Poll: Tom Brady peak season

[Caretaker]

As much as I like sports discussion with all its charms, I was always partial to good old player comparisons, prime delineation and stats geekery. Tom Brady's illustrious career just might be the perfect topic for this offseason: he will enter his 20th season with 6 rings, bunch of individual awards, dozens of game winning drives and millions of haters.

Imagine that you can choose one 'version' of GOAT to be starting QB for your team - just for ONE season. It doesn't mean TB12 will put up exactly the same numbers as he did in, say, 2012 or 2015, but he will have the same skillset, athleticism, health and 'mental makeup'. Oh, and he won't be suspended, in case you wanted to pick 2016.

There is a lot to choose from - after all he authored the book titled How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance. I don't think stats are the be-all and end-all, but I'll provide some to kick this off (not all seasons, just examples):

2007, Record Breaker
68.9% completion rate, 50-8 TD/INT ratio, 300 yards per game, 8.3 yards per attempt, 117.2 passer rating, 49-1 MVP

2010, Unanimous MVP
65.9%, 36-4, 244 ypg, 7.9 y/a, 111.0 rating, 0.8 INT%

2011, Boston TE Party Leader
65.6%, 39-12, 327 ypg, 8.6 y/a, 105.6 rating, playoffs:
67.6%, 8-4, 293 ypg, 7.9 y/a, 100.4 rating

2014, Year of Comebacks
64.1%, 33-9, 257 ypg, 7.1 y/a, 97.4 rating
BUT between W5 and W16 we averaged 34.5 ppg, 399.5 total ypg, and playoffs:
68.9%, 10-4, 307 ypg, 6.8 y/a, 100.3 rating, 7.4 TD%, SB XLIX MVP

2015, Muffed Punts & Missed PATs
64.4%, 36-7, 298 ypg, 7.6 y/a, 102.2 rating
This is with Blount, Develin, Dion, LaFell, Solder, Stork, Wendell (Derby, Gaffney, Gibson and Tyms) on Injured Reserve*

2016, Year of Revenge
67.4%, 28-2, 296 ypg, 8.2 y/a, 112.2 rating, 0.5 INT%, playoffs:
65.5%, 7-3, 379 ypg, 8.0 y/a, 97.7 rating, SB LI MVP

2017, Renaissance
66.3%, 32-8, 286 ypg, 7.9 y/a, 102.8 rating, playoffs:
64.0%, 8-0, 377 ypg, 8.1 y/a, 108.6 rating


* LaFell and Stork came back from IR during season.

 

[BobDigital]

2006 was his best season IMO.

His defense scored no TDs. His STs scored only 1 TD. So he wasn't given a lot of help putting points on the board. His rookie kicker was not very good. Hitting only 77% of his kicks and was rarely asked to kick anything over 45 yards.

His main targets were Reche Caldwell who was merely a JAG. He never got 400 yards any other year and was out of the NFL soon after. Not even good enough to make it as a #3 on any NFL team. An over the hill Troy Brown who was clearly on his last legs and retired next year. Frankly he should have retired after 2005. He didn't have it anymore. Faulk who was an okay role player but is only good in small doses.

His best weapon was Ben Watson who really isn't all that good. He has gone back and forth his entire career between being a decent TE1 and a good TE2. He is able to put up good stats when fed enough throws but he isn't a guy you would ever confuse for a true game changer or a true match up problem.

Brady did have a running game to help him somewhat but it was average. They ran a lot cause they were forced to, but it wasn't particularly good in YPA.

The Patriots surrounded Brady with what was the worst offensive cast in the NFL that year and it wasn't even close. Maybe the worst cast a great QB has ever been surrounded with. That is not hyperbole. Find me a HOF QB who was surrounded by the same or close to it in any year if you can.

I think people lose context of how bad this offense was. All that being said, this offense which should have rightly finished in the bottom 5, even with very good QB play, somehow managed to field the 7th best offense in the NFL with a respectable (at the time) 24.1PPG

Scoring around 30PPG or a hair over was considered a golden offensive standard at the time. Only the most insanely stacked offenses with very solid QB play and great year round weather accomplished it (The only exception that comes to mind is the Vikings in 1998)

I honestly believe any other QB that year would have lead his team to at most 17PPG and have thrown a public fit at being left out to dry. And rightfully so. Instead Brady leads this offense to a very good season and I still have no idea how he managed it.

 

[Caretaker]

2006 was his best season IMO.

Do you value quality of his teammates (or lack of it) so highly?

 

[BobDigital]

Do you value quality of his teammates (or lack of it) so highly?

Yes. I am speaking solely about his play on the field. I think he never played better than 2006. It is reasonable to say NO QB has ever played better than Brady did in 2006.

We've seen a number of QBs put up big stats with all star cast. I've never seen a player carry such a horrible cast to a highly respectable level. What Brady did in 2006 (unlike any other year) is completely unprecedented and still yet to be duplicated.

 

[RobertWeathers]

2010.

Most efficient offense in history with 2 rookie TEs, BJGE, Woody, ave WRs and a sucky D.

 

[Observer]

2022

 

[PatsBoy12]

2014 for me

 

[jah]

2016 would have been even more efficient than 2010 had the suspension not happened so I pick that.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

2016 was peak with 2010 a close second, then 2006/07 (he was the same in both of those seasons but has completely different supporting casts, which shows why stats are more a reflection of talent at the skill positions.)

 

[Two Eight]

the next one

 

[Caretaker]

2022

the next one

Thanks for input. You get my two likes.

 

[maust]

Still waiting on it. Something tells me it will be soon though, seems like he has this QB thing just about figured out.

 

[Caretaker]

Still waiting on it. Something tells me it will be soon though, seems like he has this QB thing just about figured out.

So you think one of Brady's future seasons will surpass the Atlanta season, 16-0, efficiency of 2010 and his three-punch beauties vs Ravens, Colts and Seahawks?

 

[titletownpats]

I also was most impressed with 2006, but 2013 was impressive too. Throwing that game winning TD to Thompkins vs the Saints after Amendola got injured. I think his 4th quarter of the 2013 AFC Chip was crazy. He was getting killed and brought them back to a 2 point conversion away from beating a much better team @Denver. Brady had to attempt to throw passes to Collie, Mulligans and Slater. 2010 as an entire season was out of this world too. So many memories and it’s hard to pick. Feel so lucky I’ve been able to watch the GOAT! I try to enjoy every game bc I’m going it miss it when it’s over. I’ll even miss everybody freaking out every September like the world is ending when the defense is figuring things out like they do every year, but we always end up improving and ending up in AFC Chip after a December loss in Miami. Brady is so good that people freak out if we lose game and even sometimes after a win if it’s not by a big margin. I remember the days of getting excited when the Pats got a Monday Night game. Enjoy watching the GOAT

 

[Kdo5]

2010.

Most efficient offense in history with 2 rookie TEs, BJGE, Woody, ave WRs and a sucky D.

Generally agree but Welker was not an average receiver. He was recovering from injury but still a probowl player. Branch had one of his best seasons with us too.

 

[Patstastic]

I also was most impressed with 2006, but 2013 was impressive too. Throwing that game winning TD to Thompkins vs the Saints after Amendola got injured. I think his 4th quarter of the 2013 AFC Chip was crazy. He was getting killed and brought them back to a 2 point conversion away from beating a much better team @Denver. Brady had to attempt to throw passes to Collie, Mulligans and Slater. 2010 as an entire season was out of this world too. So many memories and it’s hard to pick. Feel so lucky I’ve been able to watch the GOAT! I try to enjoy every game bc I’m going it miss it when it’s over. I’ll even miss everybody freaking out every September like the world is ending when the defense is figuring things out like they do every year, but we always end up improving and ending up in AFC Chip after a December loss in Miami. Brady is so good that people freak out if we lose game and even sometimes after a win if it’s not by a big margin. I remember the days of getting excited when the Pats got a Monday Night game. Enjoy watching the GOAT

Bolded happened in 2015. 2013 was the game with all those terrible receivers (IE Collie and Company). They lost by ten.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Generally agree but Welker was not an average receiver. He was recovering from injury but still a probowl player. Branch had one of his best seasons with us too.

I contend Welker was not Welker that year and Deion was not close to 2004 Deion.

 

[Patstastic]

Generally agree but Welker was not an average receiver. He was recovering from injury but still a probowl player. Branch had one of his best seasons with us too.

Welker turned into an average receiver once the postseason hit. Dude was as unclutch as they come. I was re-watching SB 42 the other day. I believe they win that game with prime Edelman.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Still waiting on it. Something tells me it will be soon though, seems like he has this QB thing just about figured out.

Yea he'll get this whole "QB thing" eventually.

 

[PatriotsReign]

I know this is just a topic for discussion and it’s actually an interesting one.

But personally, I don’t care when he peaked and I don’t care if he’s in decline. I’m not saying that with any anger nor am I trying to stir the pot on this thread.

I am just so content with what Brady has accomplished that I’ll feel no sadness when his days end or we see the end coming.

I am at perfect peace and have zero anxiety about “the end is near” for Tom. The football gods sent us our savior and no Patriots fan should shed any tears when this ends.

Gratitude and peace should be all any Patriot fan experiences. No children should cry, but rejoice in the miracles we have witnessed.

Amen