Packers vs. Vikings Will Lead To Rodgers vs. Favre Debate

We knew it was coming.

On Monday Night Countdown ESPN analyst Tom Jackson referred to the after-effect this game would have, right or wrong.  He said if the Packers won the response would be that Green Bay brass (Thompson, McCarthy) made the right choice in choosing to move on and see what the franchise had in their QB of the future.

But if the Vikings won, which they did 30-23 Monday night in fabulous Favre big-game fashion, then the Packers decision 3 years ago would be proven the wrong one.

Maybe everyone doesn’t feel this way, but the casual fan and the unflappable Favre followers will draw this conclusion based on the result of the game.

But I ask this.  What happens when you switch the two quarterbacks Monday night?  Do you really think a soon-to-be 40 year-old Favre would have fared any better against that same Minnesota team?  It would have been the same unblockable Jared Allen rushing against a rookie third-string left tackle all night causing havok.  The interior lineman, Kevin and Pat Williams, will still stuff up the middle and force more dropping back because running the ball is largely ineffective.  If anything I think the youth and mobility of Rodgers kept the Packers in a one score football game, despite never feeling that close to winning the game in the second half.

By the way Favre was not sacked once in Monday’s game.  I bet Rodgers (Sacked 8 times, pressured endless times) would have liked to have those same conditions..

Just as I have said in previous posts, I agree with the choice Ted Thompson and the Packers made in giving the ball to Aaron Rodgers.  As Mike Tirico noted on MNF, “the Packers had to make a decision to take control of their franchise back.”

All that being said I have also supported Brett Favre doing whatever he wants since Green Bay told him he would no longer be their signal-caller.  Favre saw a team with as much talent on both sides of the football as there is in the NFL.  He fits right into their offense and maybe he will ride the overwhelming percentages that say 4-0 teams almost always go on to make the playoffs.

I will not take away from the great game #4 played against his former team.  He was fantastic, and so was Minnesota’s game plan. He has now beaten every NFL team in his 19 year career.  But this game is bigger than two players no matter how sexy that storyline may be.

This is not about Brett Favre is better than Aaron Rodgers.  It’s about the Minnesota Vikings are better than the Green Bay Packers.  And even when Green Bay, the youngest team in the NFL, made a number game-changing mistakes, the final deficit was still only 7 points.

Can’t wait until November 1st at Lambeau!

As always, feel free to share your thoughts below.  Let the debate begin!!