QB Controversy!

[Tunescribe]

I also think that some sort of disconnect has come between Kraft, BB, and TB because of deflate-gate, perhaps with Tom not telling the truth to both of them at the beginning. It just seems like the typically united front has been somewhat fractured.

What are you basing this on? Crap from Felger/Borges?

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Tom Brady is the Troof. That said...

Begin Questions:

"Does JAG prefer a padded, or unpadded, seat on the bench?"

End Questions

Josh McDaniels' lap.

It's amazing how fast people forget Brady's performance last season. He just led the team to a Superbowl victory, the largest second half comeback ever, his 4th win, 6th appearance, and Superbowl MVP. There are few QB's to ever have played in the history of the game that can compete on that level.

Unless Brady gets injured he's going no where, except straight to starting QB. JG could be everything everyone dreams about, but that would still put him only second to Brady.

Read up on how Brady trains year round, and how he takes care of himself. He's not slowing down.

Every accomplishment you just mentioned has one thing in common: they all happened in the past.

One day this will be relevant. My guess that it will not be because we got a guy ready enough to fill in for four games... But hey, I was a "how we gonna keep Drew" guy.

 

[Angelpats]

It's no wonder some Boston media don't support our team or quarterback. Just look at this thread. Brady just won a superbowl and some fans here are talking about his replacement. Even if he loses every single game next year the man should have earned enough of our respect that we can accept it and let it go. How he would love it if the fanbase were truly supportive. Just look at Pittsburg, their QB is far from perfect but they love him.

 

[Jackson 2]

I will duck as soon as I write this because I am sure it will set everyone off. In the SB, Brady was phenomenal in those clutch last drives -- getting the MVP. But he also threw one horrible interception for no reason, and the 2nd one was pretty bad. Take those away, and we win that game with a lot less drama.

I also think that some sort of disconnect has come between Kraft, BB, and TB because of deflate-gate, perhaps with Tom not telling the truth to both of them at the beginning. It just seems like the typically united front has been somewhat fractured.

I really doubt that TB goes anywhere until his contract runs out, but nothing would surprise me at this point. I am ready for anything, and getting a few games from JG at the beginning of next season should be fun for all of us to see what we have there.

With all due respect, as soon as someone qualifies a sports argument/discussion with the phrase "...take away..." I'm yawning. It's loser talk. Without some sort of evidence, so is the "fractured united front" speculation. JG will likely be a very fine pro QB. The idea that seeing him at the beginning of next season "should be fun" instead of Brady is nonsense. Your first sentence gave it away. You're trolling, and, frankly, you're ****ty at it.

 

[PATS16N0]

Only Felger cares what Jimmy G does in practice.

In the AFC Championship, when it's 25 degrees and the winds are howling and the snows are falling 100 feet deep, and you're down by 14 in the 4th quarter against the toughest, meanest, nastiest defense in the league, who do you want? Tom Br4dy or Janeane Garofalo?

Tom Br4dy. Not even a question worth asking.

 

[farn]

I was foolishly in the "lets ride out 2015" and see what bounty Brady can fetch in the offseason after the KC. Looking back, that was absolutely absurd.

However, the day NE moves on from Brady is much closer now than in the 01-03-04 run. And being a Patriots fan, I for one prefer looking ahead. The poster suggesting Brady's accomplishments warrant fans being ok if he goes 0-16 is off base. Performance based business. Today, Brady can still perform, so he's in. One day, he will slip some and then this convo ramps up.

Conclusion : it isn't ridiculous for fans to speculate about what the future brings, but Brady has done more than enough to show that it is indeed a "future convo" as he is still excellent.

 

[PATS16N0]

I was foolishly in the "lets ride out 2015" and see what bounty Brady can fetch in the offseason after the KC. Looking back, that was absolutely absurd.

However, the day NE moves on from Brady is much closer now than in the 01-03-04 run. And being a Patriots fan, I for one prefer looking ahead. The poster suggesting Brady's accomplishments warrant fans being ok if he goes 0-16 is off base. Performance based business. Today, Brady can still perform, so he's in. One day, he will slip some and then this convo ramps up.

Conclusion : it isn't ridiculous for fans to speculate about what the future brings, but Brady has done more than enough to show that it is indeed a "future convo" as he is still excellent.

Go Red Sawks.

 

[Joker]

I was foolishly in the "lets ride out 2015" and see what bounty Brady can fetch in the offseason after the KC. Looking back, that was absolutely absurd.

However, the day NE moves on from Brady is much closer now than in the 01-03-04 run. And being a Patriots fan, I for one prefer looking ahead. The poster suggesting Brady's accomplishments warrant fans being ok if he goes 0-16 is off base. Performance based business. Today, Brady can still perform, so he's in. One day, he will slip some and then this convo ramps up.

Conclusion : it isn't ridiculous for fans to speculate about what the future brings, but Brady has done more than enough to show that it is indeed a "future convo" as he is still excellent.

I have one problem with your thesis. Performance based business? Really? and just how does one "perform" with the deck clearly stacked against you? Goodell has shown THIS idiotic rationale to attempt to destroy Brady and his career, what's to make you think he will not DICTATE that Brady gets ZERO calls for and almost all possible calls against? How does one continue a level of performance when game after game a Sheldon Richardson,Mario Williams and Cameron Wake take three and four steps after a pass is released and smash Brady in the ribs, helmet, knees, ankles...whatever they want..and not one call...any ideas how to keep up performance against such a stacked deck? If you don't think this can and most likely WILL happen then you probably think Jerome Boger is a competent ref and will make the necessary calls...like the Ravens/SF super bowl.

 

[skinnydog]

I don't know why everyone jokes about this. Brady is 37 and Garoppolo is 23. If Garoppolo plays really well and the Pats don't think they'd likely be able to draft another one like him, the team really would need to ask themselves some tough questions. I'm the biggest Brady fan out there, but reality is reality.

Let's see one player in February 2015 played the best 4th quarter of any QB in the history of the game against the best passing defense in the league in the past 5-10 years and making a change based on pre-season practice is even a talking point? Really?

 

[PATS16N0]

I was foolishly in the "lets ride out 2015" and see what bounty Brady can fetch in the offseason after the KC. Looking back, that was absolutely absurd.

However, the day NE moves on from Brady is much closer now than in the 01-03-04 run. And being a Patriots fan, I for one prefer looking ahead. The poster suggesting Brady's accomplishments warrant fans being ok if he goes 0-16 is off base. Performance based business. Today, Brady can still perform, so he's in. One day, he will slip some and then this convo ramps up.

Conclusion : it isn't ridiculous for fans to speculate about what the future brings, but Brady has done more than enough to show that it is indeed a "future convo" as he is still excellent.

Anyone who was on the `trade Brady` bandwagon has no credible opinion on football, in my humble opinion.

 

[farn]

Anyone who thinks NFL players are immortal might be hard to follow as well.

 

[PATS16N0]

Anyone who thinks NFL players are immortal might be hard to follow as well.

Sports Hub rots your brain.

 

[Deus Irae]

Anyone who thinks NFL players are immortal might be hard to follow as well.

Even at this 'later' stage of Tom Brady's career, it's a safe bet that 31 teams in the NFL would rather have Tom Brady than their own QB when it's money time. Team #32 already has him.

 

[farn]

As long as Brady is the best QB on the team - which I am confident will be the case for the immediate future - he will start. Every player will eventually lose their skills to age. Brady is no different. I was foolish to think it had started in 2015. But I am pleased to have been wrong. The next guy will have a hard act to follow.

 

[patsfan13]

Brady and BB will know when the decline is happening.

The thing about it is that his most valuable assets are his competitiveness and his football mind. I see no decline in competitiveness and his mind if anything is better than ever. He is being very proactive in retaining his throwing skills as much as possible. I can see him having another 5-6 years of elite performance.

 

[Angelpats]

Just trust Brady. He has said that as long as he can play at a high level he will continue to play and will hang it up when he can not. Just trust him like when he said he didn't mess with the balls and science supporting him up. 4 Super Bowls, 6 super bowl appearances, what more does a QB need to do to earn some respect. Look at manning 1 Super Bowl, gets paid more and gets all the love. If he were accused of deflating balls I am sure the media and the league would have behaved differently.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I have to say this, because it is just plain logic. It's coming eventually. I don't think it's coming now.

In terms of physical skills he cannot be the QB at 50 that he was at 27. In terms of mental ability and insight into the game he can. A 50-year-old QB has never won the super bowl (yet... see I can be humble too...)

So the point I'm making by stretching into the absurd future, is that there will be a day when mentally all-powerful, supremely competitive Brady will judge himself the best choice for the team.

I would dearly love for everybody to agree... but it is likely they will not. His very competitiveness will likely color his judgment about whether he is the best QB for the team. That and the fact that we are all terrible "objective" judges of our own abilities/talents/etc. All Brady can do is remain confident, make his case, and let the chips fall.

He made a pretty good case last year

But what will blindside us, as fans, is that the team will evaluate him year by year - not as the sum total of the GOAT career. At some point it is very likely that the team and Brady will differ.

But I hope they decide this together.

 

[Sticky Caulk]

Until Brady shows a decline during meaningful games, he'll start for New England. Not a small sample size of a few games, but an actual decline that is hurting the team in the standings. It'll happen eventually. I am glad we have someone that might be able to slide in when it does.

Having a very promising starter on the bench is great, but we do not know if he's the next Aaron Rodgers or Brian Griese.

I think Luck and Rodgers have really distorted the reality of losing your franchise QB. You will most likely never replace the best to ever play the position with anyone that will feel as exciting, successful or at all satisfying for possibly decades. The Bills are still trying to replace the glory of a mid-90's QB. The Jets still haven't replaced their QB from the 60's. Miami 90's. Luckily we replaced one QB that had a career one rung under Hall of Fame quality with the best of all time.

Even if Garoppolo is as good as Andrew Luck.. that sucks in comparison to Brady.

 

[Fencer]

You keep the winner, until he can't win anymore. "Better a year early" doesn't, or at least shouldn't, apply to the QB position, unless you've got a future HOFer as a backup.

That's been proven true about a gazillion times in the NFL.

Manning/Luck is a recent counterexample, and even that one is a close call.

I can't think of a second counterexample right now, recent or otherwise.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Even if Garoppolo is as good as Andrew Luck.. that sucks in comparison to Brady.

Agree today. Disagree at some point in the future. That point is not yet known.

What was "damning" about Brady games 1-4 last year became a strength through the rest of the season.

He had a period there of "d%#*!@t O-line do what I am used to an O-line doing. d%#*!@t receivers be more open, be more sure-handed..." And then, the "word of the day" was "Trust" the rest of the season.

Say the magic word and win a fourth SB ring.

Back last fall I did a breakdown of targets in the first 4 games looking at receiver involvement, and compared with Cinci onward for a few games. Much more involvement of other WRs. Gronk was a constant. So it became not just gronk and edelman, it became what we now remember as the familiar mix, with JoJo being involved, Amendola chipping in, etc.

The other aspect of his game he turned and "fixed" on a dime was that he got to the point where he got the ball out in 2.5 seconds on average. Think back - he was never the guy you described as having the lightning-fast release. Good but not great in that category. He compensated with awareness, digested the new data -- you will just not have as much time -- and decided "then this is the way we win this year." (With a lot of help, I am sure, from Bill n Josh.)

So there's my paeon to Brady for 2014. Trouble is, there will be a day when all the smarts, all the hard work, etc., won't do the trick.

We saw 4 games of "decline" - then we saw what very few QBs could do like Brady, an adjustment that negated its effect. There was not a sharp drop in physical skills - there was hubris about being able to do it all himself, when different conditions were pertaining. He corrected the mental game, worked at combined mental/physical aspects (All you get is 2.5 secs,) and we saw the results.

So I don't underestimate his ability to find ways to win, don't get me wrong. But at 40, can he make the adjustments his made at 37? 42?? 45?

No way to know, but given TFB's contract window, I think JAG really is the heir apparent (not a placeholder for the next heir apparent.)