I think this is a good fit for Farve and can have a huge impact on the team. The Jets offense with Pennigton was basically 3 step drop "dink" and "dunk", nothing more than 20 yars down the field (the pakers did alot of this last year). Brett Farve is a master at that type of game with RB screens, dumping it off to RB, WR screens, and especially timed slant passes to the WR's. Farve is also excellent at the long ball also which was basically non-existent in the jets offense because of Chads lack of arm strength. With speed recievers such as coles this is a huge addition to their playbook. If the Jets can establish a decent run-attack and can throw in some effective play-action they will have an excellent offense.
Two points to counter:
1) Favre has grown much less accurate with the long ball over the past 3 years. I don't have the stats in front of me right now, but his completion % on longer passes have gone down and according to the game charters it has a lot more to do with lack of accuracy than with drops or passes defensed.
2) Coles is no longer a speed receiver- this is generally accepted fact among NFL scouts. He is 30 years old and has had several surgeries on his lower body. That's not to say he isn't fast, he just is not the burner that he was when he was 22.
My point is that I don't see Favre alone being able to make an incremental difference in the Jets season. The Jets were going to be better anyway due to some of their offensive upgrades (e.g. O-line).
Fact is, if you look at Favre's stats from 2003 (his last pro bowl year before 2007) until 2006, you'll notice a steady decline. Completion % dropped, TDs dropped, TD/INT ratio rose, Yds/Att dropped, QB rating dropped (although a meaningless stat), and he was getting sacked more. The only positive stat that rose was yards, but that's because his passing attempts skyrocketed (more a function of the team than Brett). Basically, you were looking at a QB who was getting old.
2007 was one hell of a miracle year for both Favre and the Packers. Brett had his best statistical season since 2001. The Packers, as the 2nd youngest team in football, won their first playoff game since 2003.
It's very hard to use the past as a predictor for the future (I should know, I'm a Giants fan!!!
), but if I was betting on the type of season Favre is going to have I think the 2003-06 period is more indicative of his effectiveness in 2008 than his 2007 campaign.
