Brett Farve: A Decade Long of Playoff Awfulness

I like to fancy myself the original East Coast Brett Favre hater. Sure, it is passe to dislike the man now. And the good people of Chicago, Detroit and Minnesota (HA!) have hated him for close to two decades. But while he was being showered with adoration for feats accomplished in the past during late 90s and early 00s, I was despising him. Often vocally. People usually laughed me down or outright ignored me. Now the majority of Americans agree that Wrangler jeans suck and only losers would endorse them. Since I have your attention, I am ready to take this argument to next logical step.

Brett Favre is the biggest big game choke artist of the decade. It really isn't close and I have the evidence to prove it.

Lets recap Brett's playoff games since the turn of the millennium, shall we?

January 13th, 2002: Packers 25, 49ers 15
Favre: 22-29, 259 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Favre was still feeling good in his first playoff game of the decade. Good for him. This was back in the days when nobody had ever won a road playoff game at Lambeau, but our buddy Brett would take care of that soon enough. Admittedly a good start for Brett. Give it seven days.

January 20th, 2002: Rams 45, Packers 17
Favre: 26-44, 281 yards, 2 TD, 6 INT

The 2002 Rams went 14-2 and made the Super Bowl. A good team without question. That Rams team, however, was 26th in turnover differential at -10. They gave the ball up much more than they took it away. Enter the gunslinger! In a classic Favre performance, he threw 6 interceptions, THREE OF WHICH WERE RETURNED FOR TOUCHDOWNS. Just massively awful on the level of Jake Delhomme. The first pick 6 set the tone for the game, giving the Rams a 7-0 lead.

January 4th, 2003: Falcons 27, Packers 7
Favre: 20-42, 247, 1 TD, 2 INT

Remember that no visiting team had ever won a playoff game at Lambeau? Ends here, in what was actually a pretty great Brett playoff loss performance. He only threw two picks! Really took care of the ball. This was against a team he lit up for 37 on opening day. Typical Favre: look huge September and small in January. 2 TD and no picks in the opener.

January 4th, 2004: Packers 33, Seahawks 27
Favre: 26-38, 319, 1 TD, 0 INT

In a game most remembered by Matt Hasselback's declaration at the overtime coinflip that "we want the ball and we are going to score", Brett never saw the field in overtime as Hasselbeck proved he learned well from his one time mentor by throwing a horrific overtime pick 6. Farve played well. This was around the time people starting calling the Packers playoff run fate cause Brett's dad died.

January 11th, 2004: Eagles 20, Packers 17
Favre: 15-28, 180, 2 TD, 1 INT

Now, one might look at those numbers and think that Brett played reasonably well. And they would be correct, at least through regulation. For the second consecutive week, the Packers headed to overtime. Unfortunately for Green Bay, this time Brett had to play. After his defense, who are often blamed for this loss due to 4th and 26, forced the Eagles three and out, Brett the great threw a deep ball off his back foot. It looked more like a punt and landed safely in the arms of Brian Dawkins. No Packers were really around the ball. The Eagles won a few plays later.

January 9th, 2005: Vikings 31, Packers 17
Favre: 22-33, 216, 1 TD, 4 INT

All four picks happened while this was still a very competitive game. Typical Favre shitfest. Most memorable for me because this was when Collinsworth laughed it up saying how great Brett was when he illegally threw that underhand flip into the endzone. Penalties at the goal line are so funny! He's having such a good time! Gunslingin' it around! 4 picks in a home playoff game! Highlights with shitty music and graphics here.

January 12th, 2008: Packers 42, Seahawks 20
Favre: 18-23, 173, 3 TD, 0 INT

After three years away, Brett had his finest playoff moment of the decade. Thank God for the Seahawks or this would be a really ugly list for Brett. This set up a home NFC Championship Game in which the Packers would be huge favorites.

January 19th, 2008: Giants 23, Packers 20
Favre: 19-35, 236, 2 TD, 2 INT

This game went into overtime, and in his last game as a Packer at Lambeau he did this. That is Brett's last pass as a Packer at Lambeau field. A horrendous, back breaking playoff interception. So very appropriate. He put up decent numbers, but, as Brett often does, he loses the game for his team.

In total, we have 8 games. 3-5 record in total and 3-3 at home. 1-5 against team not from Seattle. 14 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. 2 interceptions in overtime that led directly to losses. We aren't even mentioning the December 2008 meltdown or the current mess occurring in Minneapolis. Brett Favre: Decade long playoff choke artist.

But he loves the play the game! All those other more successful quarterbacks are mean old football haters.