Bears Blitz

Brett Favre: Bears Make Only Logical Choice in Passing on Former Rival

Published by Michael Dixon on December 6, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

The Bears‘ playoff chances don’t look very good right now. On paper, they’re okay, but they have to figure out a way to manage a schedule that includes road games against the red-hot Broncos and the undefeated Packers. In between, they host the suddenly resurgent Seahawks.

The answer to that problem is not Brett Favre. Thankfully, as was reported on ESPN Chicago, the Bears seem to agree.

Considering how good the Bears were before Jay Cutler went down, a move for Favre would seem good. After all, he’s a future Hall of Fame quarterback with more passing yards and touchdowns than any quarterback in history. If all we’re looking at is that, the move looks okay.

But we’re looking at so much more than that, which is why this move would be horrible. There are several drawbacks to Favre, but let’s start with this one. Favre also has more interceptions than any quarterback in NFL history.

Note that a big reason for the Bears’ current losing streak is Caleb Hanie’s annoying tendency to throw the ball to the guys in the other jerseys at the exact wrong moments. It wouldn’t be better under Favre. Just like passing yards and touchdowns, Favre has more interceptions than any quarterback in NFL history.

In Favre’s last season, he threw 19 interceptions against only 11 touchdown passes, which leads us to the next drawback.

A big reason that Favre has so many records is that he played so many games. His consecutive games played streak is legendary. But in 2010, Favre was forced to miss three games due to injury.

Favre took an absolute beating in the previous season’s NFC championship game against the Saints and never looked healthy the following year. Even when he was on the field, Favre was never on track. For the first time in his career, Favre looked his age.

Now he’s a year older and hasn’t played an NFL game in nearly a full year. Anyone who thinks that Favre would revert to his pre-2010 self now that he’s 42 and coming off of a year’s absence is just kidding themselves.

Lastly, we have the circus. Everything Favre does attracts attention. How good he is in the locker room can be debated, but it doesn’t matter. The zoo will be there.

This is a team trying to survive the loss of Cutler and Matt Forte and find a way into the playoffs. It’s going to be hard enough, as nearly the entire NFC is in some way vying for one of the NFC’s two Wild Card spots.

If Favre comes in, the extra attention comes in. The ridiculous questions follow that. It’s just not worth it for the Bears.

If his production was bankable, then the distraction would be fine. But the only thing bankable about his production is that it won’t be anywhere near good enough to get this team into the playoffs.

Even if that same thing applies to the Bears with Hanie as the starter, it’s better to lose in relative obscurity than to lose in a constant circus.

I’m not even looking at the complexities of a Mike Martz offense, which Favre has no history with.

Favre walking into an offense that he has a complete history with right now would be a bad idea. This is just catastrophic.

The Bears are better off without Favre. The best thing for Favre to do is stay retired.

This move would be nothing but a disaster for all parties involved.