ESPN SAM MONSON: Tom Brady is no longer a top-5 QB

[captain stone]

How does Zero weapons besides Minitron + Suck-ass interior OL = QB decline?

 

[strngplyr]

Lets counter the Monson article with an excellent piece by Mike Pettine via Bedard:

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/06/06/tom-brady-mike-pettine-top-five-quarterback/

“It’s beyond ridiculous,” Pettine said, fiddling with his computer. “Top five? I mean, to me, it’s one and two (Brady and Peyton Manning) and then there’s a gap and then it’s probably (Drew) Brees and (Aaron) Rodgers would be three and four, however you want to order them. Until those two (Brady and Manning) retire, they’ll be one and two and then there will be a gap.

 

[Nikolai]

Lets counter the Monson article with an excellent piece by Mike Pettine via Bedard:

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/06/06/tom-brady-mike-pettine-top-five-quarterback/

What I like is that Pettine offers a very cogent argument for why Brady is elite and it resonates far more than the empty, qualitative measures thrown out by that hack at PFF.

PFF is the worst kind of analytical deceit; using bogus qualitative measures as a basis for a supposedly quantitative analysis. What heartens me is that most real football fans see through it, perhaps because his conclusions become outlandish at times. He seems to forget the "reality check" part of his analysis.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I'll take a stab at this argument:

I'll start by saying I feel Brady is still a top-2 QB in the NFL. In fact, Aaron Rodgers is the ONLY QB that I'd take over Tommy and it's only because of his mobility. Say what you want, but that is such an added dimension to any offense that drives defenses crazy. How many times have we all seen our beloved Pats being shredded by QB's with the ability to escape the pocket?

With that said, here we go. This is the type of argument where all sides have made valid points. The fact that the overall premise may be considered ludicrous by some does not negate the validity some of the individual points within the argument. Is Brady in decline? The answer would have to be yes. It's almost implausible to believe that some of his skills have not diminished by now. Stats aside, I think that if you're watching Brady today and saying, "Man, he's still as sharp as those SB years or '07 or '10" are in denial. The fact is that it's simply not true. Never mind the deep ball, but even his trademark accuracy has been off more lately, even by the admission of his throwing coach on throws to the left. But is Brady still elite? The answer to that would have to be absolutely yes as well. Like I've already said, I feel he's second only to Rodgers because of something he can't even control really. Rodgers just has an extra gift from the football gods. Is Brady is top-five guy? Is that even really a valid question? Hell yeah, he is!

Another part of the argument, at least as it pertains to last season, is the fact that Brady had few weapons and an O-Line that has become inconsistent, even with the great Scar on the job. Gronkowski played seven games, and the Patriots were scoring more points than the Broncos during that stretch. That was the only small window where the offense started to click again and ALL of Brady's statistics went up, except turnovers. Other than that time he was playing with two rookie receivers who ran the wrong routes and dropped almost every ball thrown to them for the first half of the season, a banged up Amendola, and a small guy who caught 105 passes but had only two free agent visits in the offseason. Let me say that again, Brady's top receiver last season got only TWO visits during FA. But wait a minute . . . Brady got that squad with an injury-depleted defense to the AFCCG. How many other QB's in the league could do that? C'mon. However, this same guy had a sub-par game in that one, a downright awful first half especially.

Look, it's unrealistic to believe that anybody's skills wouldn't be diminishing somewhat at this point. The man is in his late 30's. Of course there's going to be some drop-off. But he's still one of the very best at his craft! He still has the ability to bring your favorite team to the SB. The Patriots still win 10+ games every damn year. I don't care how many other QB's are knocking on the proverbial door, Brady still occupies the room. He'll vacate when he's good and ready and on his own terms. Big Ben is better? Really? Luck . . . Wilson?

Sorry to be so long-winded, but it's funny to me how nobody is talking the demise of Peyton Manning who could not throw in any windy conditions. Nobody is talking the demise of Peyton Manning who clearly does not have the same velocity he use to have. All anyone wants to talk about is the demise of Brady. Nobody wants to face the reality that one is clearly diminishing faster than the other. He just happens to have better weapons around him. I'll leave that one alone, though.

 

[Ivan]

This guy is such a hack that he actually argued that Brady with Gronk shouldn't count because gronk is such a great weaponbut then told Curran that Manning is the gold standard and having great weapons is irrelevant to the discussion. What a douchebag.

Just Say No to PFF

 

[Ivan]

What I like is that Pettine offers a very cogent argument for why Brady is elite and it resonates far more than the empty, qualitative measures thrown out by that hack at PFF.

PFF is the worst kind of analytical deceit; using bogus qualitative measures as a basis for a supposedly quantitative analysis. What heartens me is that most real football fans see through it, perhaps because his conclusions become outlandish at times. He seems to forget the "reality check" part of his analysis.

Right on the money. the PFF style argument this douche is making iss exactly what is wrong with so much of the football "analysis" we are subjected to now. These guys use numbers because they are too lazy and dense to actually WATCH, the games and evaluate the game in context, instead they reduce it to make believe metrics of their own creation. Brady lost almost all of his receiving production form the previous season and the first 3rd of the season was a struggle to get the offense working in sync, despite this he found a way to carry this team on his back and get them back to the AFCCG. Manning is a great passer, Brady is a great QB, there's a difference, and the way he went about leading this team to wins and pulled out victories where defeat was imminent demonstrated that once again. His numbers suffered but his play was exemplary and with a better defense and skill players he now has familiarity with 2014 should be even better.

If an analyst wants to compare a player to Brady they should go with Rodgers, because like Brady he has had to overcome serious adversity and has taken the Packers as far as he could despite it. Imo Brady is the GOAT but Rodgers is actually the best QB in the game right now, not Manning, and those who are trumpeting Manning are really just fans enamored with the Passing game.

 

[AzPatsFan]

The ESPN headline writer created a headline that doesn't jibe with the gist of the article. Still, Time waits for no man; and Tom Brady is NOT what he used to be. But he hasn't fallen very far, and certainly not out of the Top Five.

 

[Ivan]

The ESPN headline writer created a headline that doesn't jibe with the gist of the article. Still, Time waits for no man; and Tom Brady is NOT what he used to be. But he hasn't fallen very far, and certainly not out of the Top Five.

I will wait until after this season to evaluate where Brady is at, I saw no signs of decline at all prior to last season and consider last season an aberration statistically because of what happened at the skill positions. With another year with these skill players he should have a very good season, if he doesn't then i think talk of his decline makes more sense.

 

[Deus Irae]

Brady is the best QB in the NFL.


Sam Monson's article drove traffic, though, so congrats to him, I guess.

 

[Droogs]

Brady is the best QB in the NFL.


Sam Monson's article drove traffic, though, so congrats to him, I guess.

Monson is an idiot, bully and all-round arse
Prior to his "career" In journalism, he spent most of his time getting banned from UK forums for his twattish behaviour.
In fact, one site, set up by his buddies, didn't even want him to join because he was hated so much.
He absolutely despises the Patriots with a passion and has openly posted to this effect (I will post some of his comments over the coming days)
I was amazed to find that ESPN took this guy seriously...he has ZERO experience of football, other than he watches a lot of games on TV....never played (well, outside of Ireland , never coached...and yet ESPN think this twat has an opinion.
The world really has gone crazy!

 

[Joker]

Sam Monson just posted this on Twitter..OMG,my testicles have still not descended yet! When will I be a man? *sniffle*..*whimper*..

 

[captain stone]

PatsBoy's post above is spot-on, including the part in which he - and I too - would take Aaron Rodgers
ahead of Brady. None of the other mobile QBs cut it, and the 2 multiple SB winners - Rapistbooger
& Brother of Horse-Faced Goober Choke Artist - really just happened to be in the right place at the
right time.

 

[joepatsfan]

Well, this is why Monson wrote the ******** article. The views and popularity of a crap opinion that was bogus. I guarantee in his own mind, he knows Brady is a top 4 QB without a doubt (top 2 in my mind), and just said "well its the offseason, PFF sucks ****, so lets get views"...

I mean, espn had a sportsnation vote or whatever crap they do to poll whether or not TB was top 5... The amount of traffic this article made for the authors name was insane. Good for him.

He's still a douchebag idiot with heavily biased stats for his declaration that disregards other blatantly obvious facts to counter his opinion and obviously wants to take a ride on top of Manning from what I see.

 

[ausbacker]

Well, this is why Monson wrote the ******** article. The views and popularity of a crap opinion that was bogus. I guarantee in his own mind, he knows Brady is a top 4 QB without a doubt (top 2 in my mind), and just said "well its the offseason, PFF sucks ****, so lets get views"...

I mean, espn had a sportsnation vote or whatever crap they do to poll whether or not TB was top 5... The amount of traffic this article made for the authors name was insane. Good for him.

He's still a douchebag idiot with heavily biased stats for his declaration that disregards other blatantly obvious facts to counter his opinion and obviously wants to take a ride on top of Manning from what I see.

If gaining notoriety is more important than establishing credibility you're probably a ****wit. Monson appears to have established that and further strengthened my claim that PFF is written by hacks.

 

[TonyTucker]

Monson is an idiot, bully and all-round arse
Prior to his "career" In journalism, he spent most of his time getting banned from UK forums for his twattish behaviour.
In fact, one site, set up by his buddies, didn't even want him to join because he was hated so much.
He absolutely despises the Patriots with a passion and has openly posted to this effect (I will post some of his comments over the coming days)
I was amazed to find that ESPN took this guy seriously...he has ZERO experience of football, other than he watches a lot of games on TV....never played (well, outside of Ireland , never coached...and yet ESPN think this twat has an opinion.
The world really has gone crazy!

I'd be curious to see his comments. I remember an article from at least a year ago, I think it was just a fluff piece, but I remember a Vikings fan slamming them in the comments. I'm thinking, "why the hell does a Vikings fan give a **** about NE?" Is there a team that has less relevance to the Patriots?

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'd be curious to see his comments. I remember an article from at least a year ago, I think it was just a fluff piece, but I remember a Vikings fan slamming them in the comments. I'm thinking, "why the hell does a Vikings fan give a **** about NE?" Is there a team that has less relevance to the Patriots?

I can't think of any.

Of course, when Brad Childress was the HC, that was a very different matter for BB.

 

[PATS16N0]

Monson has surpassed the Trollolol guy with this #%@$.

Too dumb I don't even have the energy to explain how stupid it is.

 

[ausbacker]

Monson has surpassed the Trollolol guy with this #%@$.

Too dumb I don't even have the energy to explain how stupid it is.

You can only imagine the other wonderful pieces Monson has put forward. Sadly, I'll never know.