PonyExpress
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2006
- Messages
- 4,659
- Reaction score
- 78
Let's examine these numbers...
1) 125 completions/217 attempts/57.6 completion %/7.2 yards per attempt/1573 yards/12 TDs/5 Ints/ 89.1 passer rating
2) 135 completions/232 attempts/58.2 comp %/ 6.9 YPA/1598 yards/14 TDs/4 Ints/ 92.2 passer rating
1) is Brady's performance weeks 4-10 (7 games) of the 2004 season, his best year statistically, when BRANCH WAS OUT with a freak injury. The team went 6-1.
2) is Brady's performance weeks 1-7 of the 2006 season, after Branch was shockingly dealt to Seattle. The team went 6-1.
Through the first 7 games of this year, Tom Brady was BETTER THAN EVER statistically, under the circumstances he was dealt. Factoring in his young coordinator and lack of experience with even his 2nd and 3rd receivers, supports the Brady Better than Ever theory.
So what happened in the last two weeks? Brady came up small in a big game! He threw 4 Ints! He lost to the Jets slipping and sliding on a muddy field!
Bulletin: Brady isn't GOD. He has thrown 4 INT games before (Miami, KC, Buffalo, Denver). The real shocker was the loss to the Jets. I personally blame his "poor" performance on the muddy track. That's my personal take, others may disagree. A number of the pressure sacks columnists have been writing about were really coverage/mud sacks, when Brady tried to step up as usual, or plant, and simply couldn't and had to take the sacks.
Interestingly, Brady never had to lead a come from behind performance in 2004 without Branch. Could he have done it? Probably, but we'll never know.
Is Brady being hurt by the O-coordinator? In raw numbers, marginally (in situational, key moments a great deal IMO). Without Branch in 2004 the Pats averaged 26.7 points per game. Without Branch in 2006, through week 7, the Pats averaged 23.9 points per game. Factor in the 2006 Gostkowski/2004 Vinatieri dynamic (G missed against the Jets, 2 vs. Denver, Cinci) all makeable FGs) The Pats would have been averaging 1 point per game fewer without Charlie. Do they play with the same cleverness, confidence, rhythm... no.
The Pats would have beat the Colts had Brady played marginally instead of poorly... and I have made my reason for the failed comeback against the Jets. I still believe Brady is BETTER THAN EVER, and the rest of the season will bear that out. The criticism he is receiving is OVER THE TOP, from fans and media. Frankly a disgrace. From the media, it is to be expected, because the Pats have ascended to the throne of the Boston sports scene, deposing the Red Sox after their late season collapse, and there are some writers, namely the awful Buckley and the incendiary Massarotti, baseball writers now hopping on the football beat, who would love to cut the Patriots back down to the Red Sox' inept size. But from fans... I guess here is where the fairweather crowd heads south for the winter.
1) 125 completions/217 attempts/57.6 completion %/7.2 yards per attempt/1573 yards/12 TDs/5 Ints/ 89.1 passer rating
2) 135 completions/232 attempts/58.2 comp %/ 6.9 YPA/1598 yards/14 TDs/4 Ints/ 92.2 passer rating
1) is Brady's performance weeks 4-10 (7 games) of the 2004 season, his best year statistically, when BRANCH WAS OUT with a freak injury. The team went 6-1.
2) is Brady's performance weeks 1-7 of the 2006 season, after Branch was shockingly dealt to Seattle. The team went 6-1.
Through the first 7 games of this year, Tom Brady was BETTER THAN EVER statistically, under the circumstances he was dealt. Factoring in his young coordinator and lack of experience with even his 2nd and 3rd receivers, supports the Brady Better than Ever theory.
So what happened in the last two weeks? Brady came up small in a big game! He threw 4 Ints! He lost to the Jets slipping and sliding on a muddy field!
Bulletin: Brady isn't GOD. He has thrown 4 INT games before (Miami, KC, Buffalo, Denver). The real shocker was the loss to the Jets. I personally blame his "poor" performance on the muddy track. That's my personal take, others may disagree. A number of the pressure sacks columnists have been writing about were really coverage/mud sacks, when Brady tried to step up as usual, or plant, and simply couldn't and had to take the sacks.
Interestingly, Brady never had to lead a come from behind performance in 2004 without Branch. Could he have done it? Probably, but we'll never know.
Is Brady being hurt by the O-coordinator? In raw numbers, marginally (in situational, key moments a great deal IMO). Without Branch in 2004 the Pats averaged 26.7 points per game. Without Branch in 2006, through week 7, the Pats averaged 23.9 points per game. Factor in the 2006 Gostkowski/2004 Vinatieri dynamic (G missed against the Jets, 2 vs. Denver, Cinci) all makeable FGs) The Pats would have been averaging 1 point per game fewer without Charlie. Do they play with the same cleverness, confidence, rhythm... no.
The Pats would have beat the Colts had Brady played marginally instead of poorly... and I have made my reason for the failed comeback against the Jets. I still believe Brady is BETTER THAN EVER, and the rest of the season will bear that out. The criticism he is receiving is OVER THE TOP, from fans and media. Frankly a disgrace. From the media, it is to be expected, because the Pats have ascended to the throne of the Boston sports scene, deposing the Red Sox after their late season collapse, and there are some writers, namely the awful Buckley and the incendiary Massarotti, baseball writers now hopping on the football beat, who would love to cut the Patriots back down to the Red Sox' inept size. But from fans... I guess here is where the fairweather crowd heads south for the winter.