of a Super Bowl? I can’t.
Let’s also keep in mind that Sidney Rice isn’t healthy and Percy Harvin continues to deal with migraines. Both players should be ready to go by Week 1 (Harvin definitely will), but there’s a good chance that the Vikings will regress in 2010 regardless.
Favre gives the Vikes their best chance of winning this year, which is why they had no problem waiting until mid-August before he announced his return. But I still see this team coming up short again this season.
