Chokelahoma

Favre's horrendous decision costs the Vikings everything - Reuters photo

In typical Viking form, the purple people eaters stagger back to Minnesota with their tails between their legs falling just shy of perfect. Four times the Vikings lost in Super Bowls and after years of irrelevance they have twice made it to the NFC Championship only to stumble. But this year was a not only a failure but justice.

Brett Favre, the ageless wonder, has almost every record in NFL QB history both good and bad. No one has thrown for more touchdowns or interceptions and of course playing in more games than any other QB in history makes these feats more imaginable than immortal but still impressive. Number 4 solidified his place in Canton a long time ago but that doesn’t excuse Brett from being human or living in a human world.

For all of Brett Favre’s accomplishments, one statistic that must have kept him up at night was the 0-3 mark against the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs. This would seem like such a puny ripple in a sea of victories but what else could explain the final two minutes of the Conference playoffs just one week prior to Sunday. With less than 2 minutes left in a dominating performance by Minnesota, Favre decides to throw a touchdown pass on 4th down inside the Dallas 20, already up 27-3. This is the kind of move the likes of Bill Belichick is not only know for but crucified for in the press but apparently against the Cowboys, the most loved and hated team in football, all bets are off. And yes the comparison of Favre to Belichick is accurate unless you truly believe Brad Childress is in charge of the purple meanies.

Fast forward one week and we see the same dominating team face the lovable losers. . .the New Orleans Saints. Despite 2 terrible fumbles by All-Thumbs Adrian Peterson, some lucky bounces and bad penalty calls, the vikings were in position to win the game and go to the Super Bowl for the first time since Fran Tarkenton scampered about. Then fate’s cold hand blessed the poor saints and Brett Favre’s karma caught up with him at last. On third down and in need of mere feet to attempt a very makable field goal, the gray-haired quarterback made a very ill-fated but not surprising decision throwing the ball to an onlooking defensive back wearing a gold Fleur de Lis.

Favre’s purple pack lost in overtime having never stepped on the field. The great one’s last throw in his last 2 seasons have been interceptions. The kid who never grew up also never learned from his mistakes.