Best 3 Year Run Ever?

[Tony2046]

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

True but it's tough to fault a guy for winning in the era he played in.

 

[Ring 6]

True but it's tough to fault a guy for winning in the era he played in.

No one is faulting him. Would you give as much credit to a WR or corner forctheir defense being #1 in 1952 career a DT or LB?

It's not knocking their play, it's saying a QB today has more of the teams success on his shoulders than a QB in an earlier era.

 

[BlacknGold77]

Championships are too dependent on teammates to apply.

Give me the 2007, 09, 10 Brady over 14-16 Brady

13,104 yds
114 td
25 int
40-8 reg season record (16-0, 10-6, 14-2)

07-10 outproduces 14-16 despite having a a season coming back from missing an entire year to knee surgery in the mix

 

[Ring 6]

Championships are too dependent on teammates to apply.

Give me the 2007, 09, 10 Brady over 14-16 Brady

13,104 yds
114 td
25 int
40-8 reg season record (16-0, 10-6, 14-2)

07-10 outproduces 14-16 despite having a a season coming back from missing an entire year to knee surgery in the mix

Actually the 12-14 numbers are better if you account for the stolen 4 games.
Per 16, as Andy showed above its more yards less ints and only a few meaningless Tds in blowouts off.
besides 07-10 is 4 years.

More importantly how does a patriot fan ignore the playoffs? To me the reason these 3 are the best ever IS his play in the postseason.

Look at those numbers. Against the best in the league his 8 games, expressed as a full season, or doubled, are far better than anyone has ever done against regular season competition. That's unheard of.

 

[Simpelton]

Really, compared to whom?

Brady himself, 03-05

34-10 (14-2, 14-2, 10-6), 2 Superbowls. That's close and when you factor in that it was a tougher era to be a successful quarterback in 03-05, I think you can make the argument

 

[bormio]

Brady himself, 03-05

34-10 (14-2, 14-2, 10-6), 2 Superbowls. That's close and when you factor in that it was a tougher era to be a successful quarterback in 03-05, I think you can make the argument

Brady is a much better QB than he was from '03-'05. Reads defenses better, makes better decisions - plus he is in better shape.

 

[Ring 6]

Brady himself, 03-05

34-10 (14-2, 14-2, 10-6), 2 Superbowls. That's close and when you factor in that it was a tougher era to be a successful quarterback in 03-05, I think you can make the argument

Brady's post season stats

03-05. 165/270 1921 14/4. 199 points
12-14. 241/375 2770 20/9. 241 points

More than 100 yards more per game and almost a td more on the scoreboard.


Oh and 14-2,14-2,10-6 = 38-10.
Still about the same as 35-9.

 

[Ivan]

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.

Montana is the only one with a shot because of two rings, 7-1playiffs and 2 SB MVP's.

 

[Simpelton]

All I said was that the 03-05 version is in the mix for top 3 year run. How you weight them all comes down to how you compare the two eras. It was a different kind of football in 03-05, defenses could get away with a lot more. You kind of have to weigh that in.

 

[Ring 6]

All I said was that the 03-05 version is in the mix for top 3 year run. How you weight them all comes down to how you compare the two eras. It was a different kind of football in 03-05, defenses could get away with a lot more. You kind of have to weigh that in.

Not really. What Brady had done in these 3 postcseason is really unheard of. Look at the numbers hell just watch the games.
Another 3 year run doesn't get compared favorably for doing less because it was harder to do in someone's opinion.
What makes Brady's last 3 years so great is that he needed to be the best ever to carry this team where he did.
No other QB who has ever played the game has ever done what he has in the last 3 years. That's the whole point.

 

[Bonzo]

'16 - '17 - '18

 

[Tony2046]

No one is faulting him. Would you give as much credit to a WR or corner forctheir defense being #1 in 1952 career a DT or LB?

It's not knocking their play, it's saying a QB today has more of the teams success on his shoulders than a QB in an earlier era.

I agree. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

I think Brady has had one of the best three years in NFL history. I can't think of any better or even close.

But I do think it gets really tough comparing two players from different eras and the further apart those eras are the tougher it gets.

Comparing Joe Montana (pre salary cap) to Brady is easier than Brady vs Otto Graham for example. At least for me it is.

So when I judge players from different era's I try to stick to their successes as compared to their counterparts in their era. My post was in reference to Chris applying today's QB's responsibilities to QB's from a previous era. I don't think is a fair way to do that.

 

[RobertWeathers]

71-73 Fish had a better run as they won 2 SB and lost 1.

 

[Ring 6]

I agree. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

I think Brady has had one of the best three years in NFL history. I can't think of any better or even close.

But I do think it gets really tough comparing two players from different eras and the further apart those eras are the tougher it gets.

Comparing Joe Montana (pre salary cap) to Brady is easier than Brady vs Otto Graham for example. At least for me it is.

So when I judge players from different era's I try to stick to their successes as compared to their counterparts in their era. My post was in reference to Chris applying today's QB's responsibilities to QB's from a previous era. I don't there is a fair way to do that.

Understood. But I also put more emphasis on how vital the player is, or how much the player needs to carry the team.
Specifically looking at the post season the lack of running game, the amount of reliance on throwing, the number of points needed to win and the desperate comeback situations seem to me as if no one has ever been asked to do more.

 

[jmt57]

I know this is back before any of us saw some of them play, but Johnny Unitas 1957-60 (pick either three year run), Otto Graham ('47-'49 or '53-'55) or Sid Luckman ('41-'43) all had nice three year stretches. Their stats don't compare to Brady's since the game has changed so much, but they were head and shoulders above their peers while leading their teams to multiple championships.

If we have to go that far back for a comparison, then that says something emphatic about TB12's last three seasons.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

In addition to to this being the best 3 year run for Brady, it's certainly the best 3 year run for the Patriots as a team (not sure about other teams though). 2001-2004 is the best 4 year run, and 2003-2004 is the best two year run. The previous best 3 year run would have been 2003-2005 including a divisional playoff loss @ the Broncos in '05.

With a Super Bowl win in 2018, this will be the be NEW Best 4 year run!

 

[scott99]

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.

Great thread ! Just ridiculously incredible stats. And you think about the holes this team puts itself in, in BIG games, and yet Brady, who sometimes pulled a Manning (hurt himself with INTs) , turns around and pulls a Montana (comeback wins in 2 SBs) and 2 point conversion away from a 3rd SB.

Also think about all the injuries with the 2015 team (most injured team in football), think about ALL the changes in this team from the 2014 team to the 2016 team. Solder, Stork, Connolly, Wendell and Vollmer were starters on the offensive line for the 2014 Patriots in the SB. Only Solder remained on the 2016 Patriots in the SB. Defensive stalwarts Collins, Jones, Revis and Browner no longer on the team, yet the have they #1 scoring defense in 2016. Wide receiver corp, completely different except for Edelman and Amendola. Amazing how much this team changes or gets injured, yet they still play at an elite level.

It's obvious that great coaching by the greatest coach of all time, and legendary QB play by the greatest QB of all time are the constants. And to think Brady put up those mind boggling stats at age 37-39 is just literally hard to believe. That's the difference between Brady and some of the QBs listed in this thread. NONE of them played at this level at that age.

 

[DarrylS]

No effort to minimize the body of work by Brady, but the crowning achievement if that in the last three years 2 SB rings and looks like they will be contending for a third..

The only thing impediment seems to be injuries, however the depth of this team may overcome that..

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Actually the 12-14 numbers are better if you account for the stolen 4 games.
Per 16, as Andy showed above its more yards less ints and only a few meaningless Tds in blowouts off.
besides 07-10 is 4 years.

.

2008* is astericked as Brady played one quarter that season due to the ACL injury...

 

[1960Pats]

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 %.

Forgive me, but I just can't seem to let go.

It will take Brady two more years to match the greatest 4-0 runs in US pro team sports history.

Bill Russell 58-61
Bill Russell 59-62
Bill Russell 60-63
Bill Russell 61-64
Bill Russell 62-65