It's no secret that Brett Favre takes more chances than most quarterbacks in the NFL. Although he is often criticized for that, Favre doesn't apologize and gives the impression that his style won't change.
It's not that Favre doesn't want to take fewer risks. He admits that his gambling approach sometimes costs the team and can put them in tough spots. However, he thinks it may be too late to change his ways at this point.
"It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks and that's never more true than with me," Favre said. "When I roll out to pass I feel like there is a touchdown waiting. As long as I play, I will be aggressive. That's just my nature.
"You never know in this game, and I have said this throughout my career, you make a decision and you go with it. Don't look back. Fortunately, there have been a lot more good decisions than bad."
Favre said that although he can't change the way he plays, he is trying to learn when to be aggressive and when not to be.
"Obviously our offense has evolved into something much different than it used to be and there are shots to be taken in our passing game," Favre said. "Now, it's more of a fine line as far as when and when not to do it.
"You have to be more conscious in taking care of the ball. There is a lot of responsibility in doing that. I'm trying to get to a point where we can take an educated shot. If it's there take it. If not, we don't need to do that. We can come back and run the football and that play may come up again and it will be a good shot."
Even the best quarterbacks sometimes make bad decisions. Obviously, they are involved in every play and there's a greater chance for them that something bad can happen from time to time. Favre is well aware of this fact.
"There's no secret to it," Favre said. "Some interceptions are going to happen that you have no control over. If you play long enough and throw enough passes, you are going to throw your share. You are going to make a bad read from time to time, but you try to limit them.
"There's no doubt that turnovers kill you. They killed us early in the season last year. Somehow, someway, you have to allow your guys to make plays and not take your team out of the game."
Of course, that is easier said than done.
"If a guy is supposed to run a certain route and he deviates off of it, that scares me," Favre said. "That's because I don't always have the discipline when I see him do it to pull it back and say 'That's not the right route'. I feel like there's a possible touchdown in every play, and then if it is an interception, just as he is to blame, I am too."
It didn't take long for Favre to recall a time where he and his teammates were not quite on the same page.
"In the Minnesota game last year, there was an interception right before half," Favre recalled. "Donald (Driver) was supposed to run a corner route, but he saw an opening in the middle and when I looked for it, he had flashed and I threw it. Of course a bad play happened. A lot of bad things happened on that play. Like I just said, I don't have the discipline to pull it back."
Despite all of the risks, Favre said throwing the deep ball has worked for the offense and he is going to continue to do so. He believes that his wide receivers are getting better at running deeper routes, but he warns people that throwing deep isn't glorious all the time.
"The ball is in the air a long time," Favre said. "It's hard to throw a ball 40 or 50 yards and have it be perfect. So if you do throw it you are rolling the dice. A guy can fall down, you can throw it a little behind him, or it can get tipped - a lot can happen.
"One thing we don't want to have happen obviously is an interception. If you throw enough of those deep balls there are going to be times when you throw it when the receivers are covered or you guess wrong. As I tell those guys leaving the huddle, 'Hey, either it's yours or it's no one's'."
Favre credits his running backs and wide receivers for making the deep ball part of the Packers offense.
"At one point our guys starting believing in it," Favre said. "It made a difference because of our running game and doing play-action off of certain runs and getting safeties to bite up.
"We are doing better as the receivers are adjusting to the ball and making the catch. You are not going to be perfect every time. So those guys have to make it easier on the quarterback, and they have."
Overall, Favre said that he again will take chances because that is what makes him a good football player. He insists that because of his high risk-high reward style, you just have to take the good with the bad.
"I do a lot of good things, but I'm not perfect," Favre said. "How do you correct the interceptions? I don't know that after 14 years that is going to change. Every once in awhile I will get away with it and people will say 'I don't recommend doing that, but good play.'
"Throughout my career, if you are willing to deal with that, you have to be willing to deal with the bad. It's a two-way street."
It's a street the Packers have traveled frequently and although it sometimes has potholes and can be a little bumpy, at least the Packers know it well.
