Football Sports

If you control the clock, pass for more yards, run for more yards, complete more first downs and give away less penalties – surely you win a game of American Football? Not in this game. If you create five turnovers…

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If you control the clock, pass for more yards, run for more yards, complete more first downs and give away less penalties – surely you win a game of American Football?

Not in this game.

If you create five turnovers and concede only one – surely you trounce your opponent?

Not in this game.

The NFC championship lived up to it’s billing, with both teams going for the jugular, looking to land the knock out blow. However after 60 minutes of pulsating play they could not be seperated by more than seven points, and the games defining play came from the man with destiny on his shoulder.

The Minnesota Vikings arrived in town on the broad shoulders of Brett Favre. The future hall of famer quarterback was brought into the Vikings franchise to make a good team a great one. Under the tutelage of Brad Childress he has looked after the ball with more care than at any point in his career. Amidst the swirling and baying hordes in the Superdome the old warrior stepped forth with considerable poise. A 19 year career played at the highest of levels meant that a little noise was not going to spook him, nor his charges. The only sign that Favre had even taken into account the noise factor was a wristcard carrying some of the playcalls.

From the off, Favre put his foot to the metal and would not shirk from the challenge ahead. He drove the Vikings down the field for a touchdown score in their first drive. Most pundits declared that Adrian Peterson would need a big game for a Vikings victory. On the opening drive he was ignored until he joined the play at the 19 yard line. Taking the ball in his first carry, Peterson crossed the endzone for the perfect Minnesota start.

In the divisional round the New Orleans Saints fell behind to a first drive touchdown from the Arizona Cardinals. Their response was to go down the other end for a touchdown of their own. On Sunday they responsed in the exact same fashion – Picking up a pass from Drew Brees, Pierre Thomas raced the 38 yards required to render the game even once more.

Before the quarter was out the Vikings had added another touchdown, Favre connecting with his favourite toy – Sidney Rice, from five yards out. After the initial shock, both defences began to bed down and put up some resistance, so the second quarter was a quieter affair – only a Brees pass to Devery Henderson troubling the scoreboard. The Vikings were unable to add to their tally despite driving to the redzone of the Saints. From a yard out Favre off loaded to Peterson, expecting the man who had 18 touchdowns for the season entering the game to do the rest. Somewhere in the exchange the ball was dropped, and the chance was gone. This would set the tone for a crazy second half.

The third and fourth quarters saw a touchdown a piece – Minnesota saw Peterson run in twice, whilst Thomas got his second on the ground and Reggie Bush pulled in another Brees pass.

However, the most astonishing thing in this game is how many times the ball was fumbled and ultimately turned over. Minnesota would gain good traction against the Saints defence and begin their march towards the endzone. After the Peterson/Favre fumble the disease was clearly catching. Bernard Berrian, Peterson (twice), Percy Harvin and Darius Reynaud all coughed the ball up. Some (like Reynauds) were recovered, but most went by the wayside and stole momentum from the Minnesota offence.

Despite staying in the game, the Saints were finding it more difficult against the Vikings defence. Despite being plus four in the turnover count they were routinely unable to put their opponents to bed. Brees was contained to under 200 yards and the top rusher was Thomas who only gained 61 yards.

So with things standing level and the Saints forced to kick the ball away Brett Favre took centre stage once again. All game Favre had been the victim of some brutal hitting from Gregg Williams’ defensive troops. He had been smashed to the ground and hit late. With each shuddering blow, Favre was slower to his feet. After one particularly brutal collision, Favre took a high/low hit from both Bobby McCray and Remi Ayodele that caused such discomfort to number 4’s ankle he had to be helped from the field. Whilst the medics worked on Favre, who was prone on a stretcher the back up quarterback Tavaris Jackson was seen warming up. It appeared that the old warrior had finally been slain by the hungry pack. When the Vikinigs got the ball back there was a momentary intake of breath. Advancing gingerly, but advancing all the same was Brett Favre. He still had some fight left in him. Despite what anyone has to say about Favre, it was this image that should live longest in the memory. Of a 40 – year old quarterback, the iron man, dragging his body out once again to face up to the worse the opposition can fling at him. He was the walking embodiment of sporting stubborness, of refusing to be beat, it was men like Favre that Rudyard kipling had in mind for his great poem “if”. It really was gripping stuff.

Unfortunately for Favre, it is much more likely that he will be remembered for another passage of play. With the clock winding down Minnesota had the ball and were in Saints territory. The aim was to get as close as possible for the kicker. Facing a third and fifteen, Favre rolled out of the pocket to his right and then looked for Rice. To connect with the receiver, he had to commit the cardinal sin for a quarterback, throw back across his body to the centre field. It was a microsecond that defined all that is good, and ultimately all that is tragic about Favre. All season he had curbed his old gunslinger habits, he had taken care of the ball, he hadn’t gambled, it seemed that the old dog really had learnt some new tricks. But at that crucial moment, what would he do. We all know the answer – at the moment of greatest stress and opportunity, Favre did what he has always done – he rolled the dice. The ball did not reach Rice and the chance of a winning field goal had disappeared, and with it perhaps the best chance the old man had of ending on the highest of highs like John Elway.

The coin toss for overtime fell the way of the Saints. With the pressure mounting and each step forward seemingly done in slow motion they managed to get a field goal attempt from the 40 yard line. Up stepped Garret Hartley, a second year pro for the most important kick in the history of the New Orleans Saints. There would be no reprieve or second chance for Favre. The kick sailed high and it sailed true. The Saints were going to the Superbowl.

It’s seems churlish to strip away some of the joy that New Orleans will be basking in today, but they must realise that they stumbled over the line. Their much vaunted offence stalled a little – and if it weren’t for an old mans bad habits they may not have made it at all.

As for Favre – the man is a legend, the trouble is that the very thing that makes him great, also makes him weak. It was a pleasure to watch him ply his trade with a smile on his face this year, and I, for one, hope he finds it within himself to have one more attempt at scaling the mountain. He doesn’t deserve to go out like that

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