http://www.sportsnet.ca/thewire/football/nfl/2008/07/23/packers_team_guages_favre/ As the Green Bay Packers wait to see whether Brett Favre will indeed file his reinstatement papers with the NFL, the club is working its way through a list of teams it sees as potential trading partners for the sort-of-retired quarterback. According to a league source, the teams on that list include the New York Jets, the Baltimore Ravens, the Miami Dolphins and the Houston Texans in the AFC and the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins in the NFC http://www.piercecountyherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=88007§ion=homepage&property_id=19 However, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, Packers’ General Manager Ted Thompson actually started a list of trading partners soon after Favre asked for his release from the team on July 11. The paper lists eight teams where Favre could go; Carolina, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Washington, Miami, Baltimore, Houston, and the New York Jets.
From the abc affiliate in Green Bay. http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=8725448&nav=0RZt It would be an awkward situation anyway. How would Schaubb handle the situation: "It would be an honor to learn from one of the greatest," or "I came here to lead a franchise, why should I stick around here"
With the exception of durability, the idea that Favre would be an upgrade for the Texans at all this season -- much less all the baggage that comes with it (media circus, Schaub's future, etc.) -- simply doesn't make sense. If the Packers did call, Kubiak and Smith hung up the phone rather quickly. It's an easy call.
And arm strength...and Super Bowl experience...and leadership...and superior knowledge of the offense and opposing defenses... but yeah, other than that Brett Favre isn't an upgrade. They aren't hanging up on him because he isn't better than Schaub. He clearly is. But Favre has 1 more year left. Maybe 2. The Texans want to build around Schaub, that's why they hung up on him.
Oh boy, a Super Bowl win 12 years ago! That means a lot. Leadership? You mean the kind of leadership that puts your team and your franchise in a no-win situation, pitting players against players in the lockerroom and fans against fans? Superior knowledge of an offensive scheme he's never been in, whereas Schaub has been drilled non-stop in it for a year and a half? Superior knowledge of opposing defenses... in a conference he's never played in?!? Yes, they are. I'll copy my post from a couple of weeks ago, which says all there really is to say. They're hanging up on him because the idea that Brett Favre would be a better QB in 2008 for the Texans than Matt Schaub is laughable. And I say that as someone who grew up idolizing Favre. I love Brett Favre. He's my favorite player I've ever watched. But he's not the same quarterback he was during Green Bay's Super Bowl win a dozen years ago, and one very good season (followed by a predictably awful playoff performance) doesn't make everything that's happened since 1999 go away. Take away the name, and Schaub's the better bet.
Actually, I'll make anyone here any bet they want -- sig, tip jar, whatever. Unless Favre returns to the Packers, Schaub will have a higher rating in 2008. Any takers?
I can certainly see why you'd think that...but I don't think the inverse is "laughable" as you suggest. I don't think anyone but you would be SHOCKED if Favre had a higher QB rating than Schaub....and I say that as a Schaub fan!
Matt Schaub says he loved what he saw in OTAs. Schaub confident in revamped run game For the Texans to make a leap out of fourth place in the AFC South, they're going to have to run the ball better. From the vantage point of quarterback Matt Schaub, they are certain to do so. Schaub said he loved what he saw in OTAs as the offensive line worked in the zone-blocking scheme that made new assistant head coach/offense coach Alex Gibbs famous. Ahman Green is the starter, but camp could determine a lot about roles beyond that for Chris Taylor, also back from injury, as well as Darius Walker, veteran addition Chris Brown and rookie Steve Slaton. Schaub said he believes those backs will prove interchangeable, and that simplification will be the key to an improved rush attack. "If you really look at the offense as far as the running game, it's a very simplistic scheme," he said. "There are not many moving parts, there are not many assignments that are different across the board. It's just, 'learn your roles in what we're doing.' And a lot of the runs are just the same looking for the guys, they just have little nuances that make them different. So it cuts down on the complexity of the scheme and just... lets you play carefree football. "I think if you look at the stable of running backs we've got, they are five guys that are very similar, that have a true feel for the system, they can make that one cut, get downhill, run hard, can make yards after that first contact. The first guy is very rarely going to bring down any one of these guys down. We've got a good mix of veteran guys with power and some younger guys with a little bit more burst, a little bit more versatility to get the ball down hill and get more yards for you." The Texans start training camp practice Friday, like the rest of the division. Your faithful blogger is in Terre Haute, Ind., with the Colts through Saturday and is scheduled to make a visit to Houston camp on Sunday and Monday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Texans position battles Right guard: Fred Weary vs. Mike Brisiel Weary broke his leg in the Texans' 12th game and was finished for the 2007 season, opening the door for a promotion off the practice squad for Brisiel, who started the final four games. While Weary, a third rounder out of Tennessee in 2002, recovered, Brisiel, undrafted out of Colorado State in 2006, got in a good offseason of work with the starters under new offensive line coach Alex Gibbs. As the incumbent and favorite, Weary brings size, power and versatility and is surely eager to prove he's a value for Gibbs. But Brisiel could prove a better fit for the scheme. Intensity index: Mild Strongside linebacker: Zac Diles vs. Kevin Bentley, Chaun Thompson and Xavier Adibi A seventh-rounder out of Kansas State, Diles heads into his second season trying to hold off three newcomers -- two veterans and a higher draft pick. Bentley is a veteran presence brought in from Seattle, but he's only started more than three games once in six seasons and has lived primarily as a special teamer. A former Cleveland Brown, Thompson is more of a threat as a rusher. The Texans spent a fourth-round pick on Adibi out of Virginia Tech. He lasted longer in the draft than many expected, then got raves from coach Gary Kubiak for a strong finish to his offseason work. Intensity index: Hot http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcsouth
I don't want to make it sound like I undervalue Favre's legacy. But I've definitely talked to some football people who would be shocked if that happened, and it's all connected to the timing. I think a lot of fans think of football as if it's merely going to play a pickup game on Sunday afternoon, and underestimate all the planning and work that goes on between March and August to understand the nuances of a particular team's scheme and system. It's also communicating and learning from teammates. For Favre to go to a new team and new system in August -- one that likely isn't settled (thus the QB vacancy) -- and expecting him to be a 90+ rating guy, when two of his last three seasons have been around 70 -- seems overly optimistic. Shocked might be a little strong -- I'll give you that. But I was completely taken aback by the insinuation that Favre has Schaub beat on "knowledge of the system" and "leadership," and that's why I came out firing. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/5655006.html As for Favre, I like him, but all anyone needs to do is take a look at the last five months to see the "leadership" he brings to a team and franchise. Schaub wins, hands down. There are definitely some questions about Schaub's durability that need to be answered this season, and I could respect an argument for Favre if it was centered around that premise. But in terms of on-field performance as well as all the necessary leadership and intangible components, Schaub has been very good and should get even better.
Last year the south didn't fear the play action, with dayne at running back I don't blame them. I can't wait! When Taco cabana re-introduces their horrible version of the pupusa(salvadoran), you know football is just around the corner.
What, are we making a training camp/preseason thread? As far as I'm concerned, we're not in the season until we play the first game. Thus, everything before is the "off" season. As it is, "pre"season doesn't even start for 2 1/2 weeks. What thread are we going to post in until then?
The PREpreseason thread! Training camp has begun, yo! That's as big as when pitchers and catchers report the last week of February--you sigh a big, relieved sigh and think, it's almost here!!
No one said he is the same player as 12 years ago. The question is who is better right now, and that is Brett Favre. Last year, his stats were far superior than Schaub's. Not even close. Everyone was happy with Schaub, but he still didn't manage to throw more TDs than INTS. How covenient of you to include 2005-2006 years for Favre, but not 2001-2004, which were all excellent. Why not go back 5 years instead of 3? He had 2 bad seasons in 7 years. And, no he hasnt been drilled in this particular system like Schaub, that obviously wasn't my point. But as far as overall knowledge of how to run an offense and read defenses, Favre has the decades of experience. You think if Schaub and Favre got together, that Favre would be asking him for tips? Come on. And as far as leadership, are you kidding? You are talking about a guy who has won so much in his career and carried a franchise for years vs. a guy who is young and just starting his career. Schaub has good leadership qualities, but saying Schaub provides more leadership is laughable. Any team Favre goes to, I guarantee people will talk about how his leadership affects the locker room. I think if any team had to choose a QB for ONE year, pretty much all of them would choose Favre. The problem is the Texans have to look at more than one year.
So funny that you either go back 3 years or 9 years because that makes your argument sound better, even though it isn't. Guess what, out of the last 7 years, 4 of Favre's seasons were superior to Schaub's 11 game season and 1 was marginally worse (85.6 qb rating compared to 87.2). Only in 2 out of the last 7 years were Schaub's stats from last year better. And by the way, it doesn't even make sense to compare one of Schaub's years to ALL of Favre's years. Off- years happen, they will happen to Schaub. Just compare last year- Favre was better. And you dont even include the fact that Schaub was knocked out of multiple games. Who knows what he would have done in a full season? Maybe better, but maybe worse. Also, only one in the last 8 years did Favre throw as many INTs as TDs. Favre threw far more TDs than INTs most years, and he threw 30 or more TDs practically ever year. We dont even know if Schaub is capable of that for one season. Most fans would see your arguments as homerism. I like Schaub a lot, I hope he is as good as advertised. But for one year, if I have a contending team, I take Favre.
