Michael Ventre

When Brett Lorenzo Favre entered the NFL as a second-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1991, he had a rifle for an arm, but no scope or crosshairs. He just flung it, and it went where it went.

This season, he has 19 touchdowns, 28 interceptions and as many critics now as he had skeptics during his rookie year. Sometimes going full circle is not what it is cracked up to be.

It is the giant chunk of Favre’s career that fell between his inauspicious start and his  ignominious (near) end that has established him as one of the game’s all-time great quarterbacks. It included two Super Bowl appearances, one Super Bowl victory and three MVP awards, all with the Green Bay Packers, who traded for him prior to the 1992 season.

Lately, for whatever reasons, the tar-and-feather brigade is fixated on hustling him out the back door while pretending the Hall of Fame-quality years never existed.

On Sunday, Favre and the Pack will conclude the season at Lambeau Field against the Seattle Seahawks, who happen to be coached by Mike Holmgren, the man who once taught Favre the benefits of throwing the ball accurately. Speculation will reach preposterous levels as analysts pore over every Favre utterance and mannerism in search of a clue as to his future plans.

Whatever he decides to do, cut him some slack.

It seems there has been a Favre backlash in recent months. Certainly the origin of this phenomenon is understandable: The man isn’t what he used to be. Specifically, it isn’t his arm or the rest of his body that is failing him, but rather his judgment. He used to be able to force footballs into tiny crevices guarded by two and three opposing players. Now he’s aiming at the wrong crevices.

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Quarterbacks are supposed to get wiser as they get older, and are ultimately betrayed by their deteriorating physical skills. This doesn’t seem to be Favre’s problem, which is the reason pundits are going after him like villagers went after Frankenstein’s monster.

This year the Packers have been riddled with injuries, particularly to the skill players who are Favre’s favorite accomplices like running back Ahman Green, wide receiver Javon Walker and tight end Bubba Franks. As a result, Favre has probably fallen into that old quarterback trap of thinking he has to win games single-handedly.

They’re 3-12. Obviously, he can’t.

But the Favre bashing? Please.