Did Brady make the ENTIRE team look better?

[SHOWTIME15]

i'm starting to wonder whether TB made the ENTIRE patriots team (offense, special teams and defense) look better than it really was. I realize he doesn't play D or special teams, but a team with this much talent should not play as badly as we did. Consider:

1. Brady's ability to avoid sacks and make quick passes makes the offensive line look better. without him, the oline looks average (see brady high ankle sprain and super bowl 42 for proof).

2. brady makes the defense play more confident knowing that if they stuff the other team brady has the ability to score a lot of points.

3. randy actually trying or making a block

it just seems like the whole team has given up on the season, including the coaching staff (except mcdaniels).

if we go 4-12 this year, it will just add to Brady's legacy as one of the top 2 or 3 QBs of all time. How can you go 16-0 and not know what you are doing the following season? I thought the D would at least step up. If this were really a good "team," then we should be able to put someone in brady's place and continue to play well.

Did brady's superb playing cover up the holes on the rest of the team?

 

[swheeler23]

every defense looks good when they are ahead by 28 points

 

[CheerforTom]

To be perfectly honest I'm almost happy Tom wasn't in for that performance by his team, we'd be laughingstocks right now.

 

[KillEM]

No, Brady did not make the entire team look better.


But having the WORST QB in the league sure makes the team look bad.

 

[Iron Helmet]

Yes!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Leave No Doubt]

I think Brady's greatness as a QB and as a team leader made a lot of problems that we've had right along smaller, and without him those little deficiencies suddenly loom very large. Brady definitely makes the imperfections less glaring, but they were always there nonetheless, just waiting to rear their ugly heads.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Yes, Brady made the team look better. If you win 55-30, 30 isn't a lot of points. As I recall the Cowboys game went something like that.

The team is still getting a grip on not being the Mighty Pats, and we are still getting a grip on the fact that we're not the fans of the Mighty Pats. We're just Pats fans, as we started out. They're just the Pats, just as they use to be. Some of them don't even remember that time. I daresay some of us don't either.

Will they get better? Will they grow into the realization that this is it, this is the 2008 team? Will they coalesce into a 2008 team that can be proud of getting the most possible out of the personnel are present? Can Cassel grow into this role, or will he simply show flashes of competency, then perhaps consistent competency?

Will this D gel? Is there a talent deficit that can not be made up? Or is it a matter of not having the "Brady cushion", and flying without a net?

Some guys are looking at 2009. Hey great, there'll be more talent, whee. I'm also interested in 2008, which I guess most people on this thread are as well. Good to have you guys around.

I can't wait to get past the amateur GM talk on patsfans, and get to the story of this team. It better stop being "no Brady" really soon

PFnV

 

[Rob0729]

Of course Brady made this team look better. Any HOF QB would.

Was this team only good because of Brady, I don't think so. I do think the team was to geared around Brady to afford him going down without some serious adjustment pains. And that is what is happening now.

 

[Patriot80]

I think as a whole this just validates how important a TRUE franchise QB is in this league. I also agree to a point that the air was quickly taken out of this team once Brady went down. It's takes a toll on a team mentally when you go from being on track to finish what they started last year and return the SB, to having your QB knocked out for the season in game 1 and turning to a inexperienced backup. It's obviously gonna be a tough season and nothing is going to come easy like it did last year. TB was the ONLY player that this team could ill afford to lose for the season and still expect to continue winning. The worst case scenario happened and now we just have to play the hand we were dealt. That's all there is to it.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

But having the WORST QB in the league sure makes the team look bad.

It's good to hear from the 'Culpepper for pres' club.

 

[Patjew]

To be perfectly honest I'm almost happy Tom wasn't in for that performance by his team, we'd be laughingstocks right now.

But if Brady WAS in there, the tenor of the game would have been completely different and "we" would not be close to being laughingstocks. Moss was getting open today. Brady would have connected with him more than Cassel did, I'm pretty sure.

 

[Joker]

Yo, PJ...wassup?

hey, you're in China ,right?...well, you could possibly score some big cash if there's ever a shortage of chickens over there...there's enough chicken littles bok bok boking it up in here to feed Shanghai for a month

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

Yo, PJ...wassup?

hey, you're in China ,right?...well, you could possibly score some big cash if there's ever a shortage of chickens over there...there's enough chicken littles bok bok boking it up in here to feed Shanghai for a month

chicken littles,,,here?

 

[Mr.Muhozi]

i know in football(soccer) when you lose a player it affects the entire mentality of the team especially if the replacement is not good enough or is no where near good enough to shine his shoes.

Now for the pats, they have lost their leader, reigning MVP AND the best player to ever grace the grid iron, off course there will be ill affects the team has lost a lot confidence, and it does not help the D is a work in progress and our most talented running back who was fantastic the last 6 games last season and some of his performances got us into the superbowl is injury prone

The team is looking less likely to make the play-offs looks like the superbowl curse has got us

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Yes Brady made the whole team look better because the offense could pick up a lot more first downs which would help the defense and special teams.

 

[vandergraafgenerator]

Well of course he did. Facts don't lie,
18 and 0 before he got his foot injured,3 and 7 since.
Didn't take a snap in pre-season, Pats went 0 and 4, a good team doesn't go 0 and 4 even pre-season without a solid reason.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

every defense looks good when they are ahead by 28 points

To be frank-the BEST defense is when it's ON THE SIDELINES. No matter how good and talented respective D's are, they are at their best when they have the biggest window of breathers.

Look at the Bears D-they are quite talented, but with their anemic O, their D is on the field practically for 40 minutes/game. What happens, they TIRE OUT and eventually give up alot of points late in games.

 

[dhamz]

Did the best player in the league make the entire team better?

Do we need to spend time debating the answer to that? It is an obvious yes.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

But if Brady WAS in there, the tenor of the game would have been completely different and "we" would not be close to being laughingstocks. Moss was getting open today. Brady would have connected with him more than Cassel did, I'm pretty sure.

I don't know Pj, he couldn't in February and he actually couldn't nearly as much in December and January, either. Moss was single covered today, he ought to get open. That still doesn't guarantee a connection since the OL has to give the QB time to make a decent deep throw and the WR has to make a play on the ball when he does. The throw Tommy went down on was a slow developing one to Moss, that he fumbled after the fact...

 

[Patjew]

Yo, PJ...wassup?

hey, you're in China ,right?...well, you could possibly score some big cash if there's ever a shortage of chickens over there...there's enough chicken littles bok bok boking it up in here to feed Shanghai for a month

Good plan. You never know when the next wave of bird flu is coming.