Brady miffed about losing, hitting the weights

[the taildragger]

i had a funny feeling about that team all years. right around midseason they morphed into a very difficult team to beat.
they certainly didn't have marquee talent.
but IMO they got to a state where every player was winning their individual battles on every play. very few missed tackles. very few missed blocks. you saw curtis martin out in space with vrabel, it became more and more certain vrabel would wrap him up.
deep pass, no question law would make the play. blitz, either bruschi or harrison got there in time to disrupt, sack, or hammer the QB just as he threw.
antowain did an amazing job picking up blitzes.
i dunno if i'll ever have the feeling i did watching those games that season. before the SB i kept thinking, i can't figure how the rams are going to beat patriots on the field.
so yeah, they beat better teams A LOT that season. with aplomb. cause andruzzi was not gonna be pushed off the line, phifer would fill and cover just like the scheme was set up. antowain, traveling 5 miles per hour, was still gonna get 6 yards on a run to the left side.

a change of leadership can work wonders...I can think of no better illustration...outstanding outline!

 

[richpats]

Brady was so steamed about the way New England's season ended that he was determined to get back into the weight room and redeem himself and the organization for its postseason loss in January to the Denver Broncos. Those who know him say Brady has been extremely motivated by the postseason loss and is determined not to have another season end with one.

Now that's what you want to hear about your QB! I hope his motivation translates into a fierce 2006 Patriots squad that shreds our bullies of '05, the Colts and the Broncos. We've always known Tom as a champion, but we've never seen him seeking redemption after a season (in 2002 they weren't humbled by a season-ending loss). I think this will have him more focused this year, last year the team seemed to abandon him and it made for a long season for Brady.

Whether we as fans like it or not, the Denver loss was going to happen, maybe not that night against that team but the Pats were going to have a game where everything goes wrong in the playoffs. It's easy to say that we blew it or the refs screwed us and we should have won the SB but that loss gave us back something very important: MOTIVATION. Honestly, who was the more motivated team in Denver? A team that hadn't lost a playoff game in 7 years or the team that hadn't won a playoff game in 7 years? The Pats had run out of disrespect cards that week b/c everyone was just scared to pick against them and I knew that was the beginning of the end. It's so tough to maintain the "eye of the tiger" game after game, year after year.

Now we can get it back. We are the hunters, not the hunted. Indy, Pittsburgh, DENVER - they're all on the list and will be dealt with in '06!

As for the Montana/Brady comparisons, they are valid, but only for now. When Brady's career is all said and done, he will have more SB rings than any QB to play the game (I can see a couple more) and probably a ton of playoff records (Stat Boy will take the regular season ones). No "best QB of all time" debate will be complete without mentioning Brady. I think everyone forgets that he's only played FIVE years and is a lock for the Hall (actually, he only had to play 4). He'll probably play for 6 more seasons- he won't need to play into his late 30s in search of a ring a la Elway or Marino. He'll never play for another team (I pray) like Montana w/ KC, which is another reason why I think he retires in his mid-30s. I envision Brady and Belichick going out the same year actually (hopefully after SB win #5!). They have this symbiotic relationship, can't have one without the other.

 

[14thDragon]

I envision Brady and Belichick going out the same year actually (hopefully after SB win #5!). They have this symbiotic relationship, can't have one without the other.

Would that just not suck incredibly for the next quaterback coach combination? Having to replace Tom and Bill. Practically guarenteed of not being able to live up to that level. I wouldn't touch that job with an eighty foot pole.

 

[richpats]

Would that just not suck incredibly for the next quaterback coach combination? Having to replace Tom and Bill. Practically guarenteed of not being able to live up to that level. I wouldn't touch that job with an eighty foot pole.

How bad would it suck for the FANS?!?!?! We could be talking post-Jordan/Jackson Bulls here. Actually, I do believe in about 5 years we'll know who the heir apparents are to both positions.

 

[Michigan Dave]

This is nothing new to those who know Tommy. He's always been this way. Back in the summer of 99, before his senior year, he was determined to get us into the BCS, and to avenge the loss to Ohio State. Brady was always at the building. We'd leave to go out at night, and he'd be focused on football. Now, Tommy was the starting QB at Michigan. In Ann Arbor, he was a big deal. He could've been all about going out, partying, scoring, I mean we're talking about May, June, and July. But football was #1. He set the tone for that team, because no one could say they were working harder than him. I had to laugh in 2000 when I heard the stories about the Pats' 4th stringer working so hard. No shock to me.