Good S.I. article on Brady's Legacy... Not What You'd Expect to Read - Page 2 - New England Patriots Forums

upstater1 · 02-07-2012, 12:25 PM

This same Giants team made the best QB in the league, Aaron Rodgers, look positively awful in their game, and the Packers D played badly as well.

If our defense improves just a little bit and we add one more playmaker on offense (personally, I suspect we already have a dynamo on the offense in Vereen as a pass catching back) and we'll be very formidable. People are so afraid of taking on the Packers, but I bet if you asked the Giants who they'd rather face in a game tomorrow, Packers or Patriots, it would be the Packers.

When it comes to the Saints however, I bet neither team would like to face them.

***DarrylS*** · 02-07-2012, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ensoul

"True, Brady only led his team to 17 points. But New England had the worst field position I can ever remember for a Super Bowl team. The Pats started on their own 6, their 29, their 20, their 2, their 21, their 17, their 20, their 8 and their 20. The Patriots played the entire game uphill."

This part makes perfect sense. The defense could not get off the field quick enough to give the pats offense decent field position. I also heard on the radio that the ALL of the giants drives were at least nine plays. Now I am not going to blame the defense for this but it does put into prospective what the offense was dealt with all night.

That is a good point and couple the above with a 98 yard drive and 80 yard drive for TD's it becomes more remarkable..

This loss was not due to one or two players, but a bunch of small mistakes.. alone they would not mean much, but in this battle they did; Ninkovich Offside, Mankins Offside, Waters Hold, Welker Drop, the Giants recovering two fumbles, Brady int and safety, Gronkowski playing at about half speed and Hernandez drop.

ensoul · 02-07-2012, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarrylS

That is a good point and couple the above with a 98 yard drive and 80 yard drive for TD's it becomes more remarkable..

This loss was not due to one or two players, but a bunch of small mistakes.. alone they would not mean much, but in this battle they did; Ninkovich Offside, Mankins Offside, Waters Hold, Welker Drop, the Giants recovering two fumbles, Brady int and safety, Gronkowski playing at about half speed and Hernandez drop.

That is what it was. Pats had to start with poor field position against a pretty good Giants defense. And I agree, small mistakes all night that added up to the loss. Giants were not perfect but their mistakes really did not hurt them. Every pats mistake or miscue that was made hurt this team one way or another.

What it comes does to is that the Giants are overall a more well rounded and balanced team. You can point to this play and that play but the Giants are a better team than the pats are and most times the better team wins.

Looking ahead Brady has a few years left and I know that BB and Kraft realize this. I am not saying turn into the the Eagles or Redskins and throw money at every FA but if they can spend some money on a couple of key positions (Wide receiver and a push rush) they need to pony up the money.

hyperpat · 02-07-2012, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ensoul

"True, Brady only led his team to 17 points. But New England had the worst field position I can ever remember for a Super Bowl team. The Pats started on their own 6, their 29, their 20, their 2, their 21, their 17, their 20, their 8 and their 20. The Patriots played the entire game uphill."

Of course, Eli gets the credit and is named SB MVP, but you could make the case that he should have shared it with Weatherford the Giants punter. The guy had a great game.

brdmaverick · 02-07-2012, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fball

The safety call was a flukey, unusual call. I've never seen that before, and I don't see how anyone can "blame" TB for that.

Look, not to start too much trouble, but how can you possibly blame anyone else BUT Tom Brady for that safety? That was the ultimate definition of intentional grounding.

Elijah T. · 02-07-2012, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IllegalContact

so does the 31st ranked defense argument get used only when it works to make someone feel good?

its not the 31st ranked defense

So being ranked 31st in yards given up doesn't matter???

Yards means field position, time of possession, and 3rd down conversions.

It isn't the end all be all to a defense, but yes it makes a huge difference when your limiting the yards of an offense.

PatsSox363804 · 02-07-2012, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brdmaverick

Look, not to start too much trouble, but how can you possibly blame anyone else BUT Tom Brady for that safety? That was the ultimate definition of intentional grounding.

By the letter of the rule yes it is the right call. I just cant believe they threw that flag, I've never seen them throw a flag for intentional grounding on a pass in the middle of the field when the QB wasnt actively being pulled down, especially one that game the Giants points. If the refs didnt throw the flag there I dont think people would have been complaining. By the letter of the rules they should have also thrown a flag for PI on the deep ball to Hernandez at the end of the game but no way in hell they'd ever throw that flag.

PatsFan24 · 02-07-2012, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgeofepic

I've thought this all season - how Brady plays admirably despite a lack of conventional talent around him. Not only am I talking about offense (lack of WRs other than Welker) but also the fact that Brady was called upon time and time again to take up the slack for a defense that couldn't shut down opponents.

The gist of this article is that Brady did as best he could.... if anybody's legacy is tarnished it's that of Bill Belichick The G.M. - the guy responsible for putting talent on the field:

Patriots' Tom Brady added to his legacy in Super Bowl XLVI - Michael Rosenberg - SI.com

Thanks for the link. I do agree with the people who say Brady's legacy was hurt a bit by this loss. The Pats lost to the same team twice in the SB, and in both games they were favored. In the Rams game they were huge underdogs. Brady is still one of the best ever and might be the best ever when it is done. Fair or not, the record is a public view of where he stands all time. We always talk on here about how stats don't matter, only wins matter, as our argument about why Brady is better than Peyton Manning. So if you are going to use that argument, then it is the same argument even when it is not in our favor.

grux · 02-07-2012, 02:56 PM

Michael Holley said that our expectations are to high for the offense and to low for the defense . I agree with him. When Eli is 30-40 for 296 yds/1td and no ints your defense didn't have a great game. I hope BB drafts and signs some quality defensive players this year.

PatsFanNM · 02-07-2012, 03:01 PM

I'm not quite sure where people get the idea that this game showed up our huge lack of talent. Every team is made up of both enormously talented players and just-talented-enough-to-be-on-the-field players. Maybe we have a larger number of the latter category, but we have a good supply of the former as well.

When you look at the number of individual plays or breaks that could have gone the Pats way, any one of which could have won the game for them, you kind of have to agree with BB that the Giants just made a few more plays. Welker catches that pass, Ninkovich isn't inches offside, they don't have 12 guys, Ihedigbo recovers that fumble, Gronkowski is in a slightly different position in the end zone, etc., etc.

Those didn't happen. Doesn't mean there's something fundamentally wrong. Next year will have a team with a lot of different players, and it will be a whole new year. Just as tough to get to the Super Bowl, too, much less win it.