WHY and HOW was Brady correlated to winning, if not by yards or touchdowns? Maybe that he threw "only" 12 interceptions? What, did he make Antowain Smith get the absolute BEST 4 ypc he could get?
First, your opinion/evaluation was shared by
most pro football analysts, observers and media. But unlike them, I don't consider you to be an idiot.
This particular query is highly similar to people trying to comprehend/explain away Doug Flutie's success in his likewise first extended stint as an NFL starter here in 1988. His résumé was much flashier than Tom's, but he was six inches shorter. One of the annoying facts is that Brady and Montana had their fare share of bad plays and games in the beginning, as did hundreds of other quarterbacks astronomically inferior to Flutie, yet were given the chance to grow solely because they weren't short. Both Flutie and Brady passed the eye test by making clutch, pressure, game-winning plays, by not making the game-losing plays, and having the attitude and personality makeup of a serious leader and winner. As did Grogan in 1976, for that matter. Both the 1988 and 2001 Patriots had extensive playoff and Super Bowl experience, a veteran coaching staff, and beat good teams. Bledsoe had been losing so many games that by 2001 I just wanted somebody in there who wouldn't screw up; Brady just brought much more to the table than anyone bargained for. Flutie's ability on the other hand was blindingly obvious - but not to the aforementioned idiots, including NFL GM's and coaches. Leadership. Clutch. Didn't get hurt. Unselfish. Brady's toughest task in 2002 was the absolutely drastic life-altering change from JAG to NEW ENGLAND HERO. Don't even start about the girls. I don't think Tom even had a girlfriend before, at least not that I know of. Anyway, the
potential for Brady - and the Patriots with him - was limitless, as it was with Flutie. Of course Doug had lots of time in the limelight, and was married already. Kiam was so stupid.
It's all about context. But it was obvious that the entire offense felt better and stronger under Flutie and Brady.
2001 was not a lights-out season, APF.
Dan Marino and Kurt Warner are exceptions. Aikman/Elway/Manning/Young are more typical. The Parcells/Belichick approach was never 'lights-out'.
Give me a sane argument, ignoring 2002-on, that Tom Brady was going to be the future of the NFL. You can't do it. We just know that he gave John Madden goosebumps.
Plenty people have called me crazy, including Massarotti in '13 when I was so impressed with the Sox offseason, and with their veterans and experience and everyone so determined to put the distaste of 2012 in the rear view mirror, I felt they would win the World Series.
Since September 30, 2001 I felt that Tom Brady gave the Patriots the best chance to win. More than
any other quarterback, anywhere. I know I'm a rebel and don't swim in the mainstream; a big part of it was that he WAS young, and had the chance to develop himself as Grogan did. Did I reconsider when Tom had his clunkers (and there were a few): No. Was I jumping up and down screaming, "WE'RE GOING TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL!!!" after losing 31-0 on opening day? Well, no. But I did look forward to the next game. EVERYONE on the Patriots learned the lesson under Belichick that you do not dwell on the past, but focus on the next task. It's the same to this day. The anti-Cam crowd is legion, but will I be surprised if we win it all with Newton starting? No. Not at all. I'm not an optimist. But I agreed with the Patriots' commitment to Tom in 2002: I felt he
was the future for the Patriots. And the future of the league? Well after getting three rings in four years, even all the Patriots denigration/system quarterback nonsense was bound to suffer some cracks. The cheating nonsense a few years later was driven in no small part by underestimation of Brady's ability.
'We' are casual observers who care about John Madden's opinion. Non-casual observers know he enabled and empowered both Dreith and Tatum to commit what they did.
The opposite of your follow-up thought is the case; Brady was the Eason analogue here - he won enough to get us further than we'd gotten before. Eason got awarded the Kingdom for making it to the SB, and he had the follow-up seasons that Brady COULD have had, given what we knew of Brady at the end of the 01 season.... except that Brady turned out to be something else again.
Off the rails. We won because of Grogan. Period. The team made spectacular plays running, on defense and special teams in the playoff run in '85 and the winning streak in '86. I had zero confidence that Eason would win for us - it was just an enjoyable bonus. Grogan bailed us out in '85, '86 and another real analogue Flutie did as well in '88. Eason was awarded the kingdom because he (pay attention here and see if this reminds you of anyone):
Was drafted in the first round
Had a good arm
Was paid handsomely
Was given the starting job, did not earn it
Wore #11
Threw a slew of picks and got sacked, both in game on the line situations
We only won because he got hurt
Eason and Bledsoe made good plays for us, yes. The idea that either of them had the leadership or intangibles of Grogan, Flutie or Brady is not...sane. You could make a good numerical case that Neil Lomax was better than Joe Montana. You could...
Bedsore was a no brainer pick in 1993...Grier had zero input...none was needed.
Anybody like my nickname, 'Who Said So?'
That was a great season, but for Brady it wasn't some kind of lights-out, 4-TDs-per-game-on-the-regular performance. His stats were low, his wins were not blowouts or anything
And Montana did not light the world on fire in 1981.
Games describable as 'blowouts' for:
1981 49ers: 3
2001 Patriots: 3
he was anything but a sure-bet better QB than Drew, even after that SB
To you, I'm certifiably insane, period. Brady was absolutely, positively, incontrovertably a sure-bet better QB than Drew. Not close at all.
But, I want to win. That's my priority. Unseld, Reed, Thurmond, Chamberlain and Mikan can all be made out to be better than Russell.
It took guts to make that call.
Guts - and awareness. But Eason was always Berry's blind spot. For Raymond: Not Grogan, Flutie, Montana, Unitas, Staubach nor Brady was ever going to start ahead of Tony.