A Quick Look at Brady's Play

[Ian]

I've seen a lot of negativity toward Brady tonight. I agree the interception and safety were tough, but all in all he didn't do as bad as many people are thinking:

Here's a breakdown:

1st QTR: 3-of-4 for 41yds (75%)
2nd QTR: 12-of-14 for 106yds and a TD (86%)
3rd QTR: 6-of-8 for 65yds and a TD (75%)
4th QTR: 6-of-15 for 64 yds and an INT (40%)

So prior to the fourth Quarter he was 21-of-26. Looking at the fourth quarter he saw at least three drops and the Hail Mary, which obviously affected that stat line. As I wrote in the other post I questioned the decision to chuck it downfield on that first down play where he got picked off, and there were other analysts that said they'd never seen a ball in play down the middle of the field get called for a safety.

Let's face it, he and Manning played pretty even and it's just a tough loss. I think most people here probably are frustrated, but it's tough to pin this one entirely on him. They got outplayed by a team that was deeper on both sides of the ball. The only reason they lost is because they didn't play absolutely perfect. Plain and simple.

I know people are frustrated, but the more I watch this back (and I'm sitting here watching it again) the more I realize it.

 

[GostkowSKI]

I'll never kill Brady for the INT. I'll take my chances with Gronk one on one with a LB deep everytime.

 

[mcgraw_wv]

It's not about stats, it's about making the plays when the game is on the line, and each throw's importance is magnified. It wasn't all on Brady other perhaps some bad decisions, but in general, he failed to lead his team to win the game on the 2nd to last drive.

He failed to live up to expectations. He set the bar, and for more than a few years now, he has ye tto live up to that clutch status. His magic is gone, so when he doesn't deliver, it's a let down to us, for we expect that, and he didn't provide it.

Meanwhile, Manning won the game for his Team, driving his team for the winning drive like he has every other time we have faced him. He came up big.

Football is about intangibles, not stats. You can't always look at the stat sheet to see who played better.

 

[sambam94]

The more I think about it, I don't like the intentional grounding rule the way it is enforced. Yes, throwing it 5 yards into the ground to avoid a sack is one thing, but throwing it deep down the field? So if the pass rusher wasn't so close it would be OK? What if the receiver ran the wrong route?...to arbitrary for my liking.

 

[sambam94]

It's not about stats, it's about making the plays when the game is on the line, and each throw's importance is magnified. It wasn't all on Brady other perhaps some bad decisions, but in general, he failed to lead his team to win the game on the 2nd to last drive.

He failed to live up to expectations. He set the bar, and for more than a few years now, he has ye tto live up to that clutch status. His magic is gone, so when he doesn't deliver, it's a let down to us, for we expect that, and he didn't provide it.

Meanwhile, Manning won the game for his Team, driving his team for the winning drive like he has every other time we have faced him. He came up big.

Football is about intangibles, not stats. You can't always look at the stat sheet to see who played better.

he failed because of 2 straight drops..hard to blame the QB

 

[Ian]

It's not about stats, it's about making the plays when the game is on the line, and each throw's importance is magnified. It wasn't all on Brady other perhaps some bad decisions, but in general, he failed to lead his team to win the game on the 2nd to last drive.

He failed to live up to expectations. He set the bar, and for more than a few years now, he has ye tto live up to that clutch status. His magic is gone, so when he doesn't deliver, it's a let down to us, for we expect that, and he didn't provide it.

Meanwhile, Manning won the game for his Team, driving his team for the winning drive like he has every other time we have faced him. He came up big.

Football is about intangibles, not stats. You can't always look at the stat sheet to see who played better.

That may be, but as I wrote he also did it with deeper talent on both sides of the ball. They needed to play an absolutely perfect game and it didn't happen, but again, he played about as well as Manning did under the circumstances. Gronk being healthy would have evened it up and I'd be willing to bet it may have gone the other way because they were definitely a man short offensively tonight.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

A separated non-throwing shoulder will mess with your mechanics. We don't know the grade of the separation, but IMO he has one, explaining some slightly of throws late

 

[mcgraw_wv]

The more I think about it, I don't like the intentional grounding rule the way it is enforced. Yes, throwing it 5 yards into the ground to avoid a sack is one thing, but throwing it deep down the field? So if the pass rusher wasn't so close it would be OK? What if the receiver ran the wrong route?...to arbitrary for my liking.

I think it was a good call. He wasn't trying to complete a pass, he was intentionally getting rid of the ball to avoid a sack. It was called perfectly.

The problem was the playing calling for a first possesion in the biggest game of year starting on your own 4 yard line wasn't a run to settle the nerves and get into the game.

Instead they ran a play which obviously took too long to set up and Brady got sacked.

 

[PATSFTW]

Anyone else blame Gisele Bundchen? I have a theory. Gisele has made Brady soft. Ever since Gisele came, Brady has become a metrosexual and has lost 2 consecutive Super Bowls.

 

[mcgraw_wv]

That may be, but as I wrote he also did it with deeper talent on both sides of the ball. They needed to play an absolutely perfect game and it didn't happen, but again, he played about as well as Manning did under the circumstances. Gronk being healthy would have evened it up and I'd be willing to bet it may have gone the other way because they were definitely a man short offensively tonight.

Everyone says Manning's talent was so much better, yet Brady threw for over 5k yards this year. Brady's weapons were all over the stats this year. Sorry, but only this week did everyone say Mannings weapons were better.

How many yards do our WR need to catch in order to be legitimate weapons?

 

[JFK]

Everyone says Manning's talent was so much better, yet Brady threw for over 5k yards this year. Brady's weapons were all over the stats this year. Sorry, but only this week did everyone say Mannings weapons were better.

How many yards do our WR need to catch in order to be legitimate weapons?

Does strength of schedule/defense affect those 5k thrown?
Eli threw a ton too

 

[Harry Yelreh]

He failed to live up to expectations. He set the bar, and for more than a few years now, he has ye tto live up to that clutch status.

Funny how, when he set the bar, he had guys like Ty Law returning INT's for TDs or Rodney Harrison making key INTs or defensive linemen getting key sacks at key moments or WRs like Troy Brown or Deion Branch back in the day coming through with big catches in key moments (not to mention healthy weapons around him, unlike the high-ankle-sprain-enduring Gronkowski), isn't it? It's one thing to live up to clutch status; it's another entirely to win the game completely on one player's shoulders in what is very much a team sport.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

I've seen a lot of negativity toward Brady tonight. I agree the interception and safety were tough, but all in all he didn't do as bad as many people are thinking:

Here's a breakdown:

1st QTR: 3-of-4 for 41yds (75%)
2nd QTR: 12-of-14 for 106yds and a TD (86%)
3rd QTR: 6-of-8 for 65yds and a TD (75%)
4th QTR: 6-of-15 for 64 yds and an INT (40%)

So prior to the fourth Quarter he was 21-of-26. Looking at the fourth quarter he saw at least three drops and the Hail Mary, which obviously affected that stat line. As I wrote in the other post I questioned the decision to chuck it downfield on that first down play where he got picked off, and there were other analysts that said they'd never seen a ball in play down the middle of the field get called for a safety.

Let's face it, he and Manning played pretty even and it's just a tough loss. I think most people here probably are frustrated, but it's tough to pin this one entirely on him. They got outplayed by a team that was deeper on both sides of the ball. The only reason they lost is because they didn't play absolutely perfect. Plain and simple.

I know people are frustrated, but the more I watch this back (and I'm sitting here watching it again) the more I realize it.

Here's a stat for ya. Patriots scored on their 1st possession of the 3rd qtr (about the 11 minute mark) which gave them an 8 point lead.
The Patriots never scored another point the rest of the game.
When are we going to get away from these irrelevant passing stats??
It's about making plays and moving the chains.

 

[sambam94]

I think it was a good call. He wasn't trying to complete a pass, he was intentionally getting rid of the ball to avoid a sack. It was called perfectly.

The problem was the playing calling for a first possesion in the biggest game of year starting on your own 4 yard line wasn't a run to settle the nerves and get into the game.

Instead they ran a play which obviously took too long to set up and Brady got sacked.

I know it was the right call...I just question the rule I guess. So what's a QB to do, take the sack? I just think that a QB should be able to throw the ball down field to an empty spot. It's an incompletion, next play I don't really get the out of the pocket thing either, that's when the QB is most under pressure, yet he can throw it 20 yards out of bounds?...

 

[Ian]

Everyone says Manning's talent was so much better, yet Brady threw for over 5k yards this year. Brady's weapons were all over the stats this year. Sorry, but only this week did everyone say Mannings weapons were better.

How many yards do our WR need to catch in order to be legitimate weapons?

With all due respect, you do realize that Gronkowski accounted for 1327 of those 5K yards and over 1/3rd of their postseason yards and 50% of their postseason touchdowns prior to tonight? His injury was huge. As I said if he's healthy then it's at least a more even game.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

It's tough to have a better season than 31 other teams, and it's so annoying to see a season better than exactly 30 other teams being branded as some sort of epic fail.

Better to be AFC champs than to be something less than that.

Not what we wanted, but no shame either. I don't know why blame has to be parceled out either.

The Giants are deserving champions.

 

[Patspsycho]

Hard to overlook 0-6 on throws more than 20 yards. That's troubling to me.

 

[Ian]

Here's a stat for ya. Patriots scored on their 1st possession of the 3rd qtr (about the 11 minute mark) which gave them an 8 point lead.
The Patriots never scored another point the rest of the game.
When are we going to get away from these irrelevant passing stats??
It's about making plays and moving the chains.

A fair point, and I'd agree with you completely if not for the drops. The only point I'm trying to make is it's tough to put this game entirely on Brady. They missed some key opportunities as a team offensively, and I think you'll realize that more and more as it's broken down over the next couple of days.

 

[Le Numéro Douze]

Blaming Brady is ******ed. Hernandez should never have dropped that back-shoulder throw. Welker should have never dropped that pass at the 20-yard line. Brady did his job, the receivers didn't.

 

[Joker]

Hard to overlook 0-6 on throws more than 20 yards. That's troubling to me.

yeah..heh..they kept clanging off the HANDS of wide open WR's...

Brady is a proven veteran QB ...just like Elway was at this stage...what Brady needs is a defensive player that can hit an Eli BEFORE he gets to make another miracle throw 40 yards downfield...and a corner that can lock down one side of the defensive backfield...added to a bona fide deep threat WR...maybe McDaniels can get Brandon Lloyd to come here...TE, RB,OL and slot are pretty much all set....I'm hoping for defense defense and more defense in the draft