NBC Article: Tom Brady is the Best ever

[PYPER]

Manning's record setting season of 2004 came in his SEVENTH season.

This year, 2007, is Brady's SEVENTH season as a starting quarterback.

I don't know how these two are considered equal. Brady has made a career out of succeeding with relatively little talent on the offensive side of the ball. He's able to make the players around him better.

Manning is a great player but he's ALWAYS been surrounded by Hall of Fame talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Despite these differences, Brady's won three Super Bowls and Manning has won just one.

We very well may be witnessing the two very best QB's to ever play the game. But at this point, it seems pretty clear who's #1 and who's #2.

This debate and their respective careers kind of reminds me of the preseason college polls. One team starts the year ranked #1 and the other is unranked. Then the unranked team goes into the top ranked teams building and spanks them.

Yet, when next set of polls come out, we see that the former top ranked team is now ranked #12 and the team that just spanked them on their home field is somehow ranked a few spots behind, say #14.

So it is with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Manning was the #1 pick in the draft with the family pedigree. He was fitted for a crown before he ever played a game in this league. Ever since he got here, people have been searching for justification to call him the greatest.

Brady, meanwhile, came into the league with absolutely no fanfare. He was a unknown 6th round draft pick and he's been fighting an uphill battle for respect since day 1. Ever since he got here, people have been searching for justification to belittle his achievements. Labeling him nothing more than a system quarterback or calling him a fluke.

 

[PATRIOT64]

I've only been watching football since 92 and I have to say that Brady is the best QB i've ever seen read a defense.

I will still stick with Montana as the smartest QB ever and it will take Brady several more great years before I can put him above his idol

Brady is a superb QB and 'arguably by some' the best of this decade but still Montana was unbelievable in reading defenses - Montana to Rice was almost unfair to have as a combo for 10 years,you could have put blindfolds on each player and the pass would have been completed despeite any defensive formation presented.

 

[old 55]

Brady actually threw 7 TDs today. Only 5 counted.

 

[alamo]

Now that BB knows what Tommy can do with elite weapons, Manning may not retain the stats edge in a lot of categories.

You are acting like BB didn't know Brady would be better with more weapons. I am certain he did. But in past years he also believed that paying the relatively high cost of A-level WRs would cut into the defense and overall depth too much. The Pats have been up against the cap for years.

But this year is a transitional year between the economics of the old CBA and the new one, and salary cap room is termporarily available for the league as a whole and the Pats in particular. Combine that with the fact he could get top WRs at a discount price and it was a no-brainer this year. Keeping anywhere close to the same level of talent next year and thereafter will be MUCH MUCH more difficult. The offensive talent next year will likely be closer to that of two years ago than this year.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Don't get mad just because the Brady vs Peyton and Russell vs Chamberlain is such an apt comparison.

In what way is it unrealistic to project 6 or 7 championships at the end of Tom Brady's career?
He already has 3 rings in his collection.
And the Pats look to be grabbing #4 this year.
Are you Dionne Warwicke or do you just happen to have a crystal ball that showed you that it is impossible for Brady and the Patriots to win 2 or 3 more times after 2007 is over?

Like I said Brady will be to football what Michael Jordan was to basketball. Sometimes when you see history in the making you just sense it. Or, if you're Patriots64, you deny what's happening and give your best impersonation of Ron Borges!

6 or 7 Rings in the next few years?

Do you realize that means this team has to not only win this year but be the best of the other 31 teams in 3 or 4 of the next 7 years?

Now THAT spells H-O-M-E-R - and a bit on the dreaming side I think

The only way Brady gets 7 rings is if the NFL puts a halt to the cap and we spend as much as we can like such as a guy like Steinbrenner in baseball (who by the way has the best players every year and still has not won anything lately) - You must think winning the Super Bowl in this era is as easy as pie,sure we won 3 of 6 but that era is over,I will be glad to win this year and worry about the future later.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

I will still stick with Montana as the smartest QB ever and it will take Brady several more great years before I can put him above his idol

Brady is a superb QB and 'arguably by some' the best of this decade but still Montana was unbelievable in reading defenses - Montana to Rice was almost unfair to have as a combo for 10 years,you could have put blindfolds on each player and the pass would have been completed despeite any defensive formation presented.

Actually didn't I read somewhere on here in the past few weeks that Montana was recentely interviewed and even he said he thought Brady was a better QB then he was.

Granted, he's a humble guy and might not really feel that way, but still, that's some pretty high praise and I'm sure it means a hell of a lot more then when some blow hard media guy says it.

 

[Real World]

what's too much?

everything ;the guy said is the truth.

Brady won 3 superbowls with used car salesmen as his offensive weapons.

The funny part is, Fred Coleman is probably doing just that. Selling used cars.

 

[Fencer]

you could have put blindfolds on each player and the pass would have been completed despeite any defensive formation presented.

Uh, no. At least one of the guys had to have his eyes open to read the defense.

On the other hand, they once practiced in front of witnesses with Montana blindfolded (and Rice presumably undefended), and Montana did hit Rice in stride ...

 

[MoLewisrocks]

You are acting like BB didn't know Brady would be better with more weapons. I am certain he did. But in past years he also believed that paying the relatively high cost of A-level WRs would cut into the defense and overall depth too much. The Pats have been up against the cap for years.

But this year is a transitional year between the economics of the old CBA and the new one, and salary cap room is termporarily available for the league as a whole and the Pats in particular. Combine that with the fact he could get top WRs at a discount price and it was a no-brainer this year. Keeping anywhere close to the same level of talent next year and thereafter will be MUCH MUCH more difficult. The offensive talent next year will likely be closer to that of two years ago than this year.

I don't think he did. He knew Brady could do enough with less, he now knows that in Brady's hands the best defense may be a great offense.

And they really haven't been all that up against it for a couple of years. And they won't be in the forseeable future the way they've managed the cap. We rolled money forward last year and will again this year. Thereafter Brady will be due for an extension and restructure that will keep his cap manageable through retirement because he still cares more about winning and legacy than money. He can make more money off the field than on if he wants or needs to. With Colvin due for restructure, as well as Rodney if he's back, and Asante either extended at a team friendly rate or gone, there will be plenty of money to keep Moss and Stallworth once his deal is restructured.

Brady's 30 now and Bill isn't going to waste any more time. He saw how close his under talented team got in 2006 and I think he vowed he would never shortchange them all that way again. I think they'll have about $18M or more to work with when the dust settles, and I think Moss and Stallworth will play ball to keep playing with Brady. And I think more than ever you will see ringless veterans again wanting to sign on for a campaign or two.

 

[jaytyme]

Don't get mad just because the Brady vs Peyton and Russell vs Chamberlain is such an apt comparison.

In what way is it unrealistic to project 6 or 7 championships at the end of Tom Brady's career?
He already has 3 rings in his collection.
And the Pats look to be grabbing #4 this year.
Are you Dionne Warwicke or do you just happen to have a crystal ball that showed you that it is impossible for Brady and the Patriots to win 2 or 3 more times after 2007 is over?

Like I said Brady will be to football what Michael Jordan was to basketball. Sometimes when you see history in the making you just sense it. Or, if you're Patriots64, you deny what's happening and give your best impersonation of Ron Borges!

rings
7 is unrealistic
6 is improbable
5 is the number that will vault brady over montana and bradshaw and i suspect he has his sights set on
4 is the only 1 i care about right now.

touchdown passes
50 aint gonna happen
marino-48 played in warm weather
manning -49 plays indoors (*****)
brady 21 and counting, still has to deal w/foxboro in december

 

[zarakotas5]

I will still stick with Montana as the smartest QB ever and it will take Brady several more great years before I can put him above his idol

Just for devil's advocate: At what point in Montana's career did people start considering him to be the greatest/top 3 ever? Mid-point after success or only in the latter stages? And when that speculation began, how was it received by people who had previously watched Bart Starr, Y.A. Tittle, etc?

 

[upstater1]

Am I reading the article correctly? Nowhere in there does Curran say Brady is the best ever. He said that his current statistics for this year project to the best season ever.

Curran is on record in this article as thinking Brady is better than Manning. That's about it.

 

[sieglo]

brady 21 and counting, still has to deal w/foxboro in december

Yeah, and as he gets closer the league will try to stop him by taking away TDs as it did with at least one (Moss phantom PI) last night.

 

[Silverquick]

Im not sure how this season will turn out since there is a long way to go, but just on the Manning-Brady debate: I think any true fan of football can appreciate both players. They are both devastatingly talanted, smart, accurate, tough, and hardworking. They both put tremendous effort into what they do. They are both students of the game.


At this point, Id like to think Brady is slightly better than Peyton, but that is not to say that I underestimate #18. Lets be honest, part of the reason Wayne, Harrison, and others put up such huge numbers is because Manning is so good. After all, Stockley put up big numbers with Peyton as well and Harrison only started breaking records after Indy drafted the QB. Of course that is not to say that those guys dont contribute to his success, because they most definately do, but I dont think its fair to take anything away from Manning just because he has had good players to work with.

Having said that, we are now witnessing what Brady can do with Indy-type receivers and its spectacular :rocker:

 

[fair catch fryar]

Even if I think Tom is with Peyton the best QB duo of this decade, I think it is exagerated to make him the best ever.

Too much hype.... imo...

But compliments are always better than insults... so I will take it.

Unless Brady wins more SB's than anyone else, along with MVP's(regular and SB), and owns a few of the big records he will only be one of the best, because IMO, it is impossible to rate anyone over another unless the stats overwhelmingly dictate it. I believe in making a list of the all-time great ones, but saying one IS the greatest is speculative at best. That being said, I believe we have the privilege of watching two of the top 5 QB's of all time in Manning and Brady, and I would take Brady over all others, being the true blue homer that I am!