All of those things are well and good, but Brees has nothing that Brady doesn't have bar a 5,000 yard season and that was because he was forced to throw the ball 635 times. In 2007 he threw the ball 652 times for 4,432 yards. If you are a skill player and given the opportunity to attempt something more than normal, you should post big numbers.
Pats homerism or not, I've taken the glasses off and Brees isn't in the same category of Manning and Brady, who are separated from the rest of the NFL QB's by some distance.
Well said. Brady threw for 4,800+ yards in 2007. Basically the argument here is Brees wins 50-48 in their best yardage seasons. Brady wins 50-34 in their best TD seasons. This way of comparison is ludicrous.
Brady has a winning percentage that is so high it will be a long, long time before anyone challenges it over a career. They showed a stat last night of Roethlisberger being second. He was something like 56-24. Brady was around 94-27. Roethlisberger's stat is good for second among all active QBs. He would have to go 38-3 just to tie Tom's mark. Brady can challenge almost any quarterback ever in any statistical category. Despite playing outside, he is close to Manning in TD% and way ahead in INT%.
When Brady retires, some of the records he is setting right now will simply blow people's minds. We're talking about a very long period of unparalleled excellence. Do you realize what it takes to sustain a winning percentage of almost .780? If you lose two games, you need to win eight in a row to keep the pace. 14-3 in the playoffs. 16-0 in 2007. Brady has everything on his resume. Do you realize that if Brady wins two playoff games this year, he'll tie Joe Montana for the most postseason wins? Brady might still have half his career left, and it might end up something like Brady 25, Montana (second place) 16.
Now, we're not talking about a simple all-pro here... we are talking about greatness. I can definitely understand the Manning comparisons because Peyton has also done many, many things that are simply unheard of. All of the 4000 yard seasons, 49 TDs, the best team winning percentage of the decade. He also throws pretty few INTs (although more than Brady.) Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, and you can't really argue against that. But the fact that you can compare Brady to Manning with the sports world divided on the issue just goes to show just how good, and how far above everyone else, these two quarterbacks have risen, and continue to rise.
I need an argument better than a 5,000 passing yard season to consider it serious. Shaun Alexander and Priest Holmes once held the rushing TD record. If Brady had thrown the ball more times in '07 he would have broken that record. Likewise, the fact the Brady broke Manning's TD record, in my mind, means nothing, other than that Brady can also put up superhumanly dominant numbers as well. But does 50 to 49 really prove anything except that they are both incredible?
Back to Brees. A dome quarterback who plays against the NFC South and probably plays below 60 degrees once a year. I've always felt Brees is a very good QB, but again, you have to be better than a really good QB to be compared to Brady or Manning. You really have to dominate the league for a long period of time. Sure, Brees can put together a stretch, or a season, of domination and beat either of them statistically. Big deal. And even in this year, arguably Brees' best, Brady is still just as good statistically, and that's after limping into the season coming off knee surgery.
I think Saints fans are really ****y right now and too high on Brees. He's a great quarterback but most of his legacy will depend on how he handles the pressure big games. This season he will have a chance to really make his mark come playoff time. Until then, just acknowledge that he isn't anywhere close to the best quarterback of his generation.
