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Just throwing out some of them that come to mind. I’m going to limit to the postseason else it’s really endless with the amount of game winning passes when facing certain elimination.
The dynasty that was born that night (but not that one, the other one)
The heroics roll in from 2002-2013
Super Bowl 49
Super Bowl 51
Just garden variety superhuman stuff from 2017-present
Honorable Mentions (in losses)
The dynasty that was born that night (but not that one, the other one)
- The first mention here is admittedly not a single play but more to set the table of what’s to come. It’s a sequence to end SB36 with Madden’s infamous second guessing. First play, Brady is nearly stripped but eludes the rush and throws underneath completion; Ray Lewis later comments about the hidden brilliance of this play. Then the final three plays of the drive: A 23 yard pass to Troy Brown, a 6 yard pass to Jermaine Wiggins, and perhaps the best, the clock stopping spike, whereby he one hand palms the bounced ball like he’s in his living room with absolute serenity...at that moment we realize there’s something abnormal about the way this Brady kid approaches pressure. The game slows down for him while it speeds up for everyone else. It seems like a cool anecdote, until it starts to reveal itself as an actual permanent trait of Brady bordering on supernatural.
The heroics roll in from 2002-2013
- 17-yard pass to Deion Branch in the waning seconds to setup game winning field goal in SB38. That was an absolute laser and Branch was covered well.
- 60-yard TD deep middle pass to Branch, just beating the deep safety, to set the tone in the 2004/05 AFCCG at 16-1 Pittsburgh. Brady had the flu and a 102 fever.
- With 2:42 remaining facing 3rd and 10 and trailing the 14-2 Chargers in the 2006/07 AFCDG, Brady drops a dime to Bug Eye Caldwell for a 59 yard gain setting up game winning kick. Chargers meltdown and cry in defeat. Unfortunately the next week Bug Eye destroys the feel good memories of that amazing clutch pass.
- I personally think the “statue of liberty” fake against Jacksonville in the 2007/08 AFCDG is bit overrated, but it’s a signature play.
- In a brutally physical AFCCG in 2011/12 vs. Baltimore, Brady leaps into endzone for go-ahead score in fourth quarter. He gets demolished by Ray Lewis (but surprisingly not actually killed.). He gets up, spikes the ball, and inevitability sets in at Gillette.
- Trailing Baltimore in the 2014/15 AFCCG 31-28 late in the fourth, Brady drops a perfect dime to Brandon LaFell for a 23-yard TD and ultimate 14 point comeback win.
Super Bowl 49
- A play that may define the era is Brady’s perfect sideline endzone lob to Gronkowski, who beats KJ Wright down the sideline for a 22 yard score 30 seconds before halftime. The play highlights the greatest QB-TE duo in history in perhaps the greatest SB in history, and it highlights Brady’s masterful recognition of a mismatch in man coverage. Unfortunately, the defense absolutely melts down and gives the Seahawks 7 back in a series of WTF breakdowns.
- In maybe the gutsiest “this man’s spirit cannot be broken” pass of his career, Brady trails Seattle 24-14 in the fourth quarter of SB49, and faces 3rd and 14 against the best defense and secondary of his era. Steps up and lasers an absurdly accurate throw to Julian Edelman for a 21 yard first down, spurring the comeback. This was just after Richard Sherman said of Brady “his heart is dead”, as the Seahawks thought they had psychologically defeated Brady (as they did the year before with a certain uncourageous, large foreheaded stat hog.)
- The TD pass to Amendola to cut the lead to 24-21 was a ballsy pass against Earl Thomas. Brady has commented about how risky it was, and Thomas hesitated slightly.
- The game winning TD pass to Edelman was awesome in that they came back to a play they’d just installed the night before and had just missed it the series before that. The legendary moment is Brady motioning to his sideline with a victory fist pump. Of course, the drama that ensued with the Butler INT somewhat overshadowed that moment.
Super Bowl 51
- During the epic 28-3 SB51 comeback, Brady faces 3rd and 10 at his own 9 and a relentless pass rush. Completes magical 16-yard first down to Hogan, who hadn’t even broken on his route when the ball was released and pinpointed between two defenders.
- And here’s where the Squirrel Catch fits into the timeline, but in reality it was a poor pass/decision though it may be his most famous completion (!). The sideline lob to Amendola in OT was epic, as was the OT rocket over the middle to a blanketed Edelman.
- One last note on SB51. The PI pass to Bennett would have been the signature play of Brady’s career had Bennett not been severely interfered with. The broadcasters got it wrong calling it an “underthrow.” Actually it was perfectly designed for Bennett to use his size to whip back around and pull it in. Perfect placement right into his chest, and he was waiting for it.
Just garden variety superhuman stuff from 2017-present
- In essentially a do-or-die drive, Brady completes an amazing low laser 21 yard pass on 3rd and 18 to Danny Amendola to setup another fourth quarter comeback win against Jacksonville in the 2017/18 AFCCG.
- He then completes a beautiful high back endzone TD to Amendola for a game winning four yard TD pass.
- We’re sticking with single plays and not drives, but the three consecutive third-and-long completions (Edelman, Edelman, Gronkowski) in overtime at Arrowhead in the 2018-19 AFCCG are all incredible in themselves. The sequence of all three almost seems like one otherworldly clutch pass.
- In a defensive showdown, Super Bowl 53 is essentially won on a beautiful 29 yard pass from Brady to Rob Gronkowski up the seam, setting up a TD on the next play. Gronk’s last catch.
Honorable Mentions (in losses)
- These will not be held is such high esteem since they were losses, but the SB42 last second pass to Moss was a marvel of nature, in that man who was virtually destroyed could still step into a monster hit and throw the ball about 70 yards in the air and put it in catchable position. There may not be a play that better illustrates TB12’s toughness and clutchness. Giants players themselves have marveled about that pass, even though it fell incomplete.
- Also, the two incredible do-or-die passes to Gronkowski at Denver in the 2015/16 AFCCG reminded me of a David Blaine illusion, not actually believing what you just saw.
- Pretty much any postseason TD pass against the Steelers has a case of my favorite. ****y SOBs.
- And finally, Tom would say his favorite play is THE NEXT ONE! Long live TB12, King of the North, Ruler of the 32 Kingdoms.
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