An honest take on the Bears/Packers game

Memo to NBC before it drowns us with Brett Favre retirment speculation -- we don't care. We're tired of it. And it doesn't matter. In his prime, Favre could make a good team great, but at 37, he is in no shape to make a bad team good. The Packers are two offensive linemen and a healthy RB from being good enough for Favre to make a difference. He's a great guy, a Hall of Famer, the most respected opponent maybe ever in the NFL. But his return to Green Bay is not going to impact the NFL in 2007. In his last three games vs. the Bears, Favre has no TDs and eight INTs. And he hasn't exactly sparked the Packers' playoff push -- in victories over the Lions and Vikings, his passer rating is 44.2 (0 TDs, 5 INTs). The issue isn't whether he will be back, but whether he should be back. With all due respect, of course. So spare us the overwrought debate. It's New Year's Eve. Even if this is the most-watched game of the day, it'll be the least-listened-to. The QB issue of the night is how much Rex Grossman should play with Packer DE Aaron Kampman on the field in a meaningless game. Kampman had four hits on Grossman, including a sack, in the opener and is tied for the NFL lead in sacks with 15.5. Grossman getting hurt while Old Man Favre is still standing is an irony just waiting to happen.