This is Brady's legacy year
 

This is the year that will determine Brady's legacy. Is he just a great pressure quarterback who won a bunch of superbowls? Or is he also one of the most talented quaterbacks ever to play the game.

I believe that the entirety of the statistical difference between Brady and Manning can be explained by two factors:

1. Manning plays most of his games indoors. Heading into last seasons, Brady's per game indoor statistics were better than Manning's. Brady's per game outdoor statistics were also better than Manning's. But Manning had the better overall statistics since both QBs play better in a dome, and Manning played far more games there.

2. Manning has consistently had one of the best receiving corps in the game while Brady has never had better than a mediocre set of receivers (culminating in last year's unfortunate group).

As long as Brady is in New England, there is nothing he can do about the indoor/outdoor disparity (although at least now he has field turf). But now he is playing with one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.

Are Stallworth and Moss better that Harrison and Wayne? Probably not. But at least they are close enough that you can do the comparison. It would be difficult to even ask the same question about Caldwell and Gafney.

If Brady is as good as I have always believed, then this season he will have numbers that are as good as (or substantially better than) some of Manning's best years. The entire league will have to acknowledge that his previous performance was due to a second rate (at best) cast of supporting offensive players, and that Brady does not "just win" but is also a phenomenally skilled QB. If Brady turns in another "merely" good season, then he is destined to be a guy who "just wins".

Certainly, entering the hall of fame on the first ballot, being compared to Joe Montana, and having a hand full of rings, is not a terrible fate. But Brady deserves more, and I hope that he proves it this season.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

2004 was Manning's legacy year. It was his chance to overcome his NE problem and take the title and standing as the top QB from Brady.

2005 was Manning's legacy year. NE was out of it and Indy had homefield the whole way. They were the best team in football and threatened to go undefeated. Manning had no excuse to not win the title.

He didn't win the title either year. Going into the NE game last year Manning's legacy had become playoff failure, and an inability to beat NE in the playoffs. With two games it was entirely rewritten.

Basically, you are wrong to pinpoint it to this season and thinking about Manning for one minute should have made it obvious. If NE loses in the first round this year and then wins a couple titles in the next few years his legacy will be just fine.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

Under the best of circumstances I wouldn't look for lights-out stats from Brady this year as he's going to need five or six games before we can know how it's going to work with the new receivers. I don't think the kind of chemistry that exists between a Manning and a Harrison develops in training camp or practice or preseason, but only in regular season games.

TBGoat has it right when he says we can't load a legacy into one year. Brady has, what, four years left on his contract? While he's already a lock for Canton, this is his prime and these are the years that will determine how he is remembered. Remember, he's only started 96 regular season games.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

Brady's legacy is already secure. Only stat geeks who don't understand football would think any different.

There is no "more" than having a bunch of rings and going into the Hall of Fame as his generations Joe Montana. He could throw for 5000 yards this year and it still could not get better than that.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

Brady's Legacy has been set.. He has already proven he is no Kurt Warner and a one yr wonder.. This is a yr that he could prove when he has a talented set of WR , not a bunch of shoe salesman...

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

His legacy still remains as a mediocre playoff QB. Let's see, he struggles the 1st half against the Pats D, then they lose 3 key guys and he's torching our defense. Throws 7 picks in 4 postseason games. Champion or no, he's still a mediocre playoff QB. Ben Rothleisberger was a champion and he had one of the worst game-winning performances in SB history.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

He is SECOND on the vast majority of lists of QBs.

If Tom Brady is widely reguarded as the second best quaterback of his era, the CLEARLY there is something missing from his legacy.

I have always felt that he was a clear first, but the plain fact of the matter is that there are few people outside of Patriots country who agree with that right now.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

I don't think titles are important to Tom Brady's legacy anymore. He already has three rings. Nobody will ever question that Tom Brady is a winner.

They DO question whether Tom Brady has the raw talent of a Peyton Manning or a Dan Marino. This vexes me.

If as soon as he is given talented receivers, Tom Brady becomes a statistically great quaterback, then everybody will dismiss the statistics of his first six starting seasons (great as they were) as being greatly lowered by the quality of his receiving corp.

As far as Manning's legacy goes: His failures before this past season DO still tranish his legacy. The same people who keep on ranking him #1 would generally want Tom Brady starting a playoff game for them, not Peyton Manning.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

What if we don't make the playoffs this year then win three straight SB starting in 2008 ? This year would be irrelevant. Brady's legacy is his entire career and he already has three Super Bowls.

Re: This is Brady's legacy year
 

Good post. IMO if Brady takes the Patriots on another 3 superbowl championships run in the upcoming years, he will be considered the Michael Jordan of football, and without argument, the best QB in football EVER. With his new supporting cast on offense I believe that Brady can really take it to the next level. It should be a lot of fun to watch!