DarrylStingley

Great points above about the offense being the culprit for that game. So many advances past the 50 and the 35 and so few points. Terrible all around. Play calling. Execution. Everything.

In my view, there are always multiple causes. As Troy Brown pointed out, many times Tom looked at covered receivers. As Tom Curran (and Bedard) pointed out, the play calling and all that passing when the Ravens were in coverage defenses, was quite questionable. The inability to convert 2nd and 2s and 3rd and 2s into first downs was just a total failure.

So blaming Tom alone seems quite unfair.

BUT Tom does seem to not bring his best games in AFC Championship games and SBs. He wasn't great against the Ravens last year or the Chargers in 2007. And he wasn't great against the Giants. And he wasn't great against the Jets and Ravens. Or Broncos in 2005 for that matter.

It's possible that he puts too much pressure on himself in these games. It's possible that rather than just "slinging it" he gets caught up in the magnitude of the moment.

It's hard to say for sure but I don't think it can be elimninated. He DOES look kind of tight to me in season ending losses, even though I always think there are multiple causes of such terrible, sad, horrendous results.

ivanvamp

I can. Those teams played well.

The Patriots' offense still woefully underperformed. It can be a both/and and doesn't have to be an either/or.

If the D gives up just 17 and 21 points to the Giants in two successive Super Bowls, yes, we can crap on them for allowing last-minute TD drives in each game, but think about it: if you were told at the start of each of those games that the D would hold the Giants to 17 and 21 points, against a team (NE) that averages well into the 30's in points scored, would you have said that, on the whole, the Pats' D did its job, and wouldn't you have taken that? Wouldn't you have bet that the Pats' offense would produce at least 18 and 22 points in those two games?

Well, they didn't. You'd have lost those bets.

The_Riddler

Here's the issue:

In 07 the Pats scored 38 points against the Giants in that last game of the season ? Yet, when it mattered, in the Superbowl, yes, against that same Giants defense, Tommy got the deer in the headlights look again on the big stage and put up 17.

In 10 the Pats scored 45 points against that Jets defense, Yet, when it mattered, in a home playoff game against a hated rival, WHEN THE LIGHTS GOT A BIT BRIGHTER, Tommy puts up 21 and throws a game changing pick on a poorly thrown screen pass that changed the entire complexion of the game.

In 12 the Pats scored 30 points (at Baltimore mind you), yet on the big stage again at the AFCCG on his home field, he puts up 13 points.

It's easy to do the math, these same defenses he torched during the regular season he craps the bed against in the playoffs when the BIG LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON.

The bigger the moment, the bigger Tommy's eyes have been getting. This can't be denied. Only the true homer's can deny this.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Hey Rex have you met our new Tightends? Say Hi to Aaron and Gronk !

ivanvamp

Tom Brady in Super Bowls and AFCCGs:

2001 AFCCG: 12-18, 115 yds, 0 td, 0 int, 84.3 rating
2001 SB: 16-27, 145 yds, 1 td, 0 int, 86.2 rating
2003 AFCCG: 22-37, 237 yds, 1 td, 1 int, 76.1 rating
2003 SB: 32-48, 354 yds, 3 td, 1 int, 100.5 rating
2004 AFCCG: 14-21, 207 yds, 2 td, 0 int, 130.5 rating
2004 SB: 22-33, 236 yds, 2 td, 0 int, 110.2 rating
2006 AFCCG: 21-34, 232 yds, 1 td, 1 int, 79.5 rating
2007 AFCCG: 22-33, 209 yds, 2 td, 3 int, 66.4 rating
2007 SB: 29-48, 266 yds, 1 td, 0 int, 82.5 rating
2011 AFCCG: 22-36, 239 yds, 0 td, 2 int, 57.5 rating
2011 SB: 27-41, 276 yds, 2 td, 1 int, 91.1 rating
2012 AFCCG: 29-54, 320 yds, 1 td, 2 int, 62.3 rating

TOT: 12 g, 268-430 (62.3%), 2836 yds, 16 td, 11 int, 83.2 rating
AVG: 22-36 (62.3%), 236 yds, 1.3 td, 0.9 int

That's not terrible, but it's not really very good compared to his usual standards. And it's understandable - he's facing the best competition in the league at that point. It makes sense that his stats would look a little worse. But that's a pretty sizeable dropoff.

What's disturbing is that he's had 6 games (4 AFCCGs and 2 SBs) since their last SB victory, and in those 6 games, only once has he had a rating of better than 90 (2011 SB), and only twice has he had a rating of better than 80 (2011 SB, 2007 SB).

Last 4 AFCCG passer ratings: 79.5, 66.4, 57.5, 62.3

Yikes.

Deus Irae

Of course it can be denied, and it doesn't take a true homer to do it. It just takes someone who's willing to actually think. Your premise is absurd. Every playoff game is bigger than a regular season game, and Brady's had some fine playoff games during his "struggles". Brady's eyes were certainly fine, and not "bigger", against the Texans in the playoffs this year, for example.

__________________
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
- Marcus Aurelius

The_Riddler

LOL, ya, makes sense. Houston and Denver in first round home playoff games are HUGE GAMES ??? That is funny. How about addressing the post I put up above instead of talking about Tommy's numbers against CRAP first round playoff teams who probably had no business being in the playoffs in the first place?

Do you have any explanation for what I pointed out above? The bigger the game, the bigger Tommy's eyes have been getting. It's been proven.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Hey Rex have you met our new Tightends? Say Hi to Aaron and Gronk !

TommyBrady12

Yet it's up to the QB and coaching staff to find a way to win against these tough defenses. If they can't do it then they are overrated. Heck the redskins found a way to beat the ravens with a rookie QB, why can't the patriots? What's the excuse next year when the pats face another tough defense in the playoffs? The pats can't beat either the giants or ravens who have knocked them out 4 out of the past 6 years - if the team can't adjust and find ways to beat them a second time around then there is a major problem.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


"He’s the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. He goes from being a rookie that nobody is expecting anything from, to taking over with people saying he can’t do it, to winning three Super Bowls....It should already be obvious he’s the greatest quarterback to ever have played. "

- Steelers S Troy Polamalu on Tom Brady

ivanvamp

I would suggest that the Patriots figure out a way to beat these good, tough defenses because just doing the same thing and/or hoping you don't have to play them is not a recommended strategy.

BSR

Then why did you bring up the Jets game in 10?

Triumph

The Jets ran the Ravens defense in 2010 post season too.