11/05/24
September 01, 2009
Favre Flagged for Crackback Block Against Texans: In the third quarter of the Minnesota Vikings preseason game against the Houston Texans, quarterback Brett Favre was flagged 15 yards for an illegal crackback block on safety Eugene Wilson. See the video. Though his new teammates were excited to see him throwing an aggressive block, the ESPN announcing team and Wilson thought it was dirty. "What was up with that?" asked Wilson, who left with a knee injury that does not appear to be serious. "I'm being a little nicer than I probably would've been out there if I spoke to him."
"But once again I hope he's OK. Believe me, my intentions were not to be cheap. I'll be 40 years old in October and was weeding 13 days ago. I wasn't thinking about throwing blocks." - Favre
Does anyone actually believe that Brett Favre wasn't thinking about football 13 days ago?
It was less of a "cheap" block and more of a "I'm old and slow" block.
posted by BoKnows at 07:00 PM on September 01, 2009
It's hard to believe Favre meant to do it, considering the fact that it would put his own octogenarian knees at risk of retaliation.
posted by rcade at 07:16 PM on September 01, 2009
My own question would be: Why were the Vikings running a play to that side to begin with, especially in the preseason?
But I agree with the general consensus that this is more from Favre not knowing what he was doing than any malicious intent. Glad to hear the injury isn't serious.
posted by TheQatarian at 07:33 PM on September 01, 2009
Why were the Vikings running a play to that side to begin with, especially in the preseason?
Totally. I'm waiting for it to turn out Brad Childress is a part of an elaborate episode of "Punked!" on either Goodell or the state of Minnesota.
posted by yerfatma at 07:38 PM on September 01, 2009
From my perspective, he went low because he was scared to go high (and get his own bell rung by going head to head or shoulder to shoulder with a younger/stronger guy). But regardless of WHY he went low, he still went low.
If I'm on the Texan's, this incident on it's on isn't that bad. But this incident, combined with not one, but 2, knee-shots by Jared Allen on Schuab last year (one of which that sidelined Schaub for 4 games) and I'm spitting mad. Do they play them during the regular season? I would think Favre would become open season, if so.
posted by bdaddy at 07:58 PM on September 01, 2009
Do they play them during the regular season?
No.
posted by tommybiden at 08:11 PM on September 01, 2009
I wasn't too familiar with the term crackback block so I googled it. It's really interesting to me that the 2nd result (after the Favre stuff) was an instructional guide on how to do it in what appears to be high school football.
However, this seems different from what Favre did. Can someone drop some knowledge on me?
posted by feloniousmonk at 08:32 PM on September 01, 2009
Since they played last season, the Texans and Vikings won't play again until 2012, unless divisions get reshuffled for some unforeseen reason, or they play again in the preseason or Super Bowl.
posted by TheQatarian at 09:34 PM on September 01, 2009
Come on, Favre was basically just throwing his body in front of Wilson. Being the old QB that he is, he curled up and tried to protect himself as much as he could. By doing so, he ends up too low. No way was he trying to take the guy's knees out.
One can question the play, anything Childress does should be questioned, but I don't question Favre's ethics. Blocking ability maybe.
Does anyone actually believe that Brett Favre wasn't thinking about football 13 days ago?
The man said "throwing blocks" not football...yea, I believe that.
posted by dviking at 10:41 PM on September 01, 2009
He looked about as comfortable making that block as Deion Sanders did making an open field tackle on a fullback.
Yeah, at least Brett did actually make contact with the fella, something Deion usually failed to do when a fullback with a full head of steam broke through.
posted by mjkredliner at 11:55 PM on September 01, 2009
Speaking of Neon Deion, during a Cowboys preseason game I got to go down to the seats closest to the sideline. He spent the last quarter without shoulder pads on, and it made me realize how tiny he was compared to most of the other NFL players. He couldn't have been more than 190 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame. I can see why he wasn't a big fan of tackling.
posted by rcade at 12:58 AM on September 02, 2009
but I don't question Favre's ethics.
true, unless you consider lying, betrayal, egotism, and drug abuse to not be ethical traits.
posted by bdaddy at 09:33 AM on September 02, 2009
I just don't understand why Minnesota would run a play like that with a creaky 40 year old quarterback having to throw a block on a safety in the preseason. It's no wonder it ended badly. Brad Childress makes me shake my head sometimes.
posted by dfleming at 10:42 AM on September 02, 2009
The only thing wrong with what happened was the play itself. It is pre season and Favre is your starting QB. Any play that requires him to block or make contact with anybody by design, is flawed and frankly, if I was the teams owner, I would have let the coach know just how stupid I think he is.
posted by Atheist at 11:12 AM on September 02, 2009
feloniousmonk, i have coached high school ball, here is the difference. more then anything, it has to do with going low and the position the receiver cracking back is lined up. Usually a crack back comes from the slot, or a reciever that is in motion so he is not far from the end/LB being blocked. it is just like running a trap, the illegal part comes when the hit is below the waist or in the back. otherwise it is a great block. in HS, we teach our corners to yell out and warn the end if they think a crackback is coming.
posted by Debo270 at 11:19 AM on September 02, 2009
I guess I saw something different from the rest of you because it looked like the kind of cheap shot a self-absorbed, old-school QB who is defined as "gritty" would throw. I saw Favre as deliberately going low and at the knees. It didn't look like he stumbled or was blocked into the defender.
And even though these two teams don't play each other this year, I wouldn't doubt that there is some form of retaliation from a defensive player against Favre. He might get to retire this year after all.
posted by THX-1138 at 11:23 AM on September 02, 2009
true, unless you consider lying, betrayal, egotism, and drug abuse to not be ethical traits.
Damn, I'm going to have to brush up on my observation skills, watched that play several times, never caught any of those.
posted by dviking at 12:35 PM on September 02, 2009
true, unless you consider lying, betrayal, egotism, and drug abuse to not be ethical traits.
Damn, I'm going to have to brush up on my observation skills, watched that play several times, never caught any of those.
Did those things happen in the 1st or 2nd half? Damn I wish I had Tivo!
posted by BornIcon at 12:42 PM on September 02, 2009
I am not Brett Favre fan but the block didn't so dirty to me as just incompetent. He's a QB and an aging one at that. When was the last time he was asked to make an open field block. He looked about as comfortable making that block as Deion Sanders did making an open field tackle on a fullback.
I think it was one of those spontaneous things athletes do in the heat of competition, especially when they are out of their comfort zones in a new role.