Best 3 Year Run Ever?

[Ring 6]

The top 100 show got me thinking. A lot of us would say Brady probably deserved to be #1 each of the last 3 years.

Is Brady's last 3 years the best ever?

We all know no one has done better than 2 rings in 3 years. We all know no one has done better than the 4th quarters he played to win those 2.

But the statistics are eye opening, especially the post season.

Reg season
35-9 (this is even better than his career win % which is by far the best ever)

Comp/att/%. 1066/1638/65.1
Yards/td/int. 12433/97/18. (Yes that is 18 picks in THREE years combined)

Per 16 games
13-3
388/596/65.1
4521/36/6.5

That average season would be the best in the league most years if not all.

But look at the post season.

8 games
7-1 record

241/375/64.3
2770/20/9

Per 16
481/750/64.3
5540/40/18

Points scored 32.1 per game.

In leading the patriots to 2 championships in the last 3 seasons Brady has AVERAGED OVER 30 COMPLETIONS AND 346 Yards per game while putting up an average of 32.1 ppg.

I can't see how this isn't the greatest 3 year run by a QB in history. Also considering in those 8 playoff games he threw more than any one had ever by a good amount, including 50+ attempts in 4 of the 8 playoff games, the amount he was relied on to carry the team was probably the highest ever as well, making this the best 3 year run of any player ever.

 

[BobDigital]

Maybe. It is arguable.

 

[Batman]

I believe so, I think if we repeat it will go down as the greatest 5 year run by any NFL team, ever.

 

[Ivan]

Maybe. It is arguable.

Really, compared to whom?

 

[Ring 6]

Another stat.
In the last 3 postseasons whole going 7-1 and scoring over 32 ppg the patriots have averaged 49 pass plays and 23 run plays per game.
And those 23 rushing plays accounted for 73.6 yards and 3.2 per carry. They are also skewed by the Indy game, taking that one away it's an average of

20.6 rushes
59 yards
2.9 per carry.

 

[BobDigital]

Really, compared to whom?

I don't know. I would need to look at every potential 3 year stint in NFL history. Sure this could be the best though. A lot of things Brady does are the best or near to it.

Just a quick look. Other contenders.

Montana 87-89
Favre 95-97
Rodgers 09-11
Marino 84-86
Young 92-94
Starr 66-68

Just looked up a few QBs with their best 3 year stint. I am sure there are others. I am not saying Brady doesn't have the best 3 years in a row of any QB but there are other QBs that have had a great 3 years as well. While Brady may be the best of all time lets not act like the handful of other HOF QBs are not pretty amazing too particularly in streaks.

 

[Bradyking12]

Damn injury bug last season, would of been a 3 peat going on a 4 peat

 

[bormio]

Starr won 3 championships in those 3 years. Obviously not a stat machine, but an amazing leader whose teammates worshipped him. A lot like Brady in that regard. Brady winning 5 has made people remember Starr, who won 5 NFL championships - and I am glad he is being recognized for the great QB he was.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't know. I would need to look at every potential 3 year stint in NFL history. Sure this could be the best though. A lot of things Brady does are the best or near to it.

Just a quick look. Other contenders.

Montana 87-89
Favre 95-97
Rodgers 09-11
Marino 84-86
Young 92-94
Starr 66-68

Just looked up a few QBs with their best 3 year stint. I am sure there are others. I am not saying Brady doesn't have the best 3 years in a row of any QB but there are other QBs that have had a great 3 years as well. While Brady may be the best of all time lets not act like the handful of other HOF QBs are not pretty amazing too particularly in streaks.

By my rule book favre, Rodgers, Marino, Young aren't viable because they didn't win 2 championships (kind of a qualifier for membership in the club) and Montana and Starr didn't carry their teams like Brady did.
Montana would be the only real contender but he didn't carry his team like Brady did. (I looked at 88-90 because that was actually better than 87-89 for him ). In his 8 playoff games while also going 7-1 and winning 2 rings he had an average of 28.7 ATTEMPTS while Brady had an average of 30.1 COMPLETIONS and close to 100 more yards per game.

Same end results but Brady played a bigger role in the success.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Easily Brady's best 3yr run. Amazing it happened from 37-39 years old.

If we're combining regular season and playoff performances, I cannot think of any QB competing for the top spot. Montana in '87 got benched in the Anthony Carter Game at home. Far cry from Brady's Baltimore, Seattle and Atlanta games when down double digits.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Ring 6]

Starr won 3 championships in those 3 years. Obviously not a stat machine, but an amazing leader whose teammates worshipped him. A lot like Brady in that regard. Brady winning 5 has made people remember Starr, who won 5 NFL championships - and I am glad he is being recognized for the great QB he was.

He did but it was a different game, he certainly didn't carry them to it.
His numbers in those 3 post seasons, 8 games were
90-141/1326/11/2

I'm going to divide it by 7 because in 1 game he was 1/1/10

Avg per game
13/20/190

 

[patsinthesnow]

Nice post. I tend to agree. There's also a 3 year run inside the 3 year run so to speak when Brady has put up video game numbers:

2014: Weeks 5-SB49: Gronk's rust wears off & returns to full health while the OL gels enough to give Brady time.

2015: Weeks 1-10: The Pats are undefeated & Brady has something like 20 TDs 1 INT before Edelman gets injured against NYG (before that Dion, after Gronk/Blount/OL, etc)

2016: Weeks 5-10: This run is the most simple: Gronk was healthy. Brady was on pace to break the NFL record for yards per attempt, 5000+ passing yards over 16 games, nearly 40 TDs, and a shot at the NFL passer rating record.

Last year's offense with Gronk was our best "big play" offense ever over 2007. Gronk & Hogan had 20+ ypc.

If the offense remains relatively healthy Brady could have the greatest four year run in US pro team sports history for a single athlete. 3 rings, videogame level stats, and a ridiculous win %.

 

[jah]

Obviously the seasons didn't end quite so well, but I'd have expected his numbers from 2010-2012 to be the best statistical stretch he's had.

 

[Ring 6]

Obviously the seasons didn't end quite so well, but I'd have expected his numbers from 2010-2012 to be the best statistical stretch he's had.

I think regular season statistics without post season success are meaningless. But that's me, and I judge everything by winning.

 

[bormio]

He did but it was a different game, he certainly didn't carry them to it.
His numbers in those 3 post seasons, 8 games were
90-141/1326/11/2

I'm going to divide it by 7 because in 1 game he was 1/1/10

Avg per game
13/20/190

It was a different game, but Starr was the glue of that team - the player everyone looked to. Remember, Starr called his own plays. And if the Packers needed a play - Starr usually delivered. Besides, no one was throwing for 400 in the Ice Bowl.

 

[Ring 6]

Nice post. I tend to agree. There's also a 3 year run inside the 3 year run so to speak when Brady has put up video game numbers:

2014: Weeks 5-SB49: Gronk's rust wears off & returns to full health while the OL gels enough to give Brady time.

2015: Weeks 1-10: The Pats are undefeated & Brady has something like 20 TDs 1 INT before Edelman gets injured against NYG (before that Dion, after Gronk/Blount/OL, etc)

2016: Weeks 5-10: This run is the most simple: Gronk was healthy. Brady was on pace to break the NFL record for yards per attempt, 5000+ passing yards over 16 games, nearly 40 TDs, and a shot at the NFL passer rating record.

Last year's offense with Gronk was our best "big play" offense ever over 2007. Gronk & Hogan had 20+ ypc.

If the offense remains relatively healthy Brady could have the greatest four year run in US pro team sports history for a single athlete. 3 rings, videogame level stats, and a ridiculous win %.

If I didn't miss any, winning 14 would tie and 15 would break the regular season record for most wins a 4 year run (us and 9ers) but 16 total wins would break our current record of 60 reg+ps wins in a 4 year period.

 

[Ring 6]

It was a different game, but Starr was the glue of that team - the player everyone looked to. Remember, Starr called his own plays. And if the Packers needed a play - Starr usually delivered. Besides, no one was throwing for 400 in the Ice Bowl.

When the packers needed a play it was usually jim Taylor that delivered.

I'm not knocking Starr, but the importance of the QB in the 60s Packers vs the current Patriots isn't even close.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

With specialized personnel packages and the general evolution in defensive sophistication, QBs today have it much harder than the old timers who called their own plays. We can only speculate how guys like Starr and Graham would be able to process today's defenses.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Ring 6]

With specialized personnel packages and the general evolution in defensive sophistication, QBs today have it much harder than the old timers who called their own plays. We can only speculate how guys like Starr and Graham would be able to process today's defenses.

Regards,
Chris

They called their own plays, choosing from a couple dozen based upon the game plan. Let's not make it out like they were drawing them up in the huddle or designing the playbook.

 

[Tony2046]

Even more amazing is that he did all that while being handicapped by the league.

The last three years have been Brady shoving the league's shenanigans right back up their asses.

"You win because you cheated" "Screw you......now hand me the Lombardi and while you're at it toss me the MVP"