Favre, Packers One Game Away

GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Packers' NFC Championship Game against the New York Giants today is about one thing.

It is not about the sub-zero temperature, which local weather forecasters are calling "extremely dangerous." It is not about Giants quarterback Eli Manning's unexplainable calm playoff demeanor or Packers running back Ryan Grant's rapid rise into the limelight.

This game is about Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre.

It is about watching one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history fight for a third Super Bowl berth (he led the Packers to the title following the 1996 season). Everyone wants to see if Favre, who has surpassed nearly every career passing total, can extend his NFL record for consecutive postseason games with a touchdown pass to 18. Football fans want to witness Favre's next historic performance when he starts his 275th consecutive game (including playoffs) and potentially adds another victory to his quarterback record of 172 wins.

The only thing that matters today is watching a future Hall of Fame player participate in what could be his last game at Lambeau Field. That depends on Favre's retirement plans and the unpredictability of next season. After the Packers' surprising success this year, he must decide whether to return for an 18th season.

"After the fact, after the game, maybe after a pass, I am thinking, 'Wow, I am playing with Brett Favre,'" Grant said. "That's something special, and I'm definitely honored to be a part of it."

This is a season Favre, 38, was unsure he wanted to be a part of.

Favre seriously contemplated retirement after Green Bay finished 4-12 in 2005 and 8-8 last season.

Green Bay had the youngest team in the NFL last season, and Favre was not convinced the organization was committed to winning. He even questioned Green Bay's commitment when it did not sign free-agent wide receiver Randy Moss and passed on other prominent players during the offseason.

"My thought was that it would probably take a little bit longer to start winning than it has taken up to this point, and I wondered would I make it that long," Favre said. "I thought this team had a tremendous amount of potential, but I didn't know if the time aspect of it would be in my favor."

Favre decided to return for another season, but the time to reflect made him a different player.

The "gunslinger" who had 273 career interceptions to go with his 414 touchdowns decided to stop forcing passes with his rocket arm and take a more intelligent approach. Instead of showing frustration with young players, Favre provided encouragement.

As a result, he is having one of his best seasons.

Favre completed 356 of 535 passes for 4,155 yards, 28 TDs and 15 interceptions (down from 29 in 2005), breaking Dan Marino's career passing records for TDs and yards. Green Bay went 13-3, matching a franchise high for wins, and its offense was No. 2 overall in the NFL and fourth in scoring.

"Brett Favre is a champion," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "He's already stood at the top of the mountain, so I never was really concerned about him believing that he could win a championship."

There is also no debating how much Favre's presence means to his teammates and Packers fans.

"I guess you could say he's basically the president in the state of Wisconsin, because everyone loves him so much," Packers receiver Donald Driver said. "Every time you go places, you see people and they say, 'Is Brett your friend?' and, 'Do you know Brett?' I'm like, 'Yeah, I see the guy every day.'

"But you always think what would happen if anything ever happened to this guy. The town would shut down. Nothing would move, and I think that's the thing that everyone loves about him. The guys that play with him, I think he's just going to be part of their legacy. When this guy gets into the Hall of Fame, guys will be able to sit back at home and say, 'I played with one of the greatest quarterbacks in the National Football League.'"

There are several things today's game could be about, but one person matters the most.

Brett Favre.

"I'm very proud of the fact that I have played this long, have achieved a lot of these things, and the obvious achievement that I am most proud of - the consecutive starts, the wins, just neither one of those comes without the other," Favre said. "All of the other stuff I'm proud of, and I'm aware of how difficult all of the things I have accomplished are - good and bad - but I think it is something that when I leave this game, as I look back, I will probably appreciate more with each day that passes."