Patriots / Brady Discussion

[TB_Helmet]

I'm not convinced Brady has trouble adapting to WRs. Brady's QB career is notable for its lack of continuity outside of his control. With most other greats you name the QB you can name the receivers.

Bradshaw- Stallworth (10 years together), Swann (9 years)
Montana- Clark (8 years) and Rice (6 years)
Manning- Wayne (10 years) and Harrison (11 years)
*counting playing years, for instance Montana's time injured is not counted.

Not that they played their whole career with them but significant parts. Brady had Branch for 4 years, Welker for 5 years, Moss for two. Edelman is the longest running guy and he's only had 3 1/2 years in the starting line up.

Another difference- Swann is first rounder, Rice is a first rounder, both Harrison and Wayne are first rounders.

The Patriots have picked exactly zero first round WRs in the BB era (I think the only team not to select a 1st round WR in that time). The closest was this year with Cooks in a trade and he put up over 1000 yards.

So in the laundry list of late picks and cast-offs that have gone through Gilette is Brady worse at making them productive? I'm not sure, I know he's put together more MVP level seasons than anyone playing today with those guys.

And when Brady finally did get a prototypical #1 in Moss he turned it into the greatest single season of all time for a WR.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

TB doesn't care about stats.
TB is a member of a TEAM.

Well said.
1.I don't believe TB (or BB) have much care for any award except a SB ring.
For the most part once time has passed the number of SB rings remain relatively etched in the conversation while being the leader of a non SB award or top of a category stat is equivalent to a Trivial Pursuit card that is drawn once a decade (or maybe something Chris Collinsworth mutters between plays to seem clever).
2.There were some Patriot teams a handful of years ago that relied too much on Brady's passing acumen. While there's nothing wrong with significant reliance on your top of the mark QB for a large part of the road map to victory, the TEAM needs to be playing well in other areas too. If my memory(?) is correct, 09-12 vs 13-16 were contrasting examples. 13-16 were TEAM while the Patriots teams of 09-12, generally, were noticeably imbalanced. Even in the 2011 SB season -- how the Patriots were that close to the SB win is still shocking given the team consisted of Brady/the passing game + smoke and mirrors
(*2011 was a good example of an 'at best middling D' taking it to a better level in the playoffs. Hopefully 2017 sees that same nice step upward in the playoffs. Of course the 2017 D is already better than 2011 so they'll take it to the 'single digit points allowed' level).

 

[RobertWeathers]

I'd add that the 2010 team relied considerably on Gronk, AHern, McCourty, and Brandon Spikes...all of whom were rookies and had 0 playoff experience.

Plus I'm convinced Brady was sick that game. He was all cloaked up like The Phantom, had a drugged-up/zoned-out look, and I still have that image of him blowing a massive snot bomb on live TV before the game start. Ugh.

That's right he was sick.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I haven't reviewed that far back. Judging by your comment - I may not want to.

I spent way too much time debating with him in good faith yesterday only to learn he's a Brady-Hater and very negative.

 

[reflexblue]

I ran across this looking for BB the hoodie monster.

 

[RayClay]

Good to have the supporting opinion from Chao. The fact that Hogan received a Practice Player of the Week award for the win over the Jetes is perhaps even more encouraging - shows that he's contributing, not simply practicing.

Damn! He got Patriot of the week? Tom's not going to like that.