Troll report: Favre's numbers in perspective

 

He apparently likes CHFF, because he seems to read the site every day ... but then typically feels compelled to complain about something we published that day. (He also seems to think we're afraid to criticize ourselves ... which is kind of foolish to anyone who's spent any amount of time around here, as critiquing CHFF ourselves is something of a pigskin pastime that we encourage.) 

 

In any case, every now and then Mark comes armed with some interesting data, as he does below.

 

Today he took exception to a stat we published the other day ("Monday Night Favreball reaches a new low") about Brett Favre's record when he passes 40 or more times per game.

 

Here's the passage to which we took exception:

 

CHFF: Young was right. BrettFavre is 160-94 (.630) in the regular season over the course of his career. But in games in which he throws the ball 40 or more times, he's a pathetic 26-43. BrettFavre is also 0-4 in the playoffs when asked to throw 40 or more times, or a combined record of 26-47 (.356) when asked to carry the load. In other words, nearly half of Favre's regular-season losses, yet just one-sixth of his victories, came when he was asked to carry the load. To put Favre's numbers into perspective, consider that Tom Brady is 17-8 (.680) in games in which he passes 40 or more times (including 4-1 in the playoffs).

".....To put Favre's numbers into perspective...." ?

In other words, to gauge how fuel efficient my automobile is relative to the field I should compare it to a Toyota Prius? No, I judge it against all other automobiles.

But since we don't have time to do that, let's compare Favre to just a couple others (once again, I'm doing your work for you). I won't go middle of the pack either ... let's compare him to two of the greatest of all time: Joe Montana and Bart Starr. 

Montana's career record as a starter was 117-47 (71.3%).  His record when he threw 40 or more passes in a game was 16-19 (45.7%).

We're talking about a guy who won four Super Bowls (for you slow learners that means he never lost one, like Tom Brady did).

We're talking bout a guy who played in Bill Walsh's offense, an offense that is probably responsible more than any other for the passing dominated era of today. Yet, he couldn't manage a winning record when he threw more than 40 passes.

Montana is your No. 2 rated QB of all time.

How about the beloved, holier-than-thou, Turtle Wax icon, CHFF No. 1 rated QB of all time Bart Starr?

His career record is 94-57-6 (61.8%). 

Since Starr played in an era when there was a lot less passing, I could find only one game where he threw more than 40 passes (subject to box score availability). So I targeted all the games where Starr threw 30 or more passes (today's equivalent of 40 passes a game?). 

His record in those games was 11-14-4 (44.8%). If you focus on the Lombardi years of 1959-1967, his record in games where he threw 30 or more passes was 7-7-3 (50.0%). 

Thanks for allowing me to "put Favre's numbers into perspective". 


CHFF responds:

 

Good information. But Mark, like a lot of people, seems to miss the point of the article.

 

The point of the article was not to criticize Favre. The point of the article was to point out the gaping chasm between the way he's portrayed on ESPN and his actual on-field performances, and to criticize the ass-hats from the worldwide leader in shameless hype who angrily DEMANDED that the Jets "unleash" their "new toy" and allow Favre to "fling it all over the field" and "have fun."

 

Specifically, ESPN broadcasters demanded that the Jets throw it 40 or more times (hence our use of that figure), even if it means two or three INTS, which would have been a sign of "leadership" in their eyes.

 

That's the point, folks: not to criticize Favre, but to point out the stupidity of so-called analysts DEMANDING that Favre throw the ball on practically every down ... despite the fact it doesn't work. You'd think they all had Favre on their fantasy team.

 

It was a critique of long-time football guys who should know better ... but apparently don't. They're filling the minds of impressionable young football fans with their filth and ignorance and hype, and we need to tone it down a notch by pointing out the Cold, Hard Football Facts, no matter how many feelings get hurt.