How Does a Brett Favre Retirement Affect the Vikings?
Okay, we know that Brett Favre is pondering retirement, and despite reports that he’s decided not to come back, there will continue to be skeptics until the season starts.
What everyone will really worry about now, is how the Minnesota Vikings will fare if Favre does decide to retire for good this time.
Favre came into the Vikings organization last year and made an immediate impact. He led the Vikings to their best season in years, taking them to a 12-4 record and to the NFC Championship game.
The Vikings should have probably won that game as they dominated in most statistical categories, but turned the ball over five times, including a Favre interception in the dying moments of the 4th quarter, when the team appeared to be on their way to kicking a winning field goal. The Saints went on to win in overtime and that was the last pass Favre threw in the game.
Despite the disappointing loss, it was still an incredible season for Minnesota, one of which Favre deserves a lot of credit for. He played some of the best football of his career, throwing a career low 7 interceptions in the season. His efficient, elite play, combined with the offensive talent and the lights-out defence, made the Vikings an elite team.
Now with Favre possibly gone, the Vikings may not be that same elite team. That’s not to say the Vikings are no longer a great team. They still have one of, if not, the league’s best running back in Adrian Peterson and a very talented receiving corps that includes Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian.
The question is though, did Favre make them better? Yes, he did. His experience and rocket arm allowed the receivers to have great years. They’re still talented on their own, but with Tarvaris Jackson under centre, they may not have as good a chance to show their best as Favre gave them the chance to.
One thing it won’t affect is the Vikings defence. The Vikings have been consistent against the run in recent years. Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier is one of the best assistant coaches in the league and he has the top defensive line in football with defensive ends (DE) Jared Allen and Ray Edwards on the edges, along with defensive tackles (DT) Pat Williams and Kevin Williams. They generate a run-plugging line and give quarterbacks nightmares.
At linebacker, E.J Henderson, Chad Greenway, and Ben Leber are a solid compliment to the front four.
In the secondary, safeties Tyrell Johnson and Madieu Williams are not among the league’s elite but are able to do the job.
Cornerbacks Cedric Griffin, and newly acquired Lito Sheppard, give the Vikings improvement at the cornerback position and will improve the passing defence.
Kicker (K) Ryan Longwell is among the best in the game, while punter (P) Chris Kluwe is solid. Also, returners Percy Harvin and Darius Reynaud are both explosive.
So this team is stacked across the board, but Brett Favre provided the X-factor last season that turned the Vikings into the elite team that they were. He himself probably meant two or three more wins to the Vikings. Imagine if Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson were running the offence? Still a solid season, but it wouldn’t be enough to beat teams like Green Bay, Dallas or New Orleans.
Without Favre, the Vikings would have to turn to Adrian Peterson to be the main man on offence. The Vikings would probably have the worst quarterbacking situation in their division with Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, and an emerging star in Matthew Stafford under centre for Minnesota’s division rivals.
Things get a lot scarier without Favre, and if the team can’t talk him out of retirement, the door may be open for the Packers or the Bears to reclaim the NFC North crown.
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