The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Chad Courrier

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October 6, 2009

Favre signing paying off

For all the angst it caused over the last two years, for all the confusion and bitterness and questions, for all the circus … bringing Brett Favre to Minnesota seems like it was worth it.

Favre is a diva, no question. He’s attracted to TV cameras and microphones like Minnesota State students are to 2-for-1s.

But through four victories, including Monday’s 30-23 victory over Green Bay at Metrodome, there’s no denying what he’s done for an organization that could have sputtered on the rebuilding track but now seems early into a memorable season.

The opening drive was nothing spectacular. Favre handed off to Adrian Peterson seven times — always a good play. He completed all five passes, with only one going for more than 5 yards.

The drive at the end of the half, going 84 yards in seven plays in three minutes? That was special.

Can you imagine backup Tarvaris Jackson thriving in this pressure-packed environment, showing the patience to let tight end Visanthe Shiancoe run all the way across the field and firing a strike that had enough heat to catch the defender by surprise? If you can, you have a pretty good, and odd, imagination because nothing in Jackson’s pedigree suggests that kind of performance.

Every time adversity struck, Favre answered. That’s something that

hasn’t happened at the quarterback position here in the last decade.

The Favre experiment was a worthwhile risk because of games like this. There’s no question you need a defense that sacks quarterbacks and produces turnovers. You also need a strong running attack, which Peterson amply provides.

But without a quarterback who can manage the tough times — and there were plenty on Monday — the whole operation bogs down.

Favre seems to have clicked with receiver Bernard Berrian, who made six catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Yet he looks comfortable with all of his targets, which is amazing given that he snubbed Mankato and the first two weeks of training camp.

He brought back memories of Fran Tarkenton with a third-quarter dance behind the line of scrimmage, holding the ball long enough to find tight end Jeff Dugan with a 25-yard bullet. Then he looked like Tom Brady by arcing a 31-yard touchdown pass down the sideline to Berrian on the next play.

Nearly every fan in the lower bowl of the Dome, which held 63,846 fans for this one, stood for the entire game, and not just to hail the beer vendor. Favre has created excitement not seen in this building since Gary Anderson hooked that field goal that would have won the 1998 NFC Championship game.

Outside the building, a man was selling purple and white No. 4 jerseys, almost in that same spot where someone was peddling “Favre Sucks” shirts just a couple years ago.

Was it a gamble to bring Favre here? Of course. It still is.

But it’s tough to fathom such electricity and success with Jackson or Sage Rosenfels at the controls.



Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353 or e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com.

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Chad Courrier