Edit - I think most of this post agrees w/most posters here - it only looks combative cuz it's a rant.
Packers fan seem okay with Aaron Rodgers. Let's get one a them
Seriously guys, this special era
will end. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of our lives. I still pray he doesn't end up trotting around as a Jet or even a Titan or something for a while first... which could happen if he doesn't think he sucks yet. But yes, from all indications, he's got a few good years left. His statistical anomaly last year -- regressing to 25 TDs, 11 Int.s -- still puts his numbers up there with the good-but-not-elite guys. I think he does bounce back this year somewhat.
I disagree that we should be holding in abeyance any thoughts of decline until 2015. We have a downish year on the books, and to follow it with a second consecutive one, will set my expectation level going forward. I can be pleasantly surprised mind you, but I prefer to think about his performance as it really is... not remembering and hoping. So if there's a weak year this year, I'm not hanging my hat on developing receivers going into their magical third year. Edelman's old enough, Amendola's old enough, however much Gronk we have is just fine. If he goes down, next man up.
The Tom Brady (Peace Be Upon Him) we really admire got SBs with the like of Deion Branch and David Givens. Let's get our heads straight about blaming the lack-o-targets. You always want the best ones you can get. But in the short lifespan of football, one year is an anomaly, and a second straight year of similar performance is a "trend." Doesn't mean he can't "bounce back," but TFB (PBUH) is
not the team.
One more coda - one "elite" piece of Brady (PBUH) will always be there while physical performance declines to "good" -- that's the character part, his ability to lead. That makes me think he may "not suck" one of these days, but still not be the best option in BB's eyes.
Just early-morning wool-gathering. I think such considerations are still years away. The terrible, terrible level he "descended" to last year is still peachy by most teams' standards. If the worst happens, and that is a plateau rather than a drop-off before a bounce-back, I'm still okay with that, particularly with the improving D.
But I'll reluctantly recognize where we are, if that is the case.
Big fat caveat: I'm expecting the bounceback this year, by the way. I just don't believe in saying "Just wait until every condition is perfect, he'll show 'em!"
Oh and final final final thought - you want GOAT bragging rights for Brady (PBUH)? Get him another ring, no matter who does the heavy lifting. He's got a top 10 defense on his side, he's probably going to perform as a top 5 quarterback, Gronk is an elite TE
when healthy, and Edelman is like Welker except without the noggin problems and the 4-game suspension. We've got Amendola, which everybody just sort of disregards... there's plenty to work with. Yes, we lost a lineman. But there's not that much to kvetch about personnel-wise.
It's a team game, and I want this
team to get one more ring. Yeah then you have a claim in the GOAT conversation for Brady (PBUH), whoop de doo. And hey Brady (PBUH) might stay 5 more years... hey maybe even longer. I know in the back of your mind you're pointing at Peyton and saying "Tom is Peyton minus 2 years." It's not about that - it's about seeing Brady (PBUH) as what he is. And beyond that... forget about "Brady magic." That was "Patriots magic" in the SB years... TFB (PBUH) was a big part of it, and will be again if we regain it. That's what I'm hoping for.
But last year, a "down year," he threw 25 TDs and 11 Int.s, 4343 yards... in 2003, 23 TDs, 12 int.s, 3,620 passing yards. Before the Moss/Welker years, he was
never a stat whoreterback. How many 30 TD seasons prior to the Moss/Welker move? Zero. How many 4000 yard passing seasons prior to 2007? One, in 2005.
Let's remember this
team's roots, and not start with the "wait until he has better receiver" excuses. We've all been here before... back when Manning was the regular season king and we won the SB all the time. Who needs it. What we need - as difficult as it may be to
get - is another Lombardi or two.
BB clearly saw his best play as creating a top-5 secondary. That's not a function of "what would you rather have" so much as "given the possibilities what moves are you making." But once again, how did we get there back in the day? Balance. The beauty of balance is you don't
have to put the team on one guy's back and make a big fat hero out of him. You let him be a big fat hero for
his role in the team accomplishment. The QB gets the glory, but McGinnest, Bruschi, hell even the kicker whose name need not be mentioned got their share too.
All that said, yes, I hope for a zillion TDs for TFB (PBUH) and three more SB rings and yes I know the passing game, according to conventional wisdom, just got another big bump. Okay that's another big emphasis on passing, but within the ultimate team game. I actually agree that TFB will be one of the elite guys again this year and will benefit from it.
But guys - I just needed to get it off my chest that if TFB (PBUH) is just statistically a QB who
will win the game for you... that would be just fine. Especially if, as is unlikely for any team in any year, he wins us another game-at-the-very-end.
Okay core dump over.
