Dan Pompei

Tom Brady was more spectacular and more consistent. Tony Romo accounted for a greater percentage of his team's offense. But Brett Favre might have carried his team for a longer period than any other NFL player carried his team this season.

Whether he will have to carry them in the postseason is a major cause of concern in the land of cheese and Old Style.

The Packers couldn't rush for 100 yards in seven of their games this year, and they didn't even rush for 60 in four of their first six. It wasn't until Ryan Grant emerged in Week Eight that the Packers finally developed some offensive balance.

The good news is Grant still appears to have fresh legs heading into mid January. Perhaps more than any back in the league, Grant has been helped by the threat of the pass. The Packers often run Grant out of three and four receiver sets, which spread out defenses and force defensive backs to do the work of linebackers.

At least the Packers' sixth-ranked scoring defense has been there in most games to support Favre. But in the final four games of the regular season, the Green Bay defense lost a bit of its edge, allowing an average of 24.7 points, 336.2 yards and 5.3 yards per play.

When Favre does not have defensive support and a running game, he is more likely to try to do too much. Those are the games when he is most likely to short-circuit. Favre has four bad games this year — two against the Bears, one against the Redskins and one against the Cowboys. The Packers lost three of the games.

In some ways, Favre had the best season of his career. His completion percentage of 66.5 was the highest in his 17 NFL seasons. He had four late game comebacks from deficits or ties. He also led the Packers to 13 victories — which tied his career best. His receivers accounted for 2,131 yards after the catch — most in the NFL. Yards after the catch is an indicator of a quarterback's ability to throw quickly and with accuracy.

Packers 42, Seahawks 20 Favre, Grant carry Packers past Seahawks Packers' Grant recovers from early fumbles SN: Favre is just the leader of a talented Pack Young Packers stay poised despite early deficit No nostalgia for Holmgren at snowy Lambeau Holmgren's future top question for Seahawks Hasselbeck can't trump snow, dropped passes SN: Pack's backfield boost nearly didn't happen   Images: Highlights of Favre's career  |    Discuss Team pages:  Seahawks  |  Packers

If Favre has a bad game in the postseason, it is not likely the Packers will be proficient enough in other areas to overcome Favre's shortcomings. So the Packers will need Favre to play well to win. And it's also probable they will need Grant and/or the defense to come through as well. Against better opponents like the Seahawks and Cowboys or maybe the Giants, the Packers will have to be more than a one man band.

But the Packers at least will have confidence knowing they've won repeatedly this year without excelling in all phases of the game.

It's interesting that in spite of the presence of the 38-year old Favre, the Packers are the youngest team in the NFL. That might not bode well for their postseason chances. The issue is exacerbated by the fact that the Packers-Seahawks game Saturday will be the Packers' first postseason contest in three years.

Novacek's picks Cardinal rule In what should be a tight, exciting game, Arizona will find enough 4th-quarter offense to beat Pittsburgh NBCSports.com

Thirty six of these Green Bay Packers, with the emphasis on Green, will be playing in their first playoff game. Their 53 players have appeared in 94 playoff games between them. Twenty seven of the Packers are either first or second year players.

The great equalizer is Favre. And he is going to have to do a lot of equalizing for the Packers to be playing in that little game in Glendale, Arizona.

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