Most Memorable Brett Favre Games

The 10 games that I will most remember Brett Favre for:

1. Packers at Oakland Raiders, 12/22/2003 (MNF): Favre's father passed away from a sudden heart attack the day before the game.  Instead of sitting this one out, Favre took his extra emotion out on the Raiders, lighting them up all evening.  I remember Favre running from a DL and heaving up a Hail Mary pass that was caught for a TD.  The Packers won 41-7.

2. Minnesota Vikings at Packers, 11/6/2000 (MNF): In OT, Packers WR Antonio Freeman slipped on the mud, causing Favre's pass to hit Freeman's leg.  The ball then bounced in the air and was caught.  Freeman then managed to stay off his knees, rolling back on to his feet and into the end zone.  The Packers won the game 26-20.  It was one of the greatest plays I ever seen.

3. New England Patriots vs. Packers, 1/26/1997 (Super Bowl XXXI): This was Favre's only Super Bowl win, bringing the Lombardi trophy "home" for the first time since Lombardi coached the team in Jan. 1968.  Favre dived for a TD at the end of the 1st half, but KR Desmond Howard made the biggest plays of the game, returning both a punt and kickoff for a TD.

4. Seattle Seahawks at Packers, 1/12/2008 (NFC Divisional): In what turned out to be Favre's last win, he and RB Ryan Grant helped to lead the Packers back from an early 14-0 deficit.  The heavy snow didn't bother Favre and he had an amazing "jump and twirl" move over a Seahawks defender for a first down.  The Packers won 42-20.

5. Packers at Chicago Bears, 12/31/2006 (SNF): The game was meaningless as far as the 2006 NFL playoff picture went, but it meant a lot from a momentum standpoint.  After the Packers began 4-8, this win allowed them to finish this season 8-8, leading into a strong 2007 season.  Favre became emotional when being interviewed by NBC sideline reporter, Andrea Cramer, after the game.  This led many to believe that Favre had played his last game.  A few weeks later, Favre announced he would return for 2007.

6. Packers at Minnesota Vikings, 12/24/2004: This was a winner take all game for the 2004 NFC North title.  The Packers began the season 1-4 and the Vikings were favored to win this Christmas Eve game.  After trailing 31-24 half way through the 4^th quarter, Favre threw a TD pass to WR Donald Driver to tie the game.  On the following possession, Favre led the Packers down the field again and K Ryan Longwell kicked the game winning field goal.

7. Packers at San Francisco 49ers, Jan. 1996 (NFC Divisional): I don't remember many of the details of this game, but I believe the Packers won 27-13.  After three straight years of NFC Championship games between the 49ers-Cowboys, this game allowed the Packers to break through as an NFC power.

8. Carolina Panthers at Packers, Jan. 1997 (NFC Championship): The Packers won 30-13, winning their first NFC Championship since 1967.  I don't remember much about this game other than the Halas trophy presentation following the game.

9. N.Y. Giants at Packers, 1/20/2008: This turned out to be Favre's last game and the only lost on this list.  Favre and Giants QB Eli Manning fought neck and neck until the end of the game.  After missing two kicks, Giants K Lawrence Tynes made the game winning FG in OT.  It turned out to be his last game in a Packers uniform.

10. San Francisco 49ers at Packers, 10/14/1996 (MNF): Packers WR Robert Brooks suffered a season ending knee injury on their first play from scrimmage.  The Packers trailed at the half, 17-6, but behind a huge game from QB Brett Favre and WR Don Beebe, the Packers take the game to OT.  This game end as Packers K Chris Jacke kicked the game winning field goal. 

Notes:

1. Favre had many other memorable games, but these only include the games that I saw Favre play.

2. I really didn't pay much attention to Favre before late in the 1995 season; therefore I didn't mention any games prior to this point.  Favre's first game in Sept. 1992 was big for pre-Favre Packers fans, but no one else gave a crap about it when it happened.  At the time, I was a casual Browns fan that rooted for QB Bernie Kosar and paid little attention to other teams.  Also, the Packers played two games every season at Milwaukee's County Stadium through 1994.  Favre led a comeback in the last game played there.

3. I remember three of the first four games of the 1999 season being very thrilling.  Favre led come from behind wins in all of those at Lambeau Field.  However, the Packers struggled down the stretch and finished 8-8, which diminished the impact of these games.